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Don’t Let Halloween Treats Haunt Your Blood Sugar

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By Lu Ann Beavers-Willis, MSN, RN, CDE

October 22, 2014

Halloween is only days away and even though it is thought of as a scary and shocking type of holiday, don’t let your treats haunt the next blood sugar reading that you measure. I am offering several suggestions for celebrating while keeping your blood sugar and weight in control at the same time:

  • Wait until 1-2 days before your community trick or treat night to buy the treats
  • Purchase a type of candy that you do not like and will then be less tempted to snack on whilepassing it out to neighborhood or church children
  • Select sour or gummy candy since you may be less tempted than if you have chocolate
  • Eat a meal before heading out with your children or handing out treats
  • Chew sugar-free gum when you crave the candy
  • Keep the candy wrappers to remind yourself of how many pieces you have already eaten
  • Try handing out an alternative treat such as Halloween pencils, stickers, temporary tattoos, toothbrushes, sugar-free gum, light or fat free mini microwave popcorn bags, 100 calorie snacks, or mini boxes of raisins

 My last suggestion is to avoid the 50% reduction sales of all the leftover candy in stores on November first. If you are shopping on that day, avoid the clearance section of the stores.

 During the holidays, especially on Halloween, we traditionally indulge in candy. If you have a little, don’t get too upset with yourself. Try to avoid over-indulging. Remember, sneaking 1 or 2 mini candy bars from your children’s treat bags or your treat bowl is not going to result in a haunting blood sugar level. It is the sneaking of more than a couple that results in a hauntingly high reading.

Lu Ann Beavers-Willis MSN,RN, Certified Diabetes Educator, leads individual and group diabetes education sessions. She is also available to speak at community groups or arrange diabetes risk screening in the community.

 

 

 

 

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