Everyone always seems to focus on desserts when they have guests with diabetes, and there's this idea that the thing they need to do is to replace the sugar in any desserts with stevia, splenda or some other sweetener. But, people with diabetes CAN eat sugar and a piece of a regular dessert or a candy bar can have a lot less impact on their blood glucose than the rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, fruit juice, fruit, wine, regular soda, etc. that is commonly served with meals and almost never considered. It's not about sugar, it's about carbs and certain carbs will affect different people in different ways. For example, a friend of mine with diabetes would have a lot less trouble with a serving of most any dessert than she would with white rice. Also, desserts with stevia or an artificial sweetener can still have plenty of carbs, which come not just from the sugar in desserts, but also from things like flour. You can make sugar free cakes, cookies, pies, etc., but it's easy to forget that these have plenty of carbs in them from the flour and the sugar may have actually not contributed that much to the carb count in the first place. So, overall, making sugar free desserts just isn't that helpful for people with diabetes, especially if the desserts have other sources of carbohydrates. Honestly, I always just ask people if they have any dietary restrictions or if there are things that I need to consider when making meals. You might be surprised to find that a diabetic guest will be just fine if you make a regular dessert, but will request that you include a salad and other vegetable to go along with the lasagna, potatoes, rice, etc. that you were planning to make.

You've gotten great advice regarding diet but I just want to suggest you have a checkup with your doctor at the same time. You may have already had this test, but I'm mentioning it since not every doctor requests it or knows how to read the results. Having high lipids is one of the causes of heart attacks at an early age. My DH has the problem and it was discovered several years ago by our 'new' PCP. The cause of his high lipids was not due to his diet but his genetics. The tendency can be hereditary and we now believe that is why his grandfather died suddenly in his early 50's. DH had always been on a strict diet and daily exercise, so they added cholesterol meds to his regimen. Even with that, and yearly monitoring, he recently developed shortness of breath and ended up needing a stent in a major artery.....doctor called it the 'widow-maker'. So.......needless to say, I believe everyone should have a complete blood panel done.

Our Christmas Eve dinner is the family get together on DH's side. We had it at his brother's house. I took a whole ham, studded with cloves and glazed (I get my hams from my butcher who wins prizes for his hams and they are soooo good). I also made the desserts- brownies for the chocolate fiend nephew, a coffee cheesecake, and meringue nests with lemon curd, whipped cream and raspberries. MIL brought her trifle, which I love because I love trifle and DH doesn't- this way I get trifle without having to make a whole one just for myself, and MIL likes to be able to contribute something. Hostess made nibblies to start. I have to say, I wasn't a fan of any as her cooking has increasingly become "healthy". She subs healthier ingredients and leaves out what she considers unhealthy, and the results are usually not great. (For other SIL's birthday on Boxing Day, she made a tiramisu with ricotta instead of mascarpone and no sugar, claiming that there was sweetness in the liqueur. There were no takers for the large amount of leftovers.) BIL's gf brought half peaches stuffed with ricotta and basil and wrapped in pancetta, broiled in the oven- these were great. Main course was turkey roasted by another SIL, with jus (DH commented afterwards that there was no gravy and I said, there was jus in a jar there- he thought it was ham jus), and the ham. Usually we have bread sauce with turkey but I guess SIL didn't feel like making it. We also usually have carrots, brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes but this year the hostess made her strange but OK Czech potato salad (no discernible dressing and includes chunks of carrots, peas and I think pickles), a nice grilled corn, avocado and tomato salad and a green salad. Nephew of the SIL who brought the turkey and his wife brought a large container of cooked jumbo shrimp. The company was convivial and a good time was had by all. Other SIL and I both brought a bunch of plastic takeaway boxes so we could divvy up the leftovers and everyone went home with their favourites.

It's now 2 weeks since I had the accident and still feeling pretty rough so I apologize for not keeping up with things better this month. I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! If you did not receive two cards as a result of this swap, you can let me know or just let it slide if you prefer. I received from Melinda and Shirley and pulled out the teeny tiny stockings they sent so you can see them. Thanks for the cute stockings and the cards. I'll be calling my doctor's office again after the weekend. I do seem to take a long time to heal and can't take anti-inflammatory meds so I know they would help if I could take them. I think most of this is just a lot of soreness from the impact and the seat belt, but having this headache in addition to that has definitely slowed me down. Rain here today but it's pretty warm for a New Year's Weekend. Nothing planned for here - just staying in and resting.