Simple ways to manage your diabetes over the festive season

The holiday season can be challenging for people with diabetes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still enjoy meaningful celebrations.

In addition to communicating your diabetes limitations and being flexible, adjusting your holiday expectations can allow you to enjoy memorable experiences without missing out on any fun

According to the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems), people with the condition 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,” said Gems.

The scheme, which offers a Diabetic Care Programme, has set out to support its members by educating them about the condition, 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,” added Gems.

The scheme shared some tips to enable people living with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as their loved ones to be able to have both a fun and safe festive season.

Be mindful of carbs

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!”

Develop a routine

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.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Actress Sophie Ndaba opens up about her struggle with diabetes  

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 per snack to manage blood sugar.

Test your blood regularly

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 (hypoglycaemia) is common and the goal is to avoid things getting to this point when you have diabetes.

Stay stocked up

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 that people with diabetes consume 15g of carbohydrates and recheck their blood sugar after 15 minutes. Then, if you are not in the normal range, eat another snack with 15g of carbs.

Prepare

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. Additionally, look at the menu before you eat at a restaurant if you have diabetes.

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 concluded the medical scheme.

READ NEXT: Blood sugar fluctuations do not make you a racist