diabeteswa diabetes matters summer 12/13
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DiabetesWA Diabetes Matters Summer 12/13TRANSCRIPT
NEWS • RECIPES • RESEARCH • PEOPLE • EVENTS • FITNESS
Summer 2012 $6.95
is a Diabetes WA Member Magazine
Fast FoodFacts & Figures
GroupsSupport
Choices ExplainedPhysical Fitness
FestivePorkSensational
Fast Food Special Pages 8-13
Look for this symbol throughout this issue for “Fast Food Facts.” According to the very popular Calorie King website which provides a full list of nutritional values for foods, the following popular fast foods come with these caloric count and fat load...
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Cover Caption:Fast Food Facts
SUMMER 2012
P pularP rk
Popular Pork Pages 25-30
In the Community Pages 16-18
ContentsFrom the President ........................................ 3NDSS Update ................................................ 4Current Matters ............................................ 5Yarning Up .................................................... 6Diabetes News ............................................... 7Research News ............................................ 15
In the CommunityLiving with Peripheral Neuropathy ......................... 16 Diabetes on a World Scale ........................................ 17
Living WellHypoglycaemia: Losing Your Senses ..................... 20
Moving WellMove Your Way ........................................................... 22
Eating WellPopular Pork ............................................................... 25 Festive Pork Recipes .................................................. 26
Members’ AreaCompetition ................................................................ 33
What’s On ................................................... 34
From the Editor
Editor: Stacey Molloy
Editorial Enquiries:
Diabetes WA, PO Box 1699, Subiaco, WA, 6904
Phone: (08) 9325 7699
Email: [email protected]
Editorial submissions should be sent to Diabetes WA, care of the above address. All care will be taken with contributions however no liability for loss of damage to unsolicited materials will be accepted.
Advertising Enquiries: Clare Thackwray
Phone: (08) 9325 7699
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed in articles and the claims made in advertising materials presented in Diabetes Matters are those of the authors and the advertisers respectively, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Diabetes WA, unless stated. The information provided is for the purposes of general information and is not meant to substitute the independent medical judgment of a health professional regarding specific and individualised treatment options for a specific medical condition.
No responsibility is accepted by Diabetes WA, the editor, publishers or printers of the accuracy of information contained in the text or advertisements and readers should rely on their own enquiries prior to making any decisions regarding their own health.
Contributors
DRF, Rachel Lamb, Stacey Molloy, Candice Phillips, DWA staff.
Acknowledgements
Australian Pork Limited, DWA staff, iStock, thinkstock.
Photography
Centre of Excellence for Science, Seafood and Health, DWA & PMH staff, iStock, The West Australian Newspaper.
Design: 121 Creative Perth – www.121creative.com.au
Print: Quality Press – www.qualitypress.com.au
Summer is well and truly here and
with the holidays fast approaching,
what and how to feed the family
becomes more important than ever.
In this issue of Diabetes Matters we discuss
some important food-related issues, examine some
frightening fast food facts, and highlight some outrageous
examples of junk food excess.
The idea is not to make you feel bad about the occasional
fast food indulgence, but to arm you with the latest facts
in what is a complex debate about what we eat, and how
it is presented and sold to us.
To help keep your fitness on track we have included a
feature on the latest DIY fitness ‘apps’ and other programs
and resources.
Our featured food this issue is pork, and we have
expanded our Eating Well section to include some useful
tips on feeding the kids these holidays.
Finally, I bid you a fond farewell. It has been my very
great pleasure to have prepared the Winter, Spring &
Summer editions of Diabetes Matters for 2012. I have
enjoyed every minute!
Happy holidays,
Stacey
Diabetes WA www.diabeteswa.com.au
Diabetes Information and Advice Line: 1300 136 588
Phone: (08) 9325 7699 Email: [email protected]
Diabetes WA – Subiaco Office Level 3, 322 Hay Street, Subiaco WA 6008
Postal Address: PO Box 1699, Subiaco WA 6904
Diabetes WA - NDSS Warehouse, Belmont 172 Campbell Street, Belmont WA 6104
Postal Address: PO Box 726, Belmont WA 6984
Hungry Jack’s: The Whopper689 Calories/2882 KilojoulesTotal Fat 40.7g (63% of total daily value)
Saturated Fat 11.4g
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Summer is once again here! It’s certainly the perfect time to enjoy
the benefits of living in beautiful Western Australia.
