Low Carb Diet

[Nightowl]

Some people have asked what my son eats on a typical day. Below are some examples.
Breakfast My son’s breakfast will be anywhere from 6 to 12 carbs, depending on what he wants. On school days, especially when he is taking an exam, he wouldn’t go over 6 carbs. Typical breakfast foods for my son include the following:

● 2 or 3 scrambled eggs (0.4 carbs each) I use Eggland‘s Best (high in Vit. E / Omega 3)
● 4 to 6 strips of nitrate free turkey bacon
● Sausage (2 for 1 carb)
● 1 flaxmeal pancake (4 carbs) We use Davinci sugar free syrups on them, usually
pancake syrup or cherry flavor.
● cup of cocoa (4 carbs) I make this with 1 T raw cocoa that I specially order because of
its nutrient content, 1 cup almond milk, vanilla, and either Stevia or liquid Splenda
● Strawberries and/or blueberries (3 carbs)
● Zucchini muffins (2 carbs each)
● Low carb yogurt with chia seeds (3.5 carbs)
● Salmon
●2 egg omelet with cheese and veges of your choice (4 carbs)

Today, because he slept in and was really hungry, he had 3 scrambled eggs, 6 strips of turkey bacon, blueberries, one flaxmeal pancake, and a cup of cocoa. Total carbs - 12.2

Lunch A typical lunch would be a huge salad that we call “The Salad.” It consists of a mix of lettuces and greens, baby spinach, a few blanched broccoli florets (or asparagus tops or other vege I happen to have). I will also vary it by adding things like kale or water cress or arugala. I really try to include a variety of different veges. He likes Marzetti’s Supreme Caesar dressing for 1 carb per two tablespoons. I then sprinkle 2 T. of flaxmeal and 2 T. of parmesan cheese on it – this adds a little crunch in place of croutons. (8 carbs)

He will also have a protein like rotisserie chicken or steamed salmon. He eats huge quantities of meat. I try to do all my own sauces and marinades so they are carb free.

Strawberries (3 or 4 carbs)


Dinner A typical dinner might include southern fried chicken (soy flour/seasoning coating dipped in an egg wash and deep fried in canola oil) for 4 carbs. Right now this is his favorite. Steamed zucchini, or stir fry bok choy, or cauliflower (mock mashed potatos) (6 carbs)
Low carb ice cream (4 carbs)

Tonight I am making pork tenderloin with curry over cauliflower (mock couscous) 7 carbs per serving. He will eat two servings for a total of 14 carbs.

I have about 20 low carb cookbooks. I let him go through and pick different foods that we try. I highly recommend the George Stella cookbooks. Flip through the color pictures and read George Stella’s personal story about his family and why they adopted a low carb lifestyle for purely health (not diabetes) reasons. I think you will begin to have a new appreciation for how wonderful the food can be.

Snacks Some of his favorite snacks are:
Almonds (13 grams for 1 carb)
Sugar free jello
Chicken salad (chicken, canola mayo mixed with flax oil and a little celery) on flax crackers. The flax crackers are great because the fiber content is equal to the carbs. Sometimes he just grabs a bag of flax crackers and snacks on those.
Cheese
Turkey/cheese rolls
I also have a variety of 2 carb muffins around
Fruit (2 or 3 carbs)
veges

One thing we always do when he is home and tests and he is below his target (for example tests at 72), he will eat a few grams of fruit to bring himself up instead of glucose tablets. Actually, my son eats much more fruit now than he did before. I guess that says something about how much fruit he eats now or how negligent I was before.

[Twinklet]

Thank you for posting this. You have given me some good ideas for alternate breakfasts.

Where do you get your specially ordered cocoa mix? Your recipe for hot cocoa sounds wonderful and I'd like to try it--my kids love hot cocoa!

I would also like the zucchini muffin recipe if you can post it or PM me. We LOVE zucchini here, and love muffins. I generally make my own muffins so they're whole-grain with a lot of fiber.

[Jacob'sDad]

Awesome, Nightowl.
Thanks for the info.:D

[hypercarmona]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but how much insulin does he take for the meals that you listed? Do you usually use a square wave bolus because of the fat?
I can usually get away without taking any insulin for a meal (meat, veggies, etc.) containing 10 grams of carb, or slightly more if it has a generous helping of fiber, protein and fat, and not spike over 140. If I were to follow Bernstein, I'd most likely never take any apidra, or very little. As tempting as this sounds, though, I just can't stand the feeling of ketones. I eat as few carbs as it takes for me to keep stable BG, but enough to avoid ketones.

One thing we always do when he is home and tests and he is below his target (for example tests at 72), he will eat a few grams of fruit to bring himself up instead of glucose tablets.

One of my favorite things to do! :D I usually start to treat a "low" at 80-90 (because of hypo unawareness), and I like having a handful of strawberries or a small plum when I'm at this number instead of the chalk tabs. Anything lower than that gets juice, but I love having an excuse to eat fruit. :p

[Twinklet]

Great questions! Nightowl, does your son experience ketones with his low-carb diet?

And I'd like to echo Hypercaroma's questions about extended boluses. When my daughter eats just eggs and bacon with nothing else, she will spike 50-80 points from the fat and protein alone. I have to bolus for protein and fat and do an extended or dual-wave on the pump.

[twodoor2]

Okay Nightowl, when are you going to write a low-carb cookbook. With your writing skills, and you're imagination, I think it would be a bestseller!!

. . . I wish I ate that good. :rolleyes:

Cudos to you for straying away from the highly processed, junky American diet and thanks for the great ideas. :D

BTW, are there any "staple" food items in your house that you keep at all times?

What are your recipies for the flaxmeal pancakes and the zucchini muffins (wow, only 2 carbs a muffin??).

[twodoor2]

Great questions! Nightowl, does your son experience ketones with his low-carb diet?

And I'd like to echo Hypercaroma's questions about extended boluses. When my daughter eats just eggs and bacon with nothing else, she will spike 50-80 points from the fat and protein alone. I have to bolus for protein and fat and do an extended or dual-wave on the pump.

Andie,
Do you think it would work better with turkey bacon (less fat) and using a cooking spray like Pam instead of butter?

We have the "fat" problem in our house as well. Does your daughter spike from protein alone, or is it a combination of fat and protein (Elizabeth can spike from those two alone).

