How Parents Can Prevent Type 2 Diabetes -Nutrition Blog Feature

Today’s blog post is a little different than most as I am featuring one of my classmate’s blogs. Like me, Toni Sholola is also passionate about spreading awareness for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. Toni’s focus is on the pediatric population, with her blog on how parents can help to prevent type 2 diabetes in their children.

Toni’s blog features recommendations to help parents learn more techniques to get their children to eat healthier and exercise more. She also reviews an app specifically for managing childhood diabetes. As mentioned in my recent app review, with so much technology nowadays, it can be difficult to sift through what works. Toni makes that easy with her review by explaining why the app she chose is helpful.

Toni presents her information in a clear and concise format and offers cool images to look at as well! If you are a struggling parent worried about your child getting type 2 diabetes, I would recommend checking out this blog! (Home | Toni Sholola (wixsite.com))

Glucose Buddy App Review

When hit with a diabetes diagnosis it can be hard to keep track of all of your health information. Luckily in today’s world technology has advanced to the point of making lives easier. One of these ways is via apps that track health information.

One of my favorite applications for diabetes is called Glucose Buddy Diabetes Tracker made by Azumio. This app has so many features to help keep track of all your diabetes information including the ability to log blood sugar, blood pressure, medications and meals. The app then will interpret the data entered and track trends in blood sugar during the day to show which foods or medication could influence the rise and fall.

Azumio, the company responsible for this app, runs research studies on this app and all of their products to see if they are actually helpful or if they need to be improved. It is a subscription based app, which would be an added cost, however if you are someone struggling to keep all of your information together or confused about what to be eating, this app could good investment towards your health (if it is within your budget).

There are so many different applications out there that I encourage you to explore and find what works best for you!

App Website:

https://www.glucosebuddy.com/

App web address (Apple): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/glucose-buddy-diabetes-tracker/id294754639

App web address for google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skyhealth.glucosebuddyfree&hl=en_US&gl=US

Not All Carbs Are Created Equal

Not all carbs are created equal. I have mentioned this phrase in my podcast and want to explain it more, as it can be confusing when recently diagnosed with diabetes and trying to figure out a carb-controlled diet.

Some carbs have fiber. It is recommended that women get at least 21-25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30-38 grams a day (1). Insoluble fiber does not increase blood sugar, as the body does not have the enzymes to break it down. So, carbs that contain more fiber (such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) help with blood sugar control.

As mentioned, one source of fiber is fruit. For example, one kiwi fruit has about 2 grams of fiber. One cup of raspberries has about 8 total grams. One medium banana and one medium orange both have 3 grams of fiber.

Adding high fiber sources to a meal such as a piece of fruit, swapping white refined grains for whole grains, and adding a serving of vegetables can help to increase the amount of fiber you get in your daily diet, while also getting in good sources of carbohydrates in a balanced way!

To listen to my full podcast episode for more information, follow this link https://www.podbean.com/pu/pbblog-tjq6c-c58533 or see the “podcast” page above.

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948#:~:text=Women%20should%20try%20to%20eat,found%20in%20some%20common%20food