World Diabetes Day is observed on 14 November and was created by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes.
According to the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), the upcoming holiday season can be challenging for people with diabetes because maintaining blood sugar levels while having fun is difficult, however, it can be achieved.
Here are some tips from GEMS that can help manage both type 1 and type 2 diabetes:
1. Find out how many carbs are in the foods you eat most frequently. This tip is a real lifesaver when it comes to managing diabetes. Understand how foods affect your blood sugar and how they affect your body. To learn more about your body, get to know what foods cause a reaction. This is one of the critical components to managing blood sugar and will make your life much easier. Plus, you won’t miss out on all the fun!
2. Routines are important. You are more likely to keep your blood sugar under control if you stick with your routine. For example, preparing for a big holiday dinner shouldn't mean skipping meals. On the contrary, it can lead to low blood sugar and increase your chances of overeating later. Spreading your carb intake throughout the day is essential, as is avoiding eating too many carbs at once. Ideally, you should consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per main meal and 15-30 grams per snack to manage blood sugar.
3. Make sure you test your blood more often. When you eat different foods and eat off schedule during the holidays, it is best to test your blood sugar more frequently. Two-hour intervals, before eating or before and after exercise are great for getting a fair idea of how your body reacts. If you drink alcohol, be sure to have a snack because too much alcohol without enough carbohydrates can cause low blood sugar. If you have had a few drinks or have been active, check your blood sugar during the night because that’s when low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is common.
4. Remember to always take extra supplies of test strips, needles, pump infusion sets, a spare glucometer and plenty of carbohydrate snacks wherever you go in case you experience low blood sugar. It’s recommended to consume 15g of carbohydrates and recheck your blood sugar after 15 minutes. Then, if you are not in the normal range, eat another snack with 15g of carbs.
5. The key to success during the holidays is preparation. Before attending a meal with family or friends, ask what food will be served so you can calculate its carb content. Offer to bring a dish to share. That way, there will be some of those blood sugar-friendly, delicious staple foods for you to enjoy. Look at the menu before you eat at a restaurant. The nutrition facts of dishes from many restaurants are available online, so you can find out how many carbohydrates are in the meal you are considering. Make sure to load up on vegetables, eat lean meat and eat whole grains and legumes in moderation.
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