In this edition of Diabetes Matters we examine the growing and frightening impact of fast food on our lives. We also provide helpful information to encourage and assist you to get more physically active and to ensure that those extra kilos don’t sneak on (or stay on) over the coming holiday season.
Despite our daily exposure to messages about healthy eating, physical activity and drinking water, our challenge is to actually do something about it! Our Aboriginal Health team have taken up the challenge, creating the “Gary the Goanna Goes Healthy” book for Aboriginal children and their families, telling the story of how Gary makes healthier lifestyle choices to avoid diabetes. Although the book is aimed at Aboriginal children, the message applies to everyone, and this beautifully illustrated publication is available to all our members free of charge. To obtain a copy contact [email protected] or phone Kate on 9436 62042.
The holiday season is almost upon us and is a time when many of us travel for a well earned break or to visit family and friends. Family supporters and those with diabetes need to prepare well for extended journeys and I would like to suggest the purchase of a Diabetes WA first aid kit to put in your car or picnic basket. This makes being prepared for hypoglycaemia easier. An order form for the kit is on the back of the address sheet for this edition of the magazine, or you can purchase one from www.shop.diabeteswa.com.au. For
HBF members on Ultimate, Premium Essentials or Extra Essentials cover, the cost of the First Aid kit is fully covered.
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held recently and I would like to thank members for their support. This is an important event on our calendar and provides an opportunity for financial members to have a say in how Diabetes WA is managed and its direction going forward. For the next twelve months our Board will consist of myself, Paul Vivian, Gary Walton, Andrew Burnett, Janelle Marr, Dr Alan Wright, Jim Dodds and Tony Lester. We welcome the continued Patronage of His Excellency, Malcolm McCusker AO CVO QC, Governor of Western Australia and Mrs Tonya McCusker.
I was pleased to release the 2011/2012 Annual Review at the AGM which provides an easy to read, comprehensive summary of the activities we have undertaken over the past year. The Review is posted on our website www.diabetes.com.au or you can obtain a copy by contacting Deborah Barnes on 08 9436 6209 or [email protected].
I thank our Board, CEO, staff and management for their continued efforts throughout another busy year. The issue of diabetes remains constant and challenging and their dedication to our cause ensures that Diabetes WA remains a key provider of programs and services to people with, and at risk of diabetes.
On behalf of the Board, I wish you a very happy and safe festive season.
Until next time…
Moira Watson President and Board Chair of Diabetes WA
From the President
Despite our daily
exposure to messages about
healthy eating, physical
activity and drinking water,
our challenge is to actually
do something about it!
An order form for the Diabetes First Aid Kit (pictured left) is on the back of the address sheet in this edition of the magazine.
Moira WatsonDiabetes WA President
4 The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) is an initiative of the Australian Government, administered by Diabetes Australia.
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Our Youngest NDSS MemberLittle Koby King is just seven-months-old and was a
welcome surprise when visiting our Belmont site with his mum, to buy strips.
This little man possesses a dashing smile and deep blue eyes and wasn’t shy about showing off his insulin pump, worn proudly on his hip!
Koby’s mum, Jodie King, said that he became desperately ill aged seven weeks and that his sudden, near death experience, was very frightening.
“I thought he just had a cold,” Jodie recounted. “There were absolutely no symptoms except he was a little more tired than usual over a two day period, and then he started breathing a little heavier.”
The family’s local GP advised them to go straight to Princess Margaret Hospital after smelling ketones on the baby.
“Seriously, if she hadn’t recognised that, we wouldn’t have my smiley little man with us today - very scary,” she said.
The doctors’ initial prognosis for Koby wasn’t too positive, and the family was told that he was the youngest baby they had seen, who had been healthy and then developed diabetes over just a couple of days.
But today Koby is flourishing thanks to the tight control the family has over everything to do with his diabetes.
