Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Teena on August 29, 2010 at 10:42pm

I had the freedom to drink soda at the age of 15 onwards...just after high school. A strict convent school and a dietitian mother made this possible. Regrets? Hell no...In fact, I hardly had any even when I have all the opportunity to drink it. It is a similar situation with unhealthy junk foods. A habit I carried even now. I wish I can say the same for my spouse...but when I was still diagnosed diabetic 3 years ago...he opted to change his eating habits (scared him maybe...LOL) My Mother loves to cook and bake...something I also developed interest at an early age. Oh yes we bake...cakes, pies and cookies! We consider it as a treat! And we do indulge, moderately.
When I will have children...I will continue the training I had with my Mom. I know...I know...Children are so different nowadays. Peer pressure, media advertisement, and temptations all over are far much more influential, but I still believe that somehow if the foundation of training and habits are good and strong...better habits will prevail.

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Permalink Reply by Marps on August 30, 2010 at 7:22am

Me too! I LOVE LOVE LOVE baking. And I will leave the desserts on the table for anyone in the extended family to indulge in. But, it is a once in a while thing and since one dish is spread out amongst so many people, there isn't that much damage being done. :)

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Permalink Reply by Super_sally on August 30, 2010 at 6:46am

My daughter is 19 months old. I am anal about what she eats. For one she has an egg allergy, which thankfully means I have a valid reason for people not to feed her cakes. We are also gluten free - I don't know if she has a problem with gluten, but I do. There are lots of food allergies in my side of the family so I am very cautious at this time.

I beleive what you feed a child affects how their brain grows. So her diet is fruits, veges, meats, a very little dairy, and limited grains (mainly rice). I feed her organic foods when available (quite limited here), or at least fruits and veges that can be well washed and/or peeled.

However, when my daughter does occasionally get something sweet, her behavior changes dramatically:- she bounces off the ceiling. And to think most kids get far far more sugar than she does.

I shudder with horror seeing the things some kids (including my Godkids are fed). They eat candy and drink sweetened drinks all the time. A standard breakfast for them is cocopops. Then a white roll for lunch / snack. Then they drink sports drinks instead of water, and refuse their dinner (usually healthy with fish, veges, etc). Sugar, sugar, and more sugar. I've said something, but can't say too much as they are not my children, though I love them dearly. They want my daughter to stay with them, but I can't due to the diet their kids have and no wanting to expose my daughter to the same. One of them has been diagnosed with Adhd. I really wonder if all that would disappear if they didn't have so much sugar AND got enough sleep.

I am not totally against sweets and treats in moderation (and with reasonable portion control), but I am very aware of the dangers of high fructose corn syrup and will not knowingly eat, or allow my daughter to eat any.

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Permalink Reply by Emily on August 30, 2010 at 7:14am

Having had a baby with a type 1 diabetic I am absolutely manic about what my son eats as after all 'you are what you eat' and immune function relies on a good diet. The more you read the more you realise that so much food on sale is actually practically poisonous! My son already has a milk allergy like so many kids, on reading up about it I am inclined to believe that cow's milk is for baby cows and not humans.
I get organic wherever possible and check ALL labels to make sure that neither my hubby or son are eating things that have trans fats, inverted sugar syrups, MSG etc.
They don't come much more anal than me!! I once saw a woman in the UK pouring coke into a baby bottle and feeding it to her @ 1 year old and just like you I just felt shocked!!!

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Permalink Reply by Marps on August 30, 2010 at 7:19am

I'm actually going to be pretty strict with our kids. My husband and I both eat pretty organic- if not organic, then at least mostly natural. Nothing processed, not much candy for him either, and soy milk, meats, lots of veggies, etc. Nothing "white" like breads, flours, pastas, etc. If the kid needs ice cream, it's ok to have some soft serve or maybe an ice cream treat once in a while. But I am planning on staying away from carnival foods and such until they're 16 and can make better choices on their own. It makes me sick to my stomach watching people shove foods that adults shouldn't even be eating into the faces of little kids who don't know any better. It makes me a little crazy, actually. But, I won't judge. Just don't do it to my kids. I've alraedy had the talk with husband's parents and my parents. My kids aren't to get loads of cookies and cakes when they go to grandma's house. They are to eat there as they eat at home, with the exception of "once in a while"s. I'm not going to be a food NUT, but I'm going to be pretty strict.

