Healthy Salad Tips for Winter

Salads are a great idea because they require minimal prep, no cooking and are easy to fit into a busy schedule!  Get the most out of your salads by following these tips:

1. Aim to include both dark green and orange veggies such as kale, broccoli, bell peppers and carrots. These coloured veggies have important nutrients such as vitamin A and folate.
2. Keep it fresh and cost effective by using seasonal vegetables.
3. When you do cook, make extra vegetables for leftovers which can be added for variety in a future salad. Roasted cauliflower in your salad is delicious!
4. Dressing choices matter! Vinegar and oil-based dressings generally contain less fat than creamy dressings.  As an alternative, mix flavoured hummus with a small amount of water to your desired consistency and give that a try!
5. Watch the extras! Bacon bits, cheese, croutons, dried fruit and nuts can add up to a lot of extra calories and fat. Use a lighter hand with these additions.
6. If your salad is the main meal, make sure it’s balanced! Ensure there is a whole grain such as quinoa and a source of protein such as legumes, boiled egg, tuna or chicken.
7. Have fun and be creative! Explore salad recipes in cookbooks or online to get inspired.  The combinations are endless. Experiment with some raw and some cooked veggies or add fruit such as fresh berries.

Here are some salads to try from the Diabetes Canada recipe collection:

• Festive Quinoa Salad
• Fruit and Feta Salad
• Garden Veggie Buddha Bowl with Lentils and Tahini Sauce
• Kale, Beet and Chickpea Power Bowl
• Quinoa, Black Bean & Mango Salad
• Roasted Cauliflower Salad
• Spinach Salad
• Wheatberry and Apple Salad

Enjoy!

Welcome to 2023!  The holiday season can be exciting and fun, but also stressful and challenging for managing diabetes.

Many people find this time of year a lot more stressful than the rest of the year.  Stress can be caused by timelines at work, coordinating visits with family and friends, family dynamics, health concerns, finances or just being out of your regular, daily routine.  Feeling stressed can cause blood sugars to rise and can make managing your diabetes challenging.  

Here are some helpful tips to help you get back on track and kick off a happy, healthy New Year when it comes to dealing with stress, feeling down, out of a routine or feeling tired. Learning and trying out different ways to cope with and reduce stress is important to overall health and wellness. If you feel overwhelmed, here are some ideas you may want to explore and try:

• Breathing slowly and deeply. Breathe in for a count of four seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for a count of four seconds, wait four seconds before your next breath and repeat until you start feeling better. Focus on your breath!
• Try distracting yourself or changing your environment by going for a walk, listening to some music, or watching a funny TV show.
• If you’re feeling pressure to catch up on your to-do list or get started with your new year’s resolutions, remind yourself that it’s perfectly OK to let some things go. Working slow and steady to make new habits for the long-term is always better than setting goals that aren’t realistic and harder to achieve. Try making a schedule of when you can work on your to-do list and resolutions!
• Try planning ahead and writing things down. Plan your meals for the week in advance, make your grocery list based on your meal plan, map out your schedule, ask for help to get things done, and remember that it’s OK to say ‘no’ every now and then!

Holidays aren’t always holly and jolly for everyone. For some people, holidays seem to worsen feelings of depression. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, are struggling financially, or feel lonely. When diabetes management gets harder and blood sugars go higher, it may cause you to feel depressed. It’s okay to not always feel okay, but it’s important to know what to do when you feel down.  Here are some ideas that may help:

• Try talking to a trusted family member, friend, or healthcare provider
•  Do something nice for yourself each day — go for a walk, read a book, get together with a friend, take a yoga class.
• Create a routine for yourself, which includes getting up at the same time each day, eating regular meals, checking your blood sugars, exercising, and getting to bed at a decent hour.
• Volunteering is a great way to help others and help you feel good about yourself at the same time.
• Take advantage of online support forums.
• If you’re really struggling, seek help through a crisis support line (Immediate Crisis Support: Text WELLNESS to 741741). There are also more resources for you or those you care about at wellnesstogether.ca

Enjoying (too many) holiday treats, experiencing unusual eating and sleeping schedules, having a few more alcoholic drinks than usual, and being less active can quickly throw off your diabetes management. During these times, the blood sugar roller-coaster can make you feel tired, grumpy and less likely to take care of yourself.  It’s important to get yourself back on track with no guilt!  Some tips to get you started again:

• Make it a priority to start eating healthy – fill up on vegetables and pass on (or along) some of the holiday treats leftover in your house!
• Find time to get up and stay active.
• Check your blood sugars more often or back to the routine you had pre-holiday.
• Take your diabetes medicine(s) as prescribed.

