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Back to Care MailKim and Alexandre’s Top Holiday Insights
Experience is the best teacher, which is why we’ve included some helpful guidance from those in the know. Take advantage of their sage advice to navigate the holidays with pleasure and ease.
Kim’s experience
Kim is an Accu-Chek Customer Care representative who provides support to healthcare professionals and those living with diabetes. Kim was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes over ten years ago, and today uses an insulin pump as part of her diabetes management. She’s learned by trial and error how to manage her diabetes during holiday time. Here’s what she had to tell us.
| Q | Does the busy schedule of the holidays affect your daily insulin pump therapy and your blood glucose testing? |
| A | Absolutely. Stress can sometimes raise blood glucose levels and we are all a little stressed during the holidays, whether it be because of Christmas shopping or preparing a feast for 20 people. And then there’s the occasional low blood glucose level when the running around gets to be too much. My insulin doses tend to change during the holidays, as does my food intake. My advice would be to talk to your doctor and see what they suggest for the holiday season. |
| Q | A |
| What is the best advice you could give a person living with diabetes on how to manage the holidays? | Test often and have a game plan! We all tend to splurge during the holidays, whether we have diabetes or not. But that’s okay; we all need a little treat once in a while. Frequent testing gives us a better idea of what’s going on with our diabetes and helps prevent any problems. I usually set limits for myself. I’ve had years where I went too far and ended up spending Christmas sick in bed. I don’t recommend it! Test as often as you can to make sure you stay healthy so you can enjoy yourself more. |
| Q | How do you eat healthy during the holidays? |
| A |  That’s a little challenging. There are always lots of desserts and mashed potatoes! I try to add a lot of cooked vegetables to my plate. They don’t raise blood glucose levels as much and if I eat them first, then I am less hungry for the potatoes and desserts. It makes it a little easier to resist the treats! |
| Q | A |
| How do you handle the stress of the holidays? |  Start early! I start my Christmas shopping right after Halloween. This way I avoid the crowds and the stress of last-minute shopping. I plan everything ahead so I can go at my own pace without having to worry about forgetting to test or eat when I’m rushing around. The first couple of years, I had a few incidents where I was Christmas shopping all day to get everything done on time and I forgot to eat or inject my insulin. Now I plan ahead and get everything done without the stress. |
| Q | What are you the most proud of in your diabetes management? |
| A | Keeping my sanity! While this disease is manageable, it’s still a huge part of my life. I didn’t always have the discipline I have today. I had a few years of very bad control and I’ve seen first-hand what happens when you don’t manage your diabetes. This is why I am now a firm believer in frequent testing. I know I sound like a broken record when I say “Test, Test, TEST!” but it doesn’t take much effort and a few minutes per day can make all the difference for living a long and healthy life. |
Alexandre’s experience
Alexandre is a 26 year-old who has been living with type 1 diabetes since he was five years old. He remembers the initial shock of being told of his diagnosis and that it would mean daily injections and no more sweets. Holidays like Easter, Halloween and Christmas that involved treats were especially challenging for him as a young boy. He can remember hiding in the bathroom to sneak an extra piece of the Christmas log. Since then, diabetes has become an integral part of his life that he has learned to manage quite easily, and through some negative experiences of his own, he has become a real expert at navigating the holidays.
| Q | What’s your best tip for a person living with diabetes on how to get through the holidays? |
| A |  I’ve learned that it’s easier to manage my diabetes if I keep my meals distinct throughout the day. Don’t eat throughout the day and snack. Some meals tend to go on for hours and it’s really easy to lose track of what you’ve eaten. It’s quite helpful to write down what you’ve eaten, take the time to calculate your carbohydrate consumption and review your insulin doses. Use your meter more often! Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean that you can overindulge. Be reasonable and avoid too much alcohol and sweets. |
| Q | A |
| What holiday strategies work best? | Use your meter more often, pay more attention and be more aware of what you’re consuming because sometimes it can be really deceiving. If you’re having a lot of turkey for example, you may think that you’re eating reasonably. However, if there’s gravy with that turkey and you’re not taking that into account, you could miscalculate your insulin dose. Sauces are often high in fat and sugar, so beware. |
| Q | How do you eat healthy during the holidays? |
| A |  The key is to plan ahead. Because everyone’s schedules are so different during the holidays, it means that mealtimes are too. Always be sure to have snacks and insulin with you. Plus, since my family and friends all know that I’m living with diabetes, they make sure there are plenty of healthy options for me. |
| Q | A |
| What foods should be avoided during the holidays? |  It’s not so much a matter of avoiding certain foods altogether; it’s more about being reasonable. We all like a treat during the holidays. If you really enjoy desserts, just make sure to have them in small quantities. Be especially careful of sauces as they contain both sugar and fat. Ask how things are prepared and be aware of everything you’re eating. For myself, I avoid eggnog because it’s a triple threat containing sugar, fat and alcohol! |
| Q | Do you have any other information to share with us regarding the holidays? |
| A | Christmas is actually the holiday that has changed the least for me. Growing up, I really found Easter and Halloween to be much tougher because the main focus is on sweets. I’ve now been living with diabetes for over twenty years so the holidays don’t stress me out at all. It’s become such an integral part of my routine that it doesn’t prevent me from doing anything in my day-to-day life. The holidays do present some challenges and I’ve definitely suffered with headaches, muscle pain and being dehydrated from not monitoring my blood glucose levels correctly. It’s understandable that living with diabetes is more stressful in the beginning. The key to the holidays is to test often, plan ahead and be reasonable. |
Articles in this issue
Past issues
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Traveling with Diabetes
Care Mail will be delivered right to your inbox and each issue will focus on a different topic. This month's topic is Traveling with Diabetes— offering practical advice and tips for a safe and memorable holiday.
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Getting into Exercise
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Managing Stress Effectively
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Lucky Number 7 (or less): Your A1c Test
In addition to helping you live a healthier, more stable life, proper management can help you avoid the complications often associated with diabetes.
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