Birthdays, Restaurants and Family Dinners When You're Watching Your Blood Sugar This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Ask anyone who has been told to watch their blood sugar what they found hardest, and the answer is often other people's food rather than their own. At home you can plan. Then a birthday comes along, or a work lunch, or a trip away, or a Sunday dinner at a relative's house where saying no to seconds feels like an insult. That's usually where good intentions slip. I've been watching a documentary series that spends real time on this side of life, and it changed how I think about it. Judd Resnick and his father's diagnosis The series is called Diabetes Smarts. It was made by Judd Resnick, a documentary filmmaker whose father, a keen runner, was told he was pre-diabetic after he retired. Judd set out to understand how that happened, and he says the project took him three years. He interviewed doctors, nutritionists, a diabetes psychologist, a chef and people living with type 2 diabetes. The result is eight episodes, about eight hours in all, and the program is built around eating well while you still enjoy time with family and friends, eating out and travelling included. Eating out without a fight You don't have to treat a restaurant meal as a test you pass or fail. Most menus have room for a good choice once you know what to look for, and the program shows you what to watch and what to eat when you eat out or travel. Food pairing helps here too. The idea is that what you eat alongside a food changes how your body handles it. Fibre, protein and healthy fats can slow down how fast sugar reaches your blood. A dish you'd worry about on its own can look different with the right sides next to it. The family recipe question One of the most practical ideas in the series is that many favourite foods can stay on the table when you pair them well. Sometimes a single ingredient in a recipe makes the difference, and changing it doesn't change the meal anyone remembers. That matters for whoever does the cooking. Cooking two dinners every night isn't realistic for most households. That Diabetes Cookbook, which comes with the series, is full of simple, balanced recipes meant for the whole family, and the shopping list that comes with it helps you stock the kitchen so the good choice is already in the cupboard. Birthdays and celebrations Cake will turn up, and nobody wants to sit in the corner with a glass of water while everyone else celebrates. What helps is understanding. When you know how your body responds to food, you can make a plan before you walk in the door: what to eat earlier in the day, what to pair the treat with, and how much is enough to enjoy it. Then you can enjoy the party along with everyone else. When food starts to feel lonely Watching your blood sugar isn't only about food. It can feel lonely, especially at a table full of people who don't have to think about it. Among the people Judd interviewed is a diabetes psychologist, Dr. Susan Guzman, which is a good reminder that the feelings around food deserve attention too. It's a part many people never get to talk about. The series also includes Small Bites, short videos with the true stories of men and women who refused to let their health take the joy out of their lives. They're easy to watch on a phone and good company on a hard day. Everything that comes with the series The full program includes the eight-part series, an ebook called 7 Steps to Balanced Blood Sugar Levels, the cookbook and shopping list, companion guides for each episode, a book called The Silent Epidemic, The Diabetic's Guide To Healthy and Delicious Food, and the Small Bites videos. There's a 60-day money-back guarantee. A few ideas for your next meal out - Look at the menu online before you go, so you choose with a calm head. - Start with a salad or vegetables, so fibre arrives before the rest of the meal. - Ask for sauces and dressings on the side. - Share a dessert instead of ordering one each. - Take a short walk after a big meal if you can. These are simple habits in the same spirit as the series, which goes much further into the reasons behind them. This article is for general information. It isn't medical advice, and everyone's body is different, so results vary. If you take medication for your blood sugar, talk to your doctor before you change your diet or anything else. Judd's story and the series, in his own words Judd explains the series, and the story that led to it, in a free presentation. If family meals and nights out are where things get hard for you, it's well worth watching. Watch Judd's free presentation here (https://hop.clickbank.net/?affiliate=YOURIDHERE&vendor=diabdoco&tid=YOURTRACKINGHERE&type=freep)