THE G.I. FACTOR: THE HIGH CARBOHYDRATE DIET

Our bodies burn fuel all the time and the fuel our bodies like best is carbohydrate. Just as you would never try to run your car without petrol—its essential energy source—you should not try to run your body without carbohydrate—your body’s preferred energy source. Carbohydrate is the main fuel we use when we walk, talk, think, move, scratch, sneeze, jump, or sleep. Everything!

You might think of carbohydrate as the all important ingredient that makes foods taste sweet. It is also the starchy part of foods like rice, bread, potatoes and pasta. In fact, carbohydrate is the most widely consumed nutrient in the world, after water. It’s important to the human body because it yields glucose. Glucose is so important that if your diet doesn’t provide enough carbohydrate, your brain signals a shortage of glucose, and muscle tissue will be broken down to supply the shortfall. This basically means that you lose body muscle to feed your brain. Carbohydrate also displaces fat from the diet. While not all fats are bad (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are fine), they are all easy to overconsume, i.e. eat in excess of your requirements. It’s easy to put on excess weight if your diet is dominated by fats. Ideally, 50 to 60 per cent of your daily kilojoule intake should come from carbohydrate.

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IDENTIFICATION BRACELET OR CARD FOR DIABETIC CHILDREN

Your child should always carry some identification

It is wise for your child to wear some means of identification at all times.

It is perhaps most unlikely that an emergency will arise when no one that knows him is with your child, but as the possibility does exist, you should be prepared.

Accidents can happen on the way to school or visiting friends, or perhaps he may have a hypo while he is away from home. In either event he may not be able to tell anyone he has diabetes, and this could mean he is not given the appropriate treatment promptly.

Most children now wear identification as a bracelet on the wrist or on a chain. You may have your own engraved or use one supplied by organizations such as the S.O.S. Talisman or Medic Alert bracelet.

Teenagers may carry a card

Teenagers may prefer to have a card giving full information.

It is suggested that you have your child’s name, address and telephone number, the word ‘Diabetes’ and the name and telephone number of his own doctor or hospital to be called in an emergency.

If your child carries this information at all times you will have the security of knowing he would be properly cared for in the unlikely event of a severe hypo reaction or accident when away from home.

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