Physical Activity and the Benefits of Being Active

Physical activity is important for all children, including children with type 1 diabetes. There is no reason for a child with diabetes to be excluded from or not participate in sport or any form of physical activity.

Benefits of being active

There are many benefits to physical activity, active children are more likely to:
• Be a healthy weight
• Be happy, relaxed and sleep better
• Maintain healthy growth and development
• Feel good, inside and out
• Have good coordination and be flexible
• Develop good social skills

Physical activity and diabetes

Physical activity may assist with managing blood glucose levels (BGLs) in children with diabetes. Physical activity usually lowers BGLs by making the body more sensitive to insulin. Sometimes BGLs may be higher prior to and following physical activity because of other hormones released during the activity. Rises in BGLs during activity are usually temporary and may be followed by lower BGLs and the risk of delayed hypoglycaemia, 12-16 hours following the activity.

Managing physical activity

There are some important things you need to consider when a child with type 1 diabetes participates in physical activity. These include:

Blood Glucose Testing
Blood glucose testing provides you with useful information about your child's response to exercise and will help you to determine how to manage your child's diabetes during physical activity. It's important to test before, during and after the activity.

Insulin 
Adjustments may be required to your child's insulin dose prior to and following exercise. This adjustment will depend on factors such as type of activity, duration and your child's individual response to the activity. Discuss insulin adjustments for physical activity with your diabetes team.

It's advisable not to give insulin into an exercising muscle as it is absorbed more quickly and may increase the risk of hypos. The tummy is the best place to give your child's insulin.

Carbohydrate Foods
Extra carbohydrate foods may be required before, during and after physical activity. This is very individual and depends on factors such as type of activity, duration, your child's individual response to the activity and BGL. As a guide, one additional serve or exchange of carbohydrate may be required for every 30-40minutes of exercise. Lower GI foods such as fruit, yoghurt, milk or raisin toast prior to exercise may assist in maintaining BGLs during physical activity.(GI)

Hypos
Hypoglycaemia (hypo) or low BGLs may occur as a result of physical activity. It’s important to make sure that your child has a hypo kit readily available when they are exercising (hypos). Teachers and sports coaches need to be aware of the risks of hypos during and following sport and allow your child to treat the hypo immediately and re-treat if necessary. Click here to view The Schools Pack.

Exercise may also cause delayed hypoglycaemia for 12-16 hours afterwards. To prevent delayed hypos, it's important to ensure that your child eats additional carbohydrate following the activity and that bedtime BGLs are above 7mmol/L. Testing your child's BGLs overnight is also advised after strenuous physical activity.

Lowering the insulin dose, giving extra carbohydrate foods and carrying out regular blood glucose testing can reduce the risk of hypos.

Physical Activity & High BGLs
Physical activity should be avoided when your child is unwell or their BGL is over 15mmol/L with the presence of ketones. Exercise at this time may increase your child's BGL even further causing them to feel more unwell.

High risk activities

There are some activities that need a cautious approach when undertaken by children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes. These include: 
• Sports which are solo in nature
• Activities which take place in a potentially dangerous environment such as mid air or in water
• Those which limit the ability to recognise and self treat hypos

High risk activities include rock climbing, flying, abseiling, car and motorbike racing, skiing, swimming, surfing and snorkeling. The older child or teenager with type 1 diabetes may be able to participate in these activities with careful planning.

Sports that should not be undertaken include scuba diving, solo hang-gliding or solo flying.

Encouraging physical activity

Help your child or teenager with type 1 diabetes to be active by:
• Being an active parent
• Turning off the TV more often
• Limiting the time your child spends on the computer and playing video games to 30 minutes each day
• Encouraging active play such as skipping, ball games, bike riding, roller blading or walking the dog
• Finding fun activities that your child enjoys
• Waking your child to and from school if possible
• Being an active family, explore new places - parks, trails, walks and sporting facilities
• Encouraging your child to try new sports and activities like dancing, netball, swimming, athletics, cricket and soccer
• Keeping them active around the house

Source: http://www.diabeteskidsandteens.com.au/living_with_diabetes_8.html

Kids With Diabetes - Family Support Makes All the Difference

Almost every kid's dream in life is to be normal, but that can be difficult for a kid with diabetes. There are many things these children that other children, and even other adults do not have to do, and these can be a major adjustment for your child and family. It is important, as a parent, to educate yourself about these changes and be prepared for them so you may better help your child.

 

It is essential to be honest with your child about their disease and it's dangers. You will have told your kid what changes need to be made in regards to food, but candy and sugar can be a powerful temptation for little mouths. This means you'll need to monitor your child closely in regards to what they eat.

