Vital for diabetics to keep eye on food portions, says doc

24 January 2025

THE festive season may be a time for merriment and celebration but from experience, this is also when many diabetic patients end up in the emergency department, says a health specialist.

Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City (SMC) consultant general physician and endocrinologist Dr Lim Chong Wei said indulgent meals were a hallmark of the festive season, but for individuals managing diabetes, these could cause glucose levels to elevate.

“If left uncontrolled, it can cause hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), bringing about life-threatening complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis that can put a patient into a comatose state.

“The best method to prevent this is to watch out for portion sizes.

“To begin, it is important to keep to eating regular meals and avoid additional snacking. Eat more protein and vegetables. Keep the sweet treats to the last,” he said.

It is also important to check blood sugar level before and after food.

Do look out for symptoms like sweating, palpitations, blurry vision and tremors, which are indicators that a blood sugar check must be done.

In case of low sugar levels, take sugary drinks like orange juice, and sweets. If it’s too high, then you’ll have to take extra insulin or prescribed medication, Dr Lim said.

One common challenge people with diabetes face during the holidays is the travel back to hometowns, which can be very stressful.

“My advice is to always have healthy snacks and extra medication just in case of hypoglycemia, especially when there are flight or train delays. Do have some sweets in hand in case of dips in blood sugar levels,” said Dr Lim.

According to the doctor, it is also important to care for hormone health during the festive season.

“The level of cortisol, which is a stress hormone produced naturally by the body, can rise.

“To manage this, it is important to keep a set routine such as sticking to regular meal times and having an adequate amount of sleep.

“Don’t stay up too late during celebrations. Plan in advance for all the cooking and gatherings that will take place, to help alleviate the stress that comes from last-minute preparations,” he said.

Also, don’t forget to exercise, especially after a big meal, he said.

“Go for long walks, even if it’s around a shopping mall,” said Dr Lim.

He also pointed out the importance of regular checkups.

“The festive season is probably the best time because that’s when you are on leave and would have time for an appointment with the endocrinologist for a quick check.

“This is when a blood test will be done to find out your average blood sugar for the past three months. If it’s high, then something will have to be done,” he said.

He also stressed that diabetics who consume alcoholic beverages must be mindful as the drinks could interfere with blood sugar level, causing it to spike and then drop which would bring about a condition known as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

“It is very dangerous for a diabetic to get intoxicated as this makes it hard to check glucose levels and take extra insulin doses. The best advise is to give alcohol a wide berth,” said Dr Lim.

Source: The Star

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