“His basal rates range from 0.075units/hr up to 0.225 which is his highest and we bolus 0.1 for 10 grams carbs, plus 0.1 units brings him down by 3-4mmols if we need to correct, which is pretty minute,” she explained.
“It’s getting easier, slowly, but we still get up and check him at 11pm, 1am, 4am and 5am routinely and more often if we need to - and we do this every single night.
“He will sometimes go low for no reason because he’s still in his honeymoon phase - we think - so I like to know he’s safe at night.”
Kerenina’s ‘Krusade’New NDSS Product Engagement Diabetes Educator, Kerenina Baxter, comes with a wealth of firsthand experience.
Kerenina, who comes from a nursing background, has also worked in recent years as an insulin pump representative and has lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood.
She has used an insulin pump for about four years, and is very keen to update people with diabetes on the various technological options open to them.
“Being on a pump myself and working within this industry has given me great opportunity to become familiar with the pumping side of things and type 1 related technology in general,” she says.
“I have seen many changes to the way people manage their diabetes with meter technology advancing, insulin pumps becoming ‘smarter’ and people with type 1 becoming more savvy and informed in the way they choose to manage their health.”
Kerenina said that insulin pumps were not for everyone, but were handy for those who were able, and ready to make the jump from multi-daily injections.
Coming with both positives and downsides, insulin pumps are now smaller and more user-friendly.
Kerenina works with staff at various NDSS access points and is one of a team of Diabetes WA Educators, available to assist NDSS registrants with information and questions.
Travel Insulin FridgeWith Dual Temperature control, an LCD display and one-key operation, this classy little fridge is perfect for anyone on the go. It comes with many different types of accessories and can keep insulin cool for up to 14 hours unplugged. Perfect for people working fly in-fly out, for extended country trips, or just a long day out. It holds up to four insulin pens.Available for only $300 to Members and $315 Non Members.
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Andrew Wagstaff, CEO
CEO MessageI am pleased to report that exciting
times lay ahead for Diabetes WA on a number of fronts, the first of which relates to our transition to a new data base computing system.
The electronic storage of information is a huge, growing, and costly responsibility for all organisations, and particularly those with large and evolving membership bases, such as Diabetes WA.
We are very happy to announce that our new ‘Customer Relationship Management System’ will provide Diabetes WA with expanded and improved capacity and capability to manage all of our future requirements.
The new data base will operate not only as a point of primary record - providing quick and easy access to important information - but will also enable us to quickly and seamlessly manage essential administrative tasks such as membership renewals, program registrations and enquiries to our dedicated DIAL help line.
Diabetes WA was lucky to secure a Lotterywest grant, providing $300,000 to assist with the significant costs of this project. The funding enabled the purchase of vital software licensing and the customisation of the system platform, meaning that it will specifically suit our requirements in meeting member needs, now and into the future.
The project recently completed final testing stages and we are now fully transitioned to the new system, with all things proceeding well.
I am also happy to report the ongoing success of our Diabetes First Aid Kit launched this year. The kit and its use in hypoglycemic emergencies received assorted media coverage and featured in interstate diabetes publications.
It has been well received by several business groups which have made it part of their frontline first aid resources. The fact that purchase of the kit can be claimed by eligible HBF
members (and some other funds), under health insurance, has also increased demand.
At the same time our Diabetes WA Health Services Team has also been kept busy providing workplace diabetes First Aid training. We expect to see increasing demand for this initiative, as news of the service spreads.
Diabetes WA is also proud of the recent launch of a new type 1 diabetes education DVD specifically for teachers and schools. The DVD was produced and distributed jointly by Diabetes WA and Princess Margaret Hospital, with funds from the PMH Foundation, the Commonwealth Bank Staff Community Fund and private donors. Parents of children with type 1 diabetes can order copies from our Subiaco office.
In other exciting news, the Aboriginal Health Services team has officially launched the new ‘Gary Goanna Goes Healthy’ children’s book. Suitable for children up to eight years old, this beautifully illustrated and colourful book enourages children to ‘eat healthy, keep fit and choose water instead of soft drink’. It’s a perfect Christmas gift so look out for the book in the DWA retail store or online shop.