 

You'll also be responsible for getting your kid with diabetes used to the medication and possibly insulin that will part of their daily regimen. Insulin shots may be particularly difficult for a child as these seem to make them feel the most different from other children.

 

It's easier for your kids with diabetes if the whole family take a step towards better health and makes similar adjustments, with limiting sweets and increasing whole fibers and vegetables. Perhaps your whole family can start a routine of exercise together.

 

Taking a united approach to your child's diabetes will make the child feel more supported, and allow less room for potentially dangerous slip ups. Work together as a family to make your kid with diabetes more prepared for their disease, and let them know they are just like other kids despite their condition, maybe even a little more special.

 

Kids with diabetes can sometimes be missed as kids have other growing pains. Knowing what the signs of juvenile diabetes are can really help your kids get treatment earlier. [http://www.diabetic-information.com/]

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Mahon

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2912094

Managing Type 1 Diabetes at School

Important Resources for School Staff

Type 1 diabetes requires constant attention—it doesn't go away during school hours. That's why it's essential that school staff, including teachers, bus drivers, and school health personnel, understand the needs of their students with type 1 diabetes to ensure that school is a safe and healthy environment.

 

More than 13,000 young people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes each year.¹ Because the disease is so common in young children, it's important that schools have at least some staff members who have a basic understanding of type 1 diabetes. Having a school worker on hand who knows how to check blood glucose, inject insulin, and choose an appropriate snack when blood glucose levels are low provides an enormous amount of security to parents.

 

Resources for Parents and School Staff
Children with type 1 diabetes rely on both parents and school officials to ensure that their condition is managed at school. That's a big responsibility for parents and school workers, but fortunately, there are resources available to help make your child's school conducive to managing type 1 diabetes.

• For parents, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) offer sample school type 1 diabetes care forms that alert the school to your child's condition and provide instructions on how the school should respond in an emergency situation.
• For school staff, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Helping the Student with Type 1 Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnelprovides a comprehensive overview of important considerations for schools that have students with type 1 diabetes.

Laws Protecting Your Child with Type 1 Diabetes
As a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes, you should be aware of the federal laws that protect your child at school. Below are brief overviews of these laws. The descriptions also include links to connect you to more detailed information.

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): Section 504 prohibits schools who receive federal funds from discriminating against people with disabilities. Title II of the ADA prohibits schools from discriminating against people with disabilities, regardless if the school receives federal funds. Students with diabetes have long been covered by both Section 504 and the ADA. For a more extensive overview of these laws, visit the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights website.
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): IDEA provides funds to states to create special education services for children with eligible disabilities. Diabetes is one of the conditions listed under "other health impairment," and to qualify, a child's diabetes must negatively impact their academic performance to the point that he or she requires special education. For more information, visit the US Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services website.
• Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): FERPA prevents schools from releasing any personal information, including whether your child has diabetes, in your child's education record without the permission of a parent or student (if the student is 18 years or older).To learn more, visit the US Department of Education's Family Policy Compliance Office website.

Also note that specific states and individual school districts have laws and rules regarding a school's responsibility for its students with type 1 diabetes. Visit your state's education website and/or contact your school district to learn more about the laws and regulations that protect your child at school when he or she has type 1 diabetes. You can also contact your local ADA and JDRF offices for more information.

 

Source: http://www.endocrineweb.com/guides/type-1-children/managing-type-1-diabetes-school

 

 

Meal Planning for Children with Type 1 Diabetes

When you have a child with type 1 diabetes, it's easy to get carried away with the notion of a diabetic diet. But in reality, your child's dietary needs are no different from a child who doesn't have diabetes. Of course, there are certain considerations you need to be aware of, and understanding the carbohydrate content in food is arguably the most important. In this article, you will learn about the importance of carb counting, with a special emphasis on how fiber and sugar alcohols may also affect your child's blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.
 
Nutrition Basics
There's really no such thing as a diabetic diet. That's why you should focus instead on providing your child with balanced nutrition. A good nutritional resource to consult is the Food Pyramid. In recent years, the United States Department of Agriculture has made some updates to the standard Food Pyramid that most of us grew up knowing. Instead of being a set-in-stone guideline, now you can create personalized eating plans that are flexible and balanced. To refresh your memory on healthy eating, visit MyPyramid.gov.
 
There are 3 main nutrients in foods—fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. These essential nutrients affect blood glucose in different ways.