[sammysmom]

I also give Sam the low carb hot cocoa. I do not special order it though. I think that what I buy is the swiss miss brand, it says either diet or low carb, I really can not remember. It is only 4gms. Add a little bit of light cool whip and yum...no spike either and he does not go to bed (that is when he has his cocoa) with a lot of IOB.

[Nightowl]

Here is my Hot Chocolate recipe:


Hot Chocolate

1 C almond milk

1 T cocoa

1 pkg Stevia (plus one squirt of Sugar free Davinci Sweetening syrup)

¼ tsp vanilla

Net Carb total - 4 Calorie total -100

Notes about this recipe – Make sure you buy unsweetened almond milk. I usually buy Blue Diamond Natural for 1 net carb per 8 oz. It comes in regular and vanilla flavor. I like the vanilla. It adds just a touch of extra sweetness and flavor.
Make sure the Stevia packets you buy do not contain “rice maltodextrin.” I have made that mistake. Also, to add a little extra sweetness – I have started adding one squirt of Sugar Free DaVinci Gourmet “Sweetening Syrup.” I buy all my DaVinci syrups on line from www.Netrition.com . No matter how much you order, shipping is only $4.99. It is the best price all the way around. I literally have dozens of the Davinci syrups. They taste great and are helpful in so many recipes.
My cocoa is organic raw cacao powder from Sunfood Nutrition. I read a lot of medical studies about the benefit of cocoa and glycemic control. This particular distributor makes stunning claims about the flavanoids in their product. Who knows? I figure that as long as my kids love hot chocolate, which they do, I might as well get the biggest nutritional bang out of it. Plus, the taste is amazing. It has a deeper richer chocolate flavor. Here are a few links about cocao:


http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/81/3/541

http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/Articles/antioxidant_cocoa_reducesrisks060307.htm

This article indicates that the cocoa used in the studies are not standard brands you can buy at stores. After a lot of research, I came up with this brand as the best that I can find.
http://www.sunfood.com/b2c/ecom/ecomEnduser/items/xt_itemDetailNF.aspx?itemNum=1004&siteId=1&bulkexists=0

Read the product description. It sounds amazing. It’s more expensive than other brands, but I can vouch for the amazing flavor.

[Nightowl]

My son's carb range is anywhere from 30 to 50 a day. I am sure he spends some time in a state of ketosis. Ketones that occur in conjunction with a low carb diet, even for a diabetic, are only a problem in the presence of high blood sugars. My son rarely tests above 120. Blood sugars have to be 240 before ketones can become a problem.
I know the thought of ketones sounds frightening. Go to the link I have posted below and then go to speakers and then scroll down to Dr. Jovanovic’s speech entitled “Optimized Diabetes Therapy – Limiting Glycemic Fluctuations.” Listen to her entire speech. She will give you comfort on this topic.

http://www.diabetes-symposium.org/

Dr. Bernstein’s book, Diabetes Solution, also addresses this issue. A poster in another thread mentioned that Dr. Atkins’ book said ketones were not good for diabetics. Actually, his book distinguishes the terms “ketones” and “ketoacidosis.” He clarifies that ketoacidosis only occurs in diabetics when they have “out-of-control blood-sugar levels.”
Remember, there are many diabetics, type 1 and type 2, who use a low carb diet to manage their diabetes. At some point we can discuss links to low carb/diabetes forums where you can get more comfort on this issue.

[Twinklet]

Marsha, we do use nitrate-free turkey bacon and a non-stick spray. She still has a spike, and I'm sure it's from protein. Adding fat into the mix makes it worse. We discovered this when we tried to allow her to eat protein and fat during basal testing. So now basal testing = no food in this house. :(

Shannon, we have also used the Swiss Miss low carb cocoa. It's not bad!

Thanks for the ideas, NightOwl. I've read a lot of information from Dr. Bernstein and I do not agree with his approach at all; you'll have a hard time finding many people who support him--he's very controversial and few agree with his research and his methods. Have you read any books or information from his critics? James Hirsch has a chapter devoted to Dr. Bernstein in his book, "Cheating Destiny". It was VERY interesting, to say the least.

I will listen to the lecture on ketosis and T1D later (I have several children over right now and things are loud). I have notes on ketosis and T1D from a class I took. I'll review them and see how it matches up with the lecture you linked (all I can recall now is that the instructor for our class was not keen on people with T1D causing food-based ketosis. I'll have to look up why).

Finally, I'd like the recipe for your 1-carb zucchini muffins. What do you use in place of flour?

[Nightowl]

I've read a lot of information from Dr. Bernstein and I do not agree with his approach at all; you'll have a hard time finding many people who support him--he's very controversial and few agree with his research and his methods. Have you read any books or information from his critics? James Hirsch has a chapter devoted to Dr. Bernstein in his book, "Cheating Destiny".

I have read Cheating Destiny. Hirsch didn't say Bernstein's apprach was flawed or ineffective. He simply said it was extreme and he wasn't willing, personally, to have his child give up mainstream food in order to normalize blood sugars. I thought Hirsch took a lot of cheap shots at Bernstein. He made much of the fact that Bernstein pricks the top of his fingers and injects through his shirt. I think when you have been a type 1 as long as Bernstein and moved the science forward as much as Bernstein has, notwithstanding his numerous critics, you are entitled to a few eccentricities.

[Twinklet]

I have read Cheating Destiny. Hirsch didn't say Bernstein's apprach was flawed or ineffective. He simply said it was extreme and he wasn't willing, personally, to have his child give up mainstream food in order to normalize blood sugars. I thought Hirsch took a lot of cheap shots at Bernstein. He made much of the fact that Bernstein pricks the top of his fingers and injects through his shirt. I think when you have been a type 1 as long as Bernstein and moved the science forward as much as Bernstein has, notwithstanding his numerous critics, you are entitled to a few eccentricities.

OK, I'll go with you to a certain point. But you have to admit that Bernstein is quite financially motivated by his approach, though--a charge frequently applied to the standard diabetes industry. But Bernstein is not an industry--he's an individual doctor who charges people $5500 for a 3-day day visit and $480 an hour after (and will not speak to people on the phone--they must fly to his home). Then he wants patients to buy his $150 CD-ROM set. He refuses to bill insurance, demanding payment directly from the patient. He will not write prescriptions; the pharmacists must call him. Clearly altruism and "helping people" is not on his agenda. :rolleyes:

Some other "unconventional" beliefs of Dr.Bernstein's include telling patients not to drink any water unless they're very thirsty because drinking water can lead to kidney disease :rolleyes: and telling all patients, even children, to eliminate snacks (although apparently sugar-free Jello is fine for growing kids to snack on :rolleyes:). He has stated there is no medical justification for an insulin pump (apparently he hasn't read research on pump therapy).

