Today I had to have an annual blood test at my GP's and I asked the nurse if they had many patients with pre-diabetes and she said they had so many they were running a program as were all health centres. As we have many members with pre-diabetes I think it's worth posting the NHS diabetes prevention program, please see:
I’d agree that the hours I work and work stress directly contributed to the way I used to eat (snacking through the day on sweet junk instead of proper meals)
The job hasn’t changed, if anything the pressure just gets greater, but there was only me that could make a difference to the way I ate so I have to make time to plan ahead. I make sure I’ve always got a hot drink in a flask and a cool box with a healthy lunch and a couple of healthy snacks in case I’m very late leaving. I rarely get a proper break but I always eat properly now even if I have to eat whilst writing notes or parked up between patients.
It’s great that the programme is being rolled out across the country, it was only available in a few areas last year when I was diagnosed, but I wouldn’t qualify now as my HbA1c is too good!
Hi Fran, deja vu as I remember when we spoke about this before, so yes it is good that it is being rolled out and it is good that you have already made changes and reversed what can be debilitating. So I'm so pleased that your HbA1c is now good so well done you. 😀
Being made to feel that we should be somewhere else doesn't help so well done for thinking ahead and taking healthy food and well done for being a caring person which you obviously are visiting patients.
I agree, the problem is there are so many doctors who don’t care? I found out at Urgent care. I go every year for a physical I was Never told I had diabetes. I had a doctor who refused to give me a referral to see a podiatrist Another doctor said I didn’t need to check my blood. And I have YET to find even 2 doctors with the same opinion? One said diabetes can be reversed another said No?
I think the "busy lifestyles" thing is a meme planted into our heads by advertisers who want to sell us rubbish.
In reality most people actually don't have busy lifestyles. They just have a busy TV schedule. Or they haven't developed coping strategies for ordinary life pressures. Advertisers exploit this to the max, convincing us all that we're "too busy" to cook proper meals, so we'd be better off buying their prepackaged products. Sure, some people genuinely are rushed off their feet - doctors, for example. Most of us have plenty of time too cook ... if we value our health highly enough.
As for the DPP, it's a good idea in principle, but the NHS are making it far more complicated than it really is - and they're shooting themselves in the foot by persistently handing out bad advice on their "healthy eating" web pages. In other words, they're making people sick to begin with, and then confusing the hell out of them with correct information only after they become prediabetic. My experience in the D&H group is that, by the time someone is prediabetic, they are no longer receptive to the right advice. The EatWell Plate is so firmly embedded inside their heads that it is impossible to help them.
Hey TAT I agree we as a society do not cope with modern stresses and many people are too wound up to prepare a meal so you are right it is 'our' mindset that has to change as do our priorities. What I felt was sad was I had an annual coeliac blood test and the young nursing assistant was obese and telling what a problem pre-diabetes was to the NHS.
And this raises another point it's always someone else and not us...
I find it really hard to believe in/trust the advice given on the Mayo link:
"To prevent prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes, try to:
Eat healthy foods. Choose foods low in fat and calories and high in fiber. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. "
That's exactly the kind of diet I was following that got me into bad health in the first place
I agree that it is our own responsibility to manage our health. I would not use the word epidemic as that implies an infection which is catching and therefore chance plays a role. Rampant maybe a better word.
For diabetes most people can avoid it. My mother eventually died of diabetic complications and I saw the devastation that caused to her life. Maybe drugs are the answer but are you willing to take the chance on kidney damage? Why take that chance? Or a friend of mine suffering from diabetic neuropathy. Horrible.
It is intresting that the word stress comes up and the NHS offer mindfulness programmes but for the severely ill. Why wait until there is a problem? As with diabetes, stress/anxiety/depression creeps up over the years.
My cousin who was diagnosed as pre-diabetic took control. She lost weight, no longer pre-diabetic and very proud of herself. What do friends say to her when a piece of cake is put in front of her and she says no "one piece won't hurt". Oh dear, with that type of peer support it is very hard.
Hi PhilFreeToAsk firstly I am so sorry that your mum suffered like this it must have been hard for her and those around her.
Diabetes can lead to very serious and debilitating complications like blindness and amputations so let's try and stop it starting in the first place.
Now with stress one problem is how some people cannot disengage from their smart phones so they are constantly being alerted and distracted and this can be very stressful.
I think that my smart phone is smarter than me but it still doesn't out smart me.
Finally well done your cousin she has a lot to be proud of.
Hi Jerry
A very good post and yes we do need to tackle it before it's too late.
When I worked in an office for 22 years I used to ride my bike to work, sometimes I'd walk (my place of work was approximately 6 1/2 to 7 miles from home). Fortunately I love power walking and cycling but there were days when I could have easily jumped in a car rather than ride a bike in the Winter as I'd rather cycle in the heat than the cold.
When it came to my food choices I would take my own lunch to work with snacks i.e. I started work early so never had breakfast beforehand so the first thing I ate was a banana, then mid morning I'd have a healthy breakfast bar i.e. a raw fruit bar, lunch tended to be a homemade sandwich and in the afternoon I'd sometimes eat a yogurt but not a low fat one which are loaded with sugar. A few years ago I would have a low fat yogurt but at that time we were being told to cut fat and eat low fat, we know different now.
Now I'm not in an office I tend to have a banana in the morning, if I get round to eating breakfast I'll have porridge with nuts and seeds and no sweetener, lunch is a homemade sandwich with homemade spelt sourdough bread and a homemade bar which is made with oats, seeds, peanut butter and maple syrup (I'd rather not use maple syrup but whilst I'm on the low fodmap diet I can't eat dates so can't use them as a natural sweetener, I'm thinking of looking for recipes with Stevia rather than use maple syrup. In the evening I have a homemade low fodmap meal at present i.e. Lentil and sweet potato stew.
From the cooking I see you do and your stats I can see how healthy you are so very well done.
Thank you for sharing.
Alicia
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Thanks Alicia, unfortunately most commuters and workers don't think like you and I wonder how many people buy an espresso on their way to work who don't think of sugar content and stop their cars to but them.
I like being active and like making my ticker pump sometimes as its good for the circulation good for our bodies good for our minds as you will know from power walking and whizzing around on your bike. So I know how fit you are and how well you eat and this is who and good for you.
I had a black lentil stew with Gram flour dumplings tonight...😊
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I agree, unfortunately they don't. A few if us cycled to work but definitely not enough, wehad decent showers so we had everything we needed.
I love my exercise and est as healthy as I can, not quite as much as the moment because of the diet I'm following but I will start to reintroduce other foods at the end of February.😊
Its definitely good for our minds as much as our bodies.
Ooh yummy, a lovely meal. I'm having quinoa cakes, savoury with quinoa and some veg.😋
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