Holiday Treats Are Unwelcome Temptations For Diabetics
--Local physician offers tips for enjoying the season while managing diabetes
One in a series of articles designed to make the Pee Dee healthier

By: Sue Rudnicki, Program Director
Wound Healing Center at Marion Regional Healthcare System

Overflowing gift baskets, beautifully-decorated cookies, festive punch bowls and traditional family desserts all wreck havoc with diets, but for the more than 20 million Americans living with diabetes, holiday treats pose a risk greater than not fitting into your jeans come January.

“While many of us can take a holiday from our diets, people with diabetes have to be careful to watch what they eat to maintain proper blood sugar levels every day,” said Alvin C. Abinsay, MD, a physician associated with the Wound Healing Center at Marion Regional Healthcare Center. “Fortunately, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) nutritional guidelines now offer diabetics more food choices and fewer restrictions.”

Dr. Abinsay uses medical nutrition therapy to help the diabetics he sees at the Wound Healing Center, a National Healing Corporation Wound Healing Center, manage their disease and increase their bodies’ ability to heal chronic wounds.

“Diabetic nutritional guidelines no longer recommend a high-carbohydrate/low fat diet,” Dr. Abinsay explained. “The goal now is to focus on the total carbohydrate intake rather than the type of carbohydrate being consumed.”

Dr. Abinsay offered these holiday tips for diabetics:

•    Keep to your blood glucose monitoring schedule and monitor more frequently if you find you are eating more often or at different times of the day.

•    Along with your gift-giving list, plan out what kind of holiday foods are best for you. When you get to a party, check out the food options and choose the ones that match your plan.

•    Whenever possible, choose to bring a dish to the party rather than a hostess gift or a bottle of wine. That way you can be sure of at least one healthy item.
•    ADA guidelines do not prohibit alcohol in moderation, (two drinks per day for men and one for women), if three criteria are met: (1) that your diabetes is under control, (2) your health care provider agrees that you do not have health conditions that could be made worse by alcohol and (3) you know how alcohol affects your diabetes.

•    Focus on activities other than food. Instead of meeting friends for a get-together at a restaurant, suggest going to a holiday-themed concert, movie or play instead. Offer to help out at a party rather than risk overeating by standing by the food all night.

•    ADA dietary guidelines include several sweeteners that can be used in holiday baking including table sugar, honey, molasses and brown sugar. Tinker with favorite recipes to reduce the amounts of sugar required or make other substitutions such as low fat or non-fat milk for whole milk.

•    The internet and libraries offer countless suggestions for holiday treats developed for people with diabetes. Look to see if there is a recipe that is equivalent to one of your family’s traditional holiday meals or start a new tradition of healthier eating.

•    Don’t feel deprived during the holidays: you may need to exercise more, increase your insulin or eat less of other foods but you can enjoy the holidays to the fullest.

For more information on managing diabetes, contact the Wound Healing Center at Marion Regional Healthcare System by calling (843) 431-CARE (2273).

The Wound Healing Center at Marion Regional Healthcare System is located on Highway 76 between Marion and Mullins. A National Healing Corporation Wound Center, it specializes in the treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions and offers hospital-based outpatient wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy as well as disease management and diabetes care. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has awarded National Healing Corporation Disease-Specific Care Certification for wound care. 

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (843) 431-CARE (2273) or visit them on the web at www.MarionCountyMedical.com

Submitted:
December 12, 2008

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