Mom of 2 Wants them to be LOW CARB

[SassyMom]

Hi everyone,
I am the mother of 2 toddlers (3 and 1 1/2)

My oldest is a boy and he is very thin...however, a plump baby. My daughter isn't overweight but she has an addiction to carbs already..we all can see it. I mean..she will go for the bagel, the toast, the sugar stuff etc. I am a very "natural" mom and I don't give them candy (much) -- the only time they get some is when it is from an outside source!!! Poor kids, right?

I don't like them to have sugar cereals etc etc...

So, what I am getting at is, is it good to start good habits so early? I am not going to "monitor" their weight too closely because I don't want to give them a complex. I know a lot of eating disorders start because of parents being too over "strange" about "diet, diet, diet" -- I just want what is best for my kids.

Hopefully this post made sense..it is early.

Sassy

[Desertthorn]

Read what Dr A saids about low carb diets for children. He did not think it was appropriate. Children need the energy they get from carbs. Just think good carbs, fruit, veggies, whole grains, milk, balanced etc, etc, etc. Avoid junk foods and the kids will be healthy.
And I don't know but my toddlers were always chubby but by the time they were 7 they were sticks.

[book]

you can utilize the guiding prinicple of carb consumption without fat storage, which revolves around that 'fat hormone' insulin.

Let your kids eat carbs. We store fat in the presence of high amounts of insulin, which we will over- produce in response to blood sugar spikes. If you child eats a donut, his blood sugar will rise. If he eats a bagel with cream cheese, the cream cheese will slow that rise and keep the insulin response from being extreme. Kids can eat pizza fine and not gain weight, plenty of fat and protein in most pizzas. Oatmeal is a great food for kids, use real butter, not margarine. Just follow the idea that if they eat carbs, they need some form of fat and protein along with them. Dressing on carrot sticks or salad...sandwiches with healthy meats and mayo, peanut butter.. You don't have to be restrictive, just keep that insulin response in mind, and you will save them from hopefully ever needing to do Atkins Induction Phase!

Don't apologize for limiting sweets, (I know you weren't really anyway!) my kids never had KoolAid and junky candy growing up and I had never heard of Atkins. I was just anti-sugar because I have a phobia about kids and diabetes.

But your kids will do fine in an every day carb- burning metabolism if you just keep them from 'spiking.' If they are anywhere near normal, they will burn off the appropriate amount of carbs just playing and being their adorable selves. You are doing great by them!

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[not2late]

I wouldn't put a normal weight child on a weight loss diet of any kind, but you can put them on a weight maintenance diet.

Check out Feed Your Kids Well by Fred Pescatore MD. Dr. Pescatore wrote that book while he was associate medical director for the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine. It applies Atkins' low carb principles for children and teens.

[HOTMAMMAWANNABE]

junk sugar

I don't blame you for restricting candy. I had high blood sugar with each of my two pregnancies. ALL of the grandparents spoiled my first (now a 4 year old boy) everytime he went to their houses. He got candy, fruit snacks (a dentist's worst nightmare), cookies, cakes, etc and now tomorrow he has an appt to get his blood sugar checked. I sit here in a stupor as I type wondering what I will do if my little baby is diabetic at age 4 and I blame myself for letting him have all the sugar people gave him. Since I can't go back and change his past, I just pray for his future. And trust me, I have learned my lesson, no matter what the grandparents say, I will not let the same thing happen with my one year old.

[book]

HotMama.. I feel your concern, I really do. Please don't blame yourself, I am sure like any parent you did the best you could do. If your son is diabetic, you will have an extremely challenging road ahead. Diabetes control is becoming more advanced and scientific all of the time, though, with pumps that they can wear... in fact there are more and more pancreatic transplants taking place all of the time. (I know your thought is OMG that is a surgery.. but if you transplant a pancreas...presto.. no diabetes.)

My sister was juvenile diabetic from age 12 but was never good with control. Control is key.

