Diabetes is so prevalent in our modern society. There is Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Type 1 often occurs in childhood and is where the pancreas no longer is producing the hormone insulin - which works with adrenaline to balance blood sugars. The pancreas secretes this and gets exhausted. Type 1 is a much smaller percent of the population compared to Type 2. Type 2 often presents in adulthood from our lifestyle, overeating, under exercising, poor diet, emotional stresses and much more. However there has been amazing turn around with changing a person’s lifestyle and habits that have reversed Type 2. Which ever one you have we need Insulin to live, so diabetes is a very serious condition. The good news for Type 1 is a great deal of research is happening to help make this condition much more manageable.
A number of years ago a very good friend's daughter developed Type 1 diabetes around the age of eight and I remember how stressful they both found it all, until they developed a routine and stopped looking at causes and what or whom to blame for what had happened. Children also pick up parents' stress and that may aggravate the issue.
Your child will be looked after by their doctor or the hospital who should be guiding you all with how to cope. However, it may be that you or your child need some counselling to come to terms with the condition or help adjusting to the best times to eat and the types of food that help stabilise the blood sugar.
So, for instance eating small meals, with plenty of protein and some complex carbohydrates (brown rice, wholemeal bread, apples etc) can help reduce the highs and lows of blood sugar imbalance, whereas its often advised to eat a sugary snack to bring up the blood sugar quickly when a person is feeling faint. Obviously in an emergency you need to do whatever you can to fix the current issue. However, ideally for the body to be supported, and in turn the brain (which will be affected and cause mood swings etc) we require a more stable approach to health.
Plan a weekly menu, with regular times to eat, make this more important than anything as irregular eating habits make this much worse - and ensure enough good protein is consumed – this is eggs, cheese, meat, fish, nuts, pulses - are added to the diet, and avoid as many simple carbs as possible - white flour products, processed foods. We are often told just to eat anything, but our food can deeply impact how our body behaves. Unfortunately, we have got into the habit of feeding children chicken nuggets and white pasta dishes as a stable diet. This video may give some really helpful pointers: https://youtu.be/aJ_D5YMNeDg
Your child may need more support nutritionally - either through their diet or via children’s supplements that can give extra support and help balance things out more. A multi vitamin and mineral supplement will help and try and choose one with chromium in as it’s a mineral that supports our blood sugar. The most important thing is not to regret what’s happened but to learn from it and handle it as well as you can. If you cope better and are less stressed about it, your child will be so. I suggest a soluble Vitamin C and Multi Remedy taken together daily to keep the body topped up with nutrients. Vitamin C ensures the adrenals get extra support for stress and the multi covers much more. You can order these by using my name as the Recommended Practitioner. Also try to eat oily fish – salmon, mackerel, sardines and avoid margarine – use butter – forget the cost - just use less of it. Also avoid semi skimmed milk for children as they require full fats to develop hormonally. Its essential for their health. The craze to eat low fat means high sugar is ingested instead – which is the exact opposite of what they need.
In my treatment room, people who present with diabetes from childhood often say the same thing about it. They are angry that their body let them down. Now this may be to do with how it was dealt with, and the added burden put upon a family, or they may have felt different from others, but that lasting anger is still affecting them. For an emotional support I often recomment a Flower Remedy called Mimulus which supports the meridian that is linked to the pancreas.
To help all of you cope – not just your child:
Work out a plan - Stick to it - have a reward chart (for you all!)
Eat small meals and up to six times a day
Avoid lots of sugary drinks and snacks
Increase proteins - especially at breakfast time
Change to wholefoods, whole milk etc
Eat fresh food – not pre-prepared – so make you own carrot sticks, don’t buy a bag of them – they have lost their flavour and nutritional value. The same applies to fruit - Read More
Wash all fruit, vegetables and salad before eating
Avoid all '0' calorie drinks – those body just tastes the sweetness so still affects the blood sugar
Drink much more water – get a water filter - Read More
Get your child to help prepare the food – if you are fussy, they will be fussy
Obviously avoid food that your child is allergic or sensitive too
Eliminate smells in the home, softeners, soap powders, air fresheners – these additionally burden the body and cause unseen problems
Avoid microwaving your childs food - Why? Read More