Festivals with their abundance of rich sweets and savouries can usually be a tough time for persons with diabetes. Persons with diabetes and their spouses share their experience of keeping blood glucose levels under control during festive periods.
PatientsEngage team asked a few of our community members the following questions about how they handle the festival period.
- How do you manage your diet during this phase?
- How do you control your cravings for sweets and unhealthy indulgences?
- Tips to keep blood sugar in check and celebrate Diwali
Geeta*, 55
The Festival of Diwali does have enticement of sweets and other food items that contain calories, especially fried savouries.
I try to avoid sweets but I can’t avoid savouries. So I have a baked mathiya instead of a fried one.
I try to control my cravings for sweets and unhealthy indulgences by eating the right food at the right time. If I have had a proper lunch with regular food, I don’t feel hungry and I can avoid eating the unnecessary fatty things
I try to keep my blood sugar in check by walking a lot, eating in a controlled manner and of course, being at peace with myself.
Kavita about her husband, 58 who has diabetes
He has great self control and hardly indulges. I make a few sweets for him with stevia. Plus, he never misses his walks. He drinks, but never more than once a week and never exceeds 3 pegs of 30ml each. For a long party, he will nurse his drink. And no soda; only water or diet coke at times
Namkeen (savoury items) are a weakness, but he tries to control portions when at a party. At home I try to serve salads or baked or steamed starters.
Related Reading: How does alcohol affect diabetes control?
Nitin, 57
Lots of stevia sweets are available these days, I am happy enough with those. And my wife makes all homemade sweets with stevia/Splenda
I walk for an hour everday without fail. I walk inside the house if it happens to rain.
And monitor my blood sugar levels every day during festivals
Anshu*, 66
I'm totally useless at prevention, I hog and then go for a run, never can stop myself.
Finally, when my sugar levels shoot up, I hand over all the sweets to my maid
I'm ashamed of this, but this is what happens every year.
Related Reading: Diabetes educator shares tips on managing the festive season
Marianne de Nazareth, 62
People in the building send us boxes of really rich Indian sweets and chocolates. I have learnt over the years never to even taste one. They are on the table, but I avoid them completely. Especially if the table has rosgollas and gulab jamuns because those still have the power to draw me! If there are some murukkus, yes I do taste a few savouries but I have learnt to be very disciplined.
As I said, I have wired my mind to switch off sweets completely. I eat fruit instead to get a little sweetness in my life.
My tips to keep blood sugar in check and celebrate Diwali
- Use Stevia in your sweet making for yourself. It is easily available.
- Many sweet outlets do have no added sugar offerings and I have been sent kaju katli with sweetener and it tastes as good as the original.
- Indulge in sugar free chocolates and cookies and stay safe rather than let your sugar spike during the season.
*Names changed on request
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