The Able Label Blog

This year, the emphasis is on healthy living with particular focus on starting the day with a healthy breakfast. A healthy breakfast may not seem like a big deal but the IDF have found it helps avoid complications through effective management of all types of diabetes. It can even help prevent the arrival of type 2 diabetes.

This breakfast time, try replacing…

-fruit juice or smoothies with unsweetened tea

-white bread for brown bread

-jam, honey or chocolate spread with peanut butter

-fried eggs for boiled, scrambled or poached eggs

Facts

*Diabetes is caused when the pancreas gland stops producing insulin or does not produce enough causing an imbalance as the blood glucose levels rise.

*There are two main types of diabetes; Type 1, which accounts for about 10% and Type 2, which affects around 90% of diabetic adults NHS Choices, advises.

*Nothing can prevent Type 1 however Type 2 is influenced by age, family history, weight and lifestyle. The IDF have even found that through healthier lifestyles, over 70% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or at least delayed.

*Those aged between 40 and 59 are within the age range that has the greatest number of people with the condition.

*In the UK, 3.2 million people have been diagnosed however it is believed that a further 630,000 people have the condition without realising according to Diabetes UK.

Affects on the Body

*Diabetes can affect the whole body including:

-kidneys leading to dehydration, intense thirst and frequent urination,

-eye sight causing blurred vision

-nerves giving tingling, numbness, pain in feet, legs or hands

-skin becoming more sensitive, dry and prone to infection as well as swelling due to circulation being affected

World Diabetes Day

So… if you think you may be one of the 630,000 people in the UK that has the condition without realising, go straight to your GP for a check up. It is easily diagnosed so no harm in checking.

This World Diabetes Day, help to raise awareness alongside the IDF and The Able Label. Ensure you and the others’ around you have a healthy breakfast, today, tomorrow and everyday after to get “off to the right start”. We will be enjoying a bowl of granola with fat free yoghurt, nuts and fruit along side a cup of tea without sugar this morning. What will you be having?

For more information on diabetes, take a look at the following websites…

– http://www.idf.org/wdd-index

– http://www.diabetes.org.uk

– http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetes/Pages/Diabetes.aspx