Tips and Tricks for Balancing Blood Sugar
by REBEKAH PIERCE
It’s almost time for Christmas songs to fill the air and decorations to go up around the neighborhood. But let’s be honest: There’s one scene that truly steals the show during the holidays each year — a table overflowing with delectable dishes and treats.
The holidays can be challenging for individuals with diabetes as well as anyone wrestling with their diet. Often, the question becomes can I or can’t I enjoy this treat.
According to Massiel Gilpin, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at Watson Clinic, this is one of the most common misconceptions people have about healthy eating during the holidays. It’s always, “‘I can’t have’ or ‘I shouldn’t eat this,’” she explains. “They’re usually referring to sweets and starches. You can have these things. You just need to know how much you should have of them and what you should have with them because that changes it completely.”
Monitoring
Holiday eating is far from one-size-fits-all, she continues, and requires a personalized approach that relies heavily on individual monitoring.
“Checking the blood sugar is the first small, but big, change [people] can make,” Gilpin says. This can be done at home in a few different ways, whether that’s the “old school” fingerprick or a continuous sensor on your arm to help you keep tabs on your blood sugar all day long.
Monitoring is one of the smallest but most impactful steps people can take.
“I’ve noticed people who have a sensor on, especially someone who can see their blood sugar more frequently than someone checking once a day, they make the biggest changes and improvements in their blood sugar management. Seeing all day, every day, what happens when I eat this or do this exercise…it helps them make the biggest changes.”
Once you have a baseline of what your blood sugar should be, then it’s easier to tailor your diet to avoid massive spikes and crashes. There are a few effective strategies.
“Use smaller plates,” Gilpin suggests. “And balance meals with veggies and proteins when [you] do have starches or sweets. If you’re having some sort of protein or vegetable with [the starches], it won’t affect your blood sugar as much as if you eat them by themselves.”
She also highlights the role of fiber in managing blood sugar and recommends avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages.
“Don’t drink your carbs!” she implores.
While diet is undeniably important when it comes to managing blood sugar, it’s certainly not the only variable that comes into play.
Food Isn’t the Only Factor
“People think it’s just the food,” she said. “It’s, ‘I check my blood sugar, it’s high, what did I eat?’ But, did I think about if I’m under a lot of stress? Did I sleep well? Am I in pain? Those things can also affect blood sugar.”
Sleep, stress, and physical activity all can impact blood sugar outside of diet. Gilpin advises sticking to a regular bedtime routine and practicing good sleep hygiene.
Stress can be hard to avoid amidst the chaos of the holidays, but Gilpin says a little planning can go a long way not only in managing stress but also in making sure you’re eating well. “Pre-pack meals and snacks the night before. Take stress off your plate and delegate tasks. Prioritize yourself and do some self-care.”
Pack Snacks
While it can admittedly be hard to avoid the treats at the holiday office party, Gilpin recommends packing satiating snacks to reduce hunger and keep temptation at bay.
“I would recommend fiber and protein,” she says. “Those two things stabilize the blood sugar. Fiber through whole grain crackers, whole wheat bread, fruit, vegetables, and pair that with some sort of protein. A protein bar, protein shake, peanut butter, nuts, cheese, avocado, guacamole cups. All pretty convenient.”
Get Moving
Don’t underestimate the importance of exercise.
“Physical activity helps to improve insulin sensitivity, brings blood sugar down, and reduces stress,” Gilpin explains. It doesn’t have to mean running a marathon. It could even just be walking around looking at holiday decor with your family.
“Make it fun. Do some laps around the store before you start your shopping to get some extra steps in.”
If all this sounds overwhelming, make room on your calendar for one of two informative seminars Watson Clinic is planning November 5 and November 19 to help those with diabetes or prediabetes learn more about blood sugar management. The free event, open only to Watson Clinic patients and staff, is open to a limited number of attendees, so be sure to RSVP online at WatsonClinic.com/Events