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WHAT IS DIABETES?

Diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges we face this century and is currently considered to be an epidemic. In Australia, one person develops diabetes every 5 minutes – that’s about 280 people a day. Currently, it is estimated that around 1.7 million Australians have diabetes.

Diabetes is a condition that affects the body’s ability to get glucose out of the blood and into cells around the body, where it is converted into energy to fuel the various functions of the body.

A HEALTHY DIET IS KEY

Regardless of the type of diabetes, diet plays an important role in the management of your health. Following a healthy diet will help you to maintain a good weight, or lose weight if you need to, help to control your blood glucose levels, and reduce your risk of heart disease and the development of diabetic complications.

If you are overweight, losing just 5% of your current weight can make an enormous difference to your blood glucose management and overall health. Losing weight and keeping it off is extremely difficult; however, instead of setting yourself a huge weight-loss goal, if you focus on smaller, achievable goals, you have a much better chance of success. Even if you don’t lose any weight, eating healthily and exercising regularly are both key for managing your diabetes and maximising your health and wellbeing.

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