Medical Monday: Managing Diabetes at the Holidays

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -

The holidays are coming and that means lots of delicious meals, snacks, and of course desserts. For people with diabetes, it can be a challenging time of year. Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist Jennifer Smith reminds those who suffer from diabetes to check their glucose levels.

Jennifer Smith: " Monitoring your blood glucose is very important because if you don’t know what your sugar is doing then it’s hard to be able to manage effectively.”

When it comes to diabetes management Smith says there’s often a misconception that diabetics should only worry about consuming sweets, but there are other foods that add sugar to our bodies.

Smith: " You have to look at the whole picture, so it’s not just the sweet things it’s also anything that has carbohydrates, and when you think about the holidays there’s potatoes, and stuffing, and gravy, and breads and all of that, any carbohydrate will turn into sugar when it’s digested.”

Smith shares that those who suffer from diabetes don’t have to specifically restrict themselves from a holiday spread, but instead should be mindful while they enjoy delicious meals during the season.

Smith: " If you want to have that piece of pie maybe not having that much potato or stuffing. It’s not about limiting what the patient can have because we all want to enjoy the holiday. So, it’s all about the portion sizes and not necessarily excluding things.”

Jennifer encourages people who suffer from diabetes to try new recipes they like with a healthier spin. And if you see yourself needing help managing your diabetes during the holiday season please reach out to your primary care provider.

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