56% of Australian adults will develop diabetes in the next 5 years – are you one of them?

This week is national diabetes week so we have created a blog to spread awareness of how your lifestyle choices could lead you to developing type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is the fastest growing illness in Australia

When you eat food your pancreas turns glucose into insulin that is used as a source of energy. If your body doesn’t make enough or can’t use the insulin correctly then the glucose stays in your blood causing its sugar levels to rise. Having a build up of glucose in your blood over a long period of time can lead to detrimental health conditions and developing Type 2 diabetes.

There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 is a life-long autoimmune condition diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood but can occur at any age and Type 2 is the most common amongst Australians that can be managed with lifestyle changes.

Here are some statistics from Diabetes Australia:

1 person every 5 minutes develops diabetes everyday

Nearly 50 per cent of people with diabetes have experienced mental health challenges in the last 12 months. 

100,000 Ausralians have been diagnosed with diabetes over the last year

 There are 1.8million Australians with diabetes – including those with undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes Australia has developed a Risk Calculator based on the Australian type 2 diabetes risk test (AUSDRISK). Check if you are at risk by taking this online short survey here or print out a hardcopy version here.

1. You eat processed foods too often

Eating highly processed foods can be a triggering point for diabetes. Processed foods include takeaways, sugary packaged foods, sugary drinks, fried foods, pastries, chocolate, ice cream and confectionary. Aiming to fuel your body with generous servings of fruits and vegetables will keep your blood sugar levels normal and help you stay energised and fuller for longer.

Try to include healthy portions of whole foods from the following food groups:

• fruit
• vegetables
• lean protein like chicken, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, legumes, nuts and seeds.
• high fibre carbohydrates like brown grainy bread, brown pasta, brown rice, oats, chickpeas, lentils and beans.
• healthy fats like olive oil, avocado and nuts.

To find out how much you should be eating from each of these food groups and some healthy recipes log in download your nutrition plan from your dashboard. Make sure you speak to your health professional or a dietitian before making any major changes to your diet.

2. You don’t move your body and exercise enough

Along with all the other wonderful benefits exercise has on our body and the way we feel, it can also have an impact on insulin sensitivity. This means that it can lower our blood sugar levels and help to prevent pre-diabetes.

Dedicate 30 minutes a day to do some form of exercise, helping to naturally lower your blood sugar levels and feel better mentally and physically!

We have so many options to support your fitness journey:

• Find your nearest local camp and book into a cross-training, boxing or yoga session in the park.
• Login to our live-streams and book into our huge range of cross-training, shadown boxing, pilates, tai chi and yoga classes. Download our timetable here.
• Check out our huge range of on-demand cross-training,  boxing, pilates and yoga classes in our Video Hub.

Don’t forget to walk! 30 minutes a day can have so many positive impacts on your body. If you’ve run out of time or are not up for a class then a walk in the fresh air will do you wonders.

3. Your weight loss goals are out of reach

You can reduce your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes by half by making weight loss a priority with regular exercise and fuelling your body with nutritious food. You can set yourself fitness goals, motivate friends to join you on your journey and celebrate your success!

Why don’t you set yourself a weekly schedule and plan out your exercise and healthy meals so you can start reaching your weight loss goals. Download our weekly planner here we have provided an example week to get you started.

4. You aren’t getting quality or enough sleep

Getting between 7-8 hours of sleep per night will help in your weight loss journey and support your body using insulin effectively. Try aiming to get to bed around the same time each night, not using your phone right before bed, practise meditation and not eating a couple of hours before hitting the pillow to get the best quality sleep.

Log in and book into our weekly live-streamed 9pm meditations or try our on-demand sleep meditations to help set you up for the perfect night’s sleep.

5. You don’t take action to reduce stress

Focusing on keep your stress levels low will also keep your blood sugar levels low. When you are stressed hormones like cortisol are released that increase your blood-sugar levels. Making other lifestyle changes will help but not in the long run if your body or mind is continuously put under stress.

Start feeling less stressed by calming the mind with our Breathing Techniques or let off some steam with our range of Cardio Workouts to help promote relaxation.

6. You drink more soft drinks than water

Staying hydrated is a key player in preventing Type 2 diabetes as water helps to control blood sugar levels. Making a conscious effort to drink water before and after meals is an easy way to increase your daily water intake.

Check out our yummy sparkling water ideas – these refreshing and thirst-quenching bubbly beverages are naturally flavoured with fruit and herbs to help increase your water intake.

We’ve got everything you need to stay active so login and book your active training, yoga class and meditation either in the park or online now.

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