5 Tips from the Marina, CA Home Care Specialists on Managing Diabetes During the Holidays

The holidays are the perfect time to reconnect with family and friends, but let’s be honest: it’s often also a time for overindulgence in unhealthy food choices. With a variety of rich, fatty, and sugary delicacies offered at every turn, it’s difficult to follow a healthy diet, which can result in significant health concerns for individuals with diabetes.

These guidelines, however, can help with managing diabetes during the holidays, while avoiding feeling deprived of favorite goodies. Be sure to first contact the physician for his or her approval on any meal decisions that stray from an approved nutrition plan.

• Decide on your top choices. Consider options during a holiday meal, and choose your two favorite carbs to enjoy. For instance, decide if you’d prefer to have stuffing or rolls, or pick between mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, in place of indulging in all of the selections.
• Bring your own. When attending a holiday meal at someone’s residence, talk with the host concerning your nutritional restrictions, and offer to bring a healthy dish to share, like a tray of fruits and vegetables or a sugar-free dessert.
• Have a snack first. Enjoying a healthy snack prior to the holiday meal will help keep blood sugar levels steady and assist in preventing the temptation to go overboard. Ideal snack choices for diabetics include nuts, veggies with hummus, celery with peanut butter, string or cottage cheese, or an egg.
• Stay hydrated. Having a glass of water before sitting down to enjoy the meal will help create a sensation of fullness, making it less likely that you’ll be inclined to overindulge.
• Stay active. Following a heavy meal, defy the urge to settle into the sofa and watch TV or snooze; instead, provide help with washing dishes, play an active game with the younger ones, or take a walk outside.

If in spite of these pointers you end up over-eating or making unhealthy meal selections, be kind and forgiving to yourself. Bear in mind that tomorrow is a new day to resume healthy habits again. Keep a close eye on your blood sugar to ensure levels stay in the appropriate range and to prevent the potential for a serious problem, such as diabetic ketoacidosis, which could cause a hospitalization and surely put a damper on the holiday spirit.

Get in touch with the Marin, CA home care experts at Hired Hands Homecare to learn more tips for managing diabetes during the holidays, for assistance with preparing healthy meals, providing medication reminders and motivation to engage in exercise programs, and much more! We’re available to help throughout the holiday season and beyond to empower aging adults to live their best possible lives. Visit our Locations & Service Areas page to see if our services are available in your area, and call us at (866) 940-4343 to request a free in-home consultation today!