Finally, but importantly for those of you who visit our Subiaco office, the trip to Level 3 is set to become faster, smoother and less fraught. The ancient and existing ‘vertical transport device’ - as the supplier calls the elevator – will be replaced as agreed by all of the building owners. We hope that installation of the new lift will be completed soon, and that you use it to visit us for some friendly help and advice.
Andrew Wagstaff, CEO.
Hungry Jack’s: Kids Value Meal - Cheeseburger, Sml Fries & Sml Drink709 calories/2965 KilojoulesTotal Fat 27.8g (43% of total daily value)Saturated Fat 8.9g
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AGMDIABETES WA
CONTENTS
FEATURESUpYarning
Team member Ebony (centre) with Karen Nardi &
Jacqueline Cooper from Bandyup Women’s PrisonWelcome to another edition of Yarning Up!
Gary Goanna Goes Healthy!Our new storybook for young Aboriginal children, “Gary Goanna Goes Healthy” is hot off the press. The storybook was developed with input from Aboriginal children and families across WA and encourages a healthy lifestyle to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Matching colouring-in books and stickers sets to accompany the storybook are also being developed and will be available soon.
The Storybook launch, held early in October, was a great event where we were able to share with the community our new resource.
It was also a chance to acknowledge all those who helped to make the storybook possible – including staff and women at Bandyup Women’s Prison – who contributed some beautiful artwork. Thanks to all who attended and we hope you had a nice time.
Soft Drink Consumption in Aboriginal CommunitiesHigh consumption of soft drinks and other sugary drinks is associated with a number of health problems, including overweight and obesity, osteoporosis and of course type 2 diabetes.
In Australia, soft drinks are the most commonly consumed sugary beverage and have been singled out for specific attention as a target of obesity prevention programs. The evidence linking soft drink consumption to being overweight and obesity is now strong.
Nearly two years ago, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin ordered two departments to give urgent advice about how to encourage people in remote areas to drink less soft drink. One of the policy responses was the installation of water bubblers in Indigenous communities.
Curtin University’s Public Health Advocacy Institute, together with Diabetes WA, is embarking on a project to investigate the extent of soft drink consumption problems in Aboriginal communities, and to identify further policy solutions.
Healthy Food PlateThe Diabetes WA Aboriginal Health team
has been developing some very exciting resources which aim to make living a
healthy lifestyle even easier.
Our most recent resource is a ‘Healthy Tucker Plate’. This great guide shows how much of each food type should fill up your plate. It includes many traditional Aboriginal foods such as kangaroo,
turtle and goanna. Members of the Heart Health group at Derbarl Yerrigan
Health Service have contributed to the development of this resource and we have
already received lots of positive feedback.
If you have any suggestions, or experiences within this area, or if you’d like any extra information on any Yarning up topics, please email us at [email protected].
NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES/SALAD
PROTEINS STARCHY
FOO
DS
My Healthy Tucker Plate
McDonalds: Big Mac
493 Calories/2060
Kilojoules
Total Fat 26.9g (41% of
total daily value)
Saturated Fat 10.6g
McDonalds: Happy Meal
- Hamburger, Small Fries,
Small Coke
594 Calories/2481 Kilojoules
Total Fat 22.4g (34% of total
daily value)
Saturated Fat 5.1g
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Australian researchers are working to have the world’s first artificial pancreas for people with diabetes on the
market as early as 2016.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund helped fund the ground breaking Artificial Pancreas Project at Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
Institute Associate Professor Jenny Gunton and Dr Nigel Greenwood, an artificial intelligence expert at the University of Queensland, are confident that amazingly accurate results from initial testing of artificial pancreas software, will revolutionise diabetes care.
“The technology we just tested is revolutionary for a whole lot of mathematical reasons – but the point is that it forecasts a completely new approach to programming insulin pumps,” Associate Professor Gunton said.
The researchers aim to create a ‘mechanical cure’ for type 1 diabetes, operating as a closed loop system with glucose
monitoring and insulin administration in the same machine, with pump software automatically administering the correct amount of insulin at the right time.
