For Diabetics, Holidays Can Be A Challenge

Here we are again. The holiday season is here with its colorful decorations, its never-ending shopping, abundance of parties and especially and abundance of food! We will roll into our cars the day of Thanksgiving feeling as stuffed as the turkey we just ate.

It is a difficult time for everyone in trying to stay healthy, particularly for people who have health conditions like high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes.

Diabetics have to be especially careful as they are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease like heart attack or stroke. It is the leading cause if death among people with diabetes. I know someone who just found out that she has diabetes and she really has to be careful of her diet, which is a very big challenge during the holidays.

At Martin Memorial Health Systems we have a program that helps people manage their diabetes. Our program coordinator, Maureen Daniello, R.N., C.D.E., answers some of my questions on diabetes and its link to heart disease:

What does it means if I have diabetes?
Diabetes develops when the pancreas does not make enough insulin and/or the cells in the body aren’t using the insulin properly. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starving for energy.

What’s the connection between diabetes and heart disease?
High blood pressure levels damage nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease. High blood glucose levels over time can lead to increased deposits of fatty materials on the inside of the blood vessel walls, which can affect blood flow, increasing the chance of clogging and hardening of the blood vessels. Because diabetes increases the levels of cholesterol and fat in your blood, more than 75 percent of people with uncontrolled diabetes die from some form of heart disease.

What are the risk factors?
Family history is an important one, especially if one or more members of your family had a heart attack at an early age. You can’t change your family history, but you can control the other risk factors for heart disease.

What are the medical conditions you have to be aware of?
Elevated waist circumference; elevated levels of triglycerides; low level of good cholesterol (HDL); elevated blood pressure levels; elevated fasting blood glucose levels.

What should people do to stay healthy and control their diabetes?
See a registered dietitian. Increase fiber in your diet by looking for oat bran, oatmeal, whole grain breads and cereals, or dried beans. Also, cut down on saturated fat like meats, poultry skin, butter or dairy products with fat. Reach and maintain a healthy body weight. One of the most important things you can do is the three E’s: Exercise, exercise, exercis. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

If you smoke: quit!
Keep track of your ABC’s: A stands for A1c, have an A1c test at least twice a year; B is for blood pressure, the target is to be below 130/80 mm; C is for cholesterol, have it checked at least once a year.

If you think you may need assistance controlling your diabetes, click here to find out how the diabetes education program at Martin Memorial can help.

--Sophie Sawicki
Marketing Representative