>Take charge

Learn how to manage your diabetes and you’ll increase your chances of staying healthier for longer

Throughout our lives we face all kinds of challenges, from work projects to moving house. By approaching your diabetes in the same organised, proactive way, it’s possible to minimise complications and feel better. Here’s the truth: diabetes is progressive. That means that even if you’re hyper-vigilant about monitoring, eating well, getting enough exercise and sleep, you’ll still experience challenges with managing your blood glucose levels (BGLs) over the years.

For people with type 2 that can mean starting on medication as well as keeping up with lifestyle changes, and for those with type 1 it could be regularly adjusting (and readjusting) your insulin dosage. This is the reality of living with diabetes, but there are ways to manage it so you maintain a sense of control. Our experts explain how.

Stay on target

DL dietitian and diabetes educator Dr Kate Marsh says achieving BGLs within your target range along with managing blood pressure and cholesterol can be done by following healthy lifestyle habits. Such as? Dr Marsh advises eating a mostly plantbased diet (try our Roasted beet, pumpkin and barley salad, page 57) exercising regularly, getting seven to eight hours sleep a night and learning to manage stress.

Keep learning

DL dietitian Lisa Urquhart encourages people with type 1 to “keep improving your knowledge and applying it to yourself and your life. Also, ask your healthcare team about any new technologies.”

Find support

Working with a supportive health team to set manageable outcomes is vital. “There might be complications along the way. If something isn’t working, try something else,” advises DL endocrinologist Dr Sultan Linjawi.

“Judge your health on the numbers – your BGLs, blood pressure and blood fats such as cholesterol. Attend your routine health checks because the numbers never lie.” In other words, be proactive!

“If something isn’t working, try something else”