“Over 55 days of simulated automated insulin therapy, we achieved blood glucose levels within the target interval of 4.4 - 7.8 mmol/L over 90 per cent of the time overall, and we achieved the target 99.8 per cent of the time in the two simulated patients’ main case studies, which is extraordinary because the average person with diabetes would be outside that range over 60 per cent of the time,” Dr Greenwood said.
The researchers are now fundraising for a small human clinical study next year, to be followed by a much larger trial in 2014.
World First Artificial Pancreas
Worrying the world earlier this year were reports that common cholesterol-lowering drugs known as ‘statins’
could lead to increased risk of developing diabetes.
However, while a risk exists, Harvard University researchers recently published a report saying it was the ‘benefit-to-risk ratio’ that was most crucial in considering use of statins.
The research concluded that the cardiovascular benefits of statin therapy outweighed the diabetes hazard, even among people at highest risk of diabetes.
In recent months Diabetes WA has continued its push with local, state and broader media, and has gained further exposure
for the organization, and for the issues important to people with diabetes. Be sure to check out our new DWA TV section on our website.
Social MediaDiabetes WA has for some time been part of the social media revolution! For the uninitiated, social media is an ‘online’ way of communicating with large groups of people via websites including Facebook and Twitter. These sites are simple to navigate and we use them to convey the latest research, health news, information about DWA events and programs, competitions and more. If you would like to be involved, just search for Diabetes WA on Twitter and Facebook and start ‘liking’ and ‘retweeting’ today!
If you would like some help on how to access us on social media, please email [email protected]
Be a DWA Media SpokespersonWe are currently updating our DWA media spokesperson list. Our media spokespeople are everyday people with type 1, gestational or type 2 diabetes who provide an invaluable service by making themselves available to speak to various media about their condition and the issues that affect them.
We are seeking new people, willing to share their stories or experiences, who might be called upon occasionally to speak with journalists, but who are under no obligation.
If you would like to know more or are interested in being a DWA media spokesperson please contact us at [email protected] or call (08) 9436 6223.
Statins:
In The News Your DWA
Benefits Outweigh Diabetes Risk
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Food In A Time Of PlentyIt’s official - Australia is the fifth
fattest nation on earth.
In July this year a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) revealed what most of us already know - that we consume too much high fat and
sugared foods, and not enough healthy vegetables or cereals.
The Australia’s Food and Nutrition 2012 Report, was another sobering study
highlighting our modern eating preferences – and their consequences.
The report said that Australians exceeded the world average consumption of alcohol, milk, sweeteners, animal fats and fruit, while at the same time scoring below world average for eating vegetables and wholegrain cereals.
Findings included that:• 90 per cent of us aged over 16 fail to eat five recommended
daily serves of vegetables with adults not consuming enough fruit;
• Teenage girls don’t get enough dairy foods or alternatives;• A variety of affordable healthy foods is hard to find in remote
areas; and•A lot of our food ends up in the bin ($600 worth per family
annually).
The report confirmed that the average family also spends more each week on alcohol than meat, fruit and vegetables.
Slippery SlopeProfessor Mike Daube, Director of Curtin University’s Public Health Advocacy Institute, is apologetic for what he describes as his ‘depressing tidings’.
He says Australians are on a slippery slope of excessive eating, high obesity rates and reduced exercise and that there is no nice way to say it.
“I start from a pretty depressing place because I don’t think that things are going to get much better in the short term,” he says.
He points to recent data in America showing that for the first time, poorer white Americans now have a decreased life expectancy, linked he says to our world obsession with fast food.
“While there are some differences, basically you can just look at America and see what will happen to us,” he warned.
“And it’s not just us, only this year we saw headlines of a ‘US junk food epidemic sweeping Asia’.
“Scientific papers have for decades documented how we’re getting fatter across the developed world and, unfortunately, it comes with a corresponding increase in linked health problems, including diabetes.”
What it costs usAustralia’s love affair with eating out and fast food is also costing us more.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data for 2009-10 shows that, on average, households spent over $30 a week on fast food and takeaway items, adding up to $1500 a year - a $7 a week increase on 2003-4.
