Managing diabetes during the festive season
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September 13, 2021
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We Indians adore celebrations. There are numerous festivals available for this purpose. We have festivals celebrating the triumph of good over evil, festivals of lights and colours, and much more! And, of course, all of these festivals include plenty of fasting and feasting, which can make it difficult for a diabetic to keep diabetes under control.
Many festivals are lined up, beginning with Navaratri, Dussehra, Diwali, Chhath Puja, ending with Christmas. So, for diabetics, this is undoubtedly a trying time.
Pre-festive doctor consultation
People with diabetes have a tendency to throw caution to the wind and enjoy the festivities, only to discover that their blood sugar levels have skyrocketed. Diabetic patients should consult with their doctors prior to the festival, adhere to dietary restraint, and continue with their exercise schedule. People with diabetes should exercise caution when it comes to controlling their blood glucose levels.
Healthy alternatives during the festival
Traditional sweets could be replaced with the following healthy alternatives to ensure that health is not jeopardized during celebrations:
- Choose healthy snacks such as nuts, olives, or a piece of fruit.
- Consider eating good-quality dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate because it contains less sugar.
- Avoid sugary drinks and replace them with sugar-free fresh fruit juices.
Important tips to follow
- Keep track of your blood glucose levels on a regular basis.
- Use skimmed milk instead of full-fat milk when making sweets at home.
- Instead of sugar, use jaggery, dates or stevia as sweetener.
- Stay away from high-calorie snacks like samosas and papads. Choose roasted almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts instead.
- Adjust your insulin dosage based on your carbohydrate intake.
- Limit your consumption of caffeine-containing products.
- Try eating on a smaller plate. When you look at the plate, you get a sense of fullness.
Fasting Tips for People with Diabetes during Navratri
Fasting is an integral part of festival celebrations in India. It is advised that you check your blood sugar levels several times throughout the day. Also, it is highly recommended that one must break fasting if blood sugar levels are less than 70 mg/dL within the first few hours of fasting.
1. Consume slow-absorbing foods with a low glycemic index before beginning the fast. Potatoes should be avoided.
2. One can eat roasted peanuts, paneer, water chestnuts (singhara), and pumpkin raita. Chapati can be made with amaranth flour.
3. If you take insulin, you may need to adjust your insulin dose because your insulin requirement may decrease by up to 40%.
4. Don't go more than 2 hours without eating anything. Consume something light, such as fruit.
5. Drink a glass of lukewarm lemon water without sugar twice a day.
Indian festivals are occasions marked by the serving of sweets and other mouthwatering dishes. Diabetes patients can still enjoy these festivals as long as they take a few simple precautions to keep their blood sugar levels under control.