Get Healthy: Holiday season is a challenging time for diabetics

This column appears in the Nevada Appeal Wednesday health pages. It addresses topics related to the health of our community.

November is American Diabetes Month, and Carson City Health and Human Services wants to take a moment to remind everyone about the serious impacts that many who have diabetes face in their daily lives.

Diabetes is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels that result from defects in the body’s ability to produce and/or use insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. These people’s bodies do not make insulin. Type 2 diabetes develops your body does not use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. At first, your body makes extra insulin to make up for it. But over time, it isn’t able to keep up and can’t make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels. Some common symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, feeling very thirsty, feeling very hungry — even though you are eating, extreme fatigue, blurry vision and cuts/bruises that are slow to heal. If you are concerned that you may have diabetes, see your health care provider.

While diabetes can be a challenge, it is not an insurmountable one. Through diet and exercise, and medication if necessary, those who live with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can lead full lives. However, this time of year is challenging for diabetics. As the holidays approach, the steady stream of parties and feasts can be daunting for those who are trying to manage diabetes. Especially challenging can be those sweets that we all crave this time of year. Below, we have included a recipe for a healthier version of Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, courtesy of the American Diabetes Association.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

½ cup Splenda brown sugar

½ cup canola oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups old fashioned, rolled oats

¼ cup milled flax seed

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup dried cranberries

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar and oil. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add bananas and beat well.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in egg mixture. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until batter is incorporated. Stir in cranberries.

Scoop cookies into heaping 2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until slightly golden on bottom.

For more information about diabetes or to find out if you might be at risk for the disease, visit www.diabetes.org. For more information on Carson City Health and Human Services’ programs and activities, go to www.gethealthycarsoncity.org or “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CCHHS.