Professor Daube said people with diabetes were not immune to the attractions of fast food, but the negative health outcomes of over indulgence were far more serious in combination with type 1 or 2 diabetes.
“Increasingly, junk food is our food of choice,” he said. “It’s generally cheap and tasty and the ‘ease-factor’ leads us to perceive the preparation of healthier food as more difficult.”
Help at handDiabetes WA is one of many organisations educating people on simple ways to prepare healthy and affordable food.
“Helping our members to successfully manage their diabetes means we provide a lot of practical information, courses and assistance, specifically around healthy food choices and preparation,” DWA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Wagstaff said.
“While fast food sometimes appears to cost less than food made at home, lots of work has been done by programs like FoodCents, to show that overall, it’s not actually cheaper.
“The DWA website, and this magazine, emphasise healthy and tasty food, and the best ways to choose it, shop for it, and to make it.”
But, Mr Wagstaff admitted that even the best efforts were inevitably set against a back drop of multi-million-dollar marketing by fast food corporations.
“People with diabetes generally know a lot about nutrition, and the life threatening consequences of letting food intake play havoc with blood sugar levels,” he said.
“But even that knowledge doesn’t guarantee immunity from the allure of cheap fast food.
“This is something that we can only fight with education – and with real and practical assistance to help people find and prepare healthy alternatives.
“This is something that Diabetes WA is committed to.”
I start from a pretty depressing place because I don’t think that things are going to get much better in the short term
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New Solutions
Professor Mike Daube says the chief reason for fast food’s popularity over healthier alternatives is simple – huge
amounts of effective marketing.
He says the processed and junk food industries are more powerful than the fruit and vegetable industry and are promoted widely - in-store, through advertising, sponsorship, social media, public relations, lobbying and more.
He makes three key points relating to fast food marketing:1) The sheer scale of marketing is enormous and not something
that can be easily matched by any single health organisation. Examples include sponsorship deals for the London Olympics involving McDonald’s and Coca-Cola which were worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
2) A lot of this marketing is very creative and targeted at children and those responsible for kid’s meals, through special deals, gimmicks and sponsorship of junior sport.
3) People on lower incomes and those living in lower socio-economic areas are targeted with more fast food outlets specifically located in their areas.
Professor Daube laments the fact that fast food marketing has turned many of today’s sports role models into what he calls ‘mobile billboards for junk food’.
He said that most major sports willingly took fast food sponsorship, and arguments that banning this would hurt sport – particularly junior sport – were not borne out by the similar banning of tobacco sports sponsorship.
He said that unfortunately, while health messages about tobacco and alcohol were effecting changes in Australian behaviour, obesity was ever increasing and new alternative sponsors were needed.
“The inundation of fast food outlets in lower income areas, taking advantage of price marketing, is both cynical and damaging,” he said.
“Controlling the concentration of these outlets is now a modern responsibility of local councils and legislative change is urgently needed to give councils the power to limit their number.”
He was pessimistic about the success of separate, isolated health messages tackling the obesity epidemic – particularly in the face of a fast food marketing avalanche by big food and beverage manufacturers with deep pockets.
Diabetes WA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Wagstaff says the time has come to seriously ‘recruit’ solutions to the fast
food marketing epidemic.
Mr Wagstaff said he has accepted the fact that Diabetes WA, Governments, and other health organisations combined, don’t have the financial might to challenge, dollar-for-dollar, the huge amounts spent on advertising, gimmicks and deals to sell fast food.
“If this is the battle we choose to fight to get our messages across to consumers, then we will never win the war,” Mr Wagstaff said.
He believes that enlisting new individual and corporate sponsors, willing to spend big amounts of money to promote healthy alternatives, is vital in championing consumer health messages.
“Regulatory and voluntary controls and limits on the marketing of junk food have only got us so far,” he said.
“The fact is that the scope and spend on fast food marketing is bigger, more intensive and often more inviting than we in the health sector can currently compete with.
“My view is that we need to shift focus from whingeing about it, to creating new solutions, including the critical need to recruit other big and powerful corporations as a counterbalance.”
Mr Wagstaff said that banks, financial groups, accommodation services, transport, mining companies and other big corporations all had a significant vested interest in the maintenance of a healthy population.
