Don't be afraid of life: about type 1 diabetes in children

Composition and value

Pumpkin has a unique chemical composition. The fruits of the plant contain all the necessary elements for the functioning of not only the pancreas, but also the entire digestive system:

• carbohydrates with proteins;
• pectin and fats;
• organic acids;
• various microelements and fiber;
• vitamins and starch.

Important! The benefits of pumpkin for diabetes are somewhat controversial due to the presence of starch. When the fruit is consumed, the body is saturated with plant fibers and starch elements, which affects the patient’s glucose level.

For diabetes, a similar product provides the following positive effects:

1. maintains the gastrointestinal tract (primarily the intestines) in a natural state;
2. helps reduce the manifestations of atherosclerosis;
3. relieves anemia because it contains quite a sufficient number of useful minerals and vitamins;
4. it is a diuretic that helps remove excess fluid, relieving swelling;
5. restores the activity of the pancreas, provoking the growth of insulin cells;
6. pectin helps dissolve “bad” cholesterol in the blood substance;
7. regulates the issue of weight;
8. protects the body from the harmful effects of an aggressive environment.

pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds deserve special attention, the benefits of which lie in the ability to:

• Cleanse the liver and prevent the development of diseases of the hepatobiliary system.
• Absorb and remove excess fluid, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the renal apparatus and effectively reduces swelling.
• Eliminate cholesterol deposits (due to the presence of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids).
• Increase testosterone production, fight prostatitis and enhance erectile capabilities in diabetic men.
• Treat helminthiases (infection with parasites).

Regular consumption of pumpkin seeds helps prevent bile stagnation

The seeds contain nonessential and essential amino acids, including the rare element tryptophan, which provides psycho-emotional stability and eliminates dysania (sleep disorder). With atherosclerosis, which occurs in most diabetics, pumpkin seed oil helps.

It contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, which help remove cholesterol build-ups and increase the elasticity of vascular walls. It is recommended to drink the oil one tablespoon per day under monitoring sugar levels. The measurement must be taken before taking it and two hours after.

Pumpkin and type 1 diabetes

The fruit is used in dietary nutrition because it has many beneficial qualities. Let's consider the justification for its use by diabetics. Pumpkin belongs to the category of foods that have a high glycemic index. It is equal to 75 units. But the high starch content makes the fruit a product that is undesirable to include in the daily diet of a diabetic.

Starch is considered a taboo ingredient in diabetes situations. Heat treatment of the vegetable increases its glycemic index, making pumpkin an easily digestible product. Naturally, pumpkin is contraindicated in the first type of pathology, since it provokes an increase in sugar levels. Since it can cause harm to the patient in a situation with such a disease, its use should be strictly limited.

Porridge

When preparing porridges, you can be creative by combining them with foods that have a low glycemic index.

For people suffering from diabetes, nutritionists recommend cooking the porridge in the oven for one hour.

Remove the seeds from two small pumpkins and cut off the skin. Afterwards, carefully select the pulp remaining after the seeds and cut the fruit into cubes.

Place 1/3 cup of millet cereal, 100 g of dried apricots and no more than 50 g of prunes into the prepared mass, then put it in the oven.

Pumpkin and type 2 diabetes

But if you have type 2 diabetes mellitus, pumpkin may well be used, and in a variety of forms:

• cheese;
• boiled;
• stewed;
• baked.

However, always, even after the restoration of sugar levels, each use of pumpkin must be accompanied by measuring the readings with a glucometer in order to compare the results obtained before and after the meal. Therefore, pumpkin in a situation with type 2 diabetes is not prohibited, but it must be used carefully, only under strict medical supervision.

Adviсe

Diabetes is not a death sentence. You just have to learn to live with this disease and control what you eat. People united by a common problem communicate on forums, create communities, teach newcomers not to despair, and share tips and cooking recipes.

