Indholdsfortegnelse for The Diabetes Plan i The Diabetes Plan

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes itself (or you have a relative who has) then you need support to help you get and stay fit and healthy. First and foremost, this should come from your GP and your diabetes healthcare team, and you should always check with these medical professionals whether any advice, diet, or change of exercise regime is right for you before starting it. This bookazine aims to enhance your dedicated medical support with a range of tasty, healthy recipes from diet and diabetes professionals, as well as ideas for fun activities to help you improve your exercise levels, and advice on living healthily and happily with diabetes. Learn about the types of diabetes there are and debunk some of the common myths about the…

Receiving a diagnosis of diabetes – whether type 1 or type 2 – is daunting. Diabetes is a lifelong condition that needs careful management for long-term good health and, if it’s your partner, parent or child who’s been diagnosed, it’s understandable if you feel helpless, yet, at the same time, desperate to give them your support. Dan Howarth, Head of Care at Diabetes UK (diabetes.org.uk) says, ‘For most people, fear of the unknown is the biggest concern. Types 1 and 2 have their own challenges, and everyone reacts differently. For some, it can be that there is currently no cure and their life has to change significantly; for others, it can be that they will be excluded from future activities or career paths. For many people with diabetes and their…

Many of us think we eat reasonably healthily when, in fact, there are often huge gaps in our daily diets. If you’ve been diagnosed with, or are at risk of, diabetes then it’s all the more important to ensure you’re eating the right balance of foods. We’re here to make life easier for you and remove any confusion about what’s good to eat and what’s not. So we’ve developed this guide to your healthiest eating ever, with all the targets, such as five-a-day, low saturated fat and high fibre, in one checklist. You’ll be getting the balance right every time. Keep the checklist on the next two pages to hand throughout the week to be sure you’re getting all the good stuff and the right amount of the not-so-good. These…

Many people who practise yoga say it improves their physical and mental health as well as their flexibility. According to the experts at diabetes.co.uk: ‘Several studies suggest that yoga and other mind-body therapies can reduce stress-related hyperglycaemia and have a positive effect on blood-glucose control.’ This is because mindfulness and breathing techniques within yoga practices help regulate cortisol and other stress hormones that increase blood pressure and blood-glucose levels. These play a big role in the development of type 2 diabetes and its related complications. Here, yoga and Pilates personal trainer Caroline Sandry suggests classic yoga moves to practise daily. Just 10 minutes a day can make a difference. Your only rule? ‘Listen to your body and push the stretch as far you can, but always avoid any discomfort or…

Low motivation and a lack of time are two of the most common reasons why we skip exercise, says recent research*. Sometimes life takes over and we can’t always follow our usual regime. But what if there were other way to get the benefits of exercise – losing weight, staying fit and feeling strong – without having to actually do something you think of as conventional exercise? Sounds ideal, right? The great news is that by making some daily habit changes that will increase what’s known as our ‘N.E.A.T’ output, this is entirely possible. WHAT IS N.E.A.T? N.E.A.T is short for ‘non-exercise activity thermogenesis’, and is the energy used and the calories burnt from everything we do outside of sleeping, eating and regular exercise. ‘Walking whenever possible, gardening, and even…

Coming to terms with a diabetes diagnosis can be tough, and the last thing you want to think about is the possible complications that may occur. But staying informed of the possible risks is the best way of protecting yourself from further problems. Specialists have divided the kind of complications that might occur with diabetes into two categories: chronic and acute. Chronic complications are the sort that might develop gradually over time, but may become serious if they are not properly dealt with. They can include problems with your eyes, feet, oral health, kidneys and nerves. Acute complications like hypos and hypers can happen at any time and they may lead to chronic or long-term complications. Both types of complication can have serious consequences if left unchecked, but managing your…

One of the most challenging things about a diabetes diagnosis is of course the fact it could well have a permanent effect on your life. Even those who manage to reverse Type 2 symptoms through lifestyle changes must remain alert and cannot be sure their symptoms will not return again in the future. And of course as of yet there is no known cure for Type 1 diabetes as experts are yet to find a way to deal with the body’s inability to produce insulin. But that does not mean this will always be the case. Huge amounts of research goes into the condition, what causes the different types, how that could be prevented, and looking for new ways to treat it. In 2019 alone, Diabetes UK invested over £6.8…

1 Myth: You can’t eat sugar Truth: Diabetics don’t have to follow a sugar-free plan. They should eat a healthy, balanced and varied diet which can include a controlled amount of sugar. 2 Myth: People with diabetes should only eat ‘diabetic’ foods Truth: You can find ‘diabetic’ versions of sweets, foods that are high in fat – especially saturated fat – and those that are usually high-calorie. Eating ‘diabetic’ versions, including diabetic chocolate, will still have an effect on your blood-glucose levels, plus they can be expensive and may not agree with your digestive system. So, for the occasional treat, go for modest amounts of the real thing. 3 Myth: Only fat people get diabetes Truth: Well no, it’s not quite that simple. While carrying extra weight, particularly around your…

