Healthy Thanksgiving - With effort, diabetics can enjoy holiday meal

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Healthy Thanksgiving
With effort, diabetics can enjoy holiday meal

By Sun Kang
Pacific Daily News
sakang2@guampdn.com

When Roke Blas is at the Thanksgiving table, his family can enjoy the traditional turkey and fixings, but Blas won't have any of it.

Indulging is not part of Blas' Thanksgiving ritual because he is diabetic. Instead, he'll opt for healthy options, such as a tofu stir-fry medley that includes shiitake mushrooms and spinach leaves, or lean meats such as fish and chicken.

The other meats, sweets and less-than-healthy sides are there so the rest of the family can have their Thanksgiving feast.
"We prepare it for whoever wants it, for family members, but I tell them take it in moderation. Don't go crazy," says Blas.

Before being diagnosed with diabetes, Blas had enjoyed foods hot off the barbecue grill.

"I love barbecue ribs and steak and a nice ham leg, but it doesn't bother me not to have them. It doesn't hurt my appetite," says Blas. Nowadays he eats foods such as tossed salad with grilled chicken, even cutting out the dressing.

"We've learned to adapt to it and change in modern ways," he says. "There are so many ways to prepare food. It just takes a little effort, and the effort goes a long way."

Carl Butler, Guam Diabetes Association president, was diagnosed with diabetes in 1976, when he was 36. He's 64 now and staying healthy by sticking to good eating habits, but he does indulge a little during the holidays.

"If I come to the table and someone's prepared good food or I go to a restaurant and I eat a reasonable amount, I can try most anything," says Butler. "I figure it's Thanksgiving, so be thankful about the food you have, but just be reasonable about the portion that you take."

It seems the most important factor for diabetics is to watch the portions.

"I became a diabetic because I used to go for two or three helpings," says Butler. "Now, we have the turkey and stuffing, and I like cranberry sauce but in reasonable amounts."

"Portion control is the important thing, and be aware of fats and sugar content. Go easy. Cut down on the gravy and don't overload the plate."

Another option is choosing the right foods. Blas keeps temptation at bay by keeping his options open.

"Just make sure that fatty foods are not in the picture again," says Blas. "They're pretty tempting once you have them on the table, so the best thing is to have something healthy on the table that you know you're going to eat."

Blas recommends ground turkey or chicken breast, though he says either can be hard to find on island. So he buys chicken or turkey breast, preferably without the skin, or fish. Blas says his Thanksgiving table often includes seafood such as salmon.

For stuffing, Blas likes to mix crumbled meatless burger patties with croutons, cubed potatoes, sweet dill pickles, and fresh vegetables such as green bell peppers, celery and carrots.

Desserts can be tricky for their high sugar and fat content. For Blas, it's a simple matter of sticking to what he likes.

"I don't like pumpkin pie, but I like sweet potato once in a while," says Blas. "You can splurge, but the only person suffering will be yourself."

For Butler, it's about making the right choices.

"Eating pie with ice cream might not be such a good choice, so eat fruits and a lot of vegetables," he suggests.

The Butlers often eat out or visit family during Thanksgiving. They contribute the healthiest items to the table most times.

"We bring the healthy foods like fruit, because I'm not really a good cook compared to (other family members)," says Winnifred Butler. "My aunts and cousins, they bring all the goodies to Perezville, but when it comes to Winnie and Carl, they expect a fruit basket."

"He's cutting down because I tell him the complications," says Winnifred Butler. "It wakes him up. It's really scary to be diabetic. The most scary is to be on a dialysis machine."

The Butlers recommend sharing a meal if going out to eat for Thanksgiving, and avoiding the buffet line.

Finally, avoid leftovers. Blas makes sure his portions are small, so that there won't be any after Thanksgiving, or he makes sure to give it all away.

"I only prepare a small turkey, so there isn't any to take home," says Blas. "We don't want leftovers. I don't want to see it in my fridge. I don't take what will hurt me."

"Just enjoy it," says Carl Butler. "And don't make it a Thanksgiving holiday every day is what I'd advise."

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