The holiday season can be challenging for people with diabetes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have meaningful celebrations. Communicating your diabetes limitations, being flexible, and adjusting your holiday expectations can lead to memorable experiences.
People with diabetes know that living with diabetes is a 24/7 job. Holidays can be challenging to maintain your blood sugar levels but maintaining a healthy blood sugar level is essential. In addition, it’s vital to feeling good, staying energetic, and having fun!
With GEMS’ Diabetic Care Management Programme, you are not alone. The Diabetic Care Programme partners with you, your family doctor and other healthcare service providers of special diabetes care. GEMS supports its members by educating them about diabetes, enabling them to manage and control it.
You can live a better life by improving your control. In addition, good control of glucose reduces the risk of severe health problems. The finger prick test measures your glucose level at that moment, while the glucose control test (HbA1c) is the best test to determine your average control over three months.
Here are some of 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 which 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 (g) of carbohydrates per main meal and 15-30 grams (g) 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, as 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.
Enjoying the festivities and spending quality time with your loved ones is the most important part of this time of year. We know that things do not always go according to plan in life. But do your best; don’t be too hard on yourself. Make sure you love, care, and nourish yourself unconditionally!
Members of GEMS enjoy excellent service, affordable benefits, and improved health outcomes. GEMS has diabetic care nurses who can help you with diabetes-related health concerns. The goal of your diabetic care team is for you to feel healthy and supported by your and to monitor your diabetes closely. The GEMS diabetic care number is 0860 109 900.
