Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Exercise works the same way. Taking that first step will probably be difficult especially if you’ve never exercised. What you need to know is that it's never too late. Try not to use the old excuses not to exercise!

• Too old
• Too fat
• Too weak
• Too sick
• Too busy
• Too tired

With few exceptions, even if you're disabled or injured, you can still improve your level of fitness. Once you get going, you'll be amazed how quickly your excuses fade as you’ll be enjoying the health benefits so much! You have the goal of improving your cardiovascular fitness as well as decreasing the amount of body fat stored around your abdomen.

I give you all the help you could possibly need in The Actively Ageing ‘Kit’. You will easily be able to design an exercise program which can be endorsed and overseen by your Physiotherapist and Doctor.

Now is the time to make the change! Your diabetes will not get any better until you make the decision to change your lifestyle so DO IT TODAY!

The aim of treatment is to control your blood glucose levels and to prevent long term problems associated with diabetes--such as heart disease.

Healthy eating and exercise are the first steps to getting blood glucose levels and blood pressure under control.  If blood glucose levels are not well enough controlled with diet and exercise, anti-diabetic tablets may be necessary. Many people with Type 2 diabetes will also require insulin injections at some stage to manage their diabetes.

What Can I Do to Prevent Diabetes?

• Become more physically active
• Eat healthily (low fat, high fibre, low GI)
• Maintain a healthy waist circumference (men < 94 cm and women < 80 cm)
• Stop smoking
• Drink only in moderation

Initially insulin is still being produced by your pancreas, but it is less effective than normal. This is called insulin resistance and is an inherited characteristic made worse by carrying extra body fat.  Because insufficient insulin is available for glucose to move from your blood stream into your body cells and liver, excess glucose remains in the blood stream resulting in higher than normal blood glucose levels (BGLs).

After several years of diabetes, your pancreas may become “exhausted” and produce less insulin.

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Feeling tired and lethargic
• Slow-healing wounds
• Itching and skin infections
• Blurred vision
• Mood swings

Research has shown Type 2 diabetes to be progressive, that is, it can get harder to control your blood glucose levels. Therefore tablets and insulin may be required to manage this disease later on. 

However, the fact is that the symptoms of diabetes may not appear until blood glucose levels are dangerously high so it is common to have diabetes and to have sustained organ damage without knowing you have it.

Diabetes is a condition where your body is unable to automatically regulate its blood glucose levels, resulting in too much glucose in your blood.

Glucose comes from foods containing carbohydrates (starches and sugars) e.g. breads, biscuits, cakes, cereals, dairy foods, fruits and some vegetables. It travels in the blood stream to your muscles and other organs where it is used as fuel. Any excess glucose goes to your liver where it is stored for future use. Glucose is your body’s preferred source of energy and your body needs it to work efficiently.

There are 3 types of Diabetes:

• Type 1(juvenile onset diabetes),
• Type 2 (mature onset diabetes)
• Gestational Diabetes (occurring during pregnancy)

The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 diabetes. 
It usually occurs in people over 30 years of age but it may occur in overweight teenagers and children with a family history of diabetes. Diabetes can be hereditary and is triggered by aspects of lifestyle such as being overweight and being sedentary.

People with Type 2 diabetes are more likely to carry excess weight, especially around the middle and have high blood pressure.  They are also more likely to have both high cholesterol levels and heart disease. This is called the “metabolic syndrome”

Unless blood glucose levels are very high, symptoms may not occur, so many people with Type 2 diabetes may not be aware they have diabetes.      
It is important to know if you have Type 2 diabetes.