The people whom James Hirsch interviewed reported that Dr. Bernstein was often hypoglycemic. I wonder if his "eccentricities" are related to brain glucose starvation from persistent ketosis.

The bottom line is that Bernstein's approach is not the only way (or the safest way) to maintain good glycemic control, and science has shown that repeatedly. Is it not necessary--or nessarily safe (the brain requires dietary glucose for adequate function)--to adopt an extreme, archaic diet in order to decrease the risk of complications. One only has to look at the statistics of the Joslin club to see that. I personally know 2 people who have had T1D for 33 and 36 years. Neither has had any complications and both eat mainstream, high-carb diets. In fact, when they were diagnosed both were on animal insulins and a "sugar free" ADA diet (both also admit to being relatively non-compliant as teens).

It is a matter of knowing HOW to utilize insulin to meet the carbohydrates ingested rather than strictly limiting them. It does require a learning curve, but it can be done.

[saxmaniac]

Blood sugars have to be 240 before ketones can become a problem.

Please explain, because this sounds like very dangerous advice to me, as the parent of a child who can get ketones easily. Sure, you are supposed to check for ketones when you get unexpected readings over 240, but it does not follow that they cannot be a problem at lower BG.

Parents who have had their children hospitalized when their children had ketones and unable to keep their sugars up, would disagree. Are you saying I ignore that 2.2 on the ketone meter just because his bg is only 200?

[susan]

Please explain, because this sounds like very dangerous advice to me, as the parent of a child who can get ketones easily.

Parents who have had their children hospitalized when their children had ketones and unable to keep their sugars up, would disagree. Are you saying I ignore that 2.2 on the ketone meter just because his bg is only 200?

I was going to ask that too..Davis has been in the er with high ketones and low blood sugar..I was under the understanding that all ketones no matter what the bs was weren't good..

[danismom79]

Thanks for posting, Nightowl.

Can you give the total carbs for the cocoa (and other recipes if you happen to post them)?

Also, can you tell us your insulin delivery method and typical doses?

And about the ketones: in the hospital we were only told to check when BG went over 250, but a couple of weeks after dx my daughter got an awful stomach bug and I very quickly learned about starvation ketones, that had to be "fed" with sugar.

ETA: I think that when our kids are sick and have low blood sugar, it's the stress of the illness combined with the ketones that makes it dangerous. I believe that when illness is absent, blood sugar is "normal," but one is still in a state of ketosis, it doesn't necessarily present a problem.

But BG definitely does not have to be above 240 to become a problem.

[Nightowl]

Saxmaniac...I hope this answers your question. At least this is my understanding. According to Medical Management of Type 1 Diabetes, 4th Edition, published by the American Diabetes Association in 2004, page 127, “In DKA…blood glucose is generally >250 mg/dl(>13.9 mmol/l), and ketones are elevated. DKA is always due to absolute or relative insulin deficiency.” The book goes on to say that “blood glucose concentrations <250 mg/dl (<13.9 mmol/l) usually excludes DKA ….” This is consistent with what my son’s doctors have always told us -- You don’t need to check for ketones unless blood sugar is 240 or higher. Ragnar Hanan, MD, PhP explains in his book Type 1 Diabetes on page 29 that “In normal circumstances, ketones are used as fuel by your muscles, heart, kidney and brain. If you have diabetes, ketones are produced in excess when there is a lack of insulin in your body….” I think the discussion in The Johns Hopkins Guide to Diabetes for Today and Tomorrow, by Christopher D. Saudek, M.D., Richard R. Rubin, PhD., CDE, and Cynthia S. Shump, R.N., CDE, is helpful. On page 289 it states, “Ketones are the chemical by-product of fat breakdown, just as ashes are the by-product of burned wood. There is always some amount of fat breakdown taking place in the human body and always some normal amount of ketones in the blood.” On page 292, the book states that “DKA can definitely be prevented. In fact, we consider DKA to be the result of a major breakdown in routine diabetes care. At least in theory, there is no reason for anyone to develop DKA….” It is my understanding that it is the combination of ketones with high blood sugars (higher than 240) that can result in ketoacidosis. As long as the diabetic is taking the appropriate amount of insulin DKA shouldn’t be a concern or a reason not to go on a low carb diet. The first book I cited said that when someone presents with DKA and their BS are lower than 240, it is typically because they were being treated with insulin and water. We have not had to test my son even a single time for ketones since we went on the low carb diet back in March because he has never come anywhere close to a reading of 240; in fact, I can only remember five or six readings above 140, and he has never gone higher than the 180s. That is part of the beauty and the benefits of the tight control that can be achieved with a low carb diet.
Also, I doubt that my son really spends much time in ketosis. If he does, it probably isn’t more than the average person because his carb intake is higher than 20 grams, which is what the Atkin’s Diet induction phase calls for. We have never tested him or worried about it. Has your son been in DKA with a blood sugar of only 200?

[Nightowl]

Flaxmeal Zucchini Muffins


12 muffins
85 calories
7g fat
4g protein
2g net carbs
(4carbs - 3g fiber)

_______________
3 Eggs
1/4 cup plus tablespoons oil
1/4 cup sugar free syrup, such as DaVinci--I use Vanilla
1 tablespoons water
2 tablespoon of vanilla
1 cup flaxmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
1 Cup grated zucchini

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. With a fork or spoon,
beat in oil, syrup, water and vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients, then stir into
egg mixture.

Let stand 5 minutes.

Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups (don’t use paper).
I use the flex mat muffin pans so that I don’t have to grease them. Otherwise, I think they come out a little greasy

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 18 minutes or until they are lightly browned.



The net carb count for the hot chocolate is 4.

[twodoor2]

. . . is flaxmeal something you can use in place of regular flour in many recipies?

