Category Archives: Tips

Tips to Help a Child With Diabetes

Tips

Do you have a child with diabetes? As a parent, it is your responsibility to help your child learn how to deal with their condition. Go over this article for some useful tips.

Prepare healthy meals for your child and pack some snack for them. Your child should not eat any kind of food that contains a high amount of sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Foods rich in fat, preservatives, sodium and other unhealthy ingredients should be avoided to. You need to design an entirely new diet for your child; make sure they eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fibers and drink plenty of water.

Encourage your child to exercise. If your child is overweight, helping them get in shape is a priority. You could play sports together or find another activity they enjoy; think about taking them to a dance class, the swimming pool or simply going for walks. Your child does not need to work out or follow a fitness program. Being active should be enough.

Teach your child how to protect their feet and develop an excellent oral hygiene. Diabetes increases the risks of developing gum disease and can cause infections to spread very quickly. Make sure your child always wears protective footwear and knows how to keep their toenails clean. Teach them to brush their teeth and use floss every day. Your child should not be scared of developing a complication, but they should be aware that they are at risk for health issues because of their diabetes.

Your child needs to learn about nutrition. Take them grocery shopping with you and teach them to recognize healthy foods from bad nutritional choices. Your child needs to know about the five food groups and have a good idea of which foods are rich in whole grains, fibers and sugar. You could also prepare food with your child. Choose simple recipes they will be able to remember and prepare again by themselves. Consider going to a cooking class together if you do not feel confident about your own cooking skills.

You need to give your child more responsibilities so they get into the habit of managing their diabetes by themselves. Show them how to use their test stripes and monitor and let them check their sugar level by themselves. You could for instance get them a watch on which you can set up an alarm to remind them to check their sugar level.

Let your child prepare their meals and snacks too, but do not hesitate to double check to make sure they picked healthy foods. Give your child more responsibilities as they get older. They should be able to manage their diabetes alone by the time they are teenagers. Be available and offer to help if they need you.

These tips will help you provide your child with the guidance they need to take control of their condition. Do your best to help them and encourage them to become independent at the same time.

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Tips To Lower Diabetes Risk

Tips

Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, is one of the fastest growing diseases in America. It affects more than 24 million Americans. While genetic factors can affect your likelihood of being diagnosed with diabetes, the disease is largely attributed to lifestyle and behavioral factors. Here are a few simple tips to preventing type 2 diabetes.

1. Stop smoking today.

Along with a host of other illnesses associated with smoking, smokers are more than 50% more likely to develop diabetes than non-smokers. This risk is higher for heavy smokers. So, if you were thinking about quitting before, now is the time to stop. You can quit cold turkey or try nicotine patches, but, if preventing type 2 diabetes is your goal, quit smoking today.

2. Limit your intake of sugary foods.

Sugary foods and beverages have a high glycemic load, which causes a large spike in your blood sugar and insulin levels. This can strain the delicate balance of insulin in your body. Try to limit your intake of sugary drinks and snacks, instead opting for healthier options like coffee, tea or water instead of soda or juice and vegetables and fruits instead of candy.

3. Pick whole grains over processed carbs.

While it may seem counter-intuitive, more difficult to digest carbohydrates are actually much healthier for you. Whole grains are complex and require time for the body to break down. They lower the spike of blood sugar and overall insulin levels in your system. Instead of processed carbohydrates like white bread, donuts or bagels, opt for foods with a lower glycemic index. Whole grains like wheat bread, brown rice and whole wheat crackers are a great place to start.

4. Exercise

Studies have shown that being obese is linked closely to type 2 diabetes, so turn off your television and get to moving. Walking even 10 minutes a day is enough to significantly lower your chances or developing type 2 diabetes and a host of other illnesses. Once you’ve consistently been walking, increase the pace and length of your walks or even try jogging. Working your muscles and cardiovascular system helps your body efficiently produce insulin.

5. Have a glass of wine

Moderate alcohol consumption may be linked to lowered instances of heart disease and diabetes. Moderate alcohol consumption (one drink a day for women and two for men) increases the efficiency of insulin, but it’s important not to drink more than that or the effects may be reversed. Wine has a less calories than beer and may be a preferable option for those trying to lose weight.

6. Eat less red meat

The iron content in red meat has been shown to diminish insulin’s effectiveness. Nitrates in preservatives used in meat may be the cause of this problem. Instead of red meat, try to incorporate more poultry and fish into your diet, or opt for vegetarian sources of protein such as tofu or nuts.

7. Avoid saturated and trans fats

The type of fats in your diet can affect your likelihood of developing diabetes. Saturated and trans fats. found in margarine and foods fried in vegetable oil, have been shown to have numerous negative effects on your body. Polyunsaturated fats, found in certain nuts and fish, are a healthier option.

Although genes play a role in your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, there are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to prevent developing the illness. These choices have a variety of benefits for the body outside of preventing type 2 diabetes as well, so consider adopting a few or all of these tips to help your body stay healthy.

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