I travel with my husband to spend time with his family for Thanksgiving. It is a multi-day celebration that is joyful, yet without self-care strategies, it can be a diabetes disaster. 
 
The holidays get a bad rap as a difficult time for blood glucose levels, but they don’t have to be. There is nothing inherently unhealthy about the food we eat during Thanksgiving.

What is problematic are the cultural behavioral norms which support all-day snacking, larger meals and sedentarism. Couple this with the added stress of being in close quarters with beloved family members and suddenly Thanksgiving is taking you for a wild diabetes ride. 

It does not have to be this way. In this video I will address my top behavioral and self-awareness recommendations for diabetes management during Thanksgiving.
 
A core component of yoga therapy and diabetes care is self-awareness. Self-awareness with diabetes is our ability to discern how certain behaviors, whether it is over-indulging, lack of exercise, or stress from a family dynamic, affect how we feel, think and act. When we are aware of what causes us to feel negative, we can implement new and positive behaviors to improve our quality of life. 
 
The formula for a healthy and joyful holiday season is unique for everyone with diabetes. In this video, I will go over my top strategies for improving self-awareness and implementing healthier behaviors during the holidays. These tips will allow you to flow through the season without the typical BG rollercoaster and emotional upheaval that can occur when we are in close quarters with the people we love most.

When I switched to a new Medtronic 670g a few years ago, I hated it. It was so unfamiliar, and my old pump I knew like the back of my hand. I was overwhelmed by every nuance from its fancy features, to its size and weight. There were many times when I wanted to give it up, go back on my old pump, but a part of me persisted and gave it a chance. 

Now, nearly two years later, I love my Medtronic pump and would not change it for the world. 

It is funny how attached we become to our devices. They are, after all, a relationship. When we change that relationship, it is reasonable to mourn what you used to have rather than looking forward to what you will have; in my case, a much-improved HbA1c.

Yoga talks about change as a cause of suffering. We suffer because we think everything is going to stay exactly the same. Cognitively we know that a new pump or cgm will be of benefit, but because it is so new, we resist embracing the changes wholeheartedly. We may in fact reject the new pump as faulty because it is not the same as the old one. 

The resistance to change with diabetes technology is a source of overwhelm and distress. In this quick yoga therapy inspired video, I will go over my top tips and strategies for overcoming the transitional woes, so you can LOVE the pump (or CGM) that you are in and move forward with your life. 

Today is a day of celebration. It’s world diabetes day but also it’s my mom’s 70th birthday. I want to invite everyone who has diabetes, at least for today, to celebrate diabetes. Think about how a diagnosis has molded and shaped you into the incredible being that you are!

It’s true, diabetes is no picnic but that does not mean that it all has to be negative. 

If it weren’t for diabetes I would not be:

• Half as strong as I am
• As aware and in-tune with myself
• As Compassionate as I am to other people’s pain
• A Yogi and teacher

Thank you diabetes for offering me an opportunity to see you in a positive or negative light.

My gift you you is a yoga therapy practice for the heart and circulation. Heart disease is the number one killer of people with diabetes. It is of the utmost importance that we not only take care of our heart with diet and exercise but also through therapeutic practices like this one. 

Please leave your comments below! How has diabetes made you the person you are today? What can you celebrate?