Nityaasha conducts unique cookery workshop for Kin of Type I Diabetic children
- Workshop organized to understand the importance of diet in controlling Type I Diabetes
- Innovate food recipes demonstrated by renowned dieticians and nutritionist
Pune: In a bid to create awareness about Type Nutrition for Type I Diabetes, Nityaasha recently conducted a day long workshop for parents whose kids are diagnosed with Type I Diabetes.
The workshop was held under the guidance of reputed dietician and nutritionist. The workshop is part of Nityaasha’s unique initiative to help children belonging to the lower strata of the society suffering from Type I Diabetes.
The parents of Type I Diabetic children are grappled with biggest question: On how to chalk out a balanced diet for the kids? The children themselves are unaware of the disorder and its repercussions therefore are oblivious to the care to be taken. The most difficult thing is to convince the children to get rid of few eating habits and getting the acquainted with healthy yet tasty food.
The main reason behind organising the workshop was to give parents insights of how to tackle the major factor that is ‘Nutrition’ of the child. A nutrition rich diet can help control the disorder to the maximum level. However, a Type I Diabetic patient has numerous restrictions with regards to diet. Considering a child’s liking and inclination towards sweets and junk food, it is a herculean task to manage and resist them from the same.
Under the guidance of Lavanya Parthasarathy, Junior Research Fellow & Dietician at Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute, who also volunteers for Nityaasha, gave parents innovate food recipes to overcome the basic problem of Nutrition.
The cookery demonstrations showed different types of recipes which are nutrition rich. One of them was Dried Pumpkin seeds. Yes! The Pumpkin seeds which we usually throw away in the dustbin, post we cook. The seeds are actually a great source of a mineral called Zinc. The mineral Zinc is useful to absorb insulin. This further aids the controlling of Type I Diabetes. Another immense source of Zinc is traced in Sesame. Usage of Sesame is routine in our daily culinary activities and hence easily available in our kitchens.
The dietician encouraged the intake of Bajra, as it has equal amount of Carbohydrates as Wheat. One fact commonly known about Diabetes, applicable for both Types of Diabetes is intake of Groundnut and coconut above the nominal level. This fact stands true. Therefore, the intake of both should be reduced or better eliminated. Groundnut and Coconut is usually used to prepare Chutneys (Indian Sauce). The alternative for groundnut or coconut could be Spinach. Spinach chutney is equally tasty and beneficial for Type I Diabetes.
Apart from the above recipe which interested the parents the workshop also demonstrated recipes like sweets made from Khajoor and Rajgeera as a apt substitute for sweets. A sweet by far is the biggest factor that adds up to a child’s psychology, especially when the child sees all his peers gorging on yummy cakes and pastries and Mithais. Khajoor and Rajgeera, both the ingredients are easily available, affordable and by & large liked by the kids.
Sharing her thoughts about the workshop, Lavanya Parthasarthy said, “It is a common misconception that diet for diabetics and Type 1 diabetics is the same. There is a difference as Type 1 diabetes patients are insulin dependent. Diet is an essential wing of diabetes and the workshop was organized to create awareness about it. Children with Type 1 diabetes can feel like they have too many restrictions it is thus important to make them feel like there aren’t any restrictions by helping them enjoy the food that they eat.”
The workshop was well received by the parents as it solved of the greatest problems the mothers of Type I Diabetic Children face: What Snack to give the children, considering their requirements. While the children who accompanied their mothers to the workshop enjoyed a drawing competition held parallel to the workshop. Nityaasha Foundation plans for many more such programs in future, which will educate the parents of Type I Diabetic children.