Happy Healthy Holidays!
10 Must-Do's For Diabetes Health This Holiday Season
Christmas is almost here, bringing out a spread of irresistible delicious treats. Can you enjoy Christmas without succumbing to its food temptations? Here are a few things to do to enter into the festive spirit without compromising health goals.
1. Prepare ahead: Consult your doctor or dietitian to assess your health condition and review your medications. Set your dietary intentions for the season and resolve to stick to them.
2. Be aware: Remember that most festive foods are rich in refined sugar. Cakes, cookies and processed foods like cereal, biscuits and Colas are full of sugar. Honey-rich puddings and desserts are no better. Reducing these or even cutting them out of your diet completely will help you to maintain your weight and manage health conditions.
3. Think ahead: If you are attending a party, let your host know your dietary requirements in advance. You can also ask your host whether you can take along a healthy dish like a salad. You will have something to tuck into if everything else is too rich.
4. Stay fit: Studies show that regular physical activity increases insulin sensitivity and reduces blood sugar, so keep working those muscles, go for walks, take up yoga, move.
5. Drink water: Water helps the body to balance its fluids, enabling digestive and circulatory health, and assisting in the transportation and absorption of nutrients, and maintaining body temperature. Studies have found that drinking more water regulates blood sugar and increases insulin sensitivity in your body.
6. Limit alcohol: The recommended daily intake is two drinks for a gent, and one for a lady. Remember that many alcoholic beverages are sugary.
7. Serve mindfully: Take a smaller plate and fill half of your plate with veggies, quarter with proteins and the rest with carbohydrates.
8. Eat mindfully: Remember that fish and chicken are healthier than red meats, and grilled and baked is better than fried. Vegetables are filling, so the more you eat, the fuller you will feel. Chew well and take time between mouthfuls. Research has found that the faster you eat, the easier it is to overeat because it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to register that the stomach is full.
9. If you overeat: Don’t beat yourself up about it. Do extra exercises and get back onto your diet the very next day.
10. Throughout the season: Check your blood sugar regularly; make sure you take your meds. Think about the benefits of healthy living over the holidays: good health well into 2021!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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