5 Tips to Manage Your Blood Sugar During the Holidays

5 Tips to Manage Your Blood Sugar During the Holidays | Diabetic Eye Disease Month

11/1/2018

For those living with diabetes, there are all sorts of things to think about when it comes to health and wellness, including your eyes and vision. Diabetes can directly affect your eye health. According to the American Diabetes Association, having diabetes increases your risk of cataract, glaucoma, and retinopathy.

So how do you keep your eyes healthy and protect your vision when you have diabetes? You manage your diabetes effectively!

A healthy diet and exercise are important all year long, including the holidays. Unfortunately, holidays can pose particular challenges in both areas. The holiday season is often a time for family traditions, celebrations, delicious food, and abundant treats. While good fun, all the parties, travel, and holiday festivities can also derail your daily routine and take your blood sugar on a wild roller coaster ride.

Holiday Challenges for People with Diabetes

The holidays may bring good cheer, but they are often far from diabetic friendly. From your co-worker’s homemade fudge to your sister’s candied yams, you’ll likely be faced with temptations everywhere throughout the holiday season. Preparing for the holidays may also leave you busier than usual, with little time for exercise and even sleep. Plus, the holiday season often goes on for weeks. Just as you may be getting back on track after Thanksgiving, it’s time for holiday parties, December holidays, and New Year’s celebrations.

If you have diabetes, the disruption to your daily routine, along with sweet treats and big holiday dinners, can affect your blood sugar levels. The good news is that it’s possible to enjoy the holiday season, indulge a little, and still manage your diabetes effectively.

Here are five diabetes-friendly holiday tips to consider:

1. Have a Game Plan

With a little planning, you can enjoy office parties, family get-togethers, and nights out with friends over the holidays!

If you’re going to someone’s house, make sure you have something healthy to eat by bringing a diabetic-friendly appetizer or dish to parties. Consider eating a small snack, such as a piece of cheese and an apple, before you head out, to prevent you from eating too many treats. If you do decide to have a slice of pie or a piece of cake, cut back on other carbohydrates, such as bread, crackers, and beer.

At parties, instead of filling your plate with appetizers, place your finger food on a napkin, which might help you take less. Also avoid hanging out at the appetizer or buffet table, where you may be tempted to pick on food all night.

Avoid grazing all day. If you’re busy cooking and preparing a holiday feast, it’s easy to take a bite here and there. Calories eaten while cooking and clearing the dishes can add up and affect blood sugar levels.

2. Stick with Your Routine

You’re likely to be doing more socializing and eating meals away from home during the holidays. It’s easy to eat more than usual or eat foods you usually avoid, but it’s not a license to completely forget all your healthy habits.

Remember: Do not skip meals, whatever you do. Skipping meals to save calories for a big event may lead to fluctuating sugar levels. Eating at regular intervals helps your glucose levels remain steady and improves the effectiveness of diabetes medications that you may be prescribed.

Try to eat as close to your normal schedule as possible. If you know you’ll be eating later than normal, eat a small snack to keep blood sugar levels steady and prevent yourself from eating too much later.

Try to avoid eating lots of high fat and sugary foods. You don’t have to forbid yourself from tasting your holiday favorites, but don’t go overboard either. Keep your portions sensible. For instance, if you love cheesecake, have a small slice, eat it slowly, and enjoy!

Make sure you continue to monitor your blood sugar levels often. In fact, if you’re eating more than usual or trying new foods, check your blood sugar a little more often during the holiday season. It’s helpful to catch fluctuations in your blood sugar levels before complications develop. If you notice unusual fluctuations or issues, talk with your doctor and ask if your medicine needs to be adjusted.

3. Make Exercise a Top Priority

Your to-do list may be even longer during the holiday season. Between dashing through the mall, writing Christmas cards, and attending holiday events, fitting in exercise may be more of a challenge this time of year. Regardless, don’t let exercise take a back seat to holiday planning.

Exercise is a great way to manage your weight, decrease stress, and stay in shape all year long. If you have type 2 diabetes, exercise may be a part of your overall treatment plan. Do your best to make exercise a priority.

If your days are too packed to fit in your regular exercise, modify your workout a little. For example, if 45 minutes of exercise seems impossible, try to do two 15-minute workouts instead. Add more activity to your day-to-day life, such as a brisk walk in the morning.

4. Get Plenty of Rest

It’s easy to miss out on sleep during the holidays, between holiday celebrations, end of year preparations, and entertaining. According to a study sited by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), “Too little sleep may raise your blood glucose level.” Be sure to plan time in your schedule to get ample sleep during the holidays.

5. Get Back on Track Fast

Even if we have the best intentions, not everything goes according to plan. Don’t beat yourself up if you overdo it at the buffet table or gain a few pounds, but don’t use a misstep as an excuse to stay off track either.

Remember, no one is perfect, and tomorrow is another day. If you don’t manage your blood sugar as effectively as you wanted or find the time to exercise or get a good night’s sleep, just do your best to get back on track the next day. If it would help, find a accountability buddy to make sure you’re doing what you need to manage your diabetes effectively.

We wish you a joyous holiday season and hope you’ll keep the above tips in mind as you celebrate. Feel free to print this out if it will help you stay on track. With a little planning and thought, you can enjoy the spirit of the season, keep your blood sugars steady, and protect your eyes and vision!

If you have any questions about managing your diabetes, please contact your primary care physician. If you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our ophthalmologists so specializes in diabetic eye disease or you have any questions about diabetes and your eyes, please call our office at 508-746-8600 to schedule an appointment with either:

Happy holidays! Stay tuned for our next blog post in our Diabetic Eye Disease Month series as we look at “10 Ways to Protect Your Vision if You Have Diabetes”.