Living With Diabetes?

If you have diabetes, it doesn't have to control your life, With the right treatment, a healthy diet and regular exercise you can carry on as normal, doing all the things you enjoy.

What you eat directly affects your blood glucose levels but that doesn't mean you have to go on a special diet or buy food and drink labelled 'diabetic'. Simply choose healthy foods that are low in fat, sugar and salt, and eat plenty of fruit, vegatables and starchy foods.

Eat regular meals and always include some kind of starchy food, such as:

Breakfast cereals Bread, crumpets, English muffins or pitta bread Pasta or noodles Rice Chapatis Potatoes, cassava, sweet potato or plantain Crackers, crispbreads or cracker bread

Try to keep your calorie intake constant as fluctuations can affect your blood glucose levels.

You don't have to give up alcohol but stick to the recommended guidelines of 2 units a day for women and 3 units a day for men, ( 1 unit = 1 glass of wine or 1/2 pint of beer or 1 measure (25mls) of spirits)

If you're overweight, even losing a few pounds can help you manage your diabetes more effectively.

Keeping active will help to regulate your blood glucose levels and make insulin work more effectively. It can also help you to lose weight, improve circulation and keep your blood cholesterol and blood pressure within healthy limits, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Exercise until you are a bit out of breadth it does not mean you go flat out and tire yourself. If you are new to exercising start of gently and than gradually work your way up to 30 minutes per day.

People enjoy doing different things to keep active, such as playing football, gardening, swimming, walking, playing tennis, dancing, yoga, martial arts...etc, do the things you enjoy.

Instead of driving to work you could cycle or walk, assuming the distance is not too great Walk up the stairs avoiding the lift or escalator Do housework Clean the car and not take it to the car wash

The list of alternative activities are endless but check with your doctor or diabetes nurse before starting something new.

Type 1 Diabetes - your body can't make any insulin so you have to control your blood glucose levels by taking insulin injections.

Type 2 Diabetes - your body can't make enough insulin or the insulin it makes doesn't work properly.