Carlie Hill is a registered dietitian and diabetes educator with the Texas Diabetes Institute. She talks about the importance of balancing nutrition during the holidays, especially for people with diabetes. Hill also provides some healthy holiday meal tips.
Control Your Blood Sugar
Food is one thing we all have in common — particularly carbohydrates. But for people with diabetes, it can cause a problem with blood sugar.
“We need them, but at the same time, especially having those conditions, we need to be a little more careful about how much we have at one time so our blood sugar doesn’t go too high,” Hill said.
Hill recommends choosing “good carbs.” “Two slices of toast would be two sources of carbohydrates,” Hill said. “Fresh fruit not only has fiber but is a source of natural carbohydrates.”
But Hill says the biggest culprits this time of year are sugary beverages like soda and juice. “I like to refer to these as liquid candy because they’re truly made up of sugar,” Hill said.
Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has these tips for healthy eating during the holidays:
- Have a holiday-proof plan when you know unhealthy options will be all around you
- Outsmart the buffet by grabbing a smaller plate
- Fit in favorites but have a small serving of each
- Get moving by taking a walk after each holiday meal
- Get enough sleep, which makes it easier to control your blood sugar
“Life is meant to be enjoyed, but at the same time, it’s just one day, not a whole week, and not a whole month,” Hill said.
Diabetes Education at University Health
Learn more about diabetes classes at the Texas Diabetes Institute.
