Mike Golic Super Bowl Party Tips

Football fans nationwide live for Super Bowl Sunday, but for the 26 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, it can be a challenging day. Navigating healthier food options when you have type 2 diabetes is difficult enough, and can be overwhelming during snack-heavy celebrations like tailgating.

This year, Mike Golic, former NFL star and current co-host of ESPN’s Mike & Mike in the Morning is working with the American College of Endocrinology, with support from Merck, to help people with type 2 diabetes learn about “Blood Sugar Basics” and live a healthier lifestyle.

Here are Mike’s tips for a healthier Super Bowl tailgate this year:

• Pitch in: Bring a healthy dish to the tailgate that you know you will enjoy. That way, you are guaranteed to have one diabetes-friendly dish for the game!
• Put a healthy spin on an old favorite: Instead of munching on fried potato chips during the game, try this recipe for Seasoned Pita Chips that you can find at www.MerckDiabetes.com or below. The chips are baked instead of fried, which is more heart healthy – this is so important for people with type 2 diabetes because we are at a 2 to 4 times greater risk for heart disease.
• Don’t get too caught up in the game: I know how riveting a Super Bowl game can be, but it is important to remember to have healthy snacks throughout the day to keep your blood sugar at an appropriate level, especially if you have type 2 diabetes. Use your commercial breaks to have some veggie sticks or a piece of chicken.
• Share your knowledge: When family and friends are gathered together, take the opportunity to share your knowledge about diabetes management, particularly with family members that may have the disease themselves. I encourage my loved ones to visit www.BloodSugarBasics.com for valuable resources on diabetes.
• Get in the game: Sure, watching football is fun on Super Bowl Sunday, but why not get together with a group of friends for some touch football? Exercise is one of the best ways to manage your type 2 diabetes.