GUY’S GOTTA TALK ABOUT…TYPE 2 DIABETES #39B: A MONTH After Switching To Ozempic Every OTHER Week

For the first time since I started this blog eleven years ago, it’s going to be about me. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes two weeks ago. While people are happy to talk about their experiences with diabetes, I WASN’T comfortable with talking about diabetes. My wife is Type 2, as are several friends of ours. The “other Type” of diabetes was what caused the death of my Best Man a year after my wife and I got married. He was diagnosed with diabetes when he was a kid. It was called Juvenile Diabetes then. Today it’s Type 1. Since then, I haven’t WANTED to talk about diabetes at all. But…for my own education and maybe helping someone else, and not one to shut up for any known reason, I’m reopening my blog rather than starting a new one. I MAY take a pause and write about Breast Cancer or Alzheimer’s as medical headlines dictate; but this time I’m going to drag anyone along who wants to join my HIGHLY RELUCTANT journey toward better understanding of my life with Type 2 Diabetes. You’re Welcome to join me!

[There’s no evidence for this (yet?), but I have ZERO doubt that the makers of O, M, and all the others are preparing a vigorous smear campaign for studies like these.]

I’m writing to say that my own experience of reducing my Ozempic injections to once every other Sunday (my day for injections) supports the study linked below.

From the study, “In a small new study, most people who switched from weekly to every-other-week GLP-1 dosing maintained their weight loss and metabolic health improvements. [A fraction of the people regained weight and needed to return to weekly injections — suggesting close monitoring is important when reducing dose frequency.] While I have NOT regained weight and have NOT returned to a weekly dose. People who want to reduce their dose or space out GLP-1 injections should always consult their provider first.”

I talked with my doctor before getting off Ozempic on January 24, 2026, he supported my move, and with his concurrence, I stopped taking it every week.

I could share the actual data with you, but what you would see is NOT a miraculous return to the response of a person who is NOT insulin resistant – but you WOULD see someone who works to exercise regularly, watches both WHAT he eats and HOW MUCH he eats.

What you will NOT see is a man who has become acetic – only eating salads, twigs, single bites of fat-free yogurt (I have a cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt a week and a cup of either fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese a week. These dairy products are mixed with (mostly) whatever fresh fruit is available at the grocery store (like raspberries, blackberries, apples, pears, and strawberries) mixed with a cup of either cottage cheese OR yogurt, and sweetened with Splenda – NOT to “ward off the effects of Ozempic”, but because I need to eat that amount of calcium twice a week so I don’t get cramps in my calves!

I confess that I DO have the occasional Dairy Queen PB Parfait or some scoops of ice cream during the week. I also walk a straight mile (ie – I have a route that I’ve clocked and know exactly how long and how far I go when I walk from our house to a nearby cemetery.); then add in whatever else my cell phone’s step counter has recorded. I’ll confess also that I am NOT religious about how much I walk…

My OTHER faith, “Minnesota Winter Weather Variation” has grounded me more than once. OTOH, I walked once day when the air temperature was -7F and the windchill gave the air a “feels like/ability to freeze skin” temperature of -36F (of course, that’s more to prove that I am still, indeed a Minnesotan)! I also now park as far out as I can in the grocery store or Target or church parking lot and walk into the building – no matter the temperature.

So…I did in fact reduce my use of Ozempic from weekly to bi-weekly. My starting physiological data are as follows:

2/24/2023 BP:155/180 Weight: 253.8 Blood Glucose: 189
9/7/2025 STARTED OZEMPIC BP:122/75 Weight: 241.2 Blood Glucose: 171
2/25/2026 BP: 120/75 Weight: 230.6 Blood Glucose: 145

Data indicates that when I DON’T walk, my BP and Glucose are higher. Weight can’t be measured as a “daily thing”, rather as a range. For example when I was originally diagnosed with Type2, I weighed 260.8 in April of 2023. Exercise and watching what I ate DID have an effect on my health. Ozempic initially help me break a barrier.