Celebrations at any time of year can be exhausting. Feeling tired is your body’s way of telling you to slow down and pay attention to taking care of yourself. It is easier said than done… and constant fatigue can lower your immune defenses and make you more susceptible to becoming ill.  Here are tips to get back on track:

• Don’t skip meals and do limit the amount of foods that are higher in sugars, fats or those that are processed.
• Build up your activity level. Guidelines for adults suggest at least 150 minutes of activity per week.
• Make a point to go to bed at a certain time each night, or plan for a short nap during the day to catch up on lost sleep.
• Find a relaxing activity.  Consider an online or in-person yoga class, treat yourself to a massage, or just set aside some quiet time for yourself.

Give the last gift of the season to yourself!   Whether you are best motivated to improve your diabetes management habits by setting New Year resolutions, or setting a one or two SMART goals (Specific-Measurable-Achievable-Relevant-Timely), or approaching things as they arise – please proceed in a way to set yourself up for success and a healthier future!  

Do something today that your future self will thank you for!

The Diabetes Depot and LMC Teams wish you a happy and healthy 2023!

Sign up for the first workshop T1D Tools & Technology that will cover where we’re at and what exciting new diabetes tech is coming. We are excited to focus on Foot Care in February with a Foot Care workshop, to help make foot care part of your daily routine. More workshops are coming soon! Be sure to bookmark this page, so you can easily find and join our workshops

We’re also kicking off the Ask the Expert Series with Kristen, a Certified Diabetes Educator.   This is an excellent opportunity to ask questions about T1D tools, devices, and technology. Our fabulous expert is full of knowledge and tips to help you self-manage your diabetes with confidence.

February’s ask the expert session will include an LMC Chiropodist, a foot care expert. Find out all the ins and outs of taking care of your feet to avoid complications!

Be sure to bookmark this page, so you can easily find and join our Diabetes Depot workshops

Did you know?  Diabetes Depot was founded in 2004 by one of Canada’s first CDE pharmacists and a fellow T1D pumper.  In 2019, LMC Pharmacy acquired the business, where we continue the mission to offer supplies, savings and support for people living with diabetes, their family and caregivers!  As an affiliate of LMC Diabetes & Endocrinology Clinics, we are pleased to share the expertise of the LMC Certified Pump Trainers and Certified Diabetes Educator Pharmacists, Dietitians and Nurses with the Diabetes Depot community.

Bonus Education Access to LMC DEP Specialty Workshops!

To learn more to help you get back on track in the New Year, checkout the specialty workshops offered by LMC Diabetes Education. These include:

• Eating on a budget – January 9^th at 7:30pm ET
• ABCDEES of Diabetes – January 17^th at 10:30am ET
• Cooking with Lara – January 25^th at 3:00pm ET
• Lets Get Fit  – January 25^th at 7:30pm ET
• Fad Diets – January 30^th at 1:00pm ET

February is Heart Month, a time to bring attention to the importance of cardiovascular health, and what you can to reduce you risk of cardiovascular disease. Join us for one of our Healthy Heart workshops provided by LMC Diabetes Education.

• February 8^th at 2:00pm ET
• February 14^th at 10:30am ET
• February 22^nd at 2:00pm ET

FYI – About the LMC Diabetes Education Program…..

The LMC Diabetes Education Program is committed to providing quality comprehensive diabetes self-management education and support to those living with diabetes. We want to help you with your diabetes management from developing more skills and confidence, to Making Healthy Easier while living with diabetes.

As an affiliate of LMC Pharmacy, the operators of Diabetes Depot, we are pleased to share our expertise, resources and support with the Diabetes Depot community.