[Jacob'sDad]

Nightowl I think you're just plain wrong on the DKA thing. Jacob has developed ketones when he was sick and throwing up. If he has been given insulin and then gets sick and starts to puke his BG will drop because he has too much insulin in his system and no food digesting. The only thing that gets rid of the ketones is fluids and insulin. If I can't get his BG up enough to give him insulin, then his ketones will continue to climb to dangerous levels.
When I couldn't get his BG up any other way I have used mini dose glucagon rescue to bring it up.
Many on this forum, including me, have had their children end up in the ER and put on a dextrose drip in order to rehydrate and get BG up enough to give insulin. There have been many posts where parents were in a panic because the ER staff did not know enough about D or DKA to understand the importance of raising BG so that insulin could be given. They see a BG in range and assume it is fine and doesn't need to go higher, so they leave it alone and ketones continue to climb. They don't realize that BG MUST GO UP SO THAT INSULIN CAN BE GIVEN OR THE KETONES WON'T GO AWAY.

[Nightowl]

Here is the recipe for

Flaxmeal Cinnamon Pancakes

2 large eggs
1/4 cup water
1 T. vanilla extract (no sugar added)
1/2 C Almond Flour
1/4 C. milled flax seed
1/4 cup sugar substitute (I now use 1/2 tea. liquid stevia or a few drops of
liquid splenda)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda

I sprinkle cinnamon on top, put on a few grams of blueberries and add davinci carb free maple syrup.

The batter recipe yields 4 pancakes, each with net carbs of 4

Enjoy!

[danismom79]

This is consistent with what my son’s doctors have always told us -- You don’t need to check for ketones unless blood sugar is 240 or higher.

If your son ever gets sick to the point where he can't eat or drink, I would suggest that you check for ketones. At these times of illness, people often have to reduce the amount of insulin to account for the lack of food. Lack of adequate insulin, combined with the inability to fuel the body can lead to high ketones pretty quickly.

There are a few case reports here (http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:yUEfb3Wxpa0J:www.bjhm.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/library/article.cgi%3Fuid%3D2252%3Barticle%3Dhm_64_9_557_5 58+Euglycaemic+diabetic+ketoacidosis&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us). The lowest BG in these reports was 10.6 mmol/L (190 mg/dl, which I know is way beyond acceptable for you, but will most likely happen at some point) and the person was in DKA.

And if I'm not mistaken, there was someone on this board who's son was in a coma with low or normal BG. That's what I gathered from other posts though, I never saw the original post. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[twodoor2]

Marsha, we do use nitrate-free turkey bacon and a non-stick spray. She still has a spike, and I'm sure it's from protein.

Elizabeth had a semi-low carb lunch today, some lightly breaded fish, and 10g of berries - about 20g for the whole lunch. She spiked to the upper 200's later, even on a high temp basal for two hours (I do that when she has this fish). I know it's not fatty breading (it was very low fat actually), it's got to be the protein. Protein does have an effect on blood sugars for some diabetics.

Now, I have never tried fat all by itself (ever feed your kid a stick of butter, not very yummy:p), but I wonder if that would have an effect. The recipies that Nightowl posted make heavy use of nut meals (flax and/or almond), and although they're very low carb, the fat content I'm guessing might be high. I wonder if just giving those would make her spike.:confused:

They do sound extraordinarily delicious and healthy though. I'm still going to try them. (thanks Nightowl:D). I'm guessing they would also be good to give to children if you're worried about hypo's at night, due to the nut meals.

[danismom79]

Here is the recipe for

Flaxmeal Cinnamon Pancakes

2 large eggs
1/4 cup water
1 T. vanilla extract (no sugar added)
1/2 C Almond Flour
1/4 C. milled flax seed
1/4 cup sugar substitute (I now use 1/2 tea. liquid stevia or a few drops of
liquid splenda)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda

I sprinkle cinnamon on top, put on a few grams of blueberries and add davinci carb free maple syrup.

The batter recipe yields 4 pancakes, each with net carbs of 4

Enjoy!

Do you use a lot of Splenda, and/or products sweetened with Splenda? I actually hate baking with it, but I've only tried granular.

I just had a little giggle thinking about all of the people who would be aghast that you tout such a healthy diet chock full of Splenda. That's not a jab at you at all, honest.

[Nightowl]

Jacob’s Dad…I don’t doubt what you say is true. Sickness is an entirely different situation. We have not yet experienced illness/ throwing up with diabetes, and I live in fear of it. I don’t have any special knowledge in that area. What I am saying is that any ketones that occur as a result of a low carb diet are no more dangerous than the ketones that we all periodically have – like when we sleep in and skip a meal. Putting aside illness, the mere presence of ketones when blood glucose is under 240 shouldn’t be a problem. In otherwords, if your basal rates are all set right and you are taking plenty of insulin to cover your meals and your bg is under 240 – then any ketones that result from a low carb diet won’t cause DKA. I don’t think people should be discouraged from trying low carb because they are afraid of ketones. I know that if your kid has diarrhea, vomiting or fever all bets are off . We were told to check for ketones if this happens and to call in regardless of the ketone result. Danismom79 I appreciate the advice. I should read up on sick day procedures because I know I can’t avoid it forever.

[Nightowl]

[QUOTE=twodoor2;212100] I have never tried fat all by itself (ever feed your kid a stick of butter, not very yummy:p), but I wonder if that would have an effect. QUOTE]

On the fat issue, I have read that fat has zero impact on blood sugars, except that it can slow down the digestion of carbohydrates. I did actually read somewhere that if you drank oil it would have no impact on blood sugars.
What was the breading that you fed Elizabeth? Also, fruit is very fast acting. As you know, Bernstein doesn't eat any fruit. I do incorporate fruit, but I try to do it in small quantities. I usually do 2 or 3 grams at one sitting. I will go as high as 4. But the fruit does lead to a spike.

[Jacob'sDad]

Jacob’s Dad…I don’t doubt what you say is true. Sickness is an entirely different situation. We have not yet experienced illness/ throwing up with diabetes, and I live in fear of it. I don’t have any special knowledge in that area. What I am saying is that any ketones that occur as a result of a low carb diet are no more dangerous than the ketones that we all periodically have – like when we sleep in and skip a meal. Putting aside illness, the mere presence of ketones when blood glucose is under 240 shouldn’t be a problem. In otherwords, if your basal rates are all set right and you are taking plenty of insulin to cover your meals and your bg is under 240 – then any ketones that result from a low carb diet won’t cause DKA. I don’t think people should be discouraged from trying low carb because they are afraid of ketones. I know that if your kid has diarrhea, vomiting or fever all bets are off . We were told to check for ketones if this happens and to call in regardless of the ketone result. Danismom79 I appreciate the advice. I should read up on sick day procedures because I know I can’t avoid it forever.