Because I’ve lately been drifting into the high 220’s with my Winter regimen, I’m going to work to push it lower when I take to my bike this Summer. We originally bought our house because it was adjacent to a park that is connected to biking/walking trails stretching from northern Minnesota, west to the Great Plains (North and South Dakota), south to Rochester and some go East into Wisconsin. I can literally ride the entire state and slices of three others and with the right permits, north into Canada!

I LOVE biking, and it’s stayed with me since I was a teenager and was biking to get away from my “sports-obsessed-family” – of course three activities I loved (biking, swimming, and camping) weren’t “sports-enough” for them…and, “Yes, you DO sense a bit of bitterness in my tone!” At any rate, I’m looking forward to losing a few more pounds (my recent A1c dropped to 6.2 about a month ago!), and seeing my daily blood sugars more often in the 140s rather than the 150s.

I’ll keep you posted! Have a great week!

Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/weight-management/can-taking-glp-1-drug-every-other-week-help-you-keep-weight-off/ ; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11885104/ Image: https://aeroflowdiabetes.com/media/wysiwyg/diabetes-guide-booklet-aeroflow-diabetes.jpg

DIABETES RESEARCH RIGHT NOW! #37A: The Stigma of Being Diagnosed with Type 2 (or even Type 1!) Diabetes

From the first moment I discovered I had been diagnosed with DIABETES, I joined a HUGE “club” that has been rapidly expanding since it stopped being a death sentence in the early 20th Century. Currently, there are about HALF A BILLION PEOPLE who have Type 2 Diabetes. For the past 3500 years – dating back to Ancient Egypt – people have suffered from diabetes. Well, I’m one of them now… Not one to shut up for any known reason, I added a section to this blog…Every month, I’ll be highlighting Diabetes research that is going on RIGHT NOW! Harvested from different websites, journals and podcasts, I’ll translate them into understandable English and share them with you. Today: Diabetes Technology: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026.

Being a Type 2 diabetic sometimes bugs me.

I wonder how I could have screwed up so much in my life that I wrecked my body so badly, it broke! Turns out, I’m not the only one who carried the stigma of being diabetic: “Diabetic Stigma is defined as negative attitudes, judgment, discrimination, or prejudice against someone because they have diabetes. It comes from the false idea that people with diabetes made unhealthy food and lifestyle choices, which resulted in their diagnosis. These false beliefs don't consider key factors that can cause diabetes, such as family medical history. They also don't factor in social determinants of health, which are the conditions where people grow, work, live and age. Diabetes stigma can particularly affect people with overweight or obesity. More than half of people with diabetes report that they have experienced stigma. Diabetes stigma can exist anywhere: in the family, school, workplace, and even in health care settings. Diabetes stigma can be experienced internally or externally. Internal stigma is a belief that a person with diabetes has about themselves. It can include feelings of self-blame, shame, and guilt. External stigma is blame and judgment that comes from other people and society. It can include awkward or mean looks, rejection, exclusion, and difficulty maintaining relationships and friendships.”

The word “stigma” derives from the Latin word, “stigmata”. A stigmata was literally religiously produced spots on the skin. At one time, claims were made bearing the stigma was a holy sign of God.

That’s not what it means any more: stigma: “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.”

While I learned as a kid, I can’t control what people THINK about me, I CAN control what I think about myself.

“Technology is rapidly changing, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to technology use in people with diabetes. Insurance coverage can lag behind device availability, people’s interest in devices and willingness for adoption can vary, and health care teams may have challenges in keeping up with newly released technology. An American Diabetes Association resource, which can be accessed at Link to Diabetes Technology Guidediabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-care/diabetes-technology-guide, can help health care professionals and people with diabetes make decisions on the initial choice of device(s). Other choices including device manufacturers, can help people troubleshoot when difficulties arise.”

