Considering the fact that Thanksgiving is a mere 6 days away, I need to clarify some issues related to diabetes and food.

Type 1 diabetes is what I have. It will not go away without a cure (or a pancreatic transplant) and the only method of treatment is insulin. Type II diabetes is probably what many of our grandparents and parents have. [Another pseudo science lesson…] Over time the pancreas can become fatigued, by weight or old age or weight AND old age, and it decreases its insulin output. At this point one will usually be diagnosed with Type II diabetes and put on a diet, pills, and perhaps insulin. Sometimes Type II can be completely avoided by weight loss and diet, sometimes it cannot.

What I’m trying to say is, be kind to your Grandma this Thanksgiving. If she is Type II, she might be incredibly tempted to eat that sweetened cranberry sauce, a few handfuls of sugar-coated pecans, a piece of pumpkin pie after the meal and a piece of spice cake for a snack. Here’s how you can help… Prepare a recipe using Splenda or Equal. Honor that Type II (and encourage a Type I) by making a sugar-free gelatin/fruit salad, a sugar-free pumpkin pie, or sugar-free cranberry sauce.

As a newly diagnosed diabetic, and as a lifelong sweet tooth, I found my first holiday season to be really tough. (Remember, at that point I was on a strict diet.) One of the most gracious, most loving acts anyone did for me was to bake several batches of sugar-free Christmas cookies. God bless Diane Downing for blessing me that way. Her kindness still brings tears to my eyes.