As for eating pumpkin, take note of a few tips from people who have faced an unpleasant diagnosis:

1. Eat raw pumpkin for breakfast.
2. To prepare thick pumpkin porridge, use millet or couscous as a thickener.
3. Combine pumpkin juice with apple, cucumber or tomato juice and drink before bed.
4. Don't forget about pumpkin seeds. They will help reduce blood glucose levels.
5. Instead of prohibited white sugar, use safe sweeteners (stevia, fructose). Add honey only after consulting a doctor. In some cases, the product leads to sugar spikes.
6. Combine the vegetable with dill and parsley. Greens have been proven to regulate sugar levels.
7. Eat slowly, chewing thoroughly. Remember about fractional meals.
8. You can season the baked pumpkin with butter after you remove the dish from the oven.
9. The vegetable is safe in boiled, baked and raw form. Forget frying in oil.

Cooking recipes

The product allows you to prepare delicious and valuable dishes:

• vitamin salads from fresh fruit;
• porridge and soups;
• pumpkin juice and casserole;
• dessert.

Pumpkin drink can be used as a stand-alone drink, or in combination with cucumber and tomato juice. This combination improves mood and has a positive effect on the body. The juice saturates damaged organs with useful substances.

Baked pumpkin

A popular and easy option for preparing the fruit is to cook it in the oven. It is necessary to thoroughly wash and remove rough skin and seeds from the fruit. Then cut into portions, place in a mold and put in the oven. A little before it is completely ready, grease the product with a little butter. If you don’t really like the taste of this dish, you can prepare another dish.

Baked pumpkin with spices

Pumpkin porridge

Pumpkin porridge is a useful culinary masterpiece for diabetes. To prepare it you will need the following products:

• raw fruit – 1 kg;
• skim milk – 1 cup;
• sugar substitute – 1 tbsp. l. instead of 2 tbsp. l. white analogue;
• thickener – 1 cup;
• dried fruits with nuts, allowed for consumption - no more than 10 g;
• cinnamon.

Cooking steps:

1. cut the pumpkin into small pieces, boil, drain the water;
2. add cereal, low-fat milk, and a sugar substitute to it;
3. Cook the whole mass over low heat until tender;
4. When serving, decorate the dish with dried fruits, cinnamon, and nuts.

Pumpkin porridge

Pumpkin soup

It is recommended to prepare soup as a first course, which is very useful if you have diabetes. For the recipe you will need:

• 0.5 kg pumpkin;
• a glass of cream;
• 2 cups broth;
• 2 tomatoes;
• bulb;
• clove of garlic.

Grind all recipe ingredients. Chop the tomatoes, onion and garlic into small slices, chop the pumpkin into larger pieces. First place onions, tomatoes and garlic in a sauteing container. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add pumpkin. Pour the dish with cream and then with broth. Cook the dish in a closed container for about 30 minutes. When the soup is ready, pour it into a blender and puree until it becomes a completely homogeneous paste. If a thick consistency is obtained, add more broth. Salt the dish and pepper is allowed.

Pumpkin soup

UZ "Mogilev City Emergency Hospital"

This section is quite complex. However, it is necessary in order to lead a freer lifestyle and achieve diabetes compensation. It will be difficult at first, but then it will become a habit and will be done automatically. We all learned to read syllables, and no one got behind the wheel of a car and immediately drove off.

There are 2 main ways to maintain compensation for diabetes:

1) practically free nutrition (this requires frequent measurements of glycemic levels, accurate counting of carbohydrates in food and the ability to independently adjust the insulin dose);

2) a fixed regimen of insulin therapy (recommendations in hospital discharge notes are based on this approach, and there should be a fixed diet with the same amount of carbohydrates and the same level of physical activity).

In both cases, it is necessary to be able to count food correctly. The first path is more difficult, but it is necessary for young active people. The second way is more suitable for those who lead a measured lifestyle, for example, for older people. With the second way, you can create several menu options and stick to it.

A. Calculation of carbohydrates.

Insulin is necessary for the absorption of carbohydrates.

To compensate for carbohydrates with insulin, you need to clearly determine their amount. Those. For a certain amount of carbohydrates, a certain amount of insulin must be injected. This ratio is individual for each person. If you adhere to a constant insulin therapy regimen and do not change your insulin doses yourself, then you need to constantly consume the same amount of carbohydrates. If you want to adhere to a more liberal diet, you need to be able to count carbohydrates and calculate the dose of insulin for them.

The amount of carbohydrates can be determined in grams or bread units.

