Celebration

How To Have Diabetes And Survive The Holiday Celebrations

If you have diabetes, then the holidays could potentially hold some serious health challenges for you.

In fact, for many diabetics, the holidays can be a rather bleak and dismal time when it comes to managing their diabetes. This is especially true for diabetics who may have a family where it seems like everyone cooks and bakes from Thanksgiving until Christmas. The temptations to cheat are greater for them than at almost any other time of the year!

I grew up in an Italian family that celebrated the holidays with food, food and more food. The dining room table in my grandmother's house looked like a display case in a high-class bakery, from the day after Thanksgiving, until January 6th, the celebration of the "Feast of the Epiphany." And it seemed like everyone who came to visit, came bearing gifts of ... you guessed it! ... more food!

It would have taken a saint to avoid all the temptations!

But for the rest of the mere mortals who may live with diabetes, this type of temptation makes it hard to keep their blood sugar levels on an even keel.  Why?

Because during the holiday season, not only do eating habits change, but there is usually a dramatic increase in stress levels, more activities, and for some folks, a bout with holiday induced depression.

So we don't eat right because we are way too busy and, when we do eat, we want comfort-food to ease the pain. Yikes!!

Does it have to be so dismal for a diabetic during the holiday season?

Absolutely not. If you have diabetes, you can make it safely through the holidays with some thought and careful planning.

And it makes sense doesn't it? Once you've identified the things that are working against you during the holidays, you can prepare your strategy for successful management of your diabetes. Preparing for the extra stress, increased activity and food temptations, will allow you to not only survive the holiday season, but enable you to enjoy your holidays relatively guilt-free as well.

Here is a list of suggestions to help you formulate a strategy and help you to survive the holidays if you are living with diabetes:

• Make sure that exercise is an important part of your daily routine. Don’t let the cold weather or busy schedules keep you from getting the proper amount of exercise every day. Take walks, work-out, visit the gym ... any exercise that you prefer. Exercise will help you to keep your blood sugar levels even. And exercise will  also will help ease the stress that somehow is part of all holidays for everyone.
• Monitor your alcohol consumption especially if this is something you don't already do. Check with your health care provider if you are unsure before drinking alcoholic beverages.
• If you are plan on attending holiday parties, it's important to talk to your hosts before the event. Let them know about your diabetes and request alternative foods that you can enjoy. Foods   that are low in fats and can be prepared without sugar. Don't be afraid to suggest healthier  foods. With a few changes to any menu, you will be able to attend holiday parties and celebrate with your friends and loved ones while maintaining your diet.
• If you have a child that attends school and has diabetes, the teachers and aides need to be aware of, and learn to be sensitive to, the special health needs of your child. You can show them (if they are not aware of the restrictions in your child's diet,) that it is possible to plan classroom parties and events for children, with healthy snacks. Not only can foods be prepared with no sugar and low in fats that kids will enjoy but, most stores offer a wide variety of sugar free snacks and sweets. If necessary, offer to make some healthy food for the entire class so your child will not feel singled out just because he has diabetes. With a little pre-planning, your child will have a holiday season that is fun.

In regard to blood sugar levels, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

• Your blood sugar levels will need to be tested more often during the holidays. Increased activity and stress can make blood sugar levels swing. You may not realize just how your activity is reflected in your blood sugar. Planning ahead of time, taking some extra insulin, or being prepared for a sudden drop in glucose, will save you some time and possible problems. (A child is more likely to have these blood level swings because of excitement, anticipation, and the joy of the holiday.) By checking readings often, you are prepared for the obvious changes that will occur in your blood sugar levels.
• Keep an eye out for low sugar level readings, even though you may think that eating something with sugar would normally elevate them. Excitement and over stimulation can cause a sudden drop of blood sugar levels, and it is best to be prepared for that event. Keep in mind that your body responds to excitement and stimulation in the same way it does to exercise.

