Preparing for eating, traveling and socializing during the holidays

The holiday season is a joyful but sometimes challenging time, especially for people living with diabetes who may be watching their sugar intake. Between treat-filled parties and meals and travel that could get in the way of healthy eating, it can be tough to manage glucose levels during this time of year.

To help you make the most of the holiday festivities, here are tips to help you feel your best and enjoy your time without compromising your health.

Smart food strategies

When hosting, you have control over the menu, so you can select foods that help you feel your best. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people living with diabetes to choose whole foods over highly processed foods, plus non-starchy veggies like spinach, broccoli and green beans. They also recommend limiting added sugars and refined grains (pasta, white bread and rice). Combining certain foods can help maintain glucose levels as well.

"Combining carbs in meals with protein, fat or fiber can help keep your glucose steady," said Sara Thomas, a registered dietitian and research scientist with a Ph.D. in nutrition science and expertise in diabetes and obesity. "For example, you can serve whole grains, like brown rice, alongside lean protein, a salad and/or roasted veggies to help balance your glucose."

When you’re not the host, it can be stressful being unsure what food and drinks will be served. If you’re attending a party, offer to bring a dish that works well with your glucose management, like:

• Balsamic oven-roasted veggies (vegetables with a flavorful kick)
• Green beans with mushroom and onions (a staple vegetable on holiday tables)
• Butternut squash gratin (a healthier take on this cheesy holiday favorite!)
• Spinach salad with goat cheese and beets
  

Find more meal ideas to help keep you on track on the American Diabetes Association website.

Snacks, the key to instant happiness — and balanced glucose!

Just like not showing up empty-handed to a holiday party or family gathering, you shouldn't show up hungry, either. Having a snack prior to the get-together can help with minimizing glucose highs or lows.

"You might think waiting until a party to eat means you're saving up calories, but if you show up hungry you might overeat and make not-as-healthy choices," added Thomas. "Have a healthy snack first that pairs carbs with fats or proteins, like an apple with peanut butter."

Additionally, if you choose to drink alcohol, remember alcohol affects people in different ways. It's best not to drink on an empty stomach, and it's recommended to stick to one serving of alcohol for women and two servings for men. It's also a good idea to drink water before and after drinking alcohol.

When you're living with diabetes, utilizing a continuous glucose monitor like Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensor can show you your glucose numbers in real-time and help you easily see glucose patterns, empowering you to make more informed decisions*^,1 around what to eat and drink during the holidays, without the need for fingersticks^{^}.

Navigating social interactions

If you're living with diabetes or shared with your family and friends that you're monitoring your glucose, they may comment on what you're eating or drinking when you're at a gathering. While most likely well-intentioned, these comments can add additional stress beyond just watching what you're eating, which can also negatively impact your glucose levels.

One way to manage this is to respond with something like, "I appreciate your questions and concerns. This is what works best for me." If you feel comfortable, you could show them insights from your continuous glucose monitor and explain how it has helped with improving your glucose control.

Explore more, worry less: Savvy traveling tips

In addition to thinking through what you're eating and drinking during the holidays, travel can add even more stress that can impact your glucose levels. Like preparing for holiday gatherings, you can prepare for travel, too. For example, you can pre-package balanced snacks to pack alongside your medicines and diabetes supplies if you're living with diabetes. Here are additional ideas to reduce holiday travel stress:

• Pack snacks like nuts, dried fruits, cheese and high-protein/high-fiber bars.
• Allow extra time to get through security to reduce stress.
• Choose flights with at least one-hour layovers (for connected flights) to prevent rush and worry.
• Pack diabetes medications and extra supplies in carry-on bags, not checked luggage (which could be lost or delayed).

You'll enjoy the holidays a lot more if you plan ahead, so you can better cope with potential stressors that impact your mental and physical health. A little preparation makes festive meals, socializing and travel less likely to disrupt your glucose levels.

For more tips to help you live with diabetes and to see if you qualify for a free sensor, visit MyFreeStyle.com.

* Study was performed with the outside US version of the FreeStyle Libre 14 day system. Data is applicable to the FreeStyle Libre 2 system and FreeStyle Libre 3 system, as feature sets are similar as FreeStyle Libre 14 day system, excluding alarms.

^{^} Fingersticks are required if your glucose alarms and readings do not match symptoms or when you see Check Blood Glucose symbol during the first twelve hours.

1. Fokkert, Marion, et al. “Improved Well-Being and Decreased Disease Burden After 1-Year Use of Flash Glucose Monitoring (FLARE-NL4).” BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care 7, no. 1 (2019): e000809. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000809.

The FreeStyle Libre 3 app is only compatible with certain mobile devices and operating systems. Please check our compatibility guide for more information about device compatibility before using the app.

Important Safety Information:
FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus is prescription only, for important safety information, please visit https://www.freestyle.abbott/us-en/safety-information.html.