Type 2 Thanksgiving: How to Navigate the Thanksgiving Table

With Thanksgiving around the corner, here are five ways Americans with Type 2 diabetes can navigate the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Thanksgiving can be an emotional holiday for people with Type 2 diabetes -- as they watch their loved ones eat their way through the table, it's easy to feel frustrated and left out. But according to Virta Health -- an online specialty medical clinic that helps patients reverse Type 2 diabetes without surgery or medication -- Thanksgiving doesn't have to be isolating.

Here are five ways people with Type 2 diabetes can have a happy Thanksgiving:

#1: SUBSTITUTE HEALTHIER VERSIONS OF CLASSIC FAVORITES
Rather than trying to avoid foods you love, concoct low-carb, blood-sugar-controlling alternatives, like mashed cauliflower or sugar-free pecan pie.

#2: DON'T TRY TO PUSH AWAY YOUR URGES
You can't control your cravings about foods not in your plan, but you can control your reaction -- so notice and accept the urges, since ignoring or suppressing them will make them even stronger.

#3: TAKE A BREAK HALFWAY THROUGH YOUR MEAL
Check in with yourself, and note how you're feeling emotionally and physically, especially how full you feel. If you don't stop to pay attention, you can be unaware of what your body is trying to tell you.

#4: GO EASY ON THE ALCOHOL
Intoxication makes it harder to resist food urges and temptations, so drink a full glass of water between drinks to mediate its effect.

#5: NEVER SHAME YOURSELF
If you slip up, don't self-shame -- that will only lead to giving up and eating more. Instead, take deep breaths, actively comfort yourself, and focus on what you want to happen next.