Scott Webb (Host): Diabetes is very common in America, as is overeating, or not eating the right things during the holiday seasons and when we travel. My guest today has some great suggestions and tips for how folks living with diabetes can still enjoy holiday gatherings and travel while being mindful of their blood sugar.

I'm joined today by Sholara Johnson. She's a Registered Nurse with Holy Cross Health. This is Your Best Life podcast from Holy Cross Health. I'm Scott Webb. Sholara, it's nice to have you here today. We're going to talk about diabetes and managing it and what do we do around the holidays, you know, how many pieces of pumpkin pie or too many pieces, that kind of thing.

So let's start there. What is diabetes? Why is it important that we manage it? And what do we do around the holidays? How do we keep things in check?

Sholara Johnson, RN: Thank you for letting me be here. Today, we want to talk about diabetes and just how it affects us overall, whether it's the holidays or any time of the year. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how our body processes blood glucose or blood sugar. In Type 1 diabetes, the body doesn't produce enough or any insulin at all. But in Type 2 diabetes, the body either produces insulin, but just not enough, or it doesn't properly use it. So proper management is critical to preventing complications like heart disease, nerve damage, or kidney issues. And the holidays can present unique challenges like sugary treats and irregular routines.

So it makes a little bit more important for us to stay mindful about our blood sugar levels around those holiday seasons or just travel times.

Host: Yeah. Yeah. Those are tough times for all of us when we travel, right, around the holidays, lots of treats and goodies and great food. Do you have some suggestions, maybe some key steps that we can, you know, if we have diabetes that we can sort of keep with us and be mindful of to stay healthy during the holiday season?

Sholara Johnson, RN: Yes, I do. I have a few little tricks up my sleeve that we can remember. And this is not just only the holiday season, but if we're traveling during the summertime or just going on a family vacation, the main thing is to do is to plan ahead. Review the menu and decide what you'll eat before your gatherings or before you get to your destination.

Portion control, stick to smaller portions of high carb or sugary foods. And then also, you want to monitor your blood glucose levels. Check your blood sugars more frequently to understand how different foods can affect your blood sugars. Some foods can make your blood sugars go up a lot more than others, so you really want to stay on top of that.

And then stay active. Incorporate physical activity like walking, playing a game, having something that's, um, fun that you can do to help regulate your blood glucose levels and while you're traveling or doing something, you know, as far as your activity, stay hydrated. Drinking water can also help control hunger as well as blood sugar spikes.

Host: Yeah, one of the things I like to do, Sholara, is if I'm gonna bring a dish, you know, for the holidays or something like that, I try to make something that I know will be good, you know, for those folks who are trying to be a little more mindful of their weight, of their health, of their diabetes, whatever it is, just, you know, kind of sneak that in there a little bit, but, you know, something that still tastes good, but, try to have it be a healthier option when possible.

And that's what I wanted to ask you about, like, what are some of the healthier alternatives to traditional holiday foods for people with diabetes.

Sholara Johnson, RN: Well there are absolutely some good swaps. And if we can change those swaps out a little bit, that will help us control our blood sugars ultimately. So, we can use cauliflower mash instead of traditional mashed potato. We can try almond or coconut flour for low carb baking. We can sweeten our desserts with monk fruit or stevia instead of regular sugar, and we can also opt for roasted vegetables with olive oil and spices as a side dish.

We also want to make sure that we enjoy fruit based desserts like baked apples with cinnamon for natural sweetness. So there are things we can do to kind of swap out those high glucose desserts and foods.

Host: Yeah I know it occurs to me that I should have eaten before we did this podcast, because all this talk about foods, yummy foods, healthier foods, definitely making me hungry. Wondering, it seems natural, I guess, that over the holidays, especially folks with diabetes might feel a little left out, right?

 The hosts or whomever didn't really consider, or plan and include some of the healthier options, the better options for folks with diabetes. So how can they, how can we do that? If we have diabetes, how can we still enjoy things without feeling left out?

Sholara Johnson, RN: That's a good question. I feel that as we travel to different places or different gatherings, or even if it's on a vacation, we have to look at just where we're going to make sure that we can be mindful of the indulgence of maybe choosing one or two special treats to savor them and be more mindful of those treats itself.

So share a dessert. Savor the flavor of those desserts. I always say bring a dish. So prepare a diabetic or a diet friendly dish that you can enjoy as well as so many others. You'll be surprised how many people around you in our gatherings also need to have low carb diet and low carb meals. So you're not going to be alone and preparing a dish, be mindful of your indulgence of certain treats, and also focus on the connection.

Shift the emphasis from food to spending time with loved ones. So remember the reason for the season. And I always say practice gratitude, reflect on the joy of the season to help stay grounded in your health goals.

Host: An expert told me that one of the tricks to avoiding overstuffing yourself, if you will, on the carbs is to start with some kind of protein first. And if you get some protein in you first, then your body will be less likely to want all the mashed potatoes and casseroles and, you know, all those carbs. Is that something you agree with?

Sholara Johnson, RN: I agree. I feel that no matter where we go, whether we're going out with friends, we're just doing something different or just looking at our lifestyle as far as what to eat, it's great to start with lean meats. So if you can do your protein first, which is a lean protein, that's your chicken, your fish, your turkey, you can have a steak, you know, a lean piece of steak. Start with that first and then do your vegetables and a salad.

Having a great salad with your meals can also give you that fuller, and you won't really feel that you need a lot of the carbohydrates.

Host: Yeah, well, it's such a psychological game, I think sometimes we play with ourselves, whether we have diabetes or not, like we know that eating healthier is better for all of us, especially for folks managing diabetes, be it Type 1 or Type 2. Just want to give you a chance here at the end, just final thoughts, takeaways, general words of wisdom and advice, managing diabetes during travel, holiday parties, or really anytime.

Sholara Johnson, RN: My takeaway would be pack smart. If we're traveling on vacation, if we're going on to a holiday party, or just visiting family and friends, you want to pack smart. So carry your diabetes essentials, like your blood glucose meter, insulin, your snacks. Also stick to a routine. Try to eat and check your blood glucose at your usual times and even while traveling and sometimes you may have to check a little bit more often.

Another thing is to stay active. Look for opportunities to move like stretching during long, layovers or taking a walk after a party or once again doing something fun as far as an activity with your family and friends. And then also the biggest thing is to communicate, communicate with your host, your family, your loved ones about your needs and like spacing your meals or having sugar free drink options or food options that are low carbs.

A lot of times we don't tell our loved ones or people that we're going to visit or to be around that we need additional assistance with you know, some other options and it's okay.

Host: Yeah, it is okay. It's okay to speak up. It's okay to advocate for yourself, especially when you're managing diabetes. It's so critical to get this stuff right. And we can't just press pause on, you know, managing our diabetes because it's the holidays, right? So I really appreciate your time today, your expertise. Thank you so much.

Sholara Johnson, RN: Thank you. Thanks Scott, for having me.

Host: And for more information, please visit holycrosshealth.org. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the entire podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is Your Best Life podcast presented by Holy Cross Health.