What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that makes it difficult for your body to turn the food you eat into energy. When you have diabetes there is too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. This glucose comes from the food you eat and is the main source of energy for your body.To provide energy to your body the glucose needs to be carried around your body in your blood cells. Insulin, a hormone in your body, helps the glucose get inside your blood cells. People with diabetes have problems making insulin or using it properly.
Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of Diabetes. It usually begins in adulthood but it is now beginning to develop in adolescents and children much more frequently.
If you have a family member with diabetes you may be at risk of developing the disease yourself.Diabetes also results from an unhealthy lifestyle, such as not eating a healthy diet and not getting enough regular exercise. Carrying too much body weight also makes developing Diabetes much more likely.
There is no cure for Diabetes. It is an on-going (chronic) condition. It is a progressive condition which means that the effects of Diabetes will worsen over time. Diabetes can be managed. It is treated with diet, exercise and oral medicine. If the condition gets worse injections of insulin are needed.As Diabetes worsens over time serious complications can occur. These include high risk of heart disease, stroke, blindness, amputations and kidney failure.Diabetes is a silent disease. You can have it without even knowing anything is wrong.
Some people may notice symptoms such as being hungrier and thirstier than usual, needing to urinate frequently, being tired, having numbness in hands or feet or having blurry eyesight. If you have symptoms of Diabetes you should visit you family doctor as it is important to manage Diabetes as early as possible. If you have a family history of Diabetes, or if you are overweight or inactive you can begin to make simple changes in your everyday life to prevent or delay the disease.
Changes to your lifestyle can include walking regularly with your family, eating more vegetables and fruit, avoiding as much fatty sugary foods as you can and drinking water.
Diabetes can also occur when a woman is pregnant. This is called “gestational diabetes”. If you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy you are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes later in life. Your children are also at risk. If you have had gestational diabetes you should tell your family doctor and also help you and your family have a healthy and active lifestyle.
Resources
Resources
Diabetes-related resources can be ordered from the Diabetes Projects Trust http://www.dptresources.org.nz/res1.html.
General health and diabetes material is also available from the Auckland Public Health Office:South Auckland at www.arphs.govt.nz, Westfield Tower, Level 2,4 Ronwood Avenue, Manukau, Auckland 2104, (09) 261 1620.
Useful sites
New Zealand
www.swap2win.co.nz
Swap2win
http://www.diabetesprojectstrust.org.nz/
Diabetes Projects Trust
www.obesityaction.org.nz
Obesity Action Coalition
http://www.sportwaikato.org.nz/main.cfm?id=190
Te Wai Rona Diabetes Prevention Strategy
http://www.diabetesauckland.org.nz/index.aspx?site=559
Diabetes Auckland
http://www.diabetes.org.nz
Diabetes New Zealand
Diabetes Information
Knol – Google : articles (diabetes)
http://knol.google.com/k/anne-peters/type-1-diabetes/VxIOS9KU/QWqllQ#
http://www.diabetes.org.nz/living_with_diabetes/type_2_diabetes/pregnancy
diabetes and pregnancy – Diabetes NZ
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp
diabetic retinopathy – National Eye Institute
Food & Nutrition
http://www.moh.govt.nz/nutrition
http://www.dietitians.org.nz/
http://www.foodworks.co.nz/nutritionfoundation/
http://nutrition.otago.ac.nz/index.php?section=5
http://ifnhh.massey.ac.nz/humannutrition/
www.vegetables.co.nz
http://www.5aday.co.nz
http://www.healthyfood.co.nz/
www.diabetes.org.nz/food__and__nutrition
www.arphs.govt.nz/Publications_Reports/nutrition/nutrition_fact_sheets.asp
http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
http://www.mydailyintake.net/
My daily intake
Physical Activity
http://www.aut.ac.nz/schools/sport_and_recreation/research/isrrnz/
http://www.aut.ac.nz/never2old/news_and_events/
http://www.manukau.govt.nz/default.aspx?id=8866
Field of Dreams
www.playday.org.nz
Play Day
http://www.sportauckland.org.nz
Sport Auckland
See also Active Auckland Women on this link.
