Diabetes and Teens Today

Being a teenager should be a fun time in your life: hanging out with friends, learning new things, and enjoying the new freedoms and responsibilities that come with growing up. But with busy schedules and mounting stress levels, being a teen can be pretty complicated, especially when you throw physical changes, strange new feelings, and peer pressure into the mix. And being a teen with diabetes sure doesn’t make life any easier. Teens with diabetes have to be especially careful of what they eat, when they eat it, and how much. This is especially important to active diabetic teens, whose daily intake of calories should be comprised of 60%-65% carbohydrates, 10%-15% protein, and 20%-25% fats. Hormones in teens contribute to blood sugar fluctuations and mood swings, making diabetes and growing up a lot harder to deal with. But don’t worry! This blog, The Diet for Diabetic Teens, will help teenagers with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to deal with the ever-present challenges of eating a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and managing diabetes while still living life like an ordinary teen.

Diabetes?

According to www.Dictionary.com, diabetes is any of several disorders characterized by increased urine production. Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not naturally produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. With insulin, the body’s cells take insulin from the blood. With this lack of insulin, the body is forced to use the fat created as an energy source, which creates an higher level of glucose in the body.

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2. Type 1 Diabetes is more rare and only accounts for 5-10% of all the diabetes cases in the U.S. It is more common in Caucasians than any other race and is normally found in childhood. Type 1 Diabetes is when the cells in the pancreas that create insulin slowly get destroyed and then cannot produce insulin anymore. Since the body is no longer able to regulate the blood glucose levels, it starts to build up in the bloodstream and can become toxic to all systems in the body.

Type 2 Diabetes is usually found in adults aged 50 and older. This type of diabetes usually occurs from being overweight, obese, or non-active. Usually the body is still able to produce insulin, but the insulin cannot perform its job correctly. The body’s cells cannot use the glucose in the blood because of the insulin receptors on each cell where insulin can bind with the cell in order for the glucose to go in and be used as energy. The glucose starts to build up in the bloodstream. Since the body is still able to create insulin, it keeps making more since the blood glucose levels are high. These high levels of insulin in the blood, known as hyperinsulinemia, increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

Being a teenager with diabetes is especially hard because, as a teen you are still growing and going through puberty. As you go through the changes of puberty the body’s glucose levels go up and down which will end of giving a teenager with diabetes highs and lows more frequently.

By: Shawna Ciano

Carbohydrates

Especially for diabetic teens, carbohydrate control is extremely important. But what is a carbohydrate? Carbohydrates can be classified in two different categories: simple sugars and complex carbohydrates. Monosaccharides are the smallest unit of carbohydrates. Two monosaccharides put together are called disaccharides. Simple sugars are usually composed of monosaccharides and disaccarides. Complex carbohydrates are made of polysaccharides, or chains of monosaccharides. 46% of the average western diet should be composed of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are used in the body in different ways. Carbohydrates provide the least amount of energy out of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. However, carbohydrates are the most important nutrient to athletes. They are the only nutrients that can break down fast enough to supply the body with energy during intense activity, such as sprinting. Carbohydrates are also stored in the body as energy. Up to two thousand calories can be stored in the body at a given time. Cabohydrates are also a catalyst for the break down of fats. Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for the central nervous system.

Simple sugars can be found in foods such as energy drinks, and candy. However, for the diabetic teen, most simple sugars are incredibly detrimental to the body. The highly concentrated amounts of sugars in these types of foods should not be consumed by the diabetic. Complex carbohydrates are a much better choice. Complex carbohydrates can be found in foods such as fruit, whole grain products, like bread, pasta, and cereal, and starches such as potatoes and rice. Glycemic index, or GI, or glycemic load, or GL, can help you determine how foods affect blood sugar levels in the body. This way, you can measure the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming.

Proteins

As a diabetic teen, you may think your only concern should be on sugar consumption. However, the intake of saturated fats should be thoughtfully considered as well. Going for that expensive steak or making fried chicken the main course for lunch may satisfy you at the time, but there are many other options that can satisfy your immediate cravings and your long-term heart health.

Proteins are an important part of everyone's diet, as they aid in enzyme production and support your body's acid-base balance (pH). They are responsible for building and replacing tissues in your body, like muscle tissue. In fact, they are mostly what make up your immune system, which means that to stay healthy, you must have some source of protein. Amino acids are the building-blocks of protein, and your body can produce 13 of the 22 that we need. Animal protein, like chicken, beef, and pork, can provide all of the other 9 amino acids that we can't produce ourselves, but this kind of protein also can be high in saturated fats. As a diabetic teen, you can find alternatives to getting the most protein, while getting the least fat, without sacrificing meat out of your diet completely.

