Top Ten Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes 2009

Having diabetes is never easy to deal with and the holidays can be particularly difficult what with all the different desserts and visiting other people's homes where you are not in control of what food will be served. Honestly there are times it seems easier to stay home than have to deal with being diabetic and going out or on trips or having to "endure" the holidays.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2005 and it's been quite a struggle to deal with. I've had problems with insulin resistance and eating the proper foods due to financial difficulties. So there are times that the holidays come around and I am not particularly in the mood to participate. I'm happy to say that this Scrooge-like behavior on my part is not really necessary during the holidays. I have put together a list of ten Thanksgiving tips to help diabetics handle the holiday table and to better handle the basic problems of being a diabetic in our food-oriented world.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #1: Have Thanksgiving at Your Own Home

Where will you be having Thanksgiving? If at all possible, it is best for the diabetic person to have Thanksgiving at their own home. This is the best way to control what foods will be on the Thanksgiving table and also how each dish will be prepared. Quite a few of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes are prepared with loads of extra fat and sugar and often these are unnecessary additions. The traditional dishes would taste almost the same and be just as good without the extra fat and sugar plus be healthier for everyone.

Stuffing can be prepared without adding two sticks of butter or being cooked inside the turkey. That's a lot of extra fat and for no good reason other than tradition (and flavor, I have to admit). Mashed potatoes can be prepared without a stick or two of butter and whole milk or cream. Use less butter or try a margarine that has fewer calories such as 'I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Light.' It's a product that has a good flavor and goes well with trying to eat healthier. You can use 2% or even 1% milk. It tastes good without being completely watery and flavorless.

You can modify each and every traditional dish that you serve at your Thanksgiving table and don't tell anyone. I know this sounds sneaky but people don't want to hear that they need to eat healthier, less fat, less sugar, etc. It's the holidays and they want everything the same. So I say give it to them but don't tell them you've tweaked each and every traditional dish to eliminate some of the fat and sugar. Plus, no one really wants to hear that you are diabetic and that you've got to be a little more careful of what you eat, so I've found it is better not to talk about it.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #2: Eat a good breakfast

If you want to save your appetite for the big Thanksgiving meal, please don't. Diabetics need to eat more often than non-diabetic people otherwise we get spikes of highs and lows in our blood sugar levels. Diabetics need to have a constant blood sugar level because when there are spikes, it is a very unpleasant feeling and can lead to crying and anger. I'm sorry but the resulting tears and anger are due to physical problems associated with the spikes in blood sugar levels and have nothing to do with anything that anyone has said or done. I have had problems with family members who do not understand this problem. If you have relatives who just don't or won't understand some of the problems associated with being diabetic, print out flyers to hand out to them at the holidays. You can find information about Type 2 diabetes at the American Diabetes Association website. Low blood sugar problems are called hypoglycemia and information can be found here. High blood sugar is called hyperglycemia and information on it's problems can be found here.

On Thanksgiving Day, don't starve yourself, instead eat a good breakfast and eat healthy snacks.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #3: Eat Small Meals and Snacks on Thanksgiving Day

A diabetic needs to eat approximately every four to five hours. This works out to about three small meals and three snacks each day. Each meal should include a protein, vegetable, and carbohydrate. Snacks need to be as healthy as possible. A few good snack choices include raw vegetables with low-fat dip and walnuts or other nuts, sunflower seeds, string cheese, celery with peanut butter and deviled eggs to name a few. There is a list of low-carb snack foods here.

Small meals throughout the day will help keep your blood sugar levels steady and avoid some of the spikes, highs and lows, which will cause you to feel sick. One big meal doesn't work for diabetics and really isn't healthy for anyone else either.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #4: Check your Blood Sugar Levels Several Times throughout Thanksgiving Day

Keep your glucose meter close by and check your blood sugar levels in the privacy of the restroom. Make sure they are within normal ranges of approximately 70 to 140. By keeping track of your blood sugar levels, you can avoid spikes that could possibly ruin Thanksgiving Day for you.

If you take medication for your diabetes, either insulin shots and/or pills such as metformin, stay on your regular schedule as much as possible.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #5: Get some Exercise

Getting some gentle exercise such as a walk around the neighborhood will help you to feel better and keep your blood sugar from spiking if you do decide to have a piece of pecan pie after your meal. Getting exercise doesn't mean you have to run around the block, just walking for ten or fifteen minutes is perfect. Go for a walk before the meal and then later, after the meal. Take the kids, put the dog on a leash and get outside and walk.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #6: Prepare A Few Sugar-Free Desserts

Sugar free puddings taste delicious and can be made into cream pies and banana vanilla wafer pudding. A cream pie can be made with sugar free chocolate pudding and light Cool Whip with chocolate sprinkles on top. The banana vanilla wafer pudding just takes the sugar-free vanilla or banana pudding, one or two bananas and a few vanilla wafers along with some light Cool Whip. We have these desserts for nearly every Thanksgiving, Christmas and other food-oriented family get-togethers.