• Fats: Fat typically doesn't break down into sugar in your blood, and in small amounts, it doesn't affect your blood glucose levels. But fat does slow down digestion, and this can cause your blood glucose to rise slower than it normally would. After a high-fat meal, your child's blood glucose may be elevated up to 12 hours after the meal.
• Proteins: Protein doesn't affect blood glucose unless you eat more than your body needs. In most cases, you need only about 6 ounces or less (which is about the size of 2 decks of cards) at each meal.
• Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates affect your blood glucose more than any other nutrient. All of the carbohydrates in food turn into sugar in the blood, and they get into the blood at a much quicker rate than fats and proteins. Carbs usually enter the blood stream an hour after consumption and are usually out of the blood stream in 2 hours. That's why you should check your child's blood glucose levels before he or she eats, and then again 2 hours later. Ideally, the measurement after the meal should be within 30-50 points of the pre-meal levels. If it's not, you will need to adjust the carb content of the meal or adjust your child's insulin dosage.

Carb Counting, Meal Plans, and Insulin Adjustment
For people with type 1 diabetes, knowing the amount of carbohydrates in the food you eat is essential. The reason carb counting is so important is that the amount of carbohydrates in your child's meals determines his or her insulin dosage. Unfortunately, a one-size-fits-all insulin regimen doesn't exist. Your doctor will determine the appropriate dose for your child. To learn more, read our Patients' Guide to Insulin.

It's fairly easy to determine the total amount of carbohydrates in the food your child eats. All packaged foods contain a Nutrition Facts label, and that contains the total carbohydrates in each serving size. If the food doesn't have a label, your dietitian can give you resources that contain the carbohydrate count of common foods.

Everyone responds differently to carbohydrates. That's why working with a registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator (CDE) is so important. He or she will develop a balanced meal plan especially for your child that is based on your child's food preferences, nutritional needs, and medication (some insulin medications require that you eat a set number of carbohydrates in each meal, while others allow for more flexibility). The meal plan will contain the right amount of carbohydrates for your child.

Meal plans aren't strict in the sense that they outline specific foods to eat at any given meal; rather, they help you pick from specific food groups. This will help you manage the amount of carbohydrates in each meal, while still offering your child a balanced selection of food. Meal plans are also flexible in that they can accommodate to special events, such as birthday parties.

For healthy growth, it is important that your child follows his or her meal plan. Not only should your child eat from the food groups outlined in the plan, but he or she should also eat them at a specific time. Eating meals and scheduling insulin injections at the same time every day helps prevent blood glucose levels from getting out of control. Parents with younger children may find this aspect of type 1 diabetes management somewhat easier than parents who have teenagers. Not only are teens busier with activities and social schedules, but they are also transitioning to managing their diabetes without the help of their parents.

Fiber and the Type 1 Diabetes Diet
Fiber is important to any diet. Found primarily in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, fiber may reduce blood cholesterol, aid in weight management, and improve blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of sugar. When it comes to fitting fiber into your child's type 1 diabetes meal plan, you need to understand how fiber affects a food's true carbohydrate count. Fortunately, it's a very simple formula.

If the food contains at least 5 grams of dietary fiber, simply subtract half the grams of dietary fiber from the total carbohydrate grams (you can easily find this information on the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods). The total equals the net carbohydrate count in the food. For example, if a food contains 10 grams of total carbohydrates and 5 grams of dietary fiber, the amount of carbs that will affect your child's blood glucose is 7.5 grams.

Dietary fiber may have less impact on blood glucose since it is not absorbed 100% and releases glucose into the cells more slowly. The American Diabetes Association recommends that if a food has more than 5 grams of fiber per serving, you can subtract the amount of dietary fiber from the total carbohydrate. However, synthetic forms of fiber are being added to many processed foods, which may not provide the same benefit as natural foods. You may want to initially subtract only half of the fiber and check your glucose level after meals containing high-fiber foods.
 
A Special Note about Sugar Alcohols
Foods with sugar alcohols (sorbitol, isomalt, xylitol, etc.) on the ingredient list are popular with people with diabetes. Many sugar-free products, such as candies, chewing gums, and dessert items, contain sugar alcohols.
Sugar alcohols are artificial sweeteners. Unlike regular sugar, sugar alcohols don't need insulin to be metabolized and won't cause your blood glucose to spike. They also contain fewer calories than pure sugar.

Products made with sugar alcohols are often geared toward people with diabetes, but understand that these foods should be eaten in moderation. When consumed in controlled amounts, sugar alcohols won't cause blood glucose to rise. But if eaten in excess, these products will raise blood glucose in people with type 1 diabetes. It's also important to remember that foods made with sugar alcohols still contain carbohydrates. Always make sure to check the total carbohydrates listed on the Nutrition Facts. This will help you better understand how to fit them into your child's meal plan.