The holidays can be a great source of fun and family enjoyment. Living with diabetes doesn't mean that you have to enjoy them any less. It just means that you will need to spend a little more time than others, pre-planning your days, keeping an eye on your blood sugar levels and monitoring your overall health. But the end result will be a happy and healthy holiday season.

National Adoption Month - What We Can Do To Celebrate (Part 2)

As promised yesterday, today we'll look at a couple of more suggestions for actions we can take to help the foster care systems in our communities, with their adoption efforts.

The foster care system is usually the first step in the adoption process for many kids, and so many of them have been waiting to be adopted for a long time. National Adoption Month is an excellent time to think about some of the things that we can all do, no matter where we live, to ease the burden of the system and help make a difference to a child.

We've also published a growing list of adoption resources. Feel free to let us know if you have any additional adoption web sites you would like us to add to the list.

• The foster care system is always in need of families that can provide respite care to other foster families, or to do emergency foster care. Emergency placement can mean having a foster child in your home for a short period of time, anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days. Contact your local child and family services organization to learn how to obtain a foster care license.
• Become a Court-Appointed Special Advocate/CASA worker. CASA workers are volunteers that work with the court and the foster homes to see that the children are not lost in the system and that their needs and wants are heard. For more information check out the CASA website.
• If you are affiliated with a group or organization, why not pool your resources and buy Christmas presents for  children in the group homes in your area. Make the gifts personal for each child. Call the home and ask staff for specific recommendations for the kids.
• Some churches and religious groups, sponsor collection drives for various causes, both locally and abroad. Why not ask your religious leaders about ways to support foster care kids at various times throughout the year.
• Share what you have learned with others. Let them know that in the US alone, there are an estimated 523,000 children in foster care, and  more than 119,000 of them are waiting to be adopted.

As we celebrate with our families this holiday season, remember that there are thousands of children in foster homes awaiting adoption. If there is any one thing that each of us can do, then together we will begin to make a difference.

Remember, even the smallest action we make is better than no action at all.

National Adoption Month: Adoption Resources

There are many resources available to those considering adopting a child from foster care.

Listed here are just a few of them to help you get started. If you know of any additional resources that you would like to see listed here, please add them in the comment area, and we'll check them out.

1. North American Council for Adoptable Children - www.nacac.org
2. Children's Welfare League of America (CWLA) - www.cwla.org/programs/adoption
3. Adopt America Network - www.adoptamericanetwork.org
4. National Adoption Center - www.adopt.org
5. Adopt Us Kids - www.adoptuskids.org
6. Rainbow KidsChild - www.rainbowkids.com
7. Child Welfare Information Gateway - www.childwelfare.gov/
8. International Adoption - www.adoptassoc.com

National Adoption Month - What We Can Do To Celebrate

Believe it or not, we can all get behind the efforts of so many great agencies that are working very hard to get kids adopted. We can help to celebrate National Adoption Month, even if we, ourselves, are not in a position to adopt a child.

Here are a few suggestions to help us take some action:

• Volunteer at a local home for children. These homes are usually one of the first stops on the foster care journey for many kids. Staff at these group homes are usually over-whelmed and desperately looking for volunteers to spend some quality time with specific children, to help individualize them from the group setting. They are also in need of volunteers to do many other duties:
  • Sorting through donations
  • Reading to the children
  • Playing games
• Join the community's Big Brother/Big Sister program. Just a few hours a week could not only be a time to have some fun, but could also make a very big difference in the life of a child.
• Like to drive? Well many foster care agencies need folks to take children and staff to a variety of appointments such as to the doctor's or the dentist's office. Basically anywhere the kids need to go both within and outside of the community, they usually could use a ride.
• Donate some items of good quality and repair to the children's homes or local foster care agency. Did you know that many children go from home to home with their belongings in trash bags? The bottom line is that most of these kids have very little to their name. Some suggestions for donations are:
  • Suitcases or backpacks
  • Shoes and clothes
  • Outer wear, boots, hats, mittens or gloves
  • Toys
  • School supplies
  • Personal care items
  • Christmas presents

These are just a few suggestions for things we can all do in our communities to help celebrate National Adoption Month. But I know that if we think about it, we could probably think of more.