I agree with you there. I'm sorry if I misinterpreted what you were trying to say. I've done low carb myself, lost a bunch of weight, and never worried about ketones. In all likelihood I had them. I just have trouble keeping my diet on the lower carb side so I don't gain the weight back. I'm getting some good meal ideas from you diet posts!

[Twinklet]

I think Nightowl is right about ketosis vs ketoacidosis; low BG + ketones usually indicates ketosis--not enough carbs, but adequate insulin. The body is utilizing the by-products of fat for fuel. It is not the ideal solution, IMO, because the brain really needs glucose for fuel. It can use ketones, but that is the emergency fall-back option. Currently the jury is out regarding the safety of these low-carb diets in the long-term. I do want to protect my daughter's brain and that is the main reason I wouldn't even think of trying this with a growing child.

Ketoacidosis results from a lack of insulin and is different than ketosis. The solution for ketoacidosis is more insulin, not more carbs.

When kids go to the ER with ketones and low BG, they typically have enough circulating insulin but have developed ketones from starvation or vomiting. They need a dextrose IV to provide carbs more than they need additional insulin.

This is how I understand the situation, anyway. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Nightowl, thanks for the recipes. I may try the zucchini one because we like zucchini.

Regarding fat: I've read that fat does increase blood glucose. IIRC it's about 10% of the total. We definitely notice a HUGE difference in BG when my daughter eats only protein + fat, although I haven't actually tried to get her to eat pure fat yet. LOL!

[hypercarmona]

This is how I understand the situation, anyway. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

It sounds about right to me, but I would add that another major contributor to DKA is dehydration, which is almost always present when there are high blood sugars. Rehydration is just as important as insulin when you're in DKA, and the two have to be carefully balanced when DKA is being treated in order to reduce the likelihood of edema in the brain. At diagnosis, I remember constantly being asked if I had a "headache" and told that I couldn't go to sleep, even if I felt really tired. They watch for both of those symptoms during treatment for DKA, because they are indicators of fluid/swelling on the brain. Too much insulin or fluid at once, and the cells just swell and burst.

Regarding fat: I've read that fat does increase blood glucose. IIRC it's about 10% of the total. We definitely notice a HUGE difference in BG when my daughter eats only protein + fat, although I haven't actually tried to get her to eat pure fat yet. LOL! Yuck! :p

[twodoor2]

[QUOTE=twodoor2;212100] I have never tried fat all by itself (ever feed your kid a stick of butter, not very yummy:p), but I wonder if that would have an effect. QUOTE]

On the fat issue, I have read that fat has zero impact on blood sugars, except that it can slow down the digestion of carbohydrates. I did actually read somewhere that if you drank oil it would have no impact on blood sugars.
What was the breading that you fed Elizabeth? Also, fruit is very fast acting. As you know, Bernstein doesn't eat any fruit. I do incorporate fruit, but I try to do it in small quantities. I usually do 2 or 3 grams at one sitting. I will go as high as 4. But the fruit does lead to a spike.

Here's all the nutritional information on the fish. It has enriched wheat flour, but it's one of the few fishes she'll eat, and so I buy it. Maybe it is the breading, but I do squeeze the fat out of it, and it doesn't really matter. I bake it. We just got a grill, so I'm looking forward to experimenting with fish that she'll like.

http://www.tridentseafoods.com/retail/products.php?id=623

We do give lots of fruit, but the spikes are minimal, and when dosed corretly, are managable. The things that spike her are any high GI food like hard baked crust, cereals, oatmeal, rice, and when she eats pure white bread without any protein. I haven't tried potatoes yet (terrified), but I'm sure that would as well.

[Nightowl]

Hi Twodoor2…You don’t need to worry about any fats that your daughter eats, apart from the fact that the fat will slow down the carbs. Only carbs, which are broken down into glucose and protein, which can be converted to glucose, can cause a rise in BG. Fat can never be converted to glucose so it can never, in and of itself, cause a rise in BG.
Manufacturers are allowed a 20% margin of error in their labeling of ingredients, so you can't trust their carb counts. Your fish pkg indicates 18 grams for 3.3 ounces. It could be higher. Plus, the corn syrup is not necessary. I get mad whenever manufacurers put in corn syrup. Try this recipe for breading. This is from the second George Stella book. I use it for chicken and onion rings and other veges. It works great for that. I have never used it for fish. I hope it works. I have sweet marinades that Elizabeth might like, but if she likes the breading this is worth a try.
2 ⅓ cups soy flour
2 tea salt
1 tea ground black pepper
1 tea garlic powder
1 tea poultry seasoning

The entire batch of breading is 47 grams of carbs. I dip whatever I am breading in the breading mix, then dip in an eggwash (egg plus almond milk) then back into the breading. You will find that most of the breading ends up on your fingers and never actually cooked onto your food. When I use it for chicken, I calculate 5 carbs for 2 large pieces of chicken. I think it would be a lot less for a piece of fish, plus you probably don't want the breading that thick. Since Elizabeth is so little she will probably only eat 3 carbs of breading. If Elizabeth doesn't like it, let me know.
You can mix up 3 or 4 batches of the breading at a time and keep it in gallon size ziplock bags. Part of the difficulty with cooking everything from scratch is the time requirement. I try to do as much in advance as I can. When I do my pancake batter, I mix up three recipes at a time and keep it in the plastic airtight containers with the push button lock tops (Bed Bath & Beyond).
With the fruit, try doing 2 grams at a time. Fruit really spikes. That is why Bernstein doesn’t eat it at all. I think that fruit can be worked in without sacrificing BS control. I weigh fruit and put it in 2 and 3 gram size snack baggies, with little labels indicating the grams. I always tell my son to eat the fruit at the end of his meal, then it is like pre bolusing. Also, with the pump, it makes it easy to just have a 2 gram blueberry snack with a piece of cheese. Also, having the fruit already weighed and labeled would make it convenient for when Elizabeth is a little low but not so low that she needs fast acting glucose.
Try the same meal with Elizabeth with this new breading and only two grams of fruit, and add a small salad and maybe a piece of cheese if she is still hungry and needs more food.
Test her spike about 68 minutes after she takes her first bite. A researcher determined that on average, at least with the pool of diabetics she tested, diabetics experience their spike 68 minutes after the first bite.

[moco89]

Do you use a lot of Splenda, and/or products sweetened with Splenda? I actually hate baking with it, but I've only tried granular.

