Halloween and T2DM

Halloween and T2DM

I love Halloween.

It is my favorite holiday of the year. I count down the months and days till Halloween.

As a kid, I would plan for months about my Halloween costume.

I would save my money to buy pieces for my Halloween costume.

But I would always have two costumes: one I would wear to school for the Halloween party and the second was for Halloween night trick-a-treating.

The only part of Halloween I hated was when I got home and Mom searched through my candy haul making sure everything was safe to eat.

That’s the good part, the bad part was that all my favorite Halloween candy disappeared from my bag.

I knew where it went but what could I do about it.

Now as an adult, I still love to celebrate Halloween with the kids.

Decorating and dressing up for Halloween, seeing the smiles, and occasionally the tears, of the kids is well worth the effort.

I give the Halloweeners candy; what would Halloween be without the candy.

That would suck.

How would you feel, as a kid, if you went through the trouble of getting dressed up to walk around in the cold evening air to collect …… banana nut bread or whole wheat pretzel sticks with sea salt or vegetable curry flavored popcorn.

WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING? MAN ARE YOU IN FOR IT NOW!

Just because I have T2DM does not mean that I need to spoil the youngsters fun and enjoyment of collecting candy.

I just don’t need to eat any of it (okay, maybe just a piece or two).

The holidays do not have to be death sentences for T2DM people.

We just need to be more careful and conscious of what we do shove into our mouths.

One of the reasons I love Halloween is pumpkin pie.

If medical science ever comes up with the ability to power a human body just on pumpkin pie, I will be there with buzzers and bells.

But now, things have had to change.

No more double helpings of pie at lunch followed up with a slice for a snack and another piece, with ice cream, at dinner. Now it is one thin piece for the entire day.

This year, I have asked my wife to make pumpkin pie with stevia rather than sugar; I know it could change the taste but I am willing to give it a try if it means that I can better control my blood sugar levels over the Halloween holiday.

Will I still enjoy the Halloween holiday and my pumpkin pie? You better believe it.

Stay healthy and have a great Halloween.

John