November 14, 2020 7:10:12 pm
No Indian festival is complete without sweets. And much less, Diwali. (Source: Pixabay)
Diwali is a major festival that is celebrated throughout the country. It’s about getting together, having fun, eating good food, and spreading joy. This year, due to the pandemic, the festival may need to be celebrated with a bit of caution, especially by those who are immunosuppressed.
Sweets and treats are important components of Diwali food. No Diwali day can be complete until you have consumed them, even devoured them! However, for diabetics, staying away from sweets can be difficult, especially when everyone else is consuming them. “It is imperative that diabetics watch their diet during the holiday season, to avoid the disastrous post-Diwali impact. The extent to which diabetics can indulge in sweets during Diwali depends on the individual’s condition, ”says Dr. Farah Ingale, Director of Internal Medicine at Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, a Fortis network hospital.
She suggests some dietary tips that can help you maintain your blood sugar this Diwali.
* Limit the serving size of sweet, salty, fried and fatty foods: Eat your meals on smaller plates. You can replace the sugars with natural sweeteners like stevia or splenda, which are safe substitutes.
* Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
* Don’t let household chores stress you out: This is especially true for women, who bear most of the workload. Relax and enjoy. Yoga can help.
* Avoid eating foods at irregular hours: Fasting for longer periods of time can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and weakness that can be disastrous for diabetics.
* Celebrating is also avoidable: It can lead to high sugar levels that are not good either.
* Don’t forget to focus on physical health by doing some exercises like walking, swimming, biking, etc., which are often neglected during the holidays.
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If you are diabetic and want to fast this Diwali, Dr. Ingale shares some healthy tips on fasting:
– Eat slow-absorbing foods (which have a low glycemic index, that is, complex carbohydrates) before you start. Choose foods that will keep you full longer and help keep your blood glucose levels stable, even during fasting. You can also include fruits, vegetables and salads; Insulin doses and times may need to be adjusted.
– Be aware of the symptoms related to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), act accordingly if it occurs.
– It is recommended that you check your blood sugar levels several times during the day. You should also break your fast if your blood sugar is below 70 mg per percent in the first few hours after you start fasting.
– Do not leave an empty stomach for more than two hours at a time. Eat drinks and fast foods in between.
– Consume adequate water to maintain hydration.
– It is mandatory for diabetics to periodically monitor and control blood sugar levels. This is especially true because you are eating foods that you would not normally eat. Regular monitoring will tell you how well you are responding to changes in eating patterns.
– A good way to avoid binge eating is by opting for nuts such as almonds, walnuts and cashews; stay away from peanuts for snacks. Also, try to stay away from high calorie foods like fried samosas. Drink plenty of water during the holiday time, not only to cleanse your gut, but also to keep you full and to prevent gorging on unhealthy foods. You can go for lime water, coconut water, and buttermilk. Cut down on tea, coffee, alcohol, and carbonated beverages as much as you can.
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“Prepare your meals to incorporate high fiber foods such as wheat or cracked wheat: khichadi, pulao, pongal, millet such as rice sama chawal (barnyad millet), amaranth flour for chapati, poori, buckwheat flour for poori, dosa , khichdi, rajgira for poori, paratha, makhana (fox nuts) for kheer, sighare ka atta for roti, chapati, samosa and poori.
“If you are making sweets at home, make them with skim milk instead of whole milk. Use stevia or splenda instead of plain sugar. Instead of fried foods, opt for baked and grilled foods. Include plenty of water, clear whey soups, which are safe for diabetics as they are low in calories and filling ”, advises the doctor.
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