Auckland City Council:
http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz
For information on parks, beaches, walk-ways and events. See especially:
SPARC (Push Play)
www.sparc.org.nz
SPARC – Weekday Workout:
http://www.sparc.org.nz/getting-active/push-play/activity-programmes/weekday
Auckland Regional Council: www.arc.govt.nz
Parks, Picnic Spots and other leisure ideas
Active Transport (Public Transport, Cycling and Walking)
www.arta.co.nz
www.maxx.co.nz
www.travelwise.org.nz
YMCA
www.nzymca.com
Bike Wise
http://www.bikewise.co.nz
ACC – Active Smart
www.activesmart.co.nz
Map My Walk
www.mapmywalk.com
Wonderwalkers:
www.wonderwalkers.co.nz
Cool Running
www.coolrunning.com
See Couch to 5km Running Plan!
Total Sport
http://www.totalsport.co.nz/
ARPHS – Feetbeat
http://www.arphs.govt.nz/feetbeat
An overview of ARC parks in Counties Manukau
http://www.arc.govt.nz/parks/our-parks/parks-in-theregion/
parks-a-z.cfm?filter=Southern
ARC Discovery walks and outdoor education for children
http://www.arc.govt.nz/albany/index.cfm?34D691CA-
145E-173C-9821-404EADA0AC10
Government
www.feedingourfutures.org.nz
Feeding our Futures
http://www.healthed.govt.nz/
www.familyservices.govt.nz/directory/index.jsp
www.strengtheningfamilies.govt.nz/
www.mission-on.co.nz/portal/
Mission-On
Health Sponsorship Council - HSC
The New Zealand Cancer Society
Te Hotu Manawa MÄori
Pacific Islands Heartbeat
Ministry of Health
General
http://www.cmdhb.org.nz/
Counties Manukau District Health Board
http://www.nhf.org.nz/
National Heart Foundation
http://www.liggins.auckland.ac.nz/
Liggins Institute
Workplace Wellness
ARPHS – Heartbeat Challenge
http://www.arphs.govt.nz/Promoting_Health/heartbeat.asp
SPARC
Active Friendly Workplaces:
http://www.sparc.org.nz/partners-programmes/active-workplaces
Workplace Wellness:
http://www.sparc.org.nz/partners-programmes/active-communities/active-workplaces/workplace-wellness
NZ Well @ Work (NZ Government)
http://www.nzwellatwork.co.nz/
National Heart Foundation
http://www.nhf.org.nz/
Take the Stairs:
Stairway to Health – Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/sth-evs/english/index.htm
Where to buy Pedometers:
10,000 Steps
http://www.10000steps.co.nz
You can contact Health and Human Performance to get a quote for a bulk order. For 200+ you could get them for about $22-27 a piece, with the book and safety strap. These are the 'top of the line' / best quality pedometer on the market.
Diabetes Supplies
http://www.diabetessupplies.co.nz
These look like good 'mid-range' models - prices at $19.95
Sanitarium - Healthy Steps Programme
http://www.healthysteps.co.nz
Women’s Health Action
Breastfeeding and Working: online information
- Includes sample policies, guides, breastfeeding provision inclusion in employment contracts, links and other help.
http://www.womens-health.org.nz/breastfeed/workplace.htm
Diabetes Project Trust
Diabetes Projects Trust offers specially tailored sessions and programmes dealing with a wide range of topics – FREE – including: healthy living, eating well, what is diabetes, diabetes prevention, becoming more active… and more.
Contact:
Diane Bermingham, Lifestyle Coordinator
Phone: 273 9650
Email: diane "at" dpt.org.nz
www.dpt.org.nz
Shiftwork Services:
Fiona Johnston Ph 021 246 0077
fiona "at" shiftwork.co.nz
www.shiftwork.co.nz
International
Diabetes Australia
http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/
Life Australia
http://www.diabeteslife.org.au/
American Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.org
Diabetes UK
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/
Finnish Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.fi/
www.idf.org/
International Diabetes Federation
www.worlddiabetesday.org
World Diabetes Day
www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org
World Diabetes Foundation
www.3four50.com
3Four50
www.healthinschools.org
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