By limiting your intake of red meat, you allow other foods that provide protein as well as other vital nutrients into your diet. Low-fat milk and fish are two excellent sources of protein that are lower in saturated fats. You can also stretch the amount of meat you eat in a meal by adding small servings and spreading them out to make it seem like you are eating more. Small changes in your diet can support your diabetic health and help you feel more like a normal teen.

Fats

When you think of the word “fat”, you’re probably not thinking that it’s not something very good for you. But fats actually play a very crucial role in the body. Fats help growing teens’ bodies to develop and grow, being the building blocks of hormones. It is especially important for teens, being the body’s fuel source for long periods of time and lower energy activities, such as jogging. Fats also provide insulation and protection for the body’s internal organs. Fats are responsible for transporting vitamins in the body.

There are many different kinds of fats. There are saturated fats, trans fats, unsaturated fats, essential fatty acids, and cholesterol. Saturated fats, or “bad fats”, are found in animal products, such as red meats, eggs, cheese, milk, and processed cakes, cookies, and pies. These should only be 10% of your daily diet. Trans fats can be found in snack foods, baked goods, and fried foods. There are also high levels of trans fats in margarine or butter. When the word “hydrogenated oil” or “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredients list, then the food definitely contains trans fats. Eating too much saturated fats and trans fats can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk for heart disease. For diabetics, foods high in saturated fats are big red flags saying, “don’t touch”.

That’s why unsaturated fats, or “good fats” are a better choice for diabetic teens. Unsaturated fats can be found in foods such as olive oil, canola oil, avocados, almonds and pecans. Essential fatty acids, such as omega 3, omega 6, and omega 9. Foods such as these may be good for heart health. These fatty acids can be found in Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, green veggies, and fish. However, cholesterol comes in two different forms: LDL, or “bad cholesterol”, and HDL, or good cholesterol. Foods with high levels of cholesterol are cream, butter, ice cream, egg yolks, and shellfish, and red meats. You should only consume 300 mg. of cholesterol daily.

3-Day Meal Plan

So before you diabetic teens go cleaning out your fridge and stuffing your pantry with tofurkey jerky, you have to remember that being diabetic doesn’t mean your all that different from other teens. You can still eat the foods you enjoy without sending your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride. Small changes, such as exchanging wheat bread for white bread, can let you eat good food that’s good for you. Here’s a sample of the foods you might eat over a three-day period.

Day 1
Breakfast:
2 slice Whole-wheat toast
1 cup low fat milk
1 medium-sized Banana

Lunch:
1 Turkey wrap (whole wheat wrapper/tortilla, lettuce, cheese)
1 bottle of water
A handful of carrot sticks

Snack:
A handful of nuts
1 medium sized apple

Dinner:
1 fillet of fish
1 cup of brown rice
1 small salad with low fat dressing
Water

Day 2:
Breakfast:
1 bowl of high fiber cereal
1 medium sized orange
1 cup low fat milk

Lunch:
1 medium sized apple
1 peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread
1 cup of low fat milk

Snack:
A handful of soybeans

Dinner:
1 roasted chicken breast
2 slices of whole grain bread
1 small spinach salad with light dressing
Water

Day 3:
Breakfast:
1 whole grain waffle
2 scrambled eggs
A handful of strawberries
1 cup low fat milk

Lunch:
1 burrito (whole wheat tortilla, black beans, salsa, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, corn)
1 cup brown Spanish rice
Water

Snack:
A handful of celery with peanut butter
1 small container of yogurt

Dinner:
1 serving of tofu stir fry (tofu, broccoli, carrots, garlic, snow peas, zucchini, green onions, ginger, whole wheat noodles)
1 small Chinese chicken salad
Water

Dessert:
1 cup low fat frozen yogurt with fruit topping

Bibliography (Information and Pictures)

http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/protein.jsp
http://www.familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/diabetes/living/349.html
http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/Diabetes/diet.asp
http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/Diabetes/diet.asp
http://www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/eating_ez/
http://www.dlife.com
http://www.kidshealth.org
http://www.americandiabetesassociation.com
http://turtledragon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/fats-oils.jpg
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/diabetes-and-carbohydrates-1.jpg
http://www.teen-diabetes.com/images/teen.jpg