Question: I have recently been diagnosed with diabetes and my wife has pre-diabetes. New Year's Eve we always have a large celebration with cocktails and lots of food. We are growing weary of the party this year given my new diagnosis. Any tips on how we can still enjoy the party?
Answer: As with any other "consuming" holiday, make sure you eat all your other meals and snacks that day. This will hopefully help to prevent cravings and unintentional splurging. Try to eat a healthy snack or some vegetables before you go to the party - veggies or a nice salad are a low calorie way to fill yourself up. When you get to the party, survey the goods. Steer yourself towards more of the non-carb snacks (meats, veggies, etc.) and limit the starchy and sweet carb items. Try to stick with one plateful of food - don't hang out around the food table!
Be cautious with alcohol intake. If you take insulin or glyburide/glimipiride, be aware that alcohol can lead to risk of hypoglycemia ( low blood sugar) up to 12 hours after ingestion. Excessive drinking with metformin is also discouraged due to risk for lactic acidosis. Alcohol also has a lot of empty calories and can impair your judgement about what you eat as well as your overall safety. If you are going to consume alcohol, make sure you do it safely. Unless you have been told otherwise by your doctor, pharmacist, or another healthcare professional, one or two servings of alcohol will probably not have a negative effect. Wine, light beer, and hard liquor/spirits tend to have the least amount of carbohydrate and remember that 1 serving of alcohol is equal to 12 oz. beer, 4-5 oz. wine, or 1 1/2 oz. liquor.
Don't forget to have fun. Mingle, dance, and keep yourself active. Activity and exercise will keep your blood sugars in better control as well.
For my new year celebration went to NYC venues where my friend arranged an amazing party. She really did excellent arrangements. I really had a lovely time enjoying the food and music. Hope to attend such parties again.
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