I just had a little giggle thinking about all of the people who would be aghast that you tout such a healthy diet chock full of Splenda.

Stevia is a natural sweetener. It has no carbs, and it tastes just like sugar. Go to a vitamin store or a health foods store. They all have it.

[twodoor2]

I always tell my son to eat the fruit at the end of his meal, then it is like pre bolusing.

Nightowl thanks for all the recipies and tips. I'm going to print them out. That was very kind of you, and I agree about corn syrup. 99% of everything I buy doesn't have it, but she really likes this fish, so I cave in since corn syrup is at the bottom of the ingredient list. I also think the above tip, eat the highest GI food at the end of the meal, like fruit, is helpful so that it is like prebolusing. That's a great tip!!:D

Is there any particular oil that you use to cook with. I use olive oil the most and sometimes sesame for more Asian style dishes. I need to get more flaxseed oil in her food, but I don't know if it's good for frying.

Please continue to post more helpful recipies because I'm culinary-challenged!!:p

[Karenwith4]

Marsha if you cook or bake with flax seed oil you will destroy the positive nutrional elements (the efas). It needs to be kept in the fridge or it will go rancid quickly. You can cook or bake with olive, grapeseed or canola oils.
hth
Karen

[twodoor2]

Karen, Nightowl, anyone,
What is the consistency of food baked with almondmeal or flaxmeal? Just curious. I'm still going to try them, but I was wondering about your take on it.

[Karenwith4]

My kids don't notice a consistency difference when I add ground flax. It isn't much different than stone ground wheat imo. I have added it to everything from chocolate cake to oatmeal cookies to crumble toppings for muffins or fruit to breading for chicken strips.
I often add it to oatmeal and as long as it is in from the beginning it softens up so that it isn't noticeable. My kids are used to whole wheat and alternative grains. I would guess kids used to white flour products may notice a difference.
I haven't baked/cooked with almond meal so I can't help you there but I am interested in hearing what others say.

[twodoor2]

My kids don't notice a consistency difference when I add ground flax. It isn't much different than stone ground wheat imo. I have added it to everything from chocolate cake to oatmeal cookies to crumble toppings for muffins or fruit to breading for chicken strips.
I often add it to oatmeal and as long as it is in from the beginning it softens up so that it isn't noticeable. My kids are used to whole wheat and alternative grains. I would guess kids used to white flour products may notice a difference.
I haven't baked/cooked with almond meal so I can't help you there but I am interested in hearing what others say.

My kids, in particular Elizabeth, eat lots of multi-grain bread and very little white bread. She likes any kind of bread to tell you the truth, and now she's experimenting with other foods (much to my surprise). She even tried a Japanese squid seafood salad I was eating the other day. :eek: How many 5 year olds eat that?!

I have to say that although diabetes is not fun, it has urged me to try to be more cognizant of what goes into their mouths. I'm always now on the lookout to finding nutritious, healthy AND good tasting foods as well. Yes it is possible to have something healthy and tasty at the same time.:p. Before diabetes, she was so picky, now she's really experimenting a lot.

I have to get the liquid stevia without the maltodextrin. I'll make sure I look out for that. I'm still ambivalent about splenda, and I rather use natural sweeteners. She does have the omega-3 supplement sweetened with stevia every day, and she loves it (brand coreomega).

[Nightowl]

I use olive oil for almost everything. I also love the flavor of sesame oil and always use it when I stir fry. I know flaxseed oil has the highest percentage of Omega 3s but like Karenwith4 mentioned, you can’t cook with it. I always add it to canola mayonnaise when I mix up chicken or tuna salad and I also add it to salad dressing. Nobody even notices. I do use canola oil when I deep fry.

Danismom79...You are so right. Before my son was diagnosed I really avoided all artificial sweeteners. Now I guess I consider certain ones to be the lesser of two evils, because I know for a fact that sugar will raise my son’s BG level and therefore isn't good for him. I do use Stevia and liquid Splenda quite a bit. I know some sweeteners like aspartame are pretty bad, so I avoid them. I avoid powdered Splenda because it is cut with maltodextrin which probably raises BG levels higher than regular sugar. I haven’t read anything too terrible about Stevia or liquid Splenda, so I do use those under the theory that they are better than sugar. I may have to tweak things later and try to avoid using even those. I have to mail order liquid Splenda in its pure form because you can’t buy it anywhere. I also buy it in the form of Davinci syrup.

Low carb baking does tend to be a little dry. That is the only negative thing about cooking with flaxmeal and almond meal. With the pancake recipe I gave you, you might want to try embedding 1 or 2 grams of blueberries in the pancake while it cooks. This adds moisture. Also, I just purchased some carb free fiber fillers to try to improve the texture of low carb baked items. I ordered them from Expertfoods.com. I'll have to let you know how they work.

I have a wonderful recipe for salmon that I will post in the recipe section. My very picky 9 year old loves it. It is the right amount of sweet and so delicious. It might help young kids love salmon and it has virtually no carbs.

[danismom79]

Nightowl, I made a post about this days ago, but I'll ask you: have you used agave? I'm really interested to try it, and it supposedly has a pretty low GI.

[twodoor2]

Nightowl, is there any type/brand of Stevia you use? I just got some at the local organic healthfood grocer (along with the other ingredients you mentioned). I'm dying to try those zucchini muffins.

[twodoor2]

Well, I made the zucchini muffins, but they were sweetened with stevia and I didn't find them too appetizing (probably because I'm also a terrible cook, I could ruin pasta), but Elizabeth really liked it. :eek::D I was in shock!! Well, that's great since I can make her all kinds of things with flaxmeal, and I think she'll go for it.:D

I'm sure if I cooked it with splenda, it would have been much better. The stevia kind of wore off after cooking. There are different kinds of liquid stevia at the organic grocer as well, some are more concentrated. Any suggestions on that as well?

ETA: I didn't dose her at all for the muffin, and she didn't spike at all with the remaining bolus she had in her system. Now how great and easy is that?!! I think a low carb breakfast is the way to go when she goes to kindergarden so I don't have to worry about bolus in her system sending her low. Maybe I can do the flaxmeal pancakes, a little cream cheese, and flip flop days with sausages.