Check back as often as you like, we are here for you, and let us know how the check up goes tomorrow. I am praying for your dear son and for you. He is young, hopefully his pancreas is still functioning and some dietary changes are all that will be needed. Chin up.. and a :hug

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[HOTMAMMAWANNABE]

thank you

I need all the support I can get. As I sit here and type my eyes fill with tears I am so scared. He is so little. I appreciate the prayer and will let you know what I find out.

[Elleth Faewen]

:hug :hug :hug :hug :hug

Diabetes can be a scary thing. I have done a lot of reading on it recently myself going through a diabetes scare with my mother. I found that a little knowledge goes a long way.

Dr. Bernstein has a couple of chapters of his book Diabetes Solution online. Shawnee and canuck showed me this when I went through the scare with my mom. Perhaps you can spend some time tonight reading it to help educate yourself about what to expect. Dr. Bernstein is a type 1 diabetic, but his advice is good for either type 1 or type 2. Here's a link to the page with the online chapters.

http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/readit.shtml

I will keep you and your son in my prayers.

[BikerGoddess]

Re: junk sugar

I don't blame you for restricting candy. I had high blood sugar with each of my two pregnancies. ALL of the grandparents spoiled my first (now a 4 year old boy) everytime he went to their houses. He got candy, fruit snacks (a dentist's worst nightmare), cookies, cakes, etc and now tomorrow he has an appt to get his blood sugar checked. I sit here in a stupor as I type wondering what I will do if my little baby is diabetic at age 4 and I blame myself for letting him have all the sugar people gave him. Since I can't go back and change his past, I just pray for his future. And trust me, I have learned my lesson, no matter what the grandparents say, I will not let the same thing happen with my one year old.

Kids are resilient. I'm sure he'll be fine and that you didn't scar him for life :hug

My mom had gestational diabetes (am I spelling that right?) and I've been 'borderline' diabetic for years (there is debate over the terminology, but that's what all the doctors called it then). The body is capable of healing itself, given the right tools. You just found it much earlier than a lot of people do, so he has a much better chance of rebounding completely.

From what I hear, all moms suffer some guilt for the way they raised their kids. But not to worry - we don't hold it against you forever. Just up until we learn we don't know everything

Let us know how the tests go.

Laura

[Defessa]

Book, you said:

Let your kids eat carbs. We store fat in the presence of high amounts of insulin, which we will over- produce in response to blood sugar spikes. If you child eats a donut, his blood sugar will rise. If he eats a bagel with cream cheese, the cream cheese will slow that rise and keep the insulin response from being extreme

But my question is how much do we allow our kids to eat. Should we allow our kids to freely eat carbs--both good (fruits, vegies, whole grains) and bad (sugar, processed flour, chips, etc)? I was thinking of having my kids eat as if they were on the maintenance level of Atkins.

But, and this is unrelated to number of carbs per day, what about sugar? I am leery of them having artificial sugars. I hear things on the news about the dangers of all of them--Splenda/Sucralose included. But, kids being kids, they want to be like everyone else and have the birthday treats that come to school, to buy a popsicle after lunch every once in a while. If I say NO sugar then they will 'sneak' it. I know they would still be getting less than allowing them free rein, but that isn't the point.

I am concerned for my kids, because both my husband and I have diabetes in our families. I know genetically they are set up for it, I want to arrest it so it bypasses them.

[HOTMAMMAWANNABE]

thank you all

Thank you all for the support! I hope and pray whatever we find out is not too bad. My husbands step-mother is diabetic (so, no blood relation to my son) and she has tons of information if I need it. I just really hope I don't. We'll see. His appt is at 3:30 today and I will let everyone know tomorrow what we find out. Thank you for your prayers, it really helps.

[BikerGoddess]

But my question is how much do we allow our kids to eat. Should we allow our kids to freely eat carbs--both good (fruits, vegies, whole grains) and bad (sugar, processed flour, chips, etc)? I was thinking of having my kids eat as if they were on the maintenance level of Atkins.