RainbowKids.com is a monthly on-line International Adoption magazine. They are the largest, and oldest, online website helping people to adopt from multiple countries. They are also the largest photolisting website for waiting children. They are not an adoption agency, nor do they directly place children into adoptive families. They are a voice of advocacy for the children waiting for families. They offer, free of charge, guides on special needs adoption, "How To Adopt," "Getting Started," "After You Adopt" and much more. They have an enormous and constantly updated database of adoption articles, as well as an extensive resource area.

Tomorrow we'll look at a couple of more suggestions for actions we can take to help the system in their adoption efforts, and I'll post a list of adoption resources.

Remember, even the smallest action we make is better than no action at all.

November Is National Adoption Month

Are you aware that in the mist of all the preparations for the Thanksgiving holiday celebrations that National Adoption Month is being celebrated during the month of November?

Well it is, and in fact, National Adoption Day was celebrated November 18th. But we're not too late.

Back in 1976, the governor of the great state of Massachusetts, Governor Michael Dukakis, announced an Adoption Week for his state. Then, later that same year, President Gerald Ford proclaimed that Adoption Week would be celebrated nationally.

As more and more states started to participate in Adoption Week it became clear that more time was needed for holding events and in 1990 National Adoption Week became National Adoption Month. The month-long celebration includes National Adoption Day which is when the courthouses throughout the country participate, and hundreds of adoptions are finalized simultaneously.

It has become a time for the various states, communities, and agencies to hold events throughout the month, with the goal of bringing forward into the public view, the need for adoptive families .

National Adoption Month is a time to celebrate family and to bring about awareness that there are hundreds of thousands of children in foster homes awaiting adoption.

If you have ever considered the possibility of opening your home and adopting a child, then why not start your research, and learn more about the children living in foster care, who are waiting to be adopted.

• Since 1987, the number of children in foster care has nearly doubled, and the average time a child remains in foster care has lengthened to nearly three years. Each year, approximately 20,000 children in foster care will age out of the system without ever being placed with a permanent family.
• In September 2003, of the 523,000 children in foster care, 35% were Black Non-Hispanic, 39% were White Non-Hispanic, 17% were Hispanic, 2% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 1% Asian Non-Hispanic, 3% two or more Races Non-Hispanic and 3% unable to determine.
• A national survey showed that four in 10 Americans have considered adoption. That translates into over 80 million Americans. If only one out of 500 Americans adopted from the foster care system, these children would have homes. (Source: National Adoption Attitudes Survey 2002; Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption; www.davethomasfoundation.org)

To begin your research or maybe even to become more familiar with the process of adopting a child in the United States, please check out:

• National Adoption Day
• The Dave Thomas Foundation
• Call 1-800-TO-ADOPT

There are an estimated 523,000 children in foster care in the United States, and  more than 119,000 of them are waiting to be adopted.

Maybe by this time next year, some of these children will have a real reason to celebrate the holidays.

(Unless otherwise indicated, statistics are provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children; Interim Estimates for FY 2003.)

Recipe for Diabetics: Chocolate and Peanut Butter Dessert Bars

In honor of celebrating National Diabetes Month, we'll add a couple of diabetic recipes just in time for the holidays.

If you have diabetes, or you are looking for a dessert recipe to offer to guests that are diabetics, then this recipe for chocolate and peanut butter bars just may be what you need.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Peanut butter
• 2 tsp Unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 oz Corn or wheat flake cereal
• 2/3 cup Nonfat dry milk powder
• 5 tsp of a Sugar Substitute
• 2 tbsp Raisins
• 1/4 cup Water

Recipe Instructions:

• In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, dry milk, cocoa, sugar substitute and water.
• Mix all ingredients until they are well blended.
• Stir in the cereal and raisins.
• Press the mixture into bottom of a 4X8 inch loaf pan.
• Then chill for 30 minutes or longer
• Cut into bars and serve.

Servings: 4

Per serving: 9g protein, 5g fat, 21g carb., 248mg sodium, 2mg chol., 170 calories.