“It is a healthy consumer population that ultimately creates the demand for their products and services and helps them to return profits,” he said.
“These corporations have the required experience in selling messages and products, with large scale budgets to match fast food marketing.
“For many, it would simply require changing the focus of existing advertising and promotion programs to embrace the population health agenda.”
Diabetes WA plans to be at the forefront of ‘new solutions’ and will launch a major campaign next year to reach out to corporate Western Australia.
“We want corporate WA to become part of the solution to ever increasing chronic health problems such as diabetes and obesity,” Mr Wagstaff said.
“We have got to get serious and enlist the expertise of those who are used to competing on a far grander scale.”
Diabetes WA welcomes inquiries about the campaign from business and will announce more information in the coming year.
Fast Food Marketing 101
‘Recruiting’
Donut King - Cinnamon Ring149 Calories/623 Kilojoules
Total Fat 6.3g (10% of total daily value)Saturated Fat 2.6g
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As a nation, we’re the heaviest we’ve ever been. A whopping 66.3 per
cent of Western Australian adults are overweight or obese.
But why are our obesity rates skyrocketing? Public health advocates point to a number of possible culprits in the environment around us.
“Access to unhealthy food is cheaper and easier than ever,” says Maurice Swanson, Chief Executive Officer of the Heart Foundation (WA Division).
“Add to that the soaring rate of unchecked advertising and promotion of fast foods and sugary drinks and it’s no wonder our waistlines are expanding at an exponential rate”.
The Heart Foundation’s Director of Cardiovascular Health, Trevor Shilton, agrees, saying that many of us spend far too much time sitting down.
“There’s the morning commute in the car, the hours in front of a computer at work, the commute home and leisure time spent in front of the TV – it all adds up,” he said.
“The design of our sprawling cities and our dependence on cars and modern conveniences are also slowly harming us.”
Whatever the cause, the result is the same. Health services are scrambling to keep up with increased rates of chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, all of which have links to being overweight or obese.
Got a grabbable gut?You’re not alone…
The LiveLighter Campaign was launched earlier this year to encourage Western Australians to lead healthier lifestyles. The Campaign is funded by the WA Health Department & run by the Heart Foundation (WA Division) & the Cancer Council WA.
Most experts agree that a combination of public education, policy change and environmental change is needed if we hope to halt this growing trend.
Enter LiveLighter, the newest campaign effort to fight society’s ‘battle of the bulge’.
Campaign producers the Heart Foundation (WA) and the Cancer Council Western Australia, say there is no doubt that the LiveLighter ads are confronting.
People featured in the ads are those seen typically walking down the street, but graphic imagery kicks in, revealing churning organs coated in thick butter-like fat. This is toxic fat which accumulates around our midsection giving us a ‘grabbable gut’.
“This toxic fat releases chemicals into our bodies, increasing our risk of developing serious diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and stroke,” Mr Swanson warned.
The LiveLighter campaign has made headlines across the world and attracted more than 150,000 views on YouTube and Campaign Director Melanie Fineberg said feedback to date had been overwhelmingly positive.
“A number of people have already contacted us to share their early success stories and desire to encourage others to ‘start to LiveLighter’,” she said.
LiveLighter had also unveiled a new Meal and Activity Planner – a free tool to help people establish healthy habits. For 12 weeks, users are provided with a customised meal plan featuring recipes hand-picked by a team of LiveLighter experts.
Miss Fineberg said this tool had the potential to change lives.
“People can also schedule in their physical activity, track their progress and see their results, encouraging them to continue with their new, healthier lifestyle,” she said.
Do you have a grabbable gut? You’re not alone, but perhaps it’s time to do something about it. For healthy lifestyle information, tips or to register for the free LiveLighter Meal and Activity Planner, visit www.livelighter.com.au
Visceral Fat
11
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Fast FoodAnd HealthResearch on the effects of Western-style fast food on Asia, has reinforced the link to increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Experts have been concerned for some time about the ‘American fast food epidemic’ which affects most western nations, and is now sweeping Asia.
