2019-07-01_Diabetic_Living_Australia

(Martin Jones) #1
No more chocolate!
False. As long as chocolate, or
other foods containing added
or natural sugars, are eaten as
part of a healthy meal plan
or combined with exercise,
people with diabetes can
definitely still enjoy them in
moderation. Talk to your GP
or dietitian for more info.

Not really. These days ‘healthy
eating’ for people who have
diabetes is no different to the
‘healthy eating’ guidelines
recommended for the general
population. You don’t need to
prepare separate meals or buy
special food – the recipes in DL
are designed for everyone.

It's my sweet tooth! Ugh. A ‘special diet’
It’s not that simple. While type 1
is triggered by genetics and
unknown factors, type 2 is caused
by a mix of genetics and lifestyle
factors. One of those is being
overweight, but it’s not just sugar
that causes that. Plus, if you are
overweight, that’s only a risk
factor, not a direct cause of type 2.

Food myths for PWD*...


Getting your head
around "diabetes lingo"?
Read on...


  • When should I test my blood
    glucose levels (BGLs)? This varies
    depending on the type of diabetes
    and your medication, but possible
    times include before meals, two hours
    after eating, before bed, before you
    exercise and if you’re feeling unwell.

  • What should my BGLs be? As a
    guide, if you have type 1 diabetes,
    a healthy target to aim for is 4-6mmol/L
    before you eat, and 4-8mmol/L two
    hours after starting a meal. If you have
    type 2 diabetes, aim for 6-8mmol/L
    before meals, and 6-10mmol/L two
    hours after starting a meal. Ask your
    doctor or Credentialled Diabetes


A diagnosis of diabetes can be scary at first – don't panic, we're here to help


DIABETES 101


Educator for more guidance.


  • What’s mmol/L? It stands for
    millimoles per litre of blood, and
    is how BGLs are measured.

  • What’s HbA1c? It’s your average
    BGLs over a period of 10-12 weeks and,
    used in conjunction with the blood
    glucose monitoring you do yourself,
    paints a picture of your blood glucose
    management. Your doctor will arrange
    a HbA1c test every three to six months.

  • What’s a hypo? It’s when BGLs
    drop below 4mmol/L. A hypo can
    make it hard to concentrate, so some
    activities (like driving) aren’t safe, and
    it needs to be treated quickly using
    specific foods. Only people who take
    insulin or some types of glucose-
    lowering tablets are at risk of a hypo.

  • Will I have to use insulin? Yes, if
    you have type 1. But 50 per cent of
    people with type 2 will also need
    insulin six to 10 years after being


diagnosed, because the pancreas
produces less insulin over time.


  • What’s pre-diabetes? It’s when
    BGLs are higher than normal, but not
    high enough for a type 2 diagnosis.
    Lifestyle changes can delay or prevent
    pre-diabetes from becoming type 2.


JUST
STAR
T
HERE
diagnosed


  • Th
    at


's (^) P
eople
With Diabetes

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