Mindful eating tactics for the holidays

With many holiday gatherings centered on food coming up at your senior living community, senior center or homes of relatives, it’s an ideal time to strategize good dietary practices.

The aim is for you to leave these gatherings feeling your best after consuming more confections than normal, with the goal aimed at keeping your blood glucose levels in check.

This strategy isn’t aimed exclusively at those who’ve been diagnosed with diabetes. It’s one that’s ideal for all to practice, according to Lauren Smith, registered dietitian and founder of Lauren’s Balanced Bites nutrition practice based in West Chester.

“Despite what you may have heard, it’s best not to save up your calories before going to a holiday gathering and instead eat a balanced meal and snacks as usual that day,” Smith said. “This will keep you from overdoing it at the party.”

Added tactic

A balanced meal is one that consists of protein, vegetables and fiber. As an added tactic to better balance your blood sugar, Smith suggests fitting in a simple walk, which can offer tremendous benefits during the holiday season.

“Research has shown that a 10-to 20-minute walk before or after a meal can really improve your blood sugar levels,” she said.

Once you’re at the party, Smith suggests balancing your time at the dessert trays with time at the cheeseboard.

“Cheeseboards are a good route for blood sugar control,” she said. “The same with shrimp cocktail that’s usually served at holiday parties.”

Staying properly hydrated at gatherings is also important.

“Drink alcohol moderately and have water in between beverages,” Smith said. “Wine and other types of alcohol can dehydrate you.”

Balance carbohydrates with protein

When it comes to everyday eating, Smith recommends following practices that center on balancing carbohydrates with protein. As people get older and are more restricted as far as activities they can do, along with having less of an appetite, her focus is not on taking away the joy one may find in eating certain foods.

“I want you to enjoy the things you like,” she said. “If the things you like are only sweets, I’m going to have you balance that with a protein.”

She wants to empower seniors to know how to have the certain foods they like in a way that won’t spike their blood sugar.

“You don’t want them to feel deprived and feel like I’m going to take away the joy,” Smith said. “Cutting things out altogether is not sustainable.”

Smith offers one solution for a common breakfast she finds seniors tend to have in the morning that consists exclusively of toast with jelly spread on top.

“To balance that, they should have toast with an all-natural peanut butter and a little jam on top,” she said. “The protein and fat from the peanut butter prevents the blood sugar spike.”

More frequent meals and snacks

Smiths suggest focusing on smaller and more frequent meals and snacks.

“A grazing approach is going to help them meet all their needs,” she said, referring to carbs, proteins, fats and micronutrients, such as those you can get from eating fruits and vegetables.

According to the AARP, snacks can also help prevent overeating at meals and keep energy levels steady throughout the day, which is particularly helpful if you’re one of the more than 37 million Americans  with type 2 diabetes.

Smith said that in addition to seniors, anyone age 45 and older is at higher risk for diabetes.

“Women who have a history of gestational diabetes are at higher risk as well as those who are inactive, certain ethnicities and general lifestyles like those who smoke and consume alcohol,” she said.

According to Smith, most people live with diabetes or prediabetes for years prior to being diagnosed.

“Either they’re not going to a doctor, not getting lab work or not following up,” she said. “You should make sure you’re getting your hemoglobin A1C test annually.”

Detecting diabetes

She said a blood glucose level test, which only tests fasting blood sugar, could come back fine, but that it’s not indicative of the bigger picture. A hemoglobin A1C test, however, measures your average blood sugar levels over the past three months.

“People should advocate for themselves to get a hemoglobin A1C test in addition to the fasting glucose test, so they aren’t in a position where they are in a progressive level of diabetes,” she said. “The A1C is the gold standard for detecting diabetes.”

The danger of having uncontrolled diabetes is that it can progress and damage organs in the body, among other health issues.

“Unmanaged diabetes can impact your kidneys and renal function,” she said. “You can have poor wound healing, which can lead to the loss of an extremity such as a foot.”

Signs to get medical attention

There are many signs you can look out for that indicate it’s time to get medical attention.

“Frequent urination at nighttime is a potential sign of diabetes,” Smith said. “Other signs are when you can’t quench thirst, sudden unintentional weight loss, a sudden change in vision and tingling in the extremities, such as feet or hands.”

Smith mainly wants you to enjoy the holidays without being too restrictive.

“Remember, this food is available all year long so you don’t need to overdo it,” she said. “Food should be a joyful part of your holiday season, and education can help empower you to enjoy the food while still being mindful of your overall health.”

More information

About Lauren’s Balanced Bites

Lauren’s Balanced Bites is an evidence- based nutrition practice with a focus on your health as a whole. Using a customized approach, their team recognizes that healthy means different things to everyone and that true health is not found in the size or shape of your body. The virtual practice serves patients across the US.

Website: www.laurensbalancedbites.com

Mindful snack ideas

Snacking throughout the day can help prevent overeating at meals (or holiday parties) and keep energy levels steady throughout the day.

Savory

• Hummus (try single-serving containers for portion control) with veggies (sliced cucumber, bell pepper, celery or carrots). There’s some evidence that fiber from plant-based sources may help with insulin sensitivity in as little as three weeks.

• Avocado toast or crackers. One-third of a medium avocado contains just 4 grams of carbs, 79% from fiber, which slows down food digestion and prevents rapid rises in blood glucose following a meal. Avocados also have 6 grams of heart-healthy fats per serving. Try spreading avocado on crisp whole grain crackers or a slice of whole grain toast for a tasty midday fiber and nutrient boost. Sprinkle with a little garlic salt, cumin or red pepper flakes.

Salty

• Cheese crisps. Reach for these crunchy protein treats instead of potato chips. You can make them easily yourself by baking small piles of grated cheese (cheddar and Parmesan both work well) on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 400-degree oven until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

• DIY snack mix. Mix some low-calorie whole-grain popcorn with 1 ounce of nuts. You can season with spices like cinnamon or cayenne if you prefer. The protein-fiber-fat trio will help keep you fuller longer.

Sweet

• Ricotta cheese with dark chocolate chips. Stir some dark chocolate (it has less sugar and antioxidants) into part-skim ricotta for a creamy, protein-packed, low-carb way to satisfy a sweet tooth.

• Prunes. Naturally occurring sugar is typically bound with fiber, so it won’t spike blood sugar levels. Prunes (or dried plums, as they’ve been rebranded) are one of the lowest-sugar dried fruits, and eating five to six prunes per day may help prevent bone loss — a great benefit especially as people with diabetes are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis. They even can be used as a sugar substitute in baked goods.

Source: www.aarp.org