Yes I know, Christmas is still almost two months away. And the New Year’s festivities are even further. But holiday season is already on my mind because my patients are already talking about it now. I arrange for follow up appointments in three months and I say, “Watch out for the holidays, I will see you in the New Year.” And they groan and say, “Oh yes, Christmas etc will get me this year.{{more}} “

Don’t give in!!!Christmas and whatever holidays you celebrate around this time of year are all filled with landmines of dietary trouble for everyone, especially those with diabetes.

There is endless food, most of which is sweet, greasy and heavy; lots of alcohol including again sweet and heavy eggnog, and desserts everywhere. This is only in one house! Wait, wait until you visit 10 people’s houses over holidays and eat at every single house!!! If you truly give in to what is set out in front of you, the new year will need lots of new pants to accommodate the extra weight you will be sporting by then. Who wants to start the New Year with added weight and an extra behind?

Who wants to start with blood sugars 50 points higher than before? Who wants to roll into the new year feeling even more tired, out of shape and overall sick from all the excess from the prior few weeks? Doesn’t sound too good when I put it this way, does it?

There is another way to go about this of course, and that involves some planning. One of my patients had already decided what she would be cooking at her house and how she was going to try to “budget” her calories at meals.

She may not stick with it 100% but she stands a better chance than those headed into the meals just giving up and assuming they would simply indulge and ask for forgiveness later.

Start thinking now: come up with a strategy of how you will get through these coming weeks without: 1) gaining too much weight, 2) eating too many sweets, and 3) letting your blood sugars get out of control.I fully expect that there will be some small level of indulgence during the holidays, but I do not assume that everyone will just as well give up and have half the ham washed down with a jug of eggnog. Nope, won’t accept it, sorry.

Next week we will start going through some specific strategies again for how to handle festivities while trying to keep a lid on possible “diabetes gone wild”. No need for that at all J.

Until next week, stay safe and healthy Vincies!

Anita Ramsetty, MD endodocs@endocrinehelp.com
Medical Director Endocrine Care Group
www.endocrinehelp.com
Tel: 843-798-4227