More than one in three UK adults have tested positive for prediabetes, meaning their blood-glucose levels are above normal and they’re at risk of developing full type 2 diabetes. High blood-glucose means that your body is not using insulin effectively to move sugar from your blood into your cells. ‘Someone with prediabetes has a 50 per cent higher risk of developing heart disease than someone with normal blood-glucose levels, whether or not they go on to develop type 2 diabetes,’ explains Melanie Davies, Professor of Diabetes Medicine at Leicester Diabetes Centre. Full diabetes carries a higher risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, sight loss and nerve damage. You’re at higher risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes if: ✦ You are overweight or obese. ✦ You are over 40.…

We all eat way too much sugar – and, diabetic or not, too much sugar in the diet is less than ideal. We get the lowdown from Dr Jen Unwin, Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist and Medical Advisor at Diabetes Digital Media. ‘Our consumption of sugar has been rising,’ says Dr Unwin, ‘partly because low-fat foods and processed foods tend to have added sugar…[and partly because] every event seems to be celebrated with cake and chocolate.’ The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests consuming no more than seven teaspoons (around 30g) of sugar a day. Over-consumption is easily done, especially if, on a typical day, breakfast is a cup of tea with one sugar and an on-the-go porridge pot, and lunch is tomato soup followed by another cuppa with sugar and a…

While we know a healthy, balanced diet is key to keeping blood-glucose levels stable, we also know that part of the issue is finding a way of eating that actually works for you and that you can stick to. Research from Slimming World published in the medical journal Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism shows that group support is a powerful aid for people with type 2 diabetes. The study, involving 69 patients who’d been referred to Slimming World by their diabetes team for an initial 12 weeks, showed many continued to attend for longer. After 12 months, the patients had, on average, lost 5.5 per cent of their body weight and improved their blood-glucose levels. 20 per cent of patients lost more than 10 per cent of their body weight, with…

According to Diabetes UK, 25 per cent of people with diabetes reported that worrying about hypos was a serious problem for them. It could be that you’ve experienced a diabetic hypo and are scared of it happening again – or, if you’ve not suffered from one before, you could be afraid of what it might be like. Either way, it can impact your mental and, therefore, physical health. It could also be that other factors in life are contributing to feelings of anxiety, but if you’re diabetic it’s even more important to seek help in dealing with the issue to ensure it doesn’t impact on your physical wellbeing. We’ve put together some tips to help you keep a lid on anxious feelings on a day-to-day basis. But if you feel…

Over two million people in the UK run at least once a week – and it’s no surprise to hear that, recently, those numbers are increasing, particularly among women and those aged 35-54. ‘Research shows that people who do sport live, on average, six years longer than those who don’t,’ says Dr Sanjay Sharma, Professor and Consultant in Cardiology at St George’s, University of London (topdoctors.co.uk). ‘Sports and regular exercise have countless beneficial effects on a number of conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression and heart disease.’ Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones agrees. ‘Running gives us time to think or clear our heads, while exercise and natural open spaces boost feel-good brain endorphins. Make sure you do a warm-up and warm-down routine.’ If you’re diabetic, it’s important to check first…

Humans crave touch and physical sensation, and this is one reason why intimacy is so important in many couples’ relationships. Sex is also an important part of life for many of us, and an area in which we could perhaps benefit from better communication with our partners. Complications of diabetes – high levels of blood-glucose, blood pressure and blood fats (cholesterol) – can interfere with intimacy in different ways. Having high blood-glucose levels for an extended period, for example, can lead to damage to your blood vessels and nerves, including those that supply your sexual organs. This can reduce blood flow, so you can lose sensation, meaning you have difficulty getting aroused or having an orgasm. Sex doesn’t have to be problematic when you have diabetes – the important thing…

When doctors talk about ‘diabetes control’, they’re usually referring to how close your blood-glucose is kept to the desired, healthy range. Having too much or too little glucose in your blood can make you feel sick in the short term and cause more complicated health problems later. Managing diabetes is a three-way balancing act of medication with diet and exercise to minimise your risk of complications. 1 Testing Check your blood-glucose levels as you’ve been taught. Depending on your diabetes type, this could be up to seven times a day. 2 LIFELONG LEARNING Information about diabetes is plentiful, and it’s at your fingertips to help you manage your condition. Stay ahead of the game and keep reading up on the latest diabetes news. 3 FOOT CARE Check your feet daily,…

MOST PEOPLE LEAD A NORMAL LIFE Over the past 20 years, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled, taking it from 1.4 million to almost 3.8 million. If you are diabetic, you’re either not producing insulin or the insulin you’re producing is insufficient or isn’t being used effectively. This leads to an overload of glucose in the blood, which can’t get into the body’s cells to be used for fuel. Too much glucose in the blood for a sustained period can eventually lead to serious complications such as kidney failure, stroke, sight loss and even amputation, which is why it’s vital to take steps to get blood-glucose levels properly controlled. Once dubbed ‘the silent killer’ because of its easy-to-miss symptoms, type 2 diabetes…