When I first read this last year, I pretty much skipped over it because it seemed OBVIOUS that these would all be things providers should be doing to help manage Type 2 diabetes. I had also started thinking about the stigma I carried. Like it says above, I was working with a load of self-imposed self-dislike; and even though I was a science teacher, I still couldn’t get around what I thought of myself!

So, what do I do?

I took one step two weeks ago: I talked to my doctor about keeping up on Ozempic; by changing the frequency to every TWO weeks. I’ll be taking my shot tomorrow, and have discovered that walking is going to be IMPORTANT, MAYBE EVEN VITAL, to keeping my blood sugars down.

It sure has altered what I think of myself. I don’t feel so helpless any more…

I’ll keep you posted!

Links: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/articles/diabetes-stigma.html ; https://www.everydayhealth.com/weight-management/can-taking-glp-1-drug-every-other-week-help-you-keep-weight-off/#:~:text=More%20Than%203%20Out%20of,same%20after%20the%20reduced%20dosing. 

Image: https://asploro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Diabetes-Research_Open-Access.jpg

GUY’S GOTTA TALK ABOUT…TYPE 2 DIABETES #39: CONSIDERING Going OFF Ozempic

For the first time since I started this blog eleven years ago, it’s going to be about me. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes two weeks ago. While people are happy to talk about their experiences with diabetes, I WASN’T comfortable with talking about diabetes. My wife is Type 2, as are several friends of ours. The “other Type” of diabetes was what caused the death of my Best Man a year after my wife and I got married. He was diagnosed with diabetes when he was a kid. It was called Juvenile Diabetes then. Today it’s Type 1. Since then, I haven’t WANTED to talk about diabetes at all. But…for my own education and maybe helping someone else, and not one to shut up for any known reason, I’m reopening my blog rather than starting a new one. I MAY take a pause and write about Breast Cancer or Alzheimer’s as medical headlines dictate; but this time I’m going to drag anyone along who wants to join my HIGHLY RELUCTANT journey toward better understanding of my life with Type 2 Diabetes. You’re Welcome to join me!

Yep. Oh, BTW – I’m not taking Ozempic so I can keep eating myself into a coma instead of learning how to exercise and eat healthier stuff in moderation! I’m taking it to help lower both my daily blood sugars and my A1c: my weight HAS dropped 20 pounds since I started taking Ozempic BUT, the biggest change has been my A1c from 8.0 in April of 2025 to 6.8 in October 2025! MAJOR CHANGE! and average blood sugars dropping from 238 in April 2025 to an average of 138 this week! Again, a MAJOR CHANGE and a healthier person! I’d love to stay on Ozempic forever. The injections – which was admittedly my biggest concern before starting it (including a test run using Rybelsus, which is an oral form of Semaglutide (the active ingredient of Ozempic injected) – but the cost was horrendous AND THE PILLS WERE SO BITTER (bitter like, oh, say, I just about barfed every time I took one. I had to play around with placing the monstrosity carefully on the back of my tongue with a glass of water at hand to wash it down INSTANTLY.

I finally decided that was enough of that. I would make a plan to go OFF Ozempic. Stop using it. NOT cold turkey...but gradually with my doctor’s help.

That’s exactly what it sounds like. I’m going to quit Ozempic. But WHY??? You might ask. The problem is THE COST. Currently, even WITH insurance, it will cost me between $732 - $800 for a three month supply of Ozempic semaglutide. As there are 12 months a year, that means I’ll be shelling out…for the rest of my life…between $2928 to $3200 each year.

But is it worth it?

Well…I haven’t just been laying around, stuffing my face, and shoot my belly full of Ozempic. It’s full-on Winter here in Minnesota, so it’s just a given that I can’t get out and walk on some days. I TRIED setting my bike up on a stand and pedaling during the Winter, but that was just plain BORING, even when I read. It’s like…I ride my bike to get somewhere. Even if it’s just a few miles around the same lake as I usually ride ride around – but here, the weather can change in a matter of days. Winter officially begins on December twenty-something every year. BUT – some First Days of Winter are 60 degree. Others are 60 inches of snow, windy, and a wind-chill of ten-below-ZERO (which, I might remind you is 32 degrees BELOW FREEZING – even Minnesotans regard wind-chills (also know stupidly as “feels like”) that cold as DANGEROUS.

