While the holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year, they can also be the most stressful. 'Tis the season for shopping, decorating, parties, and cooking. Tempting treats are everywhere. Exercise plans are put on the back burner. For anyone, these are the ingredients for diet disaster. For some, another problem is added to the mix.

Diabetes is a disease that results in high levels of sugar (glucose) in your blood. Insulin is a hormone used by your body to turn food into energy. If you have diabetes, you do not make enough insulin or it does not work correctly. High levels of glucose in the blood slowly damage your eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves, legs, and feet.If you have diabetes, you know that the holidays can be an especially tricky time of year to manage your health. With some careful planning and smart choices, however, you can make sure that your holidays are both happy and healthy. Now that the season is upon us, here is a simple recipe you can follow to manage your diabetes:

Plan Ahead
The most important thing you can do to manage your diabetes during the holidays is to plan ahead. This way, you can be ready to manage your health in different situations that may come up. What is on your agenda? Are you going out of town? Do your plans include a lot of parties where there will be holiday goodies? If you figure out your schedule ahead of time you will be better prepared to handle each day.

Eat Right
Check your menus! A good meal plan should fit in with your schedule and eating habits. People with diabetes need to eat a variety of foods. This way, you get a balanced amount of the nutrients your body needs - carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Carbohydrates (commonly called "carbs") have the biggest effect on your blood sugar. Carbs include breads, beans, fruits, vegetables, and milk - nutritious foods that are part of a healthy diet for all people. Sugar is also a carb. The truth is that sugar has gotten a bad reputation. In 1999, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) reported that sugar could be part of the diet for someone with diabetes. Sugar becomes glucose in your body, but so do the other foods mentioned above.With sugary foods, the rule is moderation. Eat too much and your glucose level will go up higher than you expected!

• When going to a party, decide ahead of time what and how much you will eat.
• Have a healthy snack before going out so you don't give in to cravings.
• Decide what foods you want to splurge on. Avoid the other foods that you don't really want or need.
• Fill your plate will healthy things like fruits and veggies. Holiday favorites like pumpkin and turkey are also nutritious and delicious!
• Share a dessert, have only a small amount, or skip the whipped-cream topping.
• Eating healthy is good for everyone, not just diabetics. Bring a low-fat or sugar-free dish at the next holiday party you attend.
• Make your traditional holiday foods healthier. There are plenty of ways to cut sugar, carbs, and fat, while still keeping the taste you love. Some suggestions:
• Substitute fat-free or light ingredients for regular.
• Steam vegetables instead of sautéing in butter.
• When baking, use less sugar in a recipe and increase the use of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and other sweet-tasting spices and flavorings.
• Use sugar substitutes to cut carbs and calories
• When you're out shopping, bring along healthy snacks like apples, carrot sticks, or nuts and avoid the food court.

Don't overdo the spirits of the season.
Check with your doctor about drinking alcohol. If your doctor has told you it's OK for you to have an occasional drink, make sure you have food with it and stick to one serving of alcohol. Too much alcohol is bad for you at any time of year. This is because alcohol can cause your blood sugar to drop. This can make you feel sleepy, dizzy, or confused. Alcohol may cause these symptoms shortly after drinking and for 8-12 hours after drinking. If you are going to drink check your blood glucose first to make sure it is not low. You should also check your blood glucose before you go to bed to make sure it is at a safe level -- between 100 and 140 mg/dL.

Exercise
This is not the time to take a holiday from your daily exercise routine. Being more active helps lower your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Exercise is also a great way to beat stress! Although it may be hard to find time for your regular workout, there are a number of ways to stay active:

• Walk
• Park your car at the far end of the lot
• Power walk while shopping the mall
• Take a twilight stroll around your neighborhood to admire the holiday lights
• Try a seasonal activity
• Snow shoe
• Ski
• Build a snowman

Beat Stress
You eat right and exercise, but another holiday problem can cause your blood sugar to soar - stress! With so much to do and so little time, stress is very common. Help yourself to be more relaxed:

• Plan your gift-giving list and shop before Thanksgiving to beat the crowds.
• Save time by shopping online or ordering from catalogs.
• Don't always cook from scratch. Use some mixes, ready-made dough, or pre-cut ingredients to save some time.
• Say no! You don't have to accept every holiday invitation.
• Find some quiet time for yourself every day- listen to favorite carols, have some hot tea, or just sit and watch the snowfall.

Check your blood sugar
It is very important to check your blood sugar regularly during the holiday season. According to the ADA, the ideal blood sugar goals at any time of year are 90-130 mg/dl before eating (fasting values) and less than 180mg/dl two hours after eating.Check with your doctor to find out if your goals are the same. Higher blood sugar readings may indicate that there is a little too much holiday cheer going on!

Tips for Travelers
If you are going away for the holidays, don't forget that diabetes travels with you. Planning ahead for travel is especially important for people with diabetes.

General:

• Remember to get all of your diabetes prescriptions refilled before you go. Make sure to take enough medicines and supplies for the entire trip. If possible, take some extras just in case. Getting extra diabetes supplies when you're away from home can be difficult. The following checklist may be helpful:
• Prescription medicines (insulin, pills) for diabetes and other medical conditions.
• Two blood glucose monitoring devices with extra batteries.
• Syringes, lancets, and test strips.
• For insulin pump users: pump supplies, extra batteries, insulin and syringes in case of pump failure.
• Fast acting sugar such as glucose tablets/gel or candy.
• Complex carbohydrates (crackers, granola bar, trail mix) in case meals are delayed.
• Glucagon emergency kit in case of hypoglycemia.
• Always wear or carry some form of medical identification, such as a bracelet. This will tell others you have diabetes in case of an emergency.
• Monitor blood sugars regularly (every 4 hours is recommended).
• Store medicines and supplies near you in a safe place, away from very hot or cold temperatures or direct sunlight. Extreme temperatures can cause damage to diabetes equipment and medicines. This means they may not work as well as they should. This is especially true for insulin.
• Remember your basic rules of foot care. Don't wear new shoes on vacation since you may get blisters. Never go barefoot. Check your feet daily and take care of any cuts or blisters immediately.
• Get up and move around every one to two hours to increase comfort and reduce risk for blood clots.

Air Travel:

• Carry all medicines and equipment with you on the plane. Check-in bags may get lost. Suitcases stored in cargo holds may get very hot or cold.
• Tell the flight attendant that you have diabetes, especially if you are traveling alone. If you are traveling by plane, notify the airline 24 hours in advance for a special diet order.
• Ask for an aisle seat if you will use the restroom for insulin injections.
• Dehydration is common. Drink plenty of non-alcoholic, caffeine-free beverages throughout the flight.
• Because of problems with increased security at airports, get a letter from your doctor explaining your diabetes medicines and supplies. You should also bring the original containers because they usually have a label and pharmacy instructions.
• Make sure someone you travel with knows about your diabetes and how to help you if you have a diabetic emergency.
• Crossing time zones can confuse your insulin schedule. You may want to have a watch that displays two time zones, so you can keep one set at home base time. You may need to adjust your total daily insulin dose and/or to make a new plan for timing your insulin injections.

Enjoy Yourself!
You don't have to let diabetes spoil your celebrations. With a little bit of planning, the holidays can be enjoyed by all. Get caught up in the festivities. Savor time with loved ones. Remember that a little bit of self-control can help make sure that there are many more happy holidays to come for diabetics and their families.