Nutrition and Weight Loss Ideas

This is the season of so many holidays. There is Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years right around the corner. There will be unusual quantities of food and it’s important to think ahead about how you’ll be handling all those meals.

Some of the readers here may be diabetics, and while this article is directed towards them, it also contains good advice for all of us.

We all know that it’s quite likely that we’ll over-indulge with all the big meals and parties. It’s especially important for diabetics to keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range. In fact, we should all try to eat foods that are not only delicious, but also healthy. Foods like lean proteins, fiber-rich whole grains, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, and foods with the good fats like fish and nuts.

Here are a few tips that we hope will help you this season:

Prepare a Dish Yourself. Adhering to the healthy eating principles whenever possible is the best way to avoid blood sugar spikes. If your holiday gathering doesn’t include the foods you can eat, consider bringing your own festive, seasonal dish for everyone to enjoy.

Since you need fresh foods made with wholesome ingredients, it isn’t hard to find or create delicious recipes. Check your cookbooks. With so many options, it’s easy to whip up a delicious, nutrient-dense dish to share with your guests or your hosts.

Drink in Moderation. Alcohol and diabetes can be a dangerous mix if you aren’t careful. Drinking on an empty stomach directly after administering insulin or shortly after taking glucose-lowering medications can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), a condition that can cause confusion, dizziness, or even loss of consciousness. (These are also symptoms that happen to anyone who is drinking too much.)

Be vigilant about only drinking with food to slow the absorption of alcohol, and be sure not to exceed the American Diabetes Association’s recommended amounts of alcohol: one drink a day for women and two a day for men.

Also, people with complications stemming from diabetes, such as neuropathy (nerve damage) and high triglycerides (fats that circulate in the blood), should speak with their doctor about whether they should abstain from alcohol altogether. Finally, if you’re taking medications to control diabetes, check with your doctor or pharmacist about whether the two can be safely mixed. For those who don’t have diabetes, it is best to stay with wine, vodka, gin, whisky, scotch, bourbon, tequila, rum, or extra-dry or brut champagne. Avoid beer and other sugary drinks. Also, be sure to use sugar-free mixers, like club or diet soda.

Stress Less. For some, the frenzy of the holidays causes stress. And stress, while harmful for healthy people, is particularly bad for those with diabetes. Hormones released in response to stress may inhibit the body’s ability to produce insulin, which, in turn, causes blood sugar levels to soar. Manage your anxiety by carving out time for a relaxing activity — something as simple as flipping through a magazine or taking a walk may be enough — and prioritizing your “to do” list so you don’t take on too much at once.

Get Enough Exercise. The time constraints of the holidays can make squeezing in a workout a challenge. Still, getting regular and consistent exercise — a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio most days of the week, plus resistance training and stretching — is especially important if you have diabetes. If you’re really pressed for time, make several short bouts of activity the goal. Many people find it easier to think about squeezing in a 15-minute walk on the way to work and another one at lunchtime than to tackle 30 minutes of exercise at once — but both strategies count toward your overall goal.

Monitor Your Condition. Making healthy eating decisions is important for weight loss and maintenance, but as a diabetic it’s especially important to make healthy choices to maintain your blood sugar levels. As always, be sure to monitor your blood sugar with a blood-glucose monitor — especially before and after a big holiday meal — to ensure it’s in the optimal range.

There may not be another article until the early part of next week. UNtil then, I wish all of you a very, happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
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Got questions?

Contact me at: http://www.ronrink.com

My email and phone number are at that site. Feel free to contact me. I’m here to help you with your health, nutrition and fitness goals.

Have a healthy and nutritious day!

Shanti,

Ron

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