Dessert can consist of a nicely prepared fruit plate or even a fruit salad. Sugar-free Jello with fruit and light Cool Whip is another delicious dessert. You can find a large selection of diabetic, low-cal, and low-carb dessert recipes at CooksRecipes.com here.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #7: Avoid Alcohol

I know this Thanksgiving tip will be very UN-popular. The truth is, a diabetic who is on insulin probably shouldn't drink at all. It says so on the insulin warning label. But if you simply must have alcohol, drink it when you have a full stomach and NEVER on an empty stomach. Stick to just one, possibly two drinks for the entire day. When it comes to being diabetic, alcoholic beverages are just one of the things to be especially careful with. Personally I abstain from all alcohol but you will need to make the decision that is right for you.

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #8: Avoid Stress as Much as Possible

High levels of stress can raise your blood sugar and so can family holiday get-togethers. That's what makes this tip so difficult because avoiding stress is not all that easy. At some point, the diabetic person may even need to go lock themselves in a quiet room for ten or fifteen minutes just to center themselves. I carry foam ear plugs with me wherever I go to help me with this problem. Exercise can also help with stress (see tip #5).

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #9: Prepare Extra Side Dishes That Are Healthy

Thanksgiving meals usually include side dishes such as sweet potatoes with marshmallows, mashed potatoes with a stick of butter floating on top and green bean casserole, to name just a few. Go ahead and make sure you have all the traditional side dish favorites fixed the healthy way (see tip #1) but if you are not able to have Thanksgiving at your house, take side dishes with you. You can take along a green salad with several different low fat dressings on the side. If you are questioned as to why you are bringing side dishes, make sure you can tell the truth when you say that it was some special fresh produce that you found at the Farmer's Market that you wanted to share with everyone.

Foods that are high in fiber help you to feel full longer and help control rises in your blood sugar levels so make sure to fix foods such as broccoli, fresh yams, green peas, whole grain breads and legumes (dried beans).

Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes, Tip #10: Eat Slowly/Eat Your Favorite Foods Only/Eat Small Portions

Go ahead and fill your plate at the Thanksgiving buffet. Choose your absolute favorite foods along with some healthy choices and some turkey. If you know that Aunt Martha will ask you what you thought of her famous and special once-a-year Thanksgiving dish, just take a small spoonful of it and taste it so that when she asks if you liked it, you can tell her it was delicious!

Now you have your plate of food, eat slowly. Chew each bite carefully. After about twenty minutes you will start to feel full and you can stop eating and when everyone asks why you've stopped eating, you can tell them you are stuffed. I admit there is a little sneakiness involved in my holiday interactions with my family and food but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or cause fights because I don't get to see my family all together except a few times a year. So it is important to me to be as polite as possible especially since some of my diabetic issues have caused me some unpleasantness in the past at family gatherings so I try harder to avoid those blood sugar spikes. No one likes me when I am having a low blood sugar moment.

It is best if you eat what you want on Thanksgiving, just do it in smaller portions. If you deny yourself your favorite foods on Thanksgiving, you will resent it and start to crave the foods you told yourself you couldn't eat. It's much better to have a tiny portion so you can at least taste the food and enjoy it instead of banning it from your body. Banned foods become a magnet and you will be more likely to binge on them later.

Of course you will have to have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and it is okay for the diabetic to have a slice. Just eat a really small slice and eat it after you have eaten your meal. I have found that if I have something sweet, like a piece of pie or some chocolate for example, that it must be eaten when I have had a real meal or I will feel sick. I have also found that by NOT denying myself candy or pie and just having one or two bites, then I feel good about myself because I ate what I wanted but basically, all I did was just taste it.

Planning is the key to keeping your diabetes under control on Thanksgiving. As long as you follow the Thanksgiving tips in this article, even just a few of them, then your Thanksgiving should be quite pleasant. You will have your diabetes under control, you will have your appetite under control and your blood sugar levels will remain constant all day long. Ok, that's the ideal goal and while there is never going to be perfection; you can at least have an enjoyable Thanksgiving Day and meal with your family this year.