TRICKS of the TRADE
Want to stay on top of diabetes at work? Keep it simple with these self-care solutions
Rushing out the door without breakfast, sitting all day then dealing with offers of sweet treats are typical workplace roadblocks and health hazards.
Address such blips in your diabetes management with these ideas to remain on track from nine to five and beyond.
Brekkie
Starting your day with nothing but coffee can boost stress hormones and your blood glucose level (BGL). If you have type 2 and don’t eat until lunch, your pancreatic beta cells, which produce insulin, can start to lose their ‘memory’, shows research from Tel Aviv University. Then, at your next meal, your body’s insulin response is delayed, which could then send your BGLs sky high. For type 1s, prolonged fasting can also increase the risk of hypos.
WISE UP
Set your alarm earlier to
eat breakfast Try a nourishing porridge or wholegrain sourdough toast with eggs. Skipping your breakfast could cause a binge later by making the reward centres of your brain light up more intensely at the thought or sight of treat foods, Imperial College London research shows.
Organise breakfasts ‘to go’
Pack foods such as wholegrain crackers to eat on the train or tuna to put on toast at work.
Eat protein at breakfast
Foods like eggs, healthy beans and sardines can lower BGLs for the day by increasing the output of insulin, shows University of Missouri research.
Chair-bound
“When you sit for hours, enzymes responsible for fat burning are switched off, circulation slows and glucose metabolism is disturbed,” says Kate Battocchio, dietitian and exercise physiologist at Diabetes NSW & ACT. “This can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of sleep apnoea, circulation issues, heart attack and stroke.” Moving for two out of every 20 minutes counters some of the health fallout, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute has found.
WISE UP
Battocchio suggests you:
Stand more Get up while on the phone or reading documents.
Take the stairs Skip the lift. Request an adjustable standing desk You can stand while working for part of the day.
Place items further away from your desk Move the printer and rubbish bin so you have to walk to use them.
Adopt a movement schedule Set an alarm to remind you to move every 20 minutes (or hour if you’re super busy). Walk the stairs or do star jumps, skip rope or do exercises such as 10 heel raises and 10 chair squats.
Celebrations
“Navigating sweet, high-fat and highkilojoule foods at celebration morning teas and meetings is an ongoing work challenge,” says Aloysa Hourigan, senior nutritionist with Nutrition Australia. “If you indulge at work, make sure it’s not also happening at home.”
WISE UP
Serve a taste “Choose the one or two foods you would most enjoy and have a very small serve,” Hourigan suggests. “Or why not cut a large serve in half – someone else will probably be looking for ways to eat less.”
Opt for BYO To look like a team player and ensure you have healthy food choices, pack your own party food – nutritious dips and vegie sticks, sushi, finger sandwiches or a fruit and cheese platter suggests Hourigan.
Too tired?
Long hours, a taxing job and outside work commitments make it hard to schedule time for exercise. But, for people with diabetes, it’s a ‘must do’ not a ‘to do’.
WISE UP
Engage in short exercise
bursts Do four 10- or 15-minute mini workouts over the day or kick a ball around with the kids. Studies show that accumulated activity brings health benefits.
HIIT it Do two to three High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts of 10 minutes several times a week: 20- to 30-second intervals of jogging on the spot, with 10- to 20-second rests in between.
Schedule exercise Cycle to work or go to the gym on the way home to get movement in.
Walk whenever possible
Suggest walking meetings or a lunchtime walking group at work.
Work tipples
Socialising with colleagues is nice, but alcohol can cause BGLs in type 1s to plummet overnight and also contributes to weight gain.
WISE UP
Empty your glass Avoid topping up partly full glasses.
Think small Stick to standard 100ml serves of wine or order a spritzer (wine plus mineral water).
Avoid spirits and cocktails
The alcohol content is usually higher than for wine or beer.
Rush hour
Work stress is a risk factor for developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, shows research from University College London. Eat in a wired state and you will also have trouble reducing your BGLs, according to a study from the University Hospital of Zurich.
WISE UP
Ease into workdays Enjoy an early bath or walk the dog – avoiding the stress of a morning rush can help keep BGLs stable.
Take a lunch break This can boost energy and effectiveness, shows a study in the Psychology, Health & Medicine Journal.
Breathe Take a five-minute break now and again at your desk. Focus on a positive word as you breathe out and release tension.
Set boundaries Doing the job of two people? Think up solutions to discuss with your boss.
Prioritise BGL tests If your BGLs drop or go high you won’t be able to work effectively. “Discuss with your employer a plan to help you manage your diabetes at work,” says Suzanne Leahy, a diabetes educator at Diabetes NSW & ACT. “It should include provision for regular meal times and breaks to test BGLs, a private place for testing and/or injecting insulin and agreement about where to store sharps and hypo treatment.”