But, and this is unrelated to number of carbs per day, what about sugar? I am leery of them having artificial sugars. I hear things on the news about the dangers of all of them--Splenda/Sucralose included. But, kids being kids, they want to be like everyone else and have the birthday treats that come to school, to buy a popsicle after lunch every once in a while. If I say NO sugar then they will 'sneak' it. I know they would still be getting less than allowing them free rein, but that isn't the point.

I am concerned for my kids, because both my husband and I have diabetes in our families. I know genetically they are set up for it, I want to arrest it so it bypasses them.

Maintenance would be great for the kids. It includes fruits and whole grains (not whole wheat, but whole grain - takes a lot of work to find these days :no ). I would severely limit 'bad' carbs, but I know how hard it can be, and I don't even have kids...

If your kids are old enough, can you explain at a high level that you want to cut back on sugar for their health? Let them know that occasional treats are fine, but that you won't be providing it on a regular basis. You can't protect your kids from everything and they will rebel if you try. Give them a foundation and then trust them to do the right thing.

Laura

[not2late]

Book, you said:

Let your kids eat carbs. We store fat in the presence of high amounts of insulin, which we will over- produce in response to blood sugar spikes. If you child eats a donut, his blood sugar will rise. If he eats a bagel with cream cheese, the cream cheese will slow that rise and keep the insulin response from being extreme

But my question is how much do we allow our kids to eat. Should we allow our kids to freely eat carbs--both good (fruits, vegies, whole grains) and bad (sugar, processed flour, chips, etc)? I was thinking of having my kids eat as if they were on the maintenance level of Atkins.

But, and this is unrelated to number of carbs per day, what about sugar? I am leery of them having artificial sugars. I hear things on the news about the dangers of all of them--Splenda/Sucralose included. But, kids being kids, they want to be like everyone else and have the birthday treats that come to school, to buy a popsicle after lunch every once in a while. If I say NO sugar then they will 'sneak' it. I know they would still be getting less than allowing them free rein, but that isn't the point.

I am concerned for my kids, because both my husband and I have diabetes in our families. I know genetically they are set up for it, I want to arrest it so it bypasses them.

I agree with Laura, Maintenance would be fine for kids: whole grains, fruit (in moderation), veggies, and a variety of protein sources are okay.

As for the artificial sweeteners, I'm leery of them too* and would rather children be given real foods rather than fake foods. I don't see anything terribly wrong with allowing a child to have a cookie and a glass of milk as an afterschool snack as long as portion control is exercised and as along as that is only one of the weekly snack menus offered to the child. You know something like, cookie and milk on monday, apple slices and peanutbutter on tuesday, carrot and celery sticks with cream cheese on wednesday, grapes and orange slices on thursday, tuna salad on crackers on friday.

(*Before anyone posts that there is no evidence that artificial sweeteners are harmful in children, I would like to say I approach them with caution in my life. You may choose to do the same or not. )

[Desertthorn]

I also agree with not2late about the artificial sweetners. I use them, but I am old and no longer in that critical growing stage. Sugar isn't good for us, but a little wouldn't hurt a kid. Knowing what I know now, I would feed my kids natural food, and include honey more than refinded sugar in their diets when the need came up. I would make cookies loaded with nuts and raisins, and dried fruit and limit sugary cereals to a minimum. I wouldn't have coke or koolaid or any junk food in the house, but I wouldn't tell them they couldn't have it, just not buy it for them.

[book]

I would definitely agree to keep the carb sources as natural and healthful as possible. Sorry for not being more clear, I guess I tend to assume folks know I am anti- sugar.. I drove my inlaws crazy, because when the kids were little I would not let them by candy, or Kool Aid. But they had to admit... they had never seen kids tuck into salad they way my kids did!


When I make loaves of banana flax bread I do use some real sugar. They are all thin. If they were heavy, I might consider using the Stevia for them that I use in my own bread. I would probably let them use Splenda, not in large quantities. We do use Stevia to sweeten iced tea. The liquid is quite compatible with iced tea...

HotMama, make sure to let us know how things are going!

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