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Permalink Reply by caprifoglio on August 30, 2010 at 11:17am

Our kids had no sweets of any kind other than fruit until somewhere between 2 & 3. I don't want to take them to the dentist to have baby teeth pulled. Ice cream and candy is ok now, but in small quantities and as a treat. Soda is something my husband grew up drinking -- but it wasn't introduced to him till he was a school kid. Our kids don't like anything fizzy to drink, so it's just water, juice, milk. I never had soda in the house growing up.

I think that junk food is something that people eat because it's cheap, and it doesn't have to be prepared. And something sweet or greasy somehow is comforting when your life is tough. The larger issue is who is eating this stuff. If you notice, most people who are into organic food can afford it - it ain't cheap. So basically what I'm saying is that eating badly is often part of a larger issue that can't easily be solved by changing your diet.

As far as diabetes is concerned, again -- whether you take care of yourself diet-wise can be a indicator of how you take care of yourself in general, and whether you have the means. It's more complicated than meets the eye, is my thought...

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Permalink Reply by Brian on August 30, 2010 at 11:22am

i dont know if its made me think about it so much.. but it makes me feed my son better cause ive really only got healthy stuff around so indirectly its alot better for him in general..

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Permalink Reply by Emily on August 30, 2010 at 11:34am

I think culture also plays a huge part - they say that in England (my home country) we eat to live whereas in France where I am now living they live too eat and everyone coming here from the UK notices the difference in quality of food here. I know that Europe don't allow growing GM food like the US although it must get into the system.
I agree that income plays a huge part too although the cheapest foods are vegetables - especially if you grow some of your own!! Eating 'fast' foods has just become the cultural norm and also a way for the masses to be fed using intensive farming and industrial food production methods.
I'm ranting now!!!
I suppose in terms of when I will let my son choose is I will completely arm him with the facts and then at some point I will have to back off and let him decide. Teenage years?!!!!

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Permalink Reply by caprifoglio on August 30, 2010 at 11:40am

That's a good strategy -- arm with facts and let them choose when they're able. But I think that if one's child eats healthy before they know how to choose, it's very likely he/she will always eat healthy. Well anyway that's the way it was with my brother and I. Or they may have a period where cheap and fast is the way to go (college years, stressful work years), but eating healthy will probably stick as a foundation to go back to.

On the other hand, if you start out eating badly, it may take something really unpleasant to change habits, something only related to you -- just like everything else in life, if you don't do it willingly, the universe might just step in and force you to...

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Permalink Reply by Jan on August 30, 2010 at 12:06pm

Shocked that anyone would give a baby Coca cola (it will literally dissolve a tooth if left in coke for a few hours) and agree that in this country we have very poor eating habits. That said, as a caretaker of a Type 1 child, we do not OVERLY restrict what she eats (contrary to advice from nutritionist/endo at dx, we do restrict somewhat). We were told she can eat what other kids eat, and cover it with insulin. That did not work out too well. Generally, we have a healthy diet at home, still allowing for some snacks that are not so healthy. If she is with other children she eats what they eat. We have no problem covering most foods with insulin (it was hard to figure out at frst, but we really can cover most foods. No carb restrictions other than we do not go over 80 grams per meal very often, and usually meals are 40 to 60 grams. Because we don't forbid icecream, potato chips, etc., she does not crave them and almost never asks for them now, refusing even if offered. She will instead choose fruit. P.S. Ice cream does not raise her blood sugar over 140 (although not healthy because high in fat); potato chips same. Fruit raisers her blood sugar quickly.

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