Balancing Blood Sugar and Celebrations by indulging 7 strategies for a fulfilling festival

Having a sweet tooth often comes with several risks and the temptation of indulging in sweets can be a tough fight for individuals during festive times. Over 101 million people in India are living with diabetes, with the country being the ‘Diabetes Capital of the World.’ This makes it even more crucial for people to maintain sugar levels for overall health and well-being.

According to a recent survey by Fitelo, ‘State of Your Plate’, 57% Indians celebrate achievements with high sugar, high salt and high fat food, such as Samosas, Chole Bhature, Kebabs, and Gulaab Jamun. Interestingly, 57% find it most difficult to stick to diets and health goals during family get-togethers while 47% give up on health goals during festive occasions.

We all know that it is challenging to stick to diet and health goals during family celebrations and festivals, but it isn’t impossible. By using the right strategies and tricks,it becomes simple to balance your blood sugar and enjoy festive celebrations. Here are some strategies to adopt this festive season.

• Follow a balanced diet: We often only think of white granulated sugar, used to sweeten our coffee or tea when we hear the word ‘sugar’. However, sugar is a type of carbohydrate found in many foods, including fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. What you eat, directly impacts blood sugar levels. For instance, consuming carbohydrates especially refined sugars, might cause a rapid increase in blood sugar, while protein and fats have a milder effect. You must optfor whole, unprocessed foods, low in added sugars rather than refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice, and sugary cereals.

• Engage in regular physical activity: Remain consistent with your workout regimen and do not let it take a backseat while you are engaged in festive preparations. Participate in dancing, playing games and various other activities that will not only ensure enough physical activity but also enlighten everyone’s mood. Else, you can also spontaneously plan to take a brisk walk with your family after a celebratory meal.

• Limit sugary foods and beverages: While sugary foods, desserts, sodas, juices, and sweetened beveragesare consumed heavily during festive celebrations, they significantly impact blood sugar levels.You must minimise consumption of sugary foods and limit/ avoid intake of candies, chocolates, cakes, cookies, pastries, and other sugary snacks. Foods with refined sugar can be replaced with natural and healthier substitutes like jaggery, dates, coconut sugar, etc.

• Do not forget to stay hydrated: Festive preparations often involve exertion and a risk of dehydration. People forget to drink enough water when busy with the festivities. Consuming plenty of water flushes out excess glucose from the bloodstream, reducing the risk of dehydration-related complications. Carry a water bottle and keep reminders to consume water frequently through the day to stay hydrated adequately.

• Balance your plate with vegetables & greens: Enjoy the savouries of Diwali but do not forget to balance your plate. You can fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables and foods with low carbohydrate sourcesand keep sugar levels in control.

• Manage stress level: Festive preparations often lead to increase in stress levels and stress affects blood sugar levels.Practice stress management techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or engage in activities that you and your family enjoy to help control stress.

• Take proper rest: Inadequate sleep or improper rest can disrupt the balance of sugar levels in your body. Festivities are celebrated with great fervour in India with family and friends and people usually do not sleep on time amid celebrations. It is important to get adequate sleep of at least 8 hours a day for the body to get enough rest and maintain blood sugar levels.

Bringing about changes in your everyday life and eating the right kind of foods can help you enjoy the festivities while keeping your health in control. All the individual factors mentioned above influence blood sugar levels in some or other way, so it is important to indulge in a balanced diet, stayphysically active, sleep adequately and control portions to enjoy the festivities without compromising on health.

(The writer is a Cofounder& CMO, Fitelo)