At any rate, I found I LOATHED pedaling indoors for 30-60 minutes incredibly BORING. So – I walk during the winter and bike as soon as the ice is off the streets and sidewalks. Then I bike between 5 and 20 miles a week. THAT’S when I feel best. BUT…I have to come up with a routine for something to DO on days it’s snowing, sleeting, raining, tornado-ing, or whatever.

Eating? Dang…my biggest weakness. I know what I SHOULD be eating (“You mean a peanut buster parfait isn’t the same as drinking a glass of milk, eating a handful of peanuts, and eating a few dark chocolate chips???” or “You mean an Arby’s Double Beef Burger isn’t the same as eating lean been slices with carrots and spinach dip? It’s WORSE?”

So, here I am. We’ll see why my doctor says soon enough and I’ll keep you in the loop about what is going on!

Source: https://www.bursor.com/what-happens-when-you-stop-taking-ozempic/ ; https://www.goldfieldsfamilymedical.com.au/coming-off-ozempic/ ; https://www.aarp.org/medicare/faq/does-medicare-cover-ozempic-weight-loss-drugs/#:~:text=But%20unless%20you're%20overweight,unless%20the%20program%20is%20extended.

Image: https://www.medsengage.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Type-2-Diabetes-Management.jpg

DIABETES RESEARCH RIGHT NOW! #36: What I’ll Be Following In 2026!

From the first moment I discovered I had been diagnosed with DIABETES, I joined a HUGE “club” that has been rapidly expanding since it stopped being a death sentence in the early 20th Century. Currently, there are about HALF A BILLION PEOPLE who have Type 2 Diabetes. For the past 3500 years – dating back to Ancient Egypt – people have suffered from diabetes. Well, I’m one of them now… Not one to shut up for any known reason, I added a section to this blog…Every month, I’ll be highlighting Diabetes research that is going on RIGHT NOW! Harvested from different websites, journals and podcasts, I’ll translate them into understandable English and share them with you. Today: What I'll be following in 2026.

As it’s STILL technically “the holidays”, I’m going to lay out my path of “reporting” on Type 2 research for the next several weeks. “My AI” brought up the following and surprised me with the possibility of insight and commentary!

“Type 2 Diabetes research in 2026 focuses heavily on advanced treatments (like single-dose gene therapies, CagriSema, digital health integration for better management, new prevention strategies, and updated clinical guidelines; [which emphasizes] personalized care, technology, and overcoming barriers like side effects from current medications…improving patient engagement, new drug development (like targeting specific fat transport), and establishing benchmarks for future care.

“Key Research Areas & Trends for 2026

“Moving beyond GLP-1s with approaches like RJVA-001 which MIGHT be a one-time treatment; and combining drugs or more effective blood sugar/weight control.

“Digital Health Integration: Using FDA-cleared digital tools to improve access, engagement, and outcomes, with NIH funding for research in this area.

Personalized & Preventative Care: Developing strategies for youth-onset T2D and tailoring care across the lifespan, with new guidelines emphasizing person-centered approaches.

“Understanding Disease Mechanisms: Deeper dives into how factors like free fatty acids (FFA) affect the liver and insulin resistance to find new therapeutic targets.

“Key Resources & Events: ADA Standards of Care 2026: The latest evidence-based guidelines released in late 2025, guiding care for 2026 and beyond, with updates on technology and management.

“New Journals: Launch of Diabetes, Obesity, and Cardiometabolic CARE by the ADA, focusing on primary care needs.

“Conferences: Events like the ADA's Clinical Update Conference (Feb 2026) and Keystone Symposia (2026) will discuss new research.

