Food, Finances, and Family: 6 Tips for Surviving the Weekend

Thanksgiving is here! Oftentimes, the holiday of gratitude comes with a price: weight gain, debt, and family brawls (to say the least). Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list to survive the weekend in one piece. Below are some tips for excelling in the food, finances, and family departments.

1. Eat Breakfast: It’s tempting to save that vital space in your stomach for the big event, but if you eat a nutritious breakfast, your appetite will be a little more manageable. Your waistline will thank you.

2. Set a Budget: Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, our bank accounts can take quite a blow this weekend. To help yourself control your spending habits, set limits to how much you can spend. If you want to be extra serious about your spending, pay for everything in cash. That way, when there’s no more green, there’s no more shopping.

3. Invite “Buffers” to Dinner: We all have those family members that cause conflict at every gathering. However, most people are better behaved when strangers are around. If you know that your troubled siblings can maintain civility around outsiders, get inviting!

4. Go Easy On the Additives: sugar, fat, and calories run rampant during Thanksgiving, but they don’t need to. Consider using fat-free broth and less oil and butter when cooking. If you’re just there to enjoy the food, try using less gravy, butter, and salt when you can help it.

5. Kill Two Birds With One Stone: Thanksgiving isn’t the only holiday this year, you know. Recognizing that you will most likely need to buy gifts for family and friends throughout the year (or at least upcoming December holidays), make a recipient list and keep an eye out for gifts while your out shopping around. That way, you’ll save time and money.

6. Make A Seating Chart: Even though we’re on vacation from school doesn’t mean that seating charts need to be banished as well. Recognize troublesome individuals in your family and strategically place them far away from their argumentative counterparts. If you need to, talk with a more level-headed guest and ask them to sit next to them to curb any sensitive topics before they get out of hand.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month: Learn the Facts

It is estimated that nearly 26 million Americans – more than 8 percent of the population – have diabetes and approximately 79 million more adults have pre-diabetes, which increases their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time for everyone to learn more about the disease, its symptoms, treatment and how to help those who live with it. 

Having diabetes means a person’s blood glucose or blood sugar is higher than normal. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use sugar. Type 1 diabetics do not make insulin and need to take insulin shots to control their blood sugars. Type 2 diabetics – about 90 to 95 percent of diabetes diagnosed in adults is type 2 – either do not make enough insulin or their bodies use the insulin they produce ineffectively. Type 2 diabetics may require medications in addition to insulin, but many do not require insulin and are able to control their blood sugars with other medications. In either case, all people with diabetes will benefit from making healthy food choices, reaching and maintaining healthy weight, and being in physical active on most days of the week.

While preparing for the holidays and the potential of over-indulgence that can sometimes occur, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has several tips for diabetics and their family members so they can enjoy the holiday season and be incident free: 

• Before traveling, eat a healthy snack to avoid overeating 
• Ask in advance which foods will be prepared and bring a healthy dish if necessary
• For buffet style eating, after fixing a plate move away from the food as quickly as possible
• Avoid drinking extra calories and sugar, choose sparkling water or diet drinks 
• Limit alcohol intake and eat while drinking
• Watch the salt
• Remember to pack all medications and emergency kits
• Focus on friends, family and activities - instead of food

The CDC offers many other tips at Managing Your Diabetes During the Holidays.

[This article was provided by TRICARE, and can be found in full at: http://www.tricare.mil/LiveWell/HLArticles/Archives/11_29_13_DiabetesAwareness.aspx]