We celebrate multitude of festivals, each has a common denominator – calorie rich delicacies. Sweet sugary rasgollas, crisp deep fried puris, fragrant biryanis and of course laddoos, pedas, sheera, etc. “There is temptation everywhere, making it even more difficult to resist. A downer however, is that people around a diabetic person seem to encourage them to eat whatever they feel like. Along with increase in consumption of calorie rich food, festivities breakdown your regular nutrition schedule. Guests come and go, poojas and gatherings take precedence, because of this, exercise schedule goes for a toss too,” says Dr Tejal Lathia, Consultant Endocrinologist, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi. She suggests few tips.
Here are some of the bigger issues:
- Diabetics, for certain festivities, observe strict fast which means water is not consumed throughout the day; this causes dehydration. At dusk, when food is consumed, it leads to a spike in Blood Sugars. Dehydration combined with hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can lead to dizziness, fatigue, headache, confusion and rarely unconsciousness or coma.
- With the festiveness, comes dancing, where on loses track of time. With lesser or no water and food consumption, one could suffer from low sugar and dehydration. As an exact opposite, high-calorie snacks and colas are offered periodically, these trigger high blood sugars
- During the festive season, it is a dictum to visit family, friends and neighbors. This involves partaking in the delicacies prepared by hosts; this comes with the fact that the food they offer must be eaten – hungry or not, one must eat!
Here are some quick tips for diabetics:
- Plan your meals in advance. If you’re venturing out, predefine what you will eat, carry some nuts or fruits in case you have no suitable options.
- Do not skip your meals; this can impact your blood sugar levels.
- Keep your calorie intake in check especially consumption of carbohydrates; importantly, pay good attention to portion size. Eating low protein meats and vegetables is a good option.
- Do not give up on desert completely; the best way to have a piece of your favorite sweet is to plan your carbohydrate intake a few hours in advance.
- Always stay hydrated; always carry water bottles with you. An oral glucose gel available over the counter, is also a good option to keep handy, this will help raise blood sugar when low.