Try it out and let us know what you think!

November is National Diabetes Month

Did you know that  in November we celebrate National Diabetes Month?

Back on November 3, 1983, President Ronald Reagan issued a Presidential proclamation establishing November as National Diabetes Month. He called for the government and the private sector to “lead the way towards eliminating diabetes as a major public health problem both for current and future generations.”

World Diabetes Day, celebrated every year on November 14, was established by International Diabetes Federation and World Health Organization in 1991 with the aim of  coordinating diabetes advocacy worldwide. Since then, it has become the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes community.

Through the activities of IDF member associations and partners, World Diabetes Day campaigns reach millions of people around the world. The diabetes communities of more than 150 countries are united in what is both a targeted campaign to raise awareness of diabetes and its complications and a celebration of the lives of people with diabetes everywhere.

Worldwide, diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. There is an on-going campaign, to raise awareness of the rising prevalence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in this age-group and emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and education to reduce complications and save lives.

Could You Have Diabetes?

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects the body's ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. (Of course, that is a rather simple answer to a multi-faceted disease. To learn more about diabetes, visit The Diabetes Examiner.)

In the US, there are 20.8 million children and adults with diabetes -- and nearly one-third of them (or 6.2 million people) do not know it! It is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S. and it has no cure.

Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. If you are a member of one of these ethnic groups, you definitely need to visit a  health care professional for diabetes testing.

And while it is true that type 2 diabetes is more common in the above mentioned groups than in Caucasians, "race" or "ethnicity" alone is not a statistically significant predictor of diabetes.  More important are the other factors such as age, overweight/obesity, and lack of exercise.

Is There Anything Else I Should Learn About Diabetes?

Yes ... the medical community has identified a very strong relationship between diabetes and deaths from heart disease and stroke. A new initiative of the American Diabetes Association and  the American College of Cardiology, is aimed at increasing awareness of the link between diabetes and heart disease.

So the diagnosis and management of diabetes is more than control of blood glucose. People with diabetes must also manage blood pressure and cholesterol and talk to their health provider to learn about the ways to reduce their chance for heart attacks and stroke.

I know that most of us are in the mist of celebrating the holidays, but ... if you want to be around to continue celebrating holidays for many years to come, than why not take diabetes and the risks associated with the disease seriously.

And in this season of gift giving. make it a priority to get yourself tested for diabetes as soon as possible. It could be the greatest gift you could ever give to those who love you.

 

Tips for Surviving the Holiday Shopping Madness

Today, in the US, it is known as "Black Friday." And, all across the country, folks will rise early and head to their favorite shopping spot, to begin their yearly shopping odyssey. They will trek for miles, to the stores and shopping malls, to grab the best bargains they can find, all in the name of holiday shopping.

Shopping for gifts during the holiday season can be a major headache and a stressful activity. But you already know that.

So, here is a list with some simple and straight forward guidelines and tips, to hopefully assist you with your holiday shopping endeavors this year.

