Holiday Survival

With a little preparation you can feel good about your diabetes, weight and health during this special time

By Joy Pape, R.N., C.D.E.

Jan was tired of feeling lousy during the holidays. “I ate and partied like everyone else. By the time I got home, I was so stuffed I couldn’t button or zip my pants. I was so uncomfortable, I’d crash. The next day I still felt awful. I didn’t check my blood glucose because I didn’t want to know.”

After years of this holiday party overload, Jan made a change. “My aha moment came when I finally realized it wasn’t worth it to work all year to manage my diabetes and then give it up for the holidays. I’m pretty good with managing my money. When I look at something I want to buy, I look at the price and I ask myself—‘Is it worth it?’ That’s what I do now when it comes to managing my diabetes, my weight and my health. I count the cost. And, I realized it was too expensive to overdo the holidays. The holidays are not a problem for me anymore because I make plans.”

Managing your diabetes during the holidays takes planning

When Jan speaks of not overdoing, she’s not just talking about food. She understands diabetes management is about more than food—it’s about keeping your numbers in check, staying active, taking your medications and the many other aspects of successful management. Just as hosting a holiday party starts with a plan, so should your diabetes management. With a little preparation you—like Jan—can feel good about your diabetes management and enjoy the holidays.

You’re probably familiar with many of the numbers that are important for good diabetes management. Talk with your doctor or diabetes educator about a plan to help you keep on track during the holiday (or any time you may be concerned about not being able to manage your diabetes effectively.) Here are two plans to consider:

Plan to maintain

With some extra planning you’ll be able maintain your blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and yes, even your weight during the holidays. Sure you’ll need to make some tradeoffs, but you’ll feel so much better, you’ll find they are worth it.

• Food. Have your regular foods available. Bring these with you if you go to parties—or where appropriate request foods you can eat (and enjoy)!
• Activity. Continue your regular exercise schedule. Say no to attending certain events that may disrupt it. One of exercise’s benefits is improving your mood. You’ll feel so good you won’t feel like you missed out on anything. If there is an event you don’t want to miss, just change your exercise time to another time that day.
• Monitoring. Monitor as often as you usually do. Carry your meter and other supplies with you in case you find your schedule is a bit off due to an unexpected family event, holiday traffic, or lines at your favorite stores or the post office.
• Medications. If you are taking insulin, counting carbs, and adjusting according to your numbers, have your insulin and handy carbohydrate sources with you in case your numbers rise in relationship to the stress of the holidays.

Plan to relax a little

Loosening up—within reason—takes planning, too. Without a plan you may lose the diabetes management you’ve worked so hard for all year.

• Food. Ask beforehand what will be served at the party. If all the available foods raise your blood glucose excessively, bring something you know won’t cause that rise. If the meal is heavy on desserts, bring a salad or green vegetable so you have that choice to help balance your plate. If you don’t usually eat dessert, you may decide to have one this time rather than a roll, rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy the foods you love, but keep your old standards at hand.
• Activity. Your schedule may be turned upside down, but this doesn’t mean giving up exercise. If you choose not to keep to your regular schedule, make sure you plan at least some activity. Put on some music and dance while you’re cooking, cleaning or wrapping gifts. Park farther away or get off the bus a stop earlier so you can walk to the stores to shop for food, gifts and clothes for the season. Take a walk during the party with your family or friends or play an active game like charades.
• Monitoring. Changes in food and activity and stress—even the happiness of this special time of year—can affect your blood glucose, so this may be a time to monitor more often. Stay on top of your readings as well as your blood pressure, weight and waist size.
• Medications. If your numbers are out of your target range, talk with your health care team so that together you can design a holiday medication regime.

The important thing is to decide in advance how you will approach the holidays, develop a plan and stick with it. Even if your plan is to relax your diabetes management a bit, stay within the boundaries you have set in advance.

Joy Pape is a certified diabetes educator. She is president of EnJOY Life! Health Consulting, and partner of Divabetic Organization, New York City.