The concept of “bread unit” (XU) was introduced for the convenience of calculations. 1 XE = 10-12 grams of carbohydrates. For convenience, it is better to take 1 XE of carbohydrates.

To find out the amount of XE, you need to divide the amount of carbohydrates by 10 (if you count 10 g of carbohydrates in 1 XE).

1 XE on average increases the level by 2-2.8 mmol/l.

For example, 100 g of cookies contains 70 g of carbohydrates, which is 7 XE. If you eat 100 g of cookies, in the absence of insulin in the body, glucose can increase by 14-19 mmol. But these numbers are individual.

So-called diabetic products often contain alcohols as sweeteners (isomalt, sorbitol). They do not increase blood glucose, so the amount of alcohols must be excluded from the total amount of carbohydrates.

For example, 100 g of cookies contains 70 g of carbohydrates, including 20 g of sorbitol. So 70-20=50/10=5 XE.

In the photo above, 100 g of product contains 15 g of carbohydrates (Total Carbohydrate), of which 15 are sugar alcohols (Sugar Alcohol). This product will not increase blood glucose levels.

There is no need to subtract fructose! Fructose increases blood glucose to the same extent as regular sugar.

In the presence of diabetes, 2 problems arise when calculating XE:

1. Determine how much XE is contained in this particular product that you are now going to eat (not in 100 g, but in this exact amount of the product that you want to eat, for example, in the porridge that you put on your plate and are going to eat).
2. How much food should I eat for the required amount of XE (for example, in the morning I eat 3 XE, but I don’t want porridge, I want potatoes).

In principle, this is 1 task, but from different sides.

1. Determination of the amount of XE in a product

The amount of XE can be determined approximately (porridge by spoons, fruit by cups, fruit by the piece), or it can (and should) be more accurately determined by weight.

A rough estimate is taught in many diabetes schools. Why? – Because many patients consider counting with spoons extremely burdensome. But, at least at first, it’s better to weigh your food in order to get used to determining portion sizes by eye. It's not that difficult to install kitchen scales in the kitchen.

How to determine how much XE is contained in a given amount of food by weight:

• find out how many carbohydrates are in 100 g of the product (on the packaging - see the nutritional value of the product - carbohydrates);
• Divide the amount of carbohydrates by 1000 and multiply by the weight of the product (if we count in carbohydrates, then we divide not by 1000, but by 100).

CARBOHYDRATE CONTENT in 100 g x WEIGHT OF FOOD (in grams)/1000

For example, we find on the Internet the nutritional value of potatoes - 17 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. We weigh the potatoes that we want to eat, we get 200 g. 17/1000 * 200 = 2.4 XE (if we count in carbohydrates, then we divide not by 1000, but per 100: 17/100*200 = 24 g carbohydrates).

Vegetables must be weighed before cooking! (During cooking, the weight of the product changes, but the carbohydrates remain.) Approximately, 1 medium potato weighs 60 g, 17/1000*60 = 1 XE. Those. 1 medium potato is approximately 1 XE. But it’s better to weigh the potatoes to get an idea of ​​what 60 g is.

It is correct to weigh dry cereals and pasta, cook and weigh the finished porridge. The amount of XE of dry cereal included in the porridge is divided by the weight of the finished porridge and the amount of XE in your specific porridge is obtained. The porridge may turn out different (in 100 g of viscous porridge there will be less XE than in 100 g of crumbly porridge).

Let's look at buckwheat porridge.

Let's take a cut glass of buckwheat, this is 170 g of dry cereal. In 100 g - 57 g of carbohydrates. 57/1000*170= 9.69 XE. We weighed the finished porridge and got 570 g.

9.69 XE/570*100= 1.7 XE in 100 g of porridge.

If the porridge was cooked in milk, one must take into account the carbohydrates contained in the milk. For example, instead of water, 300 ml of milk was added to the above porridge (100 ml - 0.47 XE, 300 - 1.41 XE). 9.69+1.41=11 XE/570*100=1.9 XE in 100 g of porridge.