• First and foremost, create a shopping list of everyone you need to purchase gifts for.
  • Next to their name, add a note about things like:
    • Clothing sizes
    • Favorite music
    • Favorite colors
    • Any other information you think is important
  • Then list one to three gift ideas for each individual.
  • It would be best to make your Christmas shopping list as far in advance as possible, in order to give you more time to find the right gift, and potentially save you some time as well as money because, you can now look for specific sales for any items you are looking to purchase.
• Once you have your list completed, the first place you want to begin shopping is either online or via mail order catalogs.
  • Shopping online and through the mail is an easy, convenient and flexible way to buy Christmas gifts.
  • You can do your shopping at your own leisure while maintaining your daily schedule.
  • Often, you will be able to purchase items cheaper if you buy them at the merchants website rather than buying them in a physical store.
  • Look for online merchants that offer free shipping.
  • Some online merchants will offer to mail the gift directly to the person for whom the gift is bought for, instead of to you.
• When shopping online don't forget to check eBay if you know exactly what it is you're looking for and you are familiar with using the eBay auction website. If you have not used eBay before now, and you want to pursue this route, ask someone you know who is familiar with purchasing from the auction site, to help you.
  • There is a always a chance that you'll find that hard-to-find gift.
  • Sometimes you can get a popular gift item that you are looking for, at a reduced price.
• Don't forget to be sure that you leave yourself adequate time to deal with any possible shipping delays or delivery issues when ordering gifts from catalogs or from online merchants.
• If you choose not to actually make any gift purchases online, it would be wise to at least browse for gift ideas and to do some comparison shopping online so you will have a better idea of what prices to expect when you do go out to do your Christmas shopping.
• When it's time to actually start shopping at retail stores, your best bet is to try and do this as far in advance as possible before the Christmas holiday.
• Watch for the stores that open for business earlier than normal and try and take advantage of the earlier hour or two if possible.
• Try and go shopping on a weekday morning instead of the weekends and evenings, when the malls and shopping centers are the most crowded.
• To save energy, try and plan your driving and walking routes to all the stores in the area you expect to be shopping.
• To try and help save a bit of money during the holidays, keep up to date with all the shopping circulars for all the major retailers in your area on a weekly basis.
  • Believe it or not you can easily find the local flyer for most large chain stores online within their own website. This is a major plus if you don't get the newspaper delivered to your home.
• It's also a good idea to look for some online coupons for any gifts you are sure to buy. You can easily find these coupons and information on great sales and hot deals by visiting some of the Internet sites that are specifically dedicated to helping consumers get great prices on just about any product.
  • You can locate these online websites by doing a simple search on Google or Yahoo for the words hot deals, coupons and fat wallet.

As with most things during the Christmas season all it takes is a bit of organization and pre-planning to help make the holidays a much happier and less stressful time of year.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving.

I could have complained about the rain outside, but I thought about the folks who are homeless and are trying to find some shelter.

I could have felt annoyed by the antics of a dysfunctional family member, but I thought about all the lonely people who have no family to share the day with.

I could have complained about the alarm clock that woke me way too early this holiday morning, but I thought about all those who are not alive to share this holiday.

I could have complained about the cold mashed potatoes, but I thought of all those who will go hungry today.

I could have complained about my body ached, but I thought of all the people who have a greater cross to bear.

I cannot complain about anything today, because today ... I have everything to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Some Early Preparations for a Thanksgiving Dinner (Part 7)

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and within a matter of hours, your house will be transformed into a home filled with love, prayers of thanks, and of course, your scrumptious Thanksgiving feast.

Today, your focus will be on the final preparations for your home in anticipation of  your Thanksgiving guests. Needless to say, these final preparations will probably be easier for those without small children in the home.

Don't worry ... just do what you can today, and what you can't do today can be accomplished early tomorrow morning before any of your guests arrive. You will probably be getting up early to put the turkey in the oven so you can do a couple of things then.

• If you are having Thanksgiving dinner in a separate dining area of your home, you will want to set the table today.
• Decide where your guests will store their coats when they arrive. You will want to make sure that the area is cleared out and room made for the extra clothing.
• Do you have a guest bathroom? If so, today is the day to give it a good cleaning and then make it off-limits to the family. Otherwise, your focus will be on cleaning the bathroom used by the household.
  • Hang your guest towels
  • Put in a can of air-freshener
  • Replace the soap (Liquid soap is an option)
  • Make sure there are enough rolls of toilet paper stored in the bathroom
• If you made your gravy ahead of time, today is the day to take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator so it can defrost.
• If you ordered any special deserts from the bakery, you might want to go as early as possible in the day to pick them up before the bakery decides to close for the Thanksgiving holiday.

As always, if you have responsible family members around the house, do not hesitate to delegate some of the chores.

Well, that's all that you can do until tomorrow. You've completed all your preparations for your Thanksgiving dinner and all that's left is the actual cooking itself.

And because I wouldn't expect to see you here tomorrow, let me be the first to wish you and all your loved ones, a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!