6 Tips for Navigating the Holidays When You Have Diabetes

For the more than 38 million Americans who have diabetes, the holiday season can require a little more effort to stay on track and on top of your health. In reality, this also applies to the 98 million Americans who have prediabetes.

Since November kicks off the holiday season and it’s also National Diabetes Month, our multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers at LaSante Health Center wants to review some strategies for staying one step ahead of diabetes and your overall health over the holidays with these tips.

Avoid blood sugar spikes

Holidays are known for feasting, and many people joke that they like to skip other meals to gorge on the good stuff.

If you have diabetes or prediabetes, avoid this at all costs, because skipping meals can create dangerous spikes in your glucose, or blood sugar, levels.

Instead, eat as close to your regular times as you can and have healthy snacks on hand to tide you over if holidays feasts aren’t scheduled around your regular mealtimes.

Sample, don’t gorge

People can often switch over to mindless eating during the holidays as they catch up with family and friends, while not thinking about what they’re eating. As a result, they end up piling foods on their plates and then plowing through the entire plate.

So when the holiday feast is laid out, think of it as a sampler menu instead. Go ahead and put small portions on your plate of foods you’d like to try and then eat them slowly and mindfully.

Bring your own dish

To avoid the smorgasbord of carbs and sweets that are often around during the holidays, get creative and make your own healthy dish. You can use a sugar substitute and contribute a dish that will satisfy your sweet tooth without raising your blood sugar levels.

Watch what you drink

People often neglect beverages when they’re watching what they eat, but beverages can be sources of both good and bad. 

For example, one small glass of eggnog is loaded with fat and sugar, and you should avoid it if you have diabetes. As well, alcohol has calories, especially if it’s mixed with something sweet, like orange juice

Instead, stick to nonalcoholic drinks that will do some good, such as water, which provides crucial hydration.

Get moving

When you have diabetes, you need to manage glucose levels in your blood, and a good way to enlist your body in this effort is to move. 

A quick, 10-minute walk after you eat is one of the best ways to keep glucose from lingering in your blood. And the longer the walk, the more benefits you reap.

Manage your blood sugar

Before you head into the holidays, make sure you have everything you need to keep your diabetes in check. A quick visit to our clinic is also a good idea so we can check your levels and make sure you have the tools you need to stay healthy.

During this visit, we can also create a more customized approach for holiday eating (and drinking).

To get that ball rolling, please book an appointment online or call us at our Brooklyn, New York, clinic at 718-550-6478. Easier still, we welcome walk-ins during our hours of operation.  

Our team proudly serves the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.