When it comes to Thanksgiving it can be a bit overwhelming and frustrating especially in the beginning when tossing Diabetes into the mix. All those foods, all those carbs, what are you to do? Below are a few tested tips and tricks that can help make Thanksgiving a fun and enjoyable holiday all around, without sacrificing the chance to indulge in all the homemade goodness around you.
Check More Frequently
The most important tip of all for when it comes to Thanksgiving and Diabetes is to check more frequently. This can help prevent those highs that you may normally see later after largely carbohydrate based meals. Check 1 hour after eating ( I know your # will still be high at this time), however it can give you an idea of where you are headed. Usually 1 hour post meal if enough insulin is given Clifford won’t be much higher than in the 200s. But if we check and he’s rocking in the 300 and 400s then we know that a little more insulin is needed to help combat those after meal highs.
Smaller Portions
If you want to enjoy all the goodies around you, feel free to, you can. However it may be more beneficial to take those goodies in much smaller portions than you would normally like. This gives you the chance to try more than one dessert, or have more than one or two sides with your main meal, and not suffer from the additional carbs.
Increase Your Activity Levels
Adding in a few extra minutes of activity can help greatly in balancing out those blood sugar numbers. It can be something as simple as going for a walk after a large Thanksgiving meal.
Remember No Carb (Freebies).
When you know you will be eating a ton of extra Carbs in the afternoon with your meal, why not opt for no carb freebies such as cheese, meats, etc, etc in the earlier portion of the holiday.
The bottom line is, enjoy the holiday’s as you would normally. This time you just happen to have Diabetes in tow and need to pay attention a wee bit more. Overall it’s that time of year to have a great time with friends and family, so go do that and enjoy!
