Oh, the holiday season is upon us! The lights, the songs, the gifts, the food…and the stress.
It can make this time of the year a little tricky for those of us with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Can you enjoy the holiday treats and festive meals? Of course! Can you surround yourself with the hustle and bustle of the season? Definitely! But managing your blood sugar will take more work, including a bit more planning ahead and a bit more adjusting.
Here are a few tips to help you celebrate the holidays to the fullest, plus a recipe for a sweet treat from a Breakthrough T1D community member!
Get moving (and keep moving) to boost insulin sensitivity
Winter is no time to start sinking into the couch cushions! Daily exercise is one of the best tools for fighting rising blood sugars and insulin resistance during the holidays.
That daily walk can significantly boost your sensitivity to insulin and support your blood sugar goals. In other words, it can help insulin work better in your body! But you’ve got to be consistent—make it a daily part of your life.
It doesn’t have to be intense. Walking twice a day for 30 minutes is an excellent place to start. If that becomes your daily exercise routine, that’s a bonus. Even putting up the holiday lights can be a good workout!
If you’re interested in adding a little bit of strength training, it can be simple. Grab a pair of 8- or 12-pound dumbbells and do a set of standing shoulder presses, bent-over rows, or squats.
If you live in a very chilly place, grab your cold weather gear and get outside. Every day.
Learn more about exercise and T1D.
Plan ahead with lighter meals before the bigger holiday meals
You know there will be a wide range of indulgent, delicious, seasonal dishes and desserts at holiday gatherings. Just because you have T1D doesn’t mean you can take part in the tasty celebration—but you can plan ahead by eating lighter for the first part of the day.
Stick to whole-food, lighter meals at breakfast and lunch to make room for your holiday dinner. For example:
- Breakfast: egg and vegetable sauté
- Lunch: apple and salted nuts
- Snack: carrots and hummus
- Dinner: the holiday party!
This will also make blood sugar management easier for the first big chunk of the day. Managing your blood sugar with T1D is hard enough—set yourself up for success during the holidays by keeping some of the day’s meals light and easy!
Our Thanksgiving holiday guide has more helpful tips to make the holiday easier, including carb counts for foods and drinks!
Know the effects of alcohol on T1D
Eggnog and champagne toasts are often part of holiday festivities. Learning how to consume alcohol carefully and safely with type 1 diabetes is important so you can enjoy yourself without risking hypoglycemia later on.
Learn more about alcohol and type 1 diabetes.
Keep stress in check
The holidays can cause a lot of anxiety. T1D also never stops, and this comes with its own challenges. Stress of any kind can impact your blood sugar, causing unexpected highs or lows.
Focus on managing your stress this time of year. Exercise, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep are all great ways to reduce stress.
It’s also a good time of year to find and embrace what you are grateful for. Whether it’s books, music, food, family and friends, pets, or nature, surround yourself with what brings your soul joy!
If you find that you are having difficulty managing stress, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Visit our Mental Health Guide for more information and support.
‘Tis the Season!
Navigating the holidays with type 1 diabetes isn’t always easy, but if you approach it with thoughtful intentions, you can enjoy it all!
Charlie’s Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins
Donna Lynne Champlin’s son Charlie was diagnosed with T1D in 2020, at age 9. Donna’s family used this recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins to teach Charlie how to bake and, inspired by kids’ baking shows, he’s spent years perfecting it! He came up with the idea of making banana bread muffins instead of a loaf to keep portion sizes consistent and make bolusing easier.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Carb Count: 1 muffin = 45g carbs
Ingredients:
- 3 – 4 ripe bananas, smashed (52g carbs = 4 bananas)
- 1/3 cup melted butter (1g carb)
- 1 cup sugar (200g carbs)
- 1 egg, beaten (1g carb)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (1g carb)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (0g carbs)
- Pinch of salt (0g carbs)
- 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour (142g carbs)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (144g carbs)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon (or your hands) mash bananas and mix with melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda & salt. Mix in flour. Fold in ¾ of the chocolate chips. Pour batter into a 12-cup muffin pan. Sprinkle the rest of chips on top of the muffins. Bake for 25 minutes.
*To make the bread loaf instead of muffins, just use a loaf pan and bake for an hour.
