Did you know that November is National Diabetes Awareness month?According to the American Heart Association, 23 million adults live with Type 2 Diabetes.Awareness is key, with the holidays approaching us, it is best to be mindful of what you eat, drink, and activity level during this time of year to help manage your diabetes during the holidays.

Plan Ahead Ask what time is dinner going to be served.If it is late in the day, eat at your normal time before arriving.Do not skip meals to save room for holiday eating, as this will be harder to control your blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Modify Recipes Find recipes that provides the nutritional label, serving size and the amount of carbohydrates. Find ways to reduce or substitute sugar, salts, fats, and cholesterol in meals.

Offer to bring a Healthy Side Dish Making a homemade salad with spinach, bell peppers, and tomatoes is a healthy option and it low calories and includes non-starchy vegetables.

Visualize a Healthy Plate Go to this interactive site to create smaller portions and healthy meal combinations: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/create-your-plate/.Remember the diabetes MyPlate; ½ plate non-starchy veggies, ¼ starchy foods, ¼ protein, a fruit, and beverage (preferably water or unsweetened beverage).

Choose your Plate Wisely Choose a small plate with of your favorite foods not a large plate of your favorite foods.This can help you maintain your healthy meal plan and not overeat.

Stay on Track with your Mealtimes If lunch or dinner will be served at a later time-eat a healthy snack, such as a vegetable, until dinner is served, this can help with your appetite and maintain blood glucose levels.Eat a smaller portioned meal when dinner is served.

Dessert Time If you planned to eat dessert and did not eat your bread or sweet potatoes during your meal, you can eat a small portion of dessert.Choose pumpkin pie as a dessert to help reduce calories and sugar by one-third.Also, you can share your dessert with someone and remove icing or whipped cream, which are high in calories.

Stay Active Exercising throughout the day can help you have more energy.Some family activities recommendations include:a walk around the neighborhood, relay race, potato sack race, ask to pick up dishes, wash dishes, take out the trash, and standing up instead of sitting can help you stay physically active during the holidays.Have a family weight loss challenge between holidays, such between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the person whom loses the most weight can receive a fitness item at Christmas or have all Christmas gifts as a health or wellness item.

Stay Hydrated Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day.

Sweet Potato Pie Filling

Ingredients

6 packets sugar substitute
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
3 large eggs
¼ cup evaporated skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Combine sugars, salt, nutmeg, and eggs.
• Add milk and vanilla. Stir.
• Add sweet potatoes. Mix well.
• Pour into glass pie pan or pie shell.
• Bake at 350º for 40-50 minutes, until knife inserted comes out clean.

Note: May top with 2 tablespoons non-fat whipped topping (adds 3 grams carbohydrate, 15 calories).

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Note: May top with 2 tablespoons non-fat whipped topping (adds 3 grams carbohydrate, 15 calories).

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Article Source: American Diabetes Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Recipe Source: University of Illinois-Extension

Picture Source: Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/agriculture-autumn-background-decoration-619422/