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Type 2 Diabetes Prevention for Kids
This past November was American Diabetes Month. Normally, I wouldn’t have been aware of this – yet last year, my family was given the devastating news that one of my little cousins was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. After doing some research, I learned that Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the body either can’t make insulin or does not use insulin properly. Diabetes is serious. According to St. Joseph’s Hospital Cardiac Center, Type 2 Diabetes can lead to some very serious consequences, such as kidney damage, heart disease, stroke, blindness, nervous system damage and even amputation. What was once known as an “old folks” disease is now affecting children at an alarming rate, which is why I have taken it upon myself to work with all of my little cousins on creating healthier lifestyles.
Common culprits of diabetes in children are lack of physical activity and poor diets. If you can convince your kids to exercise, scale back on the junk and eat a few more veggies, they may be able to thwart diabetes. The thing with children is that if you try to force them to drop the video games and eat more leafy greens, they’ll likely resist. The key is to make eating right and exercising natural and fun for them!
A healthy diet: Some simple tips
Kids loooove to snack, so instead of handing them chips or gummy bears, find a snack that is nutritious and tasty that they can enjoy. Peanut butter on celery is always a hit, and you can add raisins to them to make it look like “ants on a log.” You can also grab some fruits and veggies, toss them into the blender and make delicious smoothies of all kinds of flavors! In addition, instead of giving kids ice cream, let them have some frozen yogurt with fruit and nut toppings on it for dessert (my cousins love this because they get to pick their own toppings!).
When packing kids’ lunches, make the meal balanced. Include some kind of lean protein, such as baked turkey or chicken, and make sure to load up with a variety of fruits and veggies. Instead of sugary juices, pack a carton of milk or water – and if your kids don’t like to drink water very much, you can always add in some natural fruit flavoring!
Getting active; getting healthy
The easiest way to get kids physically active is take them outside everyday. They can ride bikes, skate on the sidewalk, run around the yard and bounce balls on the patio. Anything that will get them moving will help prevent diabetes. If it’s too cold to go outdoors, pop in a yoga video and let your kids join you for some toning and stretching moves.
In addition, video game manufacturers are starting to get with the program. They are creating video games that require kids to get up and move. If you can’t seem to pry your kids away from their video games, invest in games where movement is necessary for them play – such as Just Dance or Wii Fit! My cousins love to do these interactive video games because it allows them to play with their games, while at the same time having dance-offs with everyone, or competing in different games with Wii Fit.
The easiest way to get kids physically active is take them outside everyday. They can ride bikes, skate on the sidewalk, run around the yard and bounce balls on the patio. Anything that will get them moving will help prevent diabetes. If it’s too cold to go outdoors, pop in a yoga video and let your kids join you for some toning and stretching moves.
In addition, video game manufacturers are starting to get with the program. They are creating video games that require kids to get up and move. If you can’t seem to pry your kids away from their video games, invest in games where movement is necessary for them play – such as Just Dance or Wii Fit! My cousins love to do these interactive video games because it allows them to play with their games, while at the same time having dance-offs with everyone, or competing in different games with Wii Fit.
