I am thankful for many things this year.  First I am thankful for the support of my family and friends, without which nothing else would really matter anyway.  It is because of their love, support and involvement that I have been able to lead a meaningful life.

I am thankful for the granola bar recipe that has helped turn our Granola Gourmet into a real company with appreciative customers.  It amazes me how often someone writes to thank me for making the bars available to the public. 

I am thankful for my Endocrinologist.  A man with type 1 diabetes he is an inspiration to me.  His guidance and support have been a cornerstone in helping me manage my diabetes better.

Everyday that I look at food I am inspired to eat, drink and be merry this holiday season.  I am also focusing my discipline on eating the right foods.  I am thankful that there is usually something I can eat at holiday events.  Here are my three goals when at a holiday party:

1. Enjoy the company – talk more, eat less

2. Enjoy the food – focus more on proteins, stay away from sugary treats (I’m bringing granola bars for my treat this year)

3. Enjoy the drinks – stop at one (but really savor it) than switch to something with no calories or sugar

Let me know what works for you and we can share with others that are interested!

Seems to me that the holidays come earlier and earlier each year.  Halloween wasn’t even over when stores were preparing for Christmas, however that’s when diabetics are challenged greatest.  From Halloween to New Year’s we are constantly being bombarded with “the good stuff”.

What is this good stuff…candy, cake, baked goods and NONE are diabetic friendly.  For me it started a few days before Halloween.  I started seeing bags of candy stacking up for the trick or treaters and held firm on my willpower.  Made it way past Halloween without having a problem.  So many of us have these challenges with sweets and they are going to intensify in the next few weeks.

Here are a few suggestions I’ve tried:

Drink lots of water when you get the urge for sweets – I guess drowning will keep you from eating sugar

Eat a salad (but avoid the dressing) – I like this one, now I don’t get my snack and it’s tasteless

Take a walk – This may actually help, get your mind off of the snack into a new atmosphere.  Then when you come home you’ll be in a different mindset.

Eat a low glycemic treat like Granola Gourmet bars – ok here is one that does work for me.

Dealing with food challenges is going to become a bigger issue in the next 6 weeks.  Be honest with yourself, hiding your treat does not help your problem.

I’ve been hearing a lot of people with concerns about Carbs.  They are afraid to eat too many carbs which they feel would either impact their overall diet or their blood sugar.  It is interesting to talk to these people that have been working on losing weight or maintaining their health.  Rarely do they mention that they are concerned about impacting their blood sugar.

Of course you’d be interested in that if you were a person with diabetes or hypoglycemia, however even if you are healthy and do not have any blood sugar issues consider this.  Blood sugar spikes cause excess insulin production in your body.  How can this happen to healthy people?  Have you come home from eating Chinese food only to be hungry in a couple of hours?  This is what I call “The Chinese Food Syndrome”!

Rice and noodles are starches that convert to sugar quickly in your body.  So fast in fact that your body rushes to your aid by overproducing insulin.  Insulin makes you hungry.  Excess insulin is sent to the liver where it is converted to fat.  It is also the cause for reduced energy levels, so that at 2PM you feel like you need an energy boost. 

Do yourself a favor, focus more on the Glycemic Index or Impact of food.  Don’t just look at the carb count!