What diabetics sufferers need to know about insulin

Insulin is a hormone secreted by groups of cells within the pancreas called islet cells. The pancreas is an organ that sits behind the stomach and has many functions in addition to insulin production. Sugars and carbohydrates are absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream after a meal. As a result, the blood sugar of the body increases. Insulin is then secreted by the pancreas in response to the increase in blood sugar.

Type 1 diabetics cannot make insulin in their bodies and require insulin shots to stay healthy. Type 2 diabetes can result from genetics defects that cause both insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. In type II diabetes, the beta cells produce insulin, but cells throughout the body do not respond normally to it.

Insulin hormone cannot be taken orally as a pill because it is a protein that can easily be broken down. Once it is rapidly digested, it is no longer effective. Hence, insulin has to be injected in the form of shots so that it enters your blood slowly and remains there longer.

Long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) require insulin to get through the cell wall but medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) can penetrate the cell walls without the help of insulin. Thus, MCFAs are a good source of nutrition for diabetics to get their cells working and to reduce their dependence on insulin shots.

Coconut oil and palm kernel oils are the best natural source of MCFAs. Coconut oil improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose. Coconuts and coconut oil have a lower potassium / higher sodium ratio, which helps sustain higher blood sugar levels.

Fruits for diabetics

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects quality of life and may even shorten a person’s life span. Diabetes decreases the body’s ability to use blood sugar for energy. Diabetics have blood sugar levels that are out of balance and require treatment to be maintained within a normal range. Proper diet that is low in fat and simple sugars and high in fibre and complex carbohydrates can help balance the blood sugar and control weight. Avoid processed sugars, including those in cookies, candies, cakes, ice cream, sodas, honey, chocolate, and desserts. Avoid dried fruit. Choose the diet such that the approximate calories from the various components of the food.

A diabetic can choose from a wide list of fruits that mother nature provides in order to get rid of disturbed diabetes. The following is a list of fruits for diabetic:

• Rose apple.
• Grapefruit
• Powder of rose apple stones.
• Bilva.
• Bananas.
• Oranges.
• Bitter melons.
• Lemons.
• Berries
• Apples, etc

All these fruits are rich in pectin and have a lot of nutritional values. Diabetic patients can wander in garden of nature and pluck any of these nutrition rich fruits in order to control the disease that they have been fighting with various kinds of medications. Apples reduce inflammation, have low sugar levels and have rich water content. Grapefruit lays 25 on the glycaemic index. Oranges are a low fat snack, good in taste and low and burning sugar properties. Bananas have been misinterpreted for having high sugar levels or fattening; instead they are low fat treat which does not raise glucose levels. They also contain potassium which reduces sodium in the body. Do not consume too many bananas but 1 small one is ok in a day. Natural fruits are always better to have rather than indirect consumption or fruit juice.

Foods for diabetic children

Diabetes in children is a common disease. One has to keep in mind that diabetic child's nutritional needs are same as those of other children of their age who do not have diabetes. Proper meal planning should be done and also the diet should be revised so as to keep the child's growth in mind. In general one should keep in mind a child of average weight needs about 1000 calories a day at age one, with additional 100 calories a day added each year. 

Same principals should be followed as elders as in children, regarding insulin injections the timings should be matched to eating times. To minimize a precipitins drop in glucose, child should be given snacks in between meals and at bed times.

School authorities should be taken into confidence if one's child is actually suffering from diabetes. If the school provides food nutritionist they can make certain that one's child eats properly without creating special attention. One can have more control if the mothers pack the lunch themselves. Special permission should be obtained from the authorities for the child may be allowed to eat a snack in between when necessary. But with children the common problem which occurs is they often don't eat what there mothers pack in lunch, often the lunch is either traded with their pals and in few cases they tend to eat junk, and extreme cases actually throw in the garbage. 

Children at certain age do need to handle with special care as they need to feel as though they also are integrated member of their peer group, and different in any way whether with appearance, physical deformity and even with so called a small issue of wrong hair cut. If a child does not feel comfortable with the diabetic meal it might be thrown out to prove that the child is no way different from anyone.

It is one of the basic natures of a child to test limits. This is a normal part of growing up, reaching for independence and testing waters of larger worlds. These children actually give try to the diabetic food plan also. Care must be taken that they may not push there blood glucose level to dangerous limits and at the same time they may not stuff themselves with heavily saturated foods. Children should made aware that they'll get in to trouble as a result it is so important that as a parent the children must be prepared for what to do in case of emergency.

To conclude one must firstly be prepared one self with confidence and knowledge as of how to handle ones child with diabetes. As a parent one should be aware of special needs of the child which are required but without showing much stress to the child. The ADA guidelines list the foods in categories from which one can make exchanges to create flexibility and variety.