You know the scenario – you’re about to put a beautiful piece of chocolate cake on your plate in a crowded gathering and all of a sudden this person says (feels like they shout it!) “you can’t eat that!”. What to do?
Do you:
- Make it an educational moment when you bore them rigid with complicated explanations of carbohydrate metabolism and insulin requirements?
- Think “they mean well” and put it back?
- Think “get lost” and eat it anyway?
- Walk off and sulk?
- Suck it up, do it anyway (and enjoy it!) and have a quiet word with them later?
You could link them to Diabetes Etiquette found on http://www.behavioraldiabetes.org
Lots of blog on this topic! Google Diabetes Food Police.
Remember: it is your diabetes, you’re in charge and you have options:
- Educate people
- Ask them to encourage you, not judge and embarrass you
- Have good control so you know it’s ok to eat whatever and cover it with insulin
- Get a best friend / partner / spouse/sibling /whoever as your support coach and ditch The Nagger
- Give a straightforward short answer and don’t get into debate