Pancakes, pies, etc. are baked in the same way. The amount of XE of all products included in the pie (sugar, flour, milk) is counted. Weigh the whole pie. The amount of XE dry products is divided by the weight of the pie, the amount of XE in 1 gram is obtained, multiplied by 100 - per 100 g.

It's worth doing this at least a few times. Then you will be convinced that a small piece of pie will carry 6-7 XE.

1. Calculation of the amount of product for the required amount of XE.

To do this, you need to divide 1000 by the amount of carbohydrates per 100 g or 100 divided by the amount of XE per 100 g.

For example, in 100 g of porridge there are 17 g of carbohydrates, 1000/17 = 58 g of porridge per 1 XE.

In the future, such calculations will not be necessary. It’s convenient to develop XE tables for your menu and put them in the kitchen until the calculations become automatic. You can take Rustem's table as a basis.

How much XE should you eat per day?

Body weight deficiency – 25-30 XE per day. Within each category, men use toward the upper end of the range, and women toward the lower end.

It is not recommended to consume more than 7 XE per main meal.

How can you make your life easier? At first, write down your results. We cooked porridge and wrote it down.

Such a sign can be made for all products and hung on the refrigerator. In the future, everything will work out automatically.

At first, you need to keep some formulas on hand:

1. Calculation of carbohydrate content in 100 grams of product (if we prepare food from several ingredients containing carbohydrates)

The amount of all carbohydrates that the product contains/total weight of the product*100

1. Calculation of XE in the product

CARBOHYDRATE CONTENT in 100 g x WEIGHT OF FOOD (in grams)/1000

1. Calculation of the amount of product for the required amount of XE.

1000/ amount of carbohydrates per 100 g.

B. Glycemic index

Foods with different glycemic indexes have different effects on blood sugar over time (whether they raise glucose levels quickly or slowly). The higher the glycemic index, the faster your blood glucose will increase (such foods should be excluded from the diet, but they are good to eat during hypoglycemia).

Fatty foods increase glucose more slowly because fats inhibit the absorption of carbohydrates (fried potatoes will increase glucose less than mashed potatoes; but mashed potatoes can be slowed down with oil).

Liquid foods (especially warm foods) will increase blood glucose faster.

The absorption rate is also affected by:

• degree of processing of the product (the finer, the faster);
• speed of food intake;
• food temperature;
• Is food washed down?

The glycemic index also needs to be taken into account in order to know which foods are best to eat at what time of day. To avoid high blood glucose levels, the action profile of dietary insulin must match the absorption profile of carbohydrates from food. For example, if carbohydrates are absorbed before insulin begins to act, we will get high glucose levels. If later, we can get hypoglycemia.

Depending on the time, insulin acts differently in the body. In the morning, insulin unfolds slowly; to avoid a high food peak, it is necessary to eat foods with a low GI. At lunchtime, insulin works faster - here it is important to combine foods with high and low GI. In the evening, insulin works fastest - foods with a higher GI are suitable.

Approximate list of products depending on meals

If you use ultra-short insulin analogues, then fruits should be included in the main meal (possibly with a short pause after the main meal).

B. Meal frequency.

Depends on the type of insulin. With genetically engineered insulins (monoinsulin, actrapid, humulin, gensulin), snacks are usually necessary at the peak of insulin action, i.e. usually 2 hours after injection).

On analogues (apidra, novorapid), snacks are not needed.

Is it possible to eat extra food when you want and inject extra insulin on it? In principle, it’s possible, but it’s better not to do this until you learn how to compensate, because profiles of different doses will be layered on top of each other. Before this, it is better not to administer a new dose until the previous dose of insulin has been completed (for genetically engineered insulins - 5 hours, for analogues - 4 hours).

D. Pause between insulin administration and food intake.

In addition to the GI of foods, the exposure time between the injection of short-acting insulin and food intake (pause) plays a huge role. Selected individually. The longest break is usually for breakfast. Insulin analogues are administered without a pause or after meals.

More details about the pause are written in the section “Selection of doses of short-term insulin”.

D. Protein-fat units

Proteins and fats do not contain carbohydrates, but after consuming them, carbohydrates (glucose) are produced through biochemical reactions already inside the body and blood glucose can increase. The effect of proteins and fats on blood glucose is very individual and differs from person to person. For some they increase blood glucose, for others they do not. This can only be determined experimentally by measuring glucose after various meals. Very roughly, 100 g of proteins can be equated to one XE.

