Q. Thanksgiving is almost here and my family is
going to embarrass me again – they will lay out a delicious spread of homemade
foods that I can’t eat, and set aside some store-bought microwaveable foods for
me, their “little diabetic.” Can you
help me have a better holiday?
A. Here are several things you can try to help everyone enjoy a better Thanksgiving:
Call the host of the dinner ahead of time and let him or her know
that you appreciate their concern, but don’t require special foods. Then use the Plate Method to take reasonable
portions, so your blood glucose level stays within your target range:
- Take a standard 9-inch
plate.
- Fill one half of the plate
with non-starchy vegetables. These
include lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, celery, cauliflower,
etc.
- Limit your starch servings to ¼
of the plate. These include potatoes,
stuffing, corn, peas, etc. Do not
eat a larger portion. These are
carbohydrate-rich foods that will raise your blood glucose level.
- Fill the remaining ¼ of the
plate with turkey or other protein item.
- Limit your dessert
servings. Take just a taste and
move away from the buffet table.
If you can’t limit yourself, walk away before dessert is served
and sit down with a cup of coffee or tea.
Or, offer to bring a diabetes-friendly dessert that all can enjoy.
I
can’t stop your relatives from calling you their “little diabetic,” but I do
have a suggestion that may help. Go to www.behavioraldiabetes.org and
print out copies of their Diabetes Etiquette booklet for people who
DON’T have diabetes. Pass these around
to relatives who are interested in learning how to interact with people who
have diabetes. It is a great resource!
Here’s
another hint that you may find helpful.
Most people respond to the tone that you set. If you are comfortable with your diabetes,
they will be comfortable too. When your
aunt calls you her “little diabetic” give her a hug and call her your “little
auntie” and see what happens then change the subject. You’ll be turning it into
a light-hearted joke and will, hopefully, take the sting out of the
comment. Family can be frustrating, but
they do provide us with many things that we are thankful for.
Q. My boyfriend has type 1 diabetes. His doctor said that he might not be able to have children. Is this true?
A. Having diabetes shouldn’t affect a man's
ability to have children. A very small study published in 2007 in the Journal
of Human Reproduction showed that men with type 1 diabetes may have a slight
change in sperm quality that could affect fertility. All of my patients with type 1 who wanted to
have children, now have beautiful families. Tell your boyfriend not to worry.
Q. I forgot what to do when my blood sugar drops too low. Can you print the tips again?
A. Sure! If your blood glucose level drops below 70 mg/dl (or below your target range), use the 15/15 Rule. Here it is:
- Eat 15 grams of a quick-acting carbohydrate
food. Examples include:
½ cup of fruit juice
1 can of regular soda (not
diet)
2 teaspoons of sugar
Commercially sold glucose tablets (as directed on the label)
- Wait 15 minutes
- Test again.
- Repeat until you are within
your target range or above 70 mg/dl.
Follow this treatment with a small protein/carbohydrate snack.
- For more great articles by Janis Roszler, visit the e-version of our magazine at walgreensdiabetes.com
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