A type 2 diabetes diagnosis is often a late stage consequence of long-term insulin resistance. Consistently high levels of insulin (hyperinsulinaemia) can eventually cause damage around the body. It’s often symptomless, but signs can include weight gain, frequent hunger pangs and tiredness. In her book Could it be Insulin Resistance? (£14.99, Hammersmith Health Books), Hanna Purdy talks us through what happens to the body during this process. WHAT IS INSULIN RESISTANCE? Your doctor may have had reason to test you for type 2 diabetes and found that, although you don’t have it, you are insulin resistant, which is a precursor. The constant presence of insulin in itself causes resistance. It’s believed that insulin resistance is a protective mechanism – that the organs are protecting themselves against glucose overload, thereby limiting…

“A weight management programme is inexpensive compared to the long-term management of type 2 diabetes Diabetes type 2, is utterly relentless, unremitting and lasts for life – at least, that’s what doctors have always thought. But, in the past few years, there has been a turnaround in thinking, halting the belief that type 2 diabetes is an inevitably progressive disease. This is thanks to a growing number of studies proving that weight loss can put type 2 diabetes into remission within weeks, and it’s even possible this can last for at least two years – if the weight is kept off. Treatment revolution By cutting calories and reducing your weight by 15-20 per cent, you can reduce fat that has clogging up the liver and the pancreas, enabling them to…

The Low Carb Program is the world’s leading platform helping to combat type 2 diabetes. The plan can also be followed by anyone who wants to achieve sustainable weight loss and improve health, but it is not intended for those with type 1 diabetes. It is approved for use within the NHS, and has been added to the NHS’s library of apps. WHY DOES LOW CARB WORK? High carbohydrate foods such as rice, potatoes and bread may not be sweet but once digested are broken down into glucose, which gives a huge sugar rush and requires a large amount of insulin to process it, proving complicated for people with insulin resistance or diabetes. The nature of a low-carb diet includes reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing this energy with healthy fats…

A bad, stressful day can mean all you can think about is the tub of ice cream you’re going to devour on the sofa in your comfies in the evening. Or maybe you secretly snaffle biscuits whenever you and your partner have an argument? Whatever your triggers, it’s normal to eat for emotional reasons, according to Dr Aria Campbell-Danesh, a behaviour change psychologist specialising in weight management (dr-aria.com). ‘Emotional eating is often misunderstood and unfairly demonised,’ he says. ‘The reality is that we don’t eat on hunger,’ he adds. ‘Our brains have evolved to find food pleasurable – it’s natural to eat to feel better. It can cause problems, though, if eating is your go-to coping strategy.’ This is particularly true if you have diabetes and need to keep your…

Walking is easy and enjoyable for most people, and it’s undoubtedly good for our physical and mental health. Brisk walking can build stamina, burn excess calories and improve heart health. It can also increase the amount of glucose used by muscles and may lower blood-glucose levels and help the body to use insulin more effectively. Add to this the extra benefits of better sleep, better circulation and a reduction in stress levels and it’s surprising that Public Health England found 6.3 million Brits aged 40-60 failed to manage even a brisk 10-minute walk once a month. If you’re among them, it’s time to get your marching orders and go for it! Stay motivated ✦ Walk with another person who lives in your household for company. ✦ Vary your route, but…

Building muscle not only protects our bones – it can extend our life! And when it comes to Type2 diabetes, studies have shown that it can help keep the disease at bay, reducing the risk by up to 32%.* Meanwhile, for those with diagnosed diabetes, research by Brazilian scientists showed that strength weight training reduced liver fat and improved blood sugar levels.** Personal trainer Kathryn Freeland has created a strength-building programme for women of any age. From the age of 30, your metabolism decreases by around 5 per cent a decade when you’re inactive. The good news is that building a little muscle helps counteract that. Your body uses 35 calories to maintain 1lb of muscle each day and only 2 calories to sustain 1lb fat. So by adding 2-4lb…

WHY CUT CARBS? As you’ll already have heard or read, many people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and have been advised to lose weight find a low-carb diet particularly successful at putting their diabetes into remission. A low-carb diet is one that includes less than 130g of carbohydrates a day. Generally speaking, carbs include breads, pasta, rice, sweets, fruit and other sugary, starchy foods. Some vegetables also fall into this food group, especially root veg, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Some fruits are lower-carb than others. Please note: All figures in this feature are averages, and care should be taken to check food labels for actual amounts. TIP Mix 375g cauli ‘rice’ with 50g ground almonds and a beaten egg. Press onto a lined baking sheet, bake for…

If you have diabetes, you'll know it isn’t always easy to manage. But what can make things more difficult is the increased risk of other health complications. One of these is heart disease, which is also known as cardiovascular disease or CVD. Why are the two related? It’s to do with blood-glucose levels. ‘High levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood can damage the walls of your arteries and make them more likely to develop fatty deposits,’ says Vanessa Smith, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation (bhf.org.uk). ‘If these fatty plaques build up in your coronary arteries – the arteries that supply blood to your heart – you could develop coronary heart disease which can lead to a heart attack.’ Throw high blood pressure into the mix, which…