Thanksgiving is often celebrated as a day of feasting. This holiday can therefore prove to be a challenging time for people who have to stick to special diets, particularly for those who have diabetes. But you and your home health care aide can plan together to ensure a fun and healthy holiday.
If relatives are visiting your home for the holiday, you and your home health care aide can work together to plan a healthy and delicious menu. If you're visiting family for dinner at their home, speak with the host about options and dishes you can bring that will complement the meal to ensure there are healthy choices for you to enjoy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest choosing sparkling water or unsweetened iced tea instead of soda, or bringing a fruit salad instead of pie. They also urge patients to limit portion size by moving away from the buffet to eat (if possible) and to have a healthy snack before dinner to reduce hunger and temptation for less healthy options.
We recommend classic dishes with a healthy twist:
- Rather than candied yams with sugar and marshmallows, consider roasting yams in a sprinkling of olive Also, skip the salt with a sprinkling of rosemary, garlic and pepper instead.
- Transform the traditional green bean casserole with unsweetened cashew milk in place of dairy, along with whole grain bread crumbs. Use fresh green beans instead of high-sodium canned beans.
- For the comfort of pie – without the extra sugar and fat – try mixing and baking apple and pear slices with raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange juice and orange zest.
Thanksgiving also means a lot of TV time – thanks to the parade and sports. Make time for a fun family walk as a way to get both the blood and conversation flowing.
If you are a diabetic patient, and are traveling for the holiday, the CDC strongly advises that you receive a flu shot before departing. Your home health care team can help arrange this for you. Your aide can also make sure your medications are packed properly for necessary doses and that your insulin is correctly stored in a cold pack. They will also make sure that your insurance card and any other emergency information is with you before you begin your journey. If you are staying at home for the holiday, your aide can help monitor your glucose levels throughout the holiday festivities to ensure that any irregularities are reported.
With proper planning and the full support of your family and home health care team, your Thanksgiving holiday can be happy and healthy.
To learn more about Premier Home Health Care and how we can work with your family, explore our blog, which is full of helpful resources. To speak to us now about the Premier difference, please call 1-866-648-5119.