Source: http://www.endocrineweb.com/guides/type-1-children/meal-planning-children-type-1-diabetes



Diabetic Pantry: Foods to Stock Up On

Whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, being committed to incorporating healthy, nutritious foods on a daily basis can help you manage your diabetes. One of the most crucial things you can do to eat well with diabetes is to keep a well-stocked pantry. That way, you're prepared to cook healthy meals.

 

Shop for fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, lean meats, and low-fat dairy, and then prepare diabetic-friendly recipes using food staples in your pantry.

Below is an extensive list of suggested food items you can keep on hand when cooking and eating to help manage diabetes.

 

Vinegar

• Balsamic
• Cider
• Fruit-infused
• Herb-infused
• Malt
• Red wine
• Rice wine
• Sherry
• White wine

Cooking Sprays

• Available in aerosol and refrigerated pumps
• Also available in a variety of flavors, including butter, olive oil, and vegetable sprays

Oils

• Canola
• Olive
• Safflower
• Sesame
• Not necessary, but these are good for added flavor: almond, avocado, grapeseed, hazelnut, peanut, and walnut oils

Grains

• Couscous
• Instant polenta
• Kasha
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Rice: white, basmati, brown, quick-cooking, and wild
• Rolled oats
• Stone-ground yellow and white cornmeal

Dried Beans and Legumes

• Black beans
• Black-eyed peas
• Cannellini
• Chickpeas
• Lentils: brown and red
• Navy
• Pinto
• White beans

Pasta

• Angel hair
• Bow ties (farfalle)
• Lasagna
• Linguine
• Penne
• Rotelle
• Spaghetti
• Ziti

Baking Needs

• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Baker's spray (combined with flour)
• Brown sugar
• Cocoa powder
• Cornstarch
• Cream of tarter
• Cry bread crumbs (unseasoned)
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Honey
• Non-fat pancake mix
• Salt and kosher salt
• Sugar
• Sugar substitutes (capable of retaining sweetness during extended heat)
• Unbleached all-purpose flour
• Vanilla extract

Canned and Packages Goods

• Black beans
• Canned pumpkin
• Cannellini beans
• Capers
• Chickpeas
• Cognac for cooking
• Dried chiles
• Dried mushrooms
• Dry red and white wine for cooking
• Dry roasted peanuts
• Dry sherry for cooking
• Evaporated skim milk
• Fat-free no-salt-added chicken and vegetable broth
• Garlic sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Hot pepper sauces
• Natural peanut butter
• Navy beans
• No-salt-added canned tomatoes
• No-salt-added tomato paste
• No-sugar added dried fruits
• No-sugar-added fruit spread
• Pinto beans
• Powdered buttermilk
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Regular and coarse ground Dijon mustard
• Rum for cooking
• Sun-dried tomatoes (dry-packed)
• Tequila for cooking
• Unsweetened fruit juices
• White beans
• Worcestershire sauce

Dried Herbs and Spices

• Basil
• Bay leaves
• Caraway seed
• Celery seed
• Chili powder
• Cloves
• Coriander
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Curry powder
• Dill
• Dry mustard
• Fennel seed
• Fines herbes
• Ground allspice
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cumin
• Ground ginger
• Marjoram
• Paprika
• Peppercorns
• Poppy seeds
• Rosemary
• Saffron
• Sage
• Savory
• Sesame seeds
• Thyme

In the Freezer

• Bread dough
• Filo dough
• Frozen no-sugar-added fruits and berries
• Frozen vegetable
• Multi-grain breads and rolls, including pita bread
• Nuts
• Puff pastry dough
• Reduced-calorie margarine
• Unsalted butter

In the Refrigerator

• Anchovy paste in a tube
• Dill pickles
• Egg substitute
• Eggs
• Fat-free cream cheese
• Fat-free mozzarella cheese
• Fat-free ricotta cheese
• Fat-free sour cream
• Fresh ginger
• Fresh herbs and parsley
• Fresh vegetables in season
• Garlic
• Lemons
• Limes
• Onions: white, yellow, sweet (seasonal), and red
• Oranges
• Other fresh fruit in season
• Part-skim Parmesan cheese
• Potatoes: red, Russet, and Yukon Gold; sweet potatoes
• Reduced-fat tub margarine
• Salad
• Scallions
• Shallots
• Skim milk
• Tomato paste in a tube

These foods are suggestions to keep a well-stocked pantry—and kitchen—and whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, they can help you plan your meals.

 

Source:http://www.diabeticlifestyle.com/eating-well/diabetic-pantry-foods-stock