[Nightowl]

Danismom79 - I have never used agave nectar. I don’t know much about the health benefits of it, but I did just briefly read that in producing agave nectar they heat and reduce it to produce a concentrate that is 80 to 90% fructose and 10 to 20% glucose. Apparently it is much better on the GI than honey, molasses and sugar. Because it is natural it is probably better than Splenda. I did read that you have to be careful because sometimes they cut it with corn syrup. For me, the biggest drawback is the carbohydrate content, which is 16 grams carbohydrate per 1 tablespoon nectar.

Twodoor2 – I’m so glad that Elizabeth liked the muffins. The taste does grow on you. It seems low carb baked items tend to be a little dry and they have a slightly different texture. Try building a few very low carb breakfast options for Elizabeth that you can rotate in case she gets bored. My suggestion would be to bolus for the breakfast , however. I think you will find that the bolus will be so small and the margin of error so small that you still won’t need to worry about her going low. Also, that tiny bit of insulin will keep her BG level right where she was before the breakfast, and not cause her beta cells any stress.

[StillMamamia]

Couple of questions for you low-carb experts :D

- any studies on cholesterol impact from low-carb diets ?
- any studies on chemical deficiencies (serotonin, etc) from low-carb diets ?

Thank you.

[twodoor2]

She loved the chicken with the soy flour breading. I modified the flax muffin recipie to include an 1/8th cup of Monin Vanilla syrup instead and a 1/8th cup almond meal. The syrup is all natural, but it contains cane sugar, so I estimated the muffin to be 10 carbs (I made 6 slightly larger ones from your recipie instead of 12), and I was correct. She had that for breakfast with some chicken sausages and her BG didn't hardly budge (15 gram carb breakfast). I attribute it to a much smaller insulin dose and as a result a much shorter insulin action time. It was also very easy to test her basal dosage (I had to make a slight modification this morning to her basal).

Regardless of whether you're into low carb or not, I do think you have some very healthy recipies and they're not at all bad to add to one's diet. The flax seed is extremely healthy and can be used as a substitute for flour in all kinds of desert/bread baking

Thank you again!!!!:D

[Karenwith4]

Couple of questions for you low-carb experts :D

- any studies on cholesterol impact from low-carb diets ?
- any studies on chemical deficiencies (serotonin, etc) from low-carb diets ?

Thank you.

Paula
This just popped up (http://health.lifestyle.yahoo.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=15791&news_channel_id=151&channel_id=151)on my yahoo inbox re cholesterol.

More surprising were the measures of cholesterol. Critics have long acknowledged that an Atkins-style diet could help people lose weight but feared that over the long term, it may drive up cholesterol because it allows more fat.

But the low-carb approach seemed to trigger the most improvement in several cholesterol measures, including the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, the "good" cholesterol. For example, someone with total cholesterol of 200 and an HDL of 50 would have a ratio of 4 to 1. The optimum ratio is 3.5 to 1, according to the American Heart Association.

I haven't looked into chemical deficiences but I was just discussing Em's diet with our naturopath and talking about a lower carb diet and going over her supplement list. She is pretty confident we have our bases covered. If you are interested in something specific I'd be happy to ask her (I have to call her next week about something else.) Let me know what in particular your questions are and I will add them to my list.
Just a side note - our naturopath is T1 and her identical triplet sister was diagnosed with T1 as a young child. It's one of the reasons Sarah became a naturopath and her perspective is fascinating to me.

Karen

[twodoor2]

Paula
This just popped up (http://health.lifestyle.yahoo.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=15791&news_channel_id=151&channel_id=151)on my yahoo inbox re cholesterol.

More surprising were the measures of cholesterol. Critics have long acknowledged that an Atkins-style diet could help people lose weight but feared that over the long term, it may drive up cholesterol because it allows more fat.

But the low-carb approach seemed to trigger the most improvement in several cholesterol measures, including the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, the "good" cholesterol. For example, someone with total cholesterol of 200 and an HDL of 50 would have a ratio of 4 to 1. The optimum ratio is 3.5 to 1, according to the American Heart Association.

I haven't looked into chemical deficiences but I was just discussing Em's diet with our naturopath and talking about a lower carb diet and going over her supplement list. She is pretty confident we have our bases covered. If you are interested in something specific I'd be happy to ask her (I have to call her next week about something else.) Let me know what in particular your questions are and I will add them to my list.
Just a side note - our naturopath is T1 and her identical triplet sister was diagnosed with T1 as a young child. It's one of the reasons Sarah became a naturopath and her perspective is fascinating to me.

Karen

Actually, isn't cholesterol only found in animal products? It isn't even in vegetable products, so you can still make a wide variety of meats like chicken and fish, which are low in cholesterol, and use monounsatuated vegetable fats like canola, olive, and other oils.

I think if you choose to eat bacon, greasy hamburgers, and other types of fatty red meats, or foods fried in lard and butter, it's detrimental regardless of low carb or high carb. I obviously don't know as much about this as Nightowl or Karen, but that's what my common sense suggests to me. :)

[Jacob'sDad]

Actually, isn't cholesterol only found in animal products? It isn't even in vegetable products, so you can still make a wide variety of meats like chicken and fish, which are low in cholesterol, and use monounsatuated vegetable fats like canola, olive, and other oils.

I think if you choose to eat bacon, greasy hamburgers, and other types of fatty red meats, or foods fried in lard and butter, it's detrimental regardless of low carb or high carb. I obviously don't know as much about this as Nightowl or Karen, but that's what my common sense suggests to me. :)

Aren't both fat AND cholesterol important parts of diet? When I think of benefits of fat I think of hair, skin, and the brain. Honestly I don't know that much about it, but when I was on a low carb diet I didn't worry about animal fat at all and my total cholesterol and triglycerides dropped like a rock.

My wife has a friend who watches her diet closely but eats very low fat. She looks like a walking corpse. Her skin is like leather.

[StillMamamia]

Thank you Karen for your reply.

I guess my question on the chemicals has more to do with how to balance a low-carb diet so that the levels of serotonine, dopamine, peptides (incl. endorphines) are in harmonious balance.

From my understanding serotonine increases after a carb-rich meal, although other nutritients can also lead to its increase but on a lower level. Serotonine helps with sleep and mood improvement, so a deficit of it may lead to depressive states. As for endorphines, they are released when we eat sugary or fatty foods. I don't have much knowledge about the other chemicals.

So, how to balance foods in a low-carb diet and in what proportions?

Did this make sense? Also, sorry for the chemicals' spelling. I'm not sure it's the correct English spelling.

Thank you.