“NIH Funding: Calls for research on digital health (RFA-DK-26-315) and grants for diabetes translation research.

“Baseline Data Collection: For programs like Target Type 2 Diabetes, 2026 is a "dry run" for new activity reporting, establishing benchmarks for awards in 2027.

Clinical Trials: New drug trials, like CagriSema, are expected to reach completion or report primary results in mid-2026, potentially changing treatment landscapes.”

All these AND MORE as GGTA moves into the new yea!

Links: Google – type in “Type 2 Diabetes Research in 2026”

Image: https://asploro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Diabetes-Research_Open-Access.jpg

GUY’S GOTTA TALK ABOUT…TYPE 2 DIABETES #38: I’m TIRED Of Living With Type 2 Diabetes! “So What? Be A MAN!” (or Woman)…

For the first time since I started this blog eleven years ago, it’s going to be about me. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes two weeks ago. While people are happy to talk about their experiences with diabetes, I WASN’T comfortable with talking about diabetes. My wife is Type 2, as are several friends of ours. The “other Type” of diabetes was what caused the death of my Best Man a year after my wife and I got married. He was diagnosed with diabetes when he was a kid. It was called Juvenile Diabetes then. Today it’s Type 1. Since then, I haven’t WANTED to talk about diabetes at all. But…for my own education and maybe helping someone else, and not one to shut up for any known reason, I’m reopening my blog rather than starting a new one. I MAY take a pause and write about Breast Cancer or Alzheimer’s as medical headlines dictate; but this time I’m going to drag anyone along who wants to join my HIGHLY RELUCTANT journey toward better understanding of my life with Type 2 Diabetes. You’re Welcome to join me!
The post title is sort of the response I feel like I get when others find out I’m Type 2.

Diagnosed three years ago (October 2022, to be exact), I’ve been on a journey. My wife hated when I talked about her diagnosis and subsequent treatment of breast cancer starting 14 years ago as a “journey”. That makes us sound like we’re on a trip to Vegas or something like that!

So my “journey” has been more of a slog, is what’s it’s been. In fact, it’s such a pain in the butt that I choose to IGNORE my Type 2 sometimes and pretend I’m like in 20s again. In those days, I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted to!

For example, I’m addicted to the Minnesota State Fair – ever since I got my first car and could drive to fair (1975), AND could park on the Fairgrounds themselves (AMAZING, huh??), where I’d wander the Grounds for hours, sampling whatever it was I wanted. My “main thing” was something called an Orange Treet (aka, Orange Julius) – a sweet, orange juice-based drink with something called “Frisco Powder” (while I couldn’t find out what COLOR the powder is, this recipe seemed to make sense: “fresh orange juice, ice, sugar, water, a frothy egg white/dairy/vanilla mixture, and a special powder”. Frisco Powder is a “proprietary blend giving it that signature frothy texture.” Still as transparent as mud. So I dug deeper and FINALLY came up with this (btw – NOT making this up!) : “dried, ground orange peels”.

At any rate, my other favorite food at the State Fair has always been falafel wrapped in flat bread with cucumber sauce. Years after I started loving it, I found out the company – Falafel King – was owned by a friend of the Palestinian family who lived in our basement. They’d returned from Israel (where things were getting uncomfortable for them) and looking for someplace to stay because their family had turned turned them down. They’d become too Western… So, every year during the State Fair, I have this combination of foods – plus sometimes something sweet and indulgent. I justify it by telling myself I’m walking a lot (State Fair 2025, I walked somewhere around 9 miles (went with TWO families and three grandkids!) So, that cancels all the sugar and fat and things that make for fluctuating blood sugars and blood pressure.

Should I stop doing all of the bad eating (with Christmas just 10 days away!)

Of COURSE I should. Will I? Unlikely – caveat: I know what I’m doing. I’m sabotaging stable blood sugars and lowered blood pressure.

