Hi Tim, from chilly Australia.,
Yes, the diet excludes grains, sugars, starches and most fruits. It INCLUDES abundant proteins, most nonstarchy vegetables, including non-sweet fruits, nuts, fullfat dairy, among others. Nearly any regular carb food has a low-carb alternative;noodles, pizza, breads, cakes, icecream, even some candies. real, nutritious, energy dense foods.
The kids are not deprived. Overdosing on carbs honestly is not good for anyone. Maybe the popular concept on ‘foods‘ for children needs to actually change:candy, cake, sugar, pasta, sweetened drinks deficiencies? After all children‘s bodies and brains should not be grown and fueled on such.
It is more work, and planning. The payoff is normal or close to normal blood sugars, normal growth and brain development, and kids without complications. The fears and efforts of addressing highs, and catching lows that happen when one takes the kid first, diabetes second approach are eliminated.
The regular type 1 kids groups have plenty of kids and parents spending every waking and many sleeping hours chasing highs and lows. And kids with advanced complications (kidney failure, neuropathy, vision loss)in kids not yet teenagers. High blood sugars prevent normal brain growth. i recently lost a friend with type 1 since he was a child to kidney failure. He was in his mid-20s. He was told eat what you want and cover it with insulin.
This is not happening to my children on my watch, and sorry to sound like a religious fanatic, but i will do my best to spread the word, and try to prevent this from happening to others.
Parents coming to the typeonegrit group after following standard recomendations almost universally express relief, and wish they had found this information sooner. kids start thriving. parents and kids take control and are empowered.
Each family will make their own choices. I very much believe education on low carb eating should be part of the initial information package. At least they have a choice. Many people doing it successfully can also offer support.