In any case, the effect of proteins on SC will be much lower than the effect of carbohydrates. At the same time, proteins and fats increase blood glucose slowly and begin to “climb out” after a few hours.

To determine how proteins affect your blood glucose levels, you need to measure your blood glucose 3-4 hours after eating a protein meal (for example, if you ate a lot of meat without carbohydrates, measure your blood glucose level 3-4 hours later).

Pumpkin for the treatment of trophic ulcers

Pumpkin blossoms are also edible. This is an excellent addition to salads and side dishes. However, pumpkin flowers for diabetes are used not only in therapeutic nutrition, they are also recommended as a remedy for the unpleasant manifestations that diabetes provokes.

Trophic ulcers are very common complications of type 2 diabetes. The flowers of the plant will help heal such wounds. To treat, you will need to dry them, then carefully grind them to obtain a powder. Sprinkle this crushed dust onto the ulcers.

Beneficial properties of orange vegetable

Pumpkin is indispensable for dietary nutrition, since it is a low-calorie vegetable (21.4 kcal). It is rich in microelements such as iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamins necessary for the human body.

It also contains fiber, nicotinic acid, pectin, beta-carotene, starch, and water. In addition to the pulp, pumpkin seeds, oil and fresh pumpkin juice are eaten. Pumpkin oil is similar in composition to fish oil. If you add it a little to cooked dishes, it will replace animal fats, which should be limited if you have diabetes.

Not recommended and harmful

Pumpkin for diabetes has not only benefits, but also harm. Although there are no special contraindications to its use, patients with a similar diagnosis should not abuse this product. Before using it in your diet, it is important to consult your doctor.

The specialist will tell you what amount of the product is allowed to be used in the diet in order to ensure a positive effect on the diseased gland in diabetes. It is not recommended to consume the fruit:

• in the presence of individual intolerance to substances contained in the fetus;
• for gestational disease (at the time of pregnancy);
• in situations with severe manifestations of diabetes.

Attention! In order not to provoke complications of diabetes, patients must refuse to eat it raw, although when cooked the fruit loses most of its beneficial qualities.

The ideal option for diabetes is to cook the fruit in the oven. This dish is very healthy and at the same time very tasty. If you are ill, you should remember that the diet must be as balanced as possible, containing a lot of proteins with a minimum of fats and carbohydrates.

Standards of use

The daily dose of the prepared product is 200 g. This will allow you to saturate the body with vitamins and minerals, maintain the balance of nutrients, without fear of sudden spikes in sugar.

Natural fresh vegetable juice can be taken 3 tablespoons three times a day.

Vegetable stew

To prepare stew in a pot, you need to take the following ingredients:

• pumpkin fruit – 1 kg;
• bell pepper – 2 pcs.;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• chicken breast – 400 g;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• tomatoes – 2 pcs.

Cut the onions and tomatoes into rings, grate the carrots, and chop the pepper into strips. Chicken breast is cut into cubes. All ingredients are laid in layers and sprinkled with salt and spices. The contents are filled with water or broth and placed in the oven for an hour.

It is important to know that when preparing pumpkin dishes for diabetes, you cannot fry it in oil. When stewing this product, it is better to add a little sour cream, flaxseed or olive oil.

Soup

Since the ingredients in the following recipe include potatoes, which have a high glycemic index, we suggest preparing one serving of the first course. To do this, you will need to take the following components for 0.5 liters of chicken broth:

• 150 g pumpkin pulp;
• 1 onion;
• 1 carrot;
• 2 medium-sized potatoes;
• 10 g olive oil;
• 25 g rye bread;
• 20 g cheese;
• salt, cilantro and parsley to taste.

While the broth is boiling, cut the vegetables into thin strips and place in the oil heated in a frying pan. Sauté for no more than 15 minutes. Then add them to the boiling broth and bring until cooked. When all the ingredients become soft, the liquid should be poured into a separate container and the vegetables should be chopped in a blender. Afterwards the broth is poured back. Before serving, add rye crackers, grated cheese and herbs.