But I’m also eating LESS than I used to. I take a weekly semaglutide injection. I don’t drink sugared soda; I don’t even use sugar in my coffee anymore – I use brand-name sucralose. I’ve read how HORRIBLE it is for me and that I should just use sugar or one of the other sugars like monk (mogrosides (which are “triterpenoid glycosides [allegedly] possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-cancer properties.”) often blended with erythritol (“which is made from fermented corn”). The diet Coke products I drink are sweetened with aspartame (“…methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide…”. Some of our friends would scream, “Horrible! It will kill you! It’s ARTIFICIAL!!!!” I’ll just point out the following: “with a can of diet soft drink containing 200 or 300 mg of aspartame, an adult weighing 100kg (220 pounds) would need to consume more than 11–16 cans PER DAY to exceed the acceptable daily intake, assuming no other intake from other food sources.” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame]

I use the tools I have. I don’t make massively STUPID food choices (except for sometimes during the holidays or once or twice at the State Fair!). So, I’ll amend the title of this post: “I’m TIRED Of Living With Type 2 Diabetes!” (This will always remain true…no changing it) “So What? Be A MAN!” (or Woman)…and EMBRACE what you can, WORK at being a healthier eater, and EXERCISE as much as you can.”

Source: https://diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/type-2
Image: https://www.medsengage.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Type-2-Diabetes-Management.jpg

DIABETES RESEARCH RIGHT NOW! #35: Are Blood Glucose and Blood Pressure Connected?

From the first moment I discovered I had been diagnosed with DIABETES, I joined a HUGE “club” that has been rapidly expanding since it stopped being a death sentence in the early 20th Century. Currently, there are about HALF A BILLION PEOPLE who have Type 2 Diabetes. For the past 3500 years – dating back to Ancient Egypt – people have suffered from diabetes. Well, I’m one of them now… Not one to shut up for any known reason, I added a section to this blog…Every month, I’ll be highlighting Diabetes research that is going on RIGHT NOW! Harvested from different websites, journals and podcasts, I’ll translate them into understandable English and share them with you. Today: Blood glucose and blood pressure…what’s the connection?

There seems to be a pretty simple answer; but no one ever made the connection for me until I had the idea for this blog post. A paper in the JOURNAL OF HYPERTENSION, noted: “Yes, there is a strong connection between blood glucose and blood pressure, as both conditions share risk factors, have common underlying mechanisms, and can worsen each other. High blood sugar can lead to high blood pressure by damaging blood vessels, while the two conditions often coexist due to shared factors like obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance.”

As well, the website of New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Diabetes Resource Center notes, “Two out of every three people with Type 2 diabetes also have high blood pressure. Both are diseases of lifestyle and aging and share common risk factors. The good news is that diabetes and hypertension can be modified through behavior, including eating a healthful diet, exercise, weight control and, if your doctor prescribes it, medication. Either a T2 diabetic does not have enough/or effective enough insulin to process glucose so that it accumulates in the bloodstream causing widespread damage to the blood vessels and kidneys.”

While this sounds dire – and it IS, the good news is that both can be modified through behavior, including eating a healthful diet, exercise, weight control as well as medication.”

What started me on this is looking at my numbers after I started taking Ozempic-brand semaglutide (what does it do, anyway??? I know it lowers my blood sugars, BUT HOW? “semaglutide works by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 to help the pancreas release insulin, lower blood sugar, and reduce the amount of sugar released by the liver.”)

Ohhhh! So, that’s what happens?!

But you know what? Shooting myself once a week with semaglutide does NOT work miracles! I can’t eat like a pig, take my shot and then slim down to my high school weight and build! I had to make LOTS of changes in how I ate – fewer in what I DID (During the brief period of “warm Minnesota weather”, I bike somewhere between 4 and 20 miles a week. More difficult is the rest of the year – so this winter, I’ve decided to walk a mile (working up to two, and MAYBE three) every other day. I’ve never done that before. It’s a new adventure.

