Celebration

Festival of Sleep

There's no two ways about it. Sleep is a natural part of every person's life. So let's take a few minutes today as we celebrate the Festival of Sleep.

You probably already know that most of us, at some times in our lives, try to get by on as little sleep as possible, even though as adults we need approximately 8 hours of sleep every night. (Adolescents and children need at a minimum, 9 hours of sleep nightly.)

What we all need to remember however, is that sleep is something our bodies need to do; it is not an option. Sleep is important for our minds and bodies to function normally, and in fact, sleep appears to be necessary for our survival. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), a person's health and wellbeing is dependent upon the activity of sleeping. We have come to understand that sleep is just as important to our bodies as diet and exercise.

The more we try and "burn the candle at both ends," and deprive our bodies of adequate amounts of sleep, the faster we add to our "sleep debt."  If we accumulate a large amount of  "sleep debt," then our ability to function during the daytime will be greatly compromised. Even one hour less of sleep every night, for several nights, can have a powerful negative effect on your mood, thought processes, decision making, and relationships, during your routine daily activities.

The end result of the accumulation of "sleep debt," is sleepiness at inappropriate times, creating potentially dangerous situations. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), one to four percent of all highway crashes are due to sleepiness, especially in rural areas and four percent of these crashes are fatal.

There are numerous causes and consequences of sleep deprivation both in children/adolescents, and adults. I urge you to take some time and check out some of the resources at the end of this article. Sleepiness in adults, children and adolescents is a problem that has some very serious consequences. Drowsy driving and workplace accidents are serious consequences for adults. In children, it effects school performance, increases the risk of accidents and injuries while participating in playground activities, and their relationships with other children.

Resources: 

The MayoClinic.com Sleep Center

Sleep Research Society

American Academy of Sleep Medicine

NIH National Center for Sleep Disorders Research

American Insomnia Association

National Sleep Foundation

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.

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!