Juvenile Diabetes

Juvenile diabetes requires consistency in its meal planning to allow food and insulin to work together to regulate blood glucose levels. If meals and insulin are not in sync with each other, extreme variations in blood glucose might occur.

Diet and diabetes are closely related. Diet along with insulin is used to treat juvenile diabetes. This does not mean starving oneself to lose weight. It means, eating healthy foods and not going overboard with sweets. Kids with juvenile diabetes should be barred from eating too much sugar because the sugar present in food affects the levels of sugar in the blood.

A dietitian or nutrition counselor is an invaluable tool in your meal planning. Dietitians are the specialists who create food plans to keep people healthy. They decide how much carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and other nutrients does a kid with juvenile diabetes need. They are in fact responsible for balancing the right amount of insulin by regulating the food that the kid eats and thus help him keep his blood sugar at a healthy level.

People, especially children with juvenile diabetes, who are on insulin or oral medication must coordinate calorie intake with medication or insulin administration, exercise, and other variables to control blood glucose levels. The following is the overall approach to meal plan of juvenile diabetic patients:

1) A juvenile diabetic should avoid saturated and trans-fatty acids. It is wise to choose mono-unsaturated fats although you can also include polyunsaturated oils as well.

2) You should limit dietary cholesterol.

3) It is always better to consume plenty of fiber-rich foods in the form of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, or legumes.

4) If you plan to eat sugary products, the first and only preference is to eat fresh fruits but that is also in moderation.

5) You should reduce the amount of salt and protein in your diet.

In fact, a balanced meal plan for a juvenile diabetic patient should include protein that provides 10 % to 20 % of the total calories, fat not more than 30 %, and carbohydrates up to 60 %. The ultimate goal of any dietary plan for a diabetic patient is to maintain the glucose level in the blood. A healthy and varied diet, rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables is the best way of ensuring overall health for your child. So plan one for him today!