Our Dietitian, Alice Mika, has written a new blog post about National Diabetes Week! You can read the post below, and make an appointment by calling (03) 9534 0611.
July 12-18th is national diabetes week, aimed at increasing awareness of the mental impact felt by those living with diabetes.
When someone has diabetes, their body is unable to control or maintain the level of sugar (glucose) in their blood. Our bodies rely on glucose to convert into energy for daily activities, this is done with the help of a hormone called insulin. In people with diabetes, their body either does not produce insulin (Type 1 Diabetes) or is resistant to the insulin that is being produced or is not producing enough (Type 2 Diabetes). Diabetes can also occur temporarily during pregnancy; this is called gestational diabetes. There can be health problems when blood glucose is too high or too low, so ensuring that this level is stable is important in the management of diabetes.
Diabetes can be very expensive, both financially and psychologically. With regular glucose testing and monitoring, carbohydrate counting, cost of insulin and the cost of other support all contributing to the impact of living with diabetes.
Recognising the psychological impact, as well as the physical impact of living with diabetes can make a big difference in the support felt by someone living with diabetes and could potentially contribute to improvements in long term management.
When living with diabetes, it is important to consider the different lifestyle factors that can aid in management and prevention of co-morbities or other conditions arising as a result of diabetes.
Being aware of the variety of support available can help ease concerns about worsening health as a result of diabetes. Exercise physiologists, podiatrists, dietitians, psychologists and diabetes educators can all play an important role in multi-disciplinary care.
To learn more about National Diabetes Week or Diabetes in general, head to https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/
