Stop Diabetes- Lets Go Kids

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is condition of reduced effectiveness of insulin in the body leading to fluctuating levels of blood sugar in our body.  There are different types of diabetes with type 2 diabetes being most prevalent. Type 1 diabetes is the most prevalent for of diabetes among children. Diabetes is not cool because regardless of the type of diabetes, it is serious.

Is diabetes a serious condition for kids?

The number of kids diagnosed with diabetes is on the rise. According to CDC (2010) more than 13,000 young people are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes every year. Although Type 2 diabetes affects only adult above the age of 40, doctors are now diagnosing more children with Type 2 diabetes. Kids with Type 1 diabetes are supposed to be injected with insulin every day to regulate their blood sugar (American Diabetes Association, 2010). However, those suffering from Type 2 diabetes can control it through eating healthy foods and engaging in physical exercise.

How do we get diabetes?

Diabetes is not a like a flu. Diabetes usually happens, (although not always), when we don’t move out bodies and eat foods like chips, chocolate, cheezies, wieners, fries, hamburgers, pizza, and sugary foods like pop. However it can also be caused by genetic factors such that if any of your family members has diabetes, you are likely to suffer from the condition.

What can kids do t prevent diabetes?

Since failure to move our bodies enough and failure to choose healthy and nutritious foods can make us develop diabetes, we should therefore move our bodies more often and chose healthy foods, always eating healthy foods given by our mother. This can prevent us from getting the disease and blossom our life like this flower!

                                  Excerpted from: Windigo (2010)

How can we eat healthy food?

            Your body grows from what you feed it. This means that if you eat healthy foods, you become healthy and strong to live for many years. Follow the following tips in choosing your foods:

• Foods like chips and pop are okay but eat once or twice per week and take healthier snack most of the week
• Eat snacks like fruits, vegetables, and nuts, frozen peas or blueberries. You can also eat celery which is filled with peanut butter or raisins
• Eat traditional foods like fish or wild meat. They are very good for you. Eat them twice every week. Instead of deep flying meat in common cooking oil, deep fly in healthier fats like canola oil, soft margarines, and others.

How can you become active?

            Kids like playing. At school at and home, we like running around with our friends. This is because God made our bodies to move.  If we fail to move our body everyday, they become inactive and hence not able to work appropriately when we want to do even simple task. We become fatty and our friends may dislike us. To be active, try the following tips:-

• Since most of us like watching TV and playing video games, we should limit them to only 2 hours in a day. This is only after you have completed all school homework. For the rest of the time, you can try the latest dances, in your room or together with your friend. You can indulge in other actives like:-
• Swimming, cycling, walking in the park, soccer, baseball, and other games mostly in the summer where there is no class work
• Sliding, skating, skiing and other snow games during winter
• Since your mum likes you a lot, you can also help her with house chores like sweeping, cleaning the house, washing the dishes, helping her with the woods, and other duties at home.

For kids with and without diabetes:-

Diabetes is a serious condition – Take Action Now!

• First step – Be aware
• Second step – Understand the condition
• Third step – Make changes in you life and learn how to cope with the condition

BUT

There will be nothing constructive change in your life until you believe that you can do it and make commitment to take the first step

                 Excerpted from: Windigo (2010)

References

American Diabetes Association, (2010). Type 1 diabetes. Retrieved May 2, 2010, from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-1/

Windigo, (2010). Hey Kids! Let prevent diabetes. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.windigo.on.ca/health/pamphlet%20Preventing%20Diabetes%20PDF%20Final.pdf

CDC, (2010). Children and diabetes. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/cda2.htm