As easy as 1-2-3
Being diagnosed with any illness can be cumbersome, more so when one finds out he has diabetes. For one, he has to control blood sugar by being mindful of what to eat. Add to the suffering are the expenses on maintenance. But, let’s put in mind that diabetes is a lifestyle disease, and by following a healthy diet one can battle it out.
Be that the case, Abbot Nutrition launched “Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge” for the diabetics in a bid to help the patients develop a healthy lifestyle.
The challenge includes a 12-week pro- gram designed for people with diabetes to learn simple techniques to help them manage their diabetes with a healthy lifestyle.
Two doctors from Manila came down to the city to give Dabawenyos a quick glimpse how diabetes develops and its complications, as well as how to counter it with proper nutrition. They are doctors Roberto Mirasol, chief of section Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism of St. Lukes Medical Center and Jose Rodolfo Dimaano, medical director of Abbot Nutrition Philippines.
Dr. Mirasol said diabetes is actually just the “tip of the iceberg”, as the patient may develop later on other underlying health maladies that can lead to complications.
“Notice that most of those who have heart problem also have diabetes,” he said.
Other complications as a result of diabetes are depression, blindness, stroke, amputation, fatty liver, neuropathy, skin complications, eye complication, and erectile dysfunction.
In his presentation, he said “diabetes in the Philippines is a growing health problem affecting the lives of 9.7 percent of the adult population in 2012. The number tends to double if we add the 2.5 percent of Filipinos at-risk of diabetes with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Combined, 1 out of every 5 adults or an estimated 11 million has either prediabetes or diabetes.”
Meanwhile, Dimaano added patients with diabetes can prevent further complications by managing blood sugar levels, addressing weight and physical activity, and supporting heart health.
“Overall, diabetes management is necessary to avoid short and long-term complications,” he added.
He also encouraged patients to take part in the 12-week program.
In a press briefer, the Glucerna 1-2-3 Challenge provides resonance for people with diabetes to create a simple plan that incorporates a healthy meal plan, exercise, and speialized nutrition products such as Glucerna Triple Care. The program’s three easy steps help people with diabetes to address three important components of managing their condition - managing blood sugar response, reducing weight and waistline, and supporting heart healh.
“Waistline is actually a good indicator if you are healthy or not,” he added.
Making the program easier, Glucerna provides online tools and solutions that contain meal plans and healthy recipes, daily exercise plans with step-by-step instructional videos. This also provides tips how to incorporate Glucerna into a healthy diet. Patients who are following the Glucerna challenge can easily keep track how far they have gone with tracking tools and progress reports in place which they can share with the doctors.
By incorporating Glucerna Triple Care into the diet, the patients can easily maintain the healthy lifestyle they so want to achieve.
“By providing information on exercise and healthy nutrition choices, the 1-2-3 challenge enables people with diabetes to create healthy habits that will help in,” the briefer said.
Glucerna Triple Care is an advanced, slowly digested, low-GI carbohrydrate system to manage blood sugar response; a unique heart-friendly lipid blend rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (Mufa) and omega-3 fatty acids to support heart health.
Those who want to take part in 1-2-3 Challenge can go to glucerna123challenge.com.ph. For smartphone users, they may download the mobile application available either in iPhone and Adroid platforms.