Huron County View

Managing diabetes over the holidays


Many Thumb residents look forward to Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season. For those managing diabetes, this time of year when overeating and overindulgence is common, presents unique health challenges.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. The Thumb Community Health Partnership (TCHP) is encouraging families to learn more about how to prevent diabetes and how to reduce the impact of diabetes, if a family member has it.

Here in Michigan, an estimated 2.7 million people have prediabetes. Prediabetes are defined as blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough yet to be classified as Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. If you have diabetes, your body doesn’t produce or release the right amount of insulin to process the sugar you eat. This can cause serious health problems. (Center of Disease Control)

The National Institutes of Health recommends the following steps to help lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes:

1. Manage health conditions associated with diabetes by setting goals with your health provider.

2. Lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, which can reduce your chances of developing heart disease and stroke.

3. Eat healthy and be more active.

4. Don’t smoke or use other tobacco products. Avoiding nicotine and tobacco lowers the risk of developing other chronic diseases too. The American Diabetes Association encourages people with diabetes to be especially mindful of their physical and mental health during the holidays and offers the following guidelines:

1. Understand how and to what extent changes in the times you eat will affect your blood sugar levels.

2. Prioritize movement and exercise.

3. Offer to bring a healthy dish to pass to family gatherings or pack diabetes-friendly snacks for yourself.

4. Bypass high-carbohydrate foods that are served all year, such as mashed potatoes.

5. Take small helpings.

6. Prepare a side of non-starchy vegetables.

For more information about lowering your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes, talk to your healthcare provider, visit www.Facebook/ ThumbHealth, or contact Kay Balcer, TCHP Director at 989-553-2927.

The Thumb Community Health Partnership was formed in 2019, and encompasses Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola, and the rural portion of Lapeer Counties. The Thumb Community Health Partnership’s Mission is to provide an integrated approach to identify key issues and establish a coordinated response to regional community needs, thereby providing a cohesive regional effort to identify, plan for, and provide interventions that will lead to a healthier community. TCHP members recognize that a unified approach to address mental health and obesity related chronic disease is a priority in the Thumb.