Here Comes Christmas-How a Type 2 Diabetic (ME) Is Coping with the Holidays | Miki's Hope

Here Comes Christmas-How a Type 2 Diabetic (ME) Is Coping with the Holidays

Wednesday, December 14, 2016


They are so cute. How can you not buy one or two or three?

Many of you reading this article have been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes or know someone with Diabetes. Having type 2 Diabetes means your body has developed a resistance to insulin and, thus, your blood sugar is higher than it should be. Most likely, you’ll take daily doses of metformin to increase your insulin sensitivity, exercise to lower your blood sugar and, in some cases, inject the insulin you need.

Having struggled with Diabetes for a while, I’ve grown used to the tiresome blood sugar tests and to the routine of taking medication. I’ve also tried my very best to stay on a rigorous, sugar-free diet, which I’ve achieved with various degrees of success according to my mood, my cravings and, I’ll admit it, to my own sweet tooth.

Christmas cookies, why can’t you be harmless?


But if someone allowed me to choose a final Diabetes-free week - without worries about carb-counting, blood sugar highs and lows - it would be Christmas. There is nothing as hard as resisting the mash potatoes on the table, the yummy-looking sugar cookies your neighbor kindly offered, the nice box of chocolates people are sharing at the office, the pumpkin pie on your best
friend’s Instagram or Google Plus, the sweet potato pie on your favorite Facebook page, the pecan pie your mom
excels at. Food’s everywhere! And I am the original Cookie Monster as O have mentioned many times--one for each hand please!!

And it seems that the more you avoid it, the harder it gets: how can you be so rude as not to taste everything that’s being offered to you? How can you resist your sugar cravings all the time? How can a little, tiny Christmas treat do you so much harm? Some people eat a whole box of them and don’t have to worry! I know I’m not alone. A lot of you must feel the same. So what can we do to make Christmas time easier?

Pie.

Oscar Wilde once said that the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield it - and that’s why I’ve given up resisting everything. I’ve found that if I don’t allow myself even one little treat, the frustration alone will make me crave them even more. In previous years I let my cravings grow so much that when I finally gave in, I ate too much. Worse - I often ate things that looked good, but weren’t as tasty as I thought they would be.

This year, I’ve decided to give in and eat a small chocolate piece each day after dinner. And when I say little, I mean it - European portions. Since I still have to clean up the kitchen afterwards and take care of the house, I use the chocolate calories almost immediately and I do not get sugar highs. On Christmas day, I’ve decided to allow myself only one dessert - my favorite pie, PUMPKIN which will satisfy me more than anything else. And you, how are you coping with the holidays this year?


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27 comments :

Barbara said...

I'm borderline, and I guess that I'll end up trying the European way, too!

Buzz4Mommies said...

I have a close family member who is affected and Christmas is always a struggle for him too.

Jamie said...

I was just talking to a friend of mine about this. I was worried about putting sweets in their Christmas basket and saw that there are a lot of other options for sugar-free, etc. :)

Taty said...

I just has to be so hard to be looking out to avoid those yummy foods. I wish there was a cure!

Gladys Parker said...

Bravo, it sounds like you have things under control! I haven't began to make it there yet. I have no willpower or discipline. I know I must as the shot can't do every it's self by a long shot. Maybe if I say 1 desert too that will help me not to feel deprived. I think that feeling of you can't makes me somehow want to prove I can but one is never the end for me with that way of thinking.

Olivia said...

It's so hard not to feel deprived, especially at this time of year. I like your idea of allowing yourself just a small treat. I have found that the longer I go without sugar, the fewer cravings I have and it gets a lot easier to just say no. :-) Enjoy the holidays!

Bonnie LeahSay said...

Diabetes runs in our family. My mom is a Type 2 and it is difficult for her to stay away from sweets, especially when she is just so good at baking. We have to limit our sugar intake, and prefer sugar free or use stevia sweeteners instead.

TNE said...

I do not have diabetes, but my blood sugar does drop (hypoglycemic). I try not to eat a bunch of sweets, I rarely do. It usually happens after I eat and I have to eat a piece of candy to bring me back up. I know if this feels terrible when my sugar drops, I can't imagine when yours rises! Thank you for the education here!

Kelly O said...

I love that you included ideas about baking for a diabetic. I have a couple family members that I like to be more careful of sugar contents when they are around. This will help.

Rose-Marie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I just started medicine for diabetes in the past year. The only thing I really try to limit is pop, that seems to be the biggest sugar trigger for me. Otherwise I find it is too hard to completely get rid of it...when I was "clean eating" I had a bag of dark chocolate hersey's chocolate chips in my cupboard and would pop 5 or 6 in my mouth when I felt any cravings. I would jsut let them melt and enjoy it...I don't like dark chocolate but these were wonderful!

rochelle said...

It is hard around the holidays for me

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing. I take Metformin also.

susan1215 said...

My husband has diabetes but loves chocolate so we always have sugar free chocolate around when he gets a craving.

Karen J said...

I try to make treats that are sugar/gluten free and share with everyone so they have options.

nanja said...

My husband has type 2 Diabetes We keep mini sized chocolates so he can enjoy the taste, not feel deprived yet keeps his sugar levels under control

Amy D said...

I am thankful for pinterest. I have found so many healthy recipes that are low in sugar and fat.

molli said...

i revisit this post every year so i can make sure my celeb rations include everyone

Debbie P said...

I feel for you. My son has been Type 2 for the last 10 years since he was 22. and must take 4 shots a day. He also almost died twice early on. But for him now it is about balance and he does have a treats in moderation. Thanks for your article.

Edna Williams said...

It's difficult to have options for family members who have diabetes when entertaining for the holidays. Your post is very encouraging. Thank you for sharing!

Steve G said...

(An older blog but still relevant). My Mom is diabetic and the holidays are hard for her since she wants to enjoy treats like everyone else. We try to minimize sweets in the house, it helps a bit. Thanks for your suggestions.

Jeanna Massman said...

Several members of my family are diabetic and they are more at risk for COVID-19. A healthy diet is so important to keeping this awful disease in check.

Michael Coovert said...

I was just diagnosed with diabetes. This is going to come in so helpful as I face me first holiday season as a diabetic.

Deb PelletierC said...

I'm a diabetic , I hate it. I love food, but I have to change. It's no fun.

tisme143 said...

I have a sister who is diabetic and she is on a strict diet. I feel bad because during the holidays we always have pie or something and she sits and just smells the fumes.
@tisonlyme143

tat2gurlzrock said...

That has to tale a lot of self control. Especially during the holidays.

Jeanine Carlson said...

Very smart of you to recognize that you will fail if you don't allow yourself some small amount. And there are lots of options out there for sugarless sweetener (I use Lakanto) that you use on a 1:1 ratio and tastes just like sugar. So many better choices than there used to be.

 
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