Protecting Your Children From Type 2 Diabetes

 When I received a mail from Carolyn Fallon (of http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/) about the alarming rise in type 2 diabetes among children, and the need to spread awareness about it ,I must admit that I was totally ignorant about this condition; but after a few hours of research later, I realized that she was indeed speaking about a very relevant issue, which most of us as parents are unaware of and would be potentially dangerous if left untreated . So today we have a guest post from Carolyn on this issue. 

Protecting Your Children From Type 2 Diabetes

November was American Diabetes Month -- and normally it wouldn’t have affected me in a personal way, but this year was much different. One of my little cousins was recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, which has changed many of our lifestyles drastically. According to the Centers for Disease Control, health care providers are finding more and more children with Type 2 Diabetes, a disease usually diagnosed in adults aged 40 years or older.

 

As if the diagnosis of diabetes alone wasn’t scary enough, the repercussions of what could come later down the road are even worse. According to St. Joseph's Hospital Cardiac Center, if left untreated, diabetes can eventually cause further serious complications later in life, such as eye problems or blindness, heart disease, amputation and more. Due to this scary finding, plus the fact that a healthy diet and regular physical activity are the two biggest factors in preventing Type 2 Diabetes, I got to work right away with all of my cousins, helping lead them to healthier overall lifestyles.

 

Healthy Diet
Proper nutrition is essential in the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes. The best way to ensure that your kids are getting the best nutrition is to make sure that they are getting plenty of fruit and vegetables. Ideally, half of their plate should be vegetables - preferably raw or steamed.

About one fourth of the plate should be lean meats (like turkey, poultry or fish), and the remaining quarter should be high quality whole grains.

 

Fast food consumption should be rare if ever. Sugary snacks, sodas, fried foods and snacks with refined flour as the first or second ingredient should also be avoided. If this type of diet is very different than what your kids are used to, make small changes weekly to ease them into a healthier lifestyle. Big changes all at once will feel like punishment.

 

 Let your kids be a part of meal planning, look through recipe books or search the Internet for healthy ways to serve vegetables and fruit. Kids love to help in the kitchen and will be more likely to try healthy foods if they do not feel forced and if they are allowed to participate. Talk openly with older children about your own struggles with healthy choices and demonstrate a good attitude towards reaching your goals.

 

Getting Active

Increasing exercise and physical activity will  significantly reduce the likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes. There are many fun ways to get active. Group sports may be intimidating to some kids, but they may enjoy activities such as yoga, dance, swimming or karate. Don't limit exercise to something that you only do at the gym, but incorporate exercise into all parts of life. Park far away from the store, take the stairs, plan family outings that include lots of walking or get a puppy. Let your kids make suggestions on how to be more active and join them to set a positive example.

Carolyn is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well-being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has been known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/!