All that to point out a couple things. First, is that I’m a retired science teacher. I LOVE data. So, when I began my journey in T2, I started to record on a chart EVERY DAY – the date, time, blood pressure, weight, and blood sugars. Starting on February 24, 2023 with a BP of 155/80, weight of 253.8, and blood glucose 189…I pretty much ignored the numbers until my doctor prescribed semaglutide in August of 2025 (yes, only three months ago!). My current (as of yesterday) data is BP = 127/71; weight = 233.8; glucose = 134 (average of last 10 days, 124.86).

I discovered VISCERALLY that when I walk and watch what I eat, my blood pressure comes down as does my blood glucose. So, I can report to you that I KNOW the statement is true: blood pressure and blood sugars ARE intimately connected…

Just so you know.

Links: https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/fulltext/2025/05002/the_correlation_between_blood_glucose_levels_and.76.aspx 

Image: https://asploro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Diabetes-Research_Open-Access.jpg

GUY’S GOTTA TALK ABOUT…TYPE 2 DIABETES #37: Diabetic Holiday Eating – With Recipes And OTHER Links!

For the first time since I started this blog eleven years ago, it’s going to be about me. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes two years ago. While people are happy to talk about their experiences with diabetes, I WASN’T comfortable with talking about diabetes. My wife is Type 2, as are several friends of ours. I’m going to drag anyone along who wants to join my HIGHLY RELUCTANT journey toward better understanding of my life with Type 2 Diabetes. You’re Welcome to join me!

I don’t know about you, but when Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve roll around, I imagine that ALL foods served are (in the Spirit of the Season) CALORIE FREE!!!

I think maybe, ATTEMPT to imagine that all foods are calorie free. In fact, I know exactly what I’m eating, have figured out how it will impact my blood sugars and my blood pressure – and then just ignore it!

I’m hoping I’m not the only person to think this way, but even if I am, I’d like to share a couple of recipes we like to do during the holidays that seem to have a minimal effect on our diabetic lifestyle!

PICKLE ROLL UPS

Ingredients
Package of deli-thin-sliced turkey
2 (8 ounce) packages LIGHT cream cheese, softened
1 (16 ounce) jar medium-sized dill pickles

Preparing
Spread cream cheese over a single meat slice to cover
Place a pickle on one end, and roll the meat up. Keep going until ingredients are gone.
Cut into 1 1/2 inch disks/pieces
Chill until ready to serve.

SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL
Turkey on Crackers with cheese and veggies

Roast a single, small turkey breast
Slice into sizes that will fit the crackers you’ve chosen (or use LIGHT cream cheese)
Diabetic-friendly crackers (Rye Crisp, Nut Thins, Black Bean Rounds, Ritz Thin Veggie, Triscuits, Cauliflower Crackers, Wheat Thins)

Things to stack besides turkey and cheese: Cukes, zukes, tomatoes, sweet potato (THIN), radishes, peppers of various colors and HEAT, mushrooms, green beans, whatever else you want!

Just don’t go crazy with HOW MANY you eat! If I’m at home, I take a glance at the “serving size”. Otherwise – just give yourself a limit

I know I miss stuffing my face with candy, cakes, and all the other treats the Holidays bring. But I’m finally learning to pace myself and eat REASONABLY!

Find a bunch more recipes below. The ones above are meant to be EASY stuff you can try!

LINKS: https://www.tristarhealth.com/healthy-living/thrive/eating-healthy-during-the-holidays-when-you-have-diabetes ; https://www.hcamidwest.com/healthy-living/blog/eating-healthy-during-the-holidays-when-you-have-diabetes ; https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/best-diabetic-friendly-recipes/ ; https://diabetesfoodhub.org/recipes/holidays-entertaining ; https://www.familyhconline.com/diabetic-friendly-holiday-recipes/ Image: https://nycancer.com/media/images/2020/01/08/iStock-1036967058_-small.jpg