Healthy choices for the holidays: It’s a family affair

Fall, in all of its glory, is here. Harvests are coming in, kids are scrambling to pick out the best pumpkins for carving, folks are wearing flannel, taking hayrides and getting lost in corn mazes. Soon, the holiday season will be in full swing.

It is a joyous time for gatherings of family and friends, including parties, dinners, restaurant meals and holiday cocktails. For those with diabetes, it can be a time of frustration that presents difficulties when trying to manage food choices.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Now is a good time to reflect on how to self-manage diabetes during the holidays.

Handling the challenges of the season starts with being realistic. You don’t have to be perfect. I like to use the 80/20 rule. Try to do your best 80 percent of the time. If you slip up, forgive yourself and reset. Doing this can reduce stress, which is important to your self-care.

Stress can affect diabetes management in multiple ways. Stress boosts hormone levels such as cortisol and adrenaline, impeding the effects of insulin and raising blood sugar. Stress can lead to overeating and can interfere with sleep. Lack of sleep makes your insulin less effective. Recognize when your stress level rises and practice relaxing activities like mindfulness or meditation. Just five minutes can help you unwind.

Watch your carbohydrates and eat smaller portions. Desserts are typically high in carbohydrates so keep your serving small. Alternatively, don’t be shy about asking your host if you can have a “to-go” dessert to save for the next day if you’ve surpassed your carb limit.

You know certain foods can affect you, so plan accordingly to keep your glycemic levels safe and healthy. If you expect a carb-laden dinner, plan to eat a small, high-protein, low-fat lunch.

Often people skip a meal to “save up for the big one.” That’s not a good plan because it can lead to overindulging and not eating could interfere with your medications.

Physical activity helps you manage your blood sugar levels and also helps to keep your immune system strong. After a delicious meal, many families take a leisurely walk in the fall splendor, the new-fallen snow or the Pacific Northwest drizzle.

Play in the leaves or the snow with your children or grandchildren. Or how about a game of flag football? Moving after a meal, even for only 10 minutes, can keep blood glucose levels stable and manageable.

Use time with family during the holidays to talk about diabetes risk. Knowing family history is key to understanding your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 97.6 million people aged 18 or older have prediabetes, which equals 38 percent of the adult U.S. population.

The good news is prediabetes can be reversed, preventing or delaying the onset of Type 2 diabetes, so the tips mentioned here are useful for everyone, especially for people with a family risk for diabetes.

Unsure about your risk? Take a simple online prediabetes test on the CDC’s website at bit.ly/3Ng8XTX. You can sign up for regular updates from the CDC about diabetes and prediabetes at bit.ly/4ey8Uio – it is a treasure trove of information.

The Bellingham YMCA offers CDC-modeled diabetes prevention classes with a proven track record. Contact Tara Marshall at tmarshall@whatcomymca.org or 360/255-0643.

Halloween marks the kick-off to the holidays and National Diabetes Awareness Month. Enjoy the festivities with family and friends, make the healthiest choices possible, and reap the rewards of feeling better now and into the new year.

Dr. Sandya Gelou is in private practice in Bellingham. She completed her residency at Duke University Medical Center, is a fellowship-trained diabetologist, a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and a Mount Baker Foundation board of directors member.