PS - Cholesterol is only found in animal life. Plants do not contain it, but may contain fat.

[Karenwith4]

Aren't both fat AND cholesterol important parts of diet? When I think of benefits of fat I think of hair, skin, and the brain. Honestly I don't know that much about it, but when I was on a low carb diet I didn't worry about animal fat at all and my total cholesterol and triglycerides dropped like a rock.

My wife has a friend who watches her diet closely but eats very low fat. She looks like a walking corpse. Her skin is like leather.

Good fats are extremely important to diet for all kinds of reasons.
The problem is the typical NA diet is chock full of unhealthy fats and is often imbalanced in terms of the ratio of good fats.


Paula your question got me interested finding out more about this topic. I'll ask Sarah but in the meantime I started poking around and found a few interesting things.


~ All meats contain the amino acid tryptophan, but they also contain much higher amounts of the competing amino acids. Turkey, milk, whole grains, bananas, eggs also contain tryptophan, but much lower amounts of the other competing amino acids. So foods in this last group have the net effect of increasing tryptophan levels and promoting more serotonin production So it would seem that some of these would lend themselves to a low carb diet.

~ Eating carbohydrates that are low on the Glycemic Index will promote the more focused and calming aspect of serotonin release and less of the sleepy, sluggish feeling Many of the fruit/veggies that are suggested in a low carb diet are low GI so perhaps this is how the serotonin is balanced. I wonder if carbs that are not bioavailable because they are fibre will still help the brain maintain balance.

~ A main symptom of magnesium deficiency is hyperness and anxiety. A main source of magnesium in the diet is whole grains. We have Em on a magnesium supplement.

We also do accupressure and accupuncture which have been shown to increase endorphins, and we make sure we get a lot of exercise and outside time - also important for endorphins.

I found this article (http://www.cassmd.com/library/Brain.Food.AltMed.html) which I thought was interesting.

I'm going to read more and check out some of the reference books and let you know if I find anything else interesting.

[StillMamamia]

I always tell my son to eat the fruit at the end of his meal, then it is like pre bolusing.


Hmm, I don't really understand this. Can you explain it further?

[Karenwith4]

Hmm, I don't really understand this. Can you explain it further?
Hi Paula
I'm not Nightowl but do you mind if I take a stab at answering?
If Nightowl gives her son the bolus at the start of a meal and he eats the protein and low carb/low GI foods first it could be 15 - 20 minutes (guestimating) before he starts eating the fruit (higher carb/higher GI). So while he's been eating "free" foods the insulin is starting to work in his system before he consumes any significant carbs, effectively prebolusing for the fruit.
hth
Karen

[StillMamamia]

Hi Paula
I'm not Nightowl but do you mind if I take a stab at answering?
If Nightowl gives her son the bolus at the start of a meal and he eats the protein and low carb/low GI foods first it could be 15 - 20 minutes (guestimating) before he starts eating the fruit (higher carb/higher GI). So while he's been eating "free" foods the insulin is starting to work in his system before he consumes any significant carbs, effectively prebolusing for the fruit.
hth
Karen


Hi Karen,
This makes sense. Thanks. So it's like covering the insulin with carbs?
But why not just give the insulin after the meal then?

Also, OT here, fruit, like apples, help with digestion, and in some cultures, they are eaten before the meal.

[Karenwith4]

Hi Karen,
This makes sense. Thanks. So it's like covering the insulin with carbs?
But why not just give the insulin after the meal then?

Also, OT here, fruit, like apples, help with digestion, and in some cultures, they are eaten before the meal.

Prebolusing (which is like covering insulin with carbs in a way) allows the insulin to be working when the carbs hit the system which can dramatically reduce the post meal spike. (As you know it's the spikes in blood sugar that are implicated in the tissue damage that leads to diabetic complications.)

It takes synthentic insulin about 15 minutes to start working in the body but carbs hit the blood stream essentially right away. So by prebolusing the insulin is ready to start working on the carbs right when it needs to rather than 15 minutes later. A healthy pancreas can put insulin to work as soon as there is a rise in blood sugar but because of the way synthetic insulin works and is delivered into the body, there is a lag even in the fastest acting insulins. ( I read a great article about this recently and if I can find it I will post it)

Giving the insulin after the meal would mean that there is still a lag between when the body needs the insulin and when the insulin actually begins to work.
hth
Karen

[Nightowl]

Stillmamamia, I just read your request about info concerning cholesterol and low carb diets. This study just released, http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/359/3/229 ,
shows the advantages of a low carbohydrate diet on cholesterol levels. Note that the low carbohydrate diet evaluated in the study, apart from a brief 2 month induction phase, was based on 120 grams of carbs, which isn’t even that low. Here are a few additional cites.

http://thyroid.about.com/b/2004/05/17/duke-university-study-shows-low-carb-diet-more-effective-than-low-fat-diet.htm

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/87/5/1571S

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/138/2/272

[moco89]

Actually, isn't cholesterol only found in animal products? It isn't even in vegetable products, so you can still make a wide variety of meats like chicken and fish, which are low in cholesterol, and use monounsatuated vegetable fats like canola, olive, and other oils.


Cholesterol comes only from animal sources. It is an animal sterol, and cholesterol is what makes the cellular membranes of every single one of your cells.

[yiya2t]

Dear Nightowl, My son is 3 dx'd on 09/26/08 and I can really use some receipts is possible and from anyone else that would like to share. He's very picky and I cannot get him to eat meat, or so many other things. I'm getting fustrated. He's on Novolog three times a day depending on his sugar count and how many carbs he eats, so I guess it's a sliding scale. But he also takes Lantus at night for long lasting.

[Karenwith4]

Dear Nightowl, My son is 3 dx'd on 09/26/08 and I can really use some receipts is possible and from anyone else that would like to share. He's very picky and I cannot get him to eat meat, or so many other things. I'm getting fustrated. He's on Novolog three times a day depending on his sugar count and how many carbs he eats, so I guess it's a sliding scale. But he also takes Lantus at night for long lasting.

Kathleen can you tell us what he likes to eat and maybe we can help you with some meal and snack ideas.

Karen

[Nightowl]

Dear Yiya2t...I would like to help you. I don't read the forum as frequently as I once did, and I am sorry that I didn't see your post until now. If you are still around, please let me know what your son liked to eat before his diagnosis and I will try to help you with recipes. Also, perhaps I can help you transition your young son to new foods that can help him stay more level.
Nightowl