So we are in the middle of those dreaded holidays. Yes it is a time for celebration and laughter and good times, but then there is the diabetes part of “THE HOLIDAYS”…….. (insert sad dunt dunt dunt music). You go to a party and how many people make comments, should you be eating that? I thought you had diabetes. Aren’t you not allowed to eat sugar? Then they more or less shame us and give us that look, you know the one I am talking about, the pitiful, disapproving look. I mean, it just makes me feel great, how about you?
I sometimes wish we could announce to the world that we are in fact still people. We have freedom to make our own choices. And honestly most of us, know how sweets affect us and we take appropriate action to counter act it. Surprise world, type 1 diabetics actually can have sweets here and there (just like you). Now, should we eat sugar all day every day? No, but neither should you. I can eat a cookie just like you. I can have a piece of cake like you. I can even eat a piece of candy, just like you. I know it is totally shocking.
When I was a little girl, I went to St. Christopher’s Hospital for children in Philadelphia. I was there for a week to try to learn to better manage my diabetes. I was diagnosed when I was 9 and 5 months later, I was not doing well. I revolted, I had this stupid exchange diet meal plan and I hated it. I had to eat so much to keep from going low and most of the time I was not hungry. I would feed food to the dog, dump cereal down the toilet when mom was not looking. Then I would pass out at school. My parents were overwhelmed so into Philly we went for a week. For diabetes education and management. It was here that I met my pediatric endocrinologist. I loved him, because right off the bat he told me to forget that awful exchange diet. He spent the next week teaching us how to adjust my insulin for what I ate. He told me to eat like a normal person but to count what i was eating and take the correct amount of insulin for it. It was like a whole new world was opened up to me. I could eat what my family ate. I could eat as much or as little as I wanted. Now, understand, this does not mean I ate nothing but awful stuff, but I did have some desserts here and there.
Now fast forward about 30 years and here I am. I feel like I can and do eat what I want. Of course eating too much can make me gain weight. Eating too much can upset my stomach, but everyone has these same issues. I have realized through my trials and errors of life, that what I eat does affect me. Certain foods are not my friend and i do chose to not consume them, because I do not like how they make me feel. I try very hard to not overeat and not to eat too much of the “bad” foods. I know from experience what foods are best for me and what will happen when I eat something I have trouble with. It is all a balancing act, but honestly what in life is not? So enjoy your Holidays everyone. Live a little. Give yourself some time off and allow yourself a little leeway. Maybe instead of aiming to stay under 180, allow yourself to stay under 240! And anyone who asks “are you allowed or are you supposed to eat that”, well politely reply “should YOU be eating THAT!”