If your child has been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, your doctor will almost certainly have started a course of treatment that involves insulin injections on a daily basis in order to assist your child’s body in maintaining the proper levels of sugar in the bloodstream. Without the insulin, your child’s body won’t be able to break down sugar and convert it to energy, leading to some serious consequences. However, there’s another important facet of treating diabetes, and that’s by carefully managing your child’s diet. The objective is to develop a suitable diabetic diet for children to ensure that he or she eats and drinks all the correct things that won’t lead to a spike in blood sugar.
Start by reading the US Dietary Guidelines for ideas on what should be included in a diabetic diet for children. For example, it’s essential that your child consume lots of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as seeds and nuts. Be careful of fruits however. Some are much higher in sugar than others, and those should be avoided so you don’t cause a glucose spike in the bloodstream. Another thing that will have to be cut back is protein which is high in saturated fat, which can be accomplished by serving your child more fish and soy products. Substitute canola and olive oils for less healthy saturated fats. Cutting back on sodium is another important aspect of a healthy diet for your diabetic child.
A typical day’s menu might include two portions of fish or non-meat protein, six servings of whole grains, five of fruits and vegetables, some low fat dairy products and a small serving of nuts. It’s a good idea to develop an appropriate diabetic diet for children along with your doctor or a dietitian who can help you make the best possible choices, both for your child’s health and his or her personal favorites.
A diabetic diet for children can have a number of other benefits for their health, such as keeping blood pressure under control and helping your child to maintain a healthy weight. Eating properly for a diabetic condition will also make certain that any diabetes related complications are minimized, thereby preserving the health of the major organs such as the kidneys and heart.
Type 1 diabetes mostly affects children and adolescents, and these days the incidence of the disease in adults is also on the rise. To protect yourself and your children it’s important that you be aware of the symptoms of the condition. If you suspect your child may have some of the symptoms, visit your doctor immediately for a diagnosis and treatment program.