Research by the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, published in the journal Circulation earlier this year, found a ‘dramatic public health impact by fast food’ on Singaporean Chinese, over recent years.
The finding was part of a 16-year study into the eating habits of more than 52,000 Chinese residents in Singapore.
Researchers found that participants who ate the most fast food were frequently younger, better educated, smoked less and were more likely to be physically active – a profile usually associated with lower cardio-metabolic risk.
Those eating daily fast food such as burgers and French fries were 80 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease.
Of the 52,000 study participants, nearly 1,400 died of cardiac arrest and nearly 2,300 developed type 2 diabetes.
FoodFrighteningHeart attacks Encouraged We’ve all heard bizarre and unhealthy fast food examples ranging from fried mars bars to the US Burger King bacon sundae (ice cream), but have you come across the infamous Las Vegas Heart Attack Grill?
The burger joint’s menu includes the Single, Double and Triple Bypass Burgers, Flatliner Fries (cooked in pure lard) and Butterfat Milkshakes.
Their website proudly proclaims its April 2012 Guinness World Record for the Quadruple Bypass Burger: weighing 1.444kg, with 9982 calories, ‘four- half pound beef patties’, eight slices of cheese, a whole tomato and half an onion served in a bun, coated with lard!
Not surprisingly, a customer was reported to have died of a heart attack while dining there earlier this year.
Australia to Follow?Post Olympics, McDonald’s USA announced it would start listing calorie information in its more than 14,000 restaurants and drive-through windows. McDonald’s serves more than 25 million Americans every day. No news yet on whether Australia will follow suit.
‘Soft Drinks are Evil!’News bulletins around the world this year sprouted alarming headlines (like the one above), about the risks of favourite fizzy drinks.
We all know that drinks high in calories, sugar, sodium and other unhealthy elements should be avoided, but new attention was given to artificially sweetened drinks.
Some researchers highlighted the dangers of artificial sweeteners – including in soft drinks – which they said could make consumers crave more.
Various reports claimed these drinks swayed people toward a high calorie, high salt diet, and overloaded the body’s mechanisms for regulating blood sugar, with the risk of health side effects including migraines, depression and tachycardia.
Several Australian organisations run competitions and websites devoted to highlighting unhealthy, unlawful and unconscionable marketing of food and drinks. Transgressors range from supermarkets promoting their ‘Fresh’ credentials in a full page of junk food advertising, to alcohol companies posting ads near schools. Check out the following:
Bin the Spin• The Public Health Advocacy Institute
of Western Australia’s (PHAIWA) popular ‘Bin the Spin’ competition highlights promotions that are misleading, that emphasise ‘health’ benefits of a clearly unhealthy product, are positioned inappropriately, or are ‘not right’ for a variety of reasons. To see the latest offenders and to find out more go to the PHAIWA website at: www.phaiwa.org.au
The Parents’ Jury - Fame and Shame Awards• The Awards raise awareness of
advertising techniques promoting unhealthy foods and drinks to children, and also recognise those doing the right thing. They are part of a wider campaign advocating a ban on TV advertising of unhealthy food during children’s viewing times. For more information and to see entries in the annual Awards, go to: www.parentsjury.org.au
Junk Busters• Run by the Cancer Council NSW,
Junk Busters lifts the lid on offending advertisers. See their website at: www.junkbusters.com.au
The TruthExposing
Kentucky Fried Chicken -
Meal Box, 2 Piece Feed
1019 Calories/4260 Kilojoules
Total Fat 42g (65% of total daily value)
Saturated Fat 8.5g
12
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Food LabellingExplaining in brief, exactly what
the food labelling situation is in Australia, is no easy feat. It literally seems to be a ‘moving feast’.
To summarise, in recent years a major Australian Government ‘Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy’ recommended the establishment of ‘an interpretive Front-of-Pack Labelling (FoPL) system’.
The idea, which seems like common sense, is to develop a system to be used on the front of food and beverage packaging to indicate nutritional information, helping people to make informed choices about what they consume.
Government goals Government literature on the topic states that “A FOPL scheme is a scheme that can guide consumer choice towards healthier food options and aims to guide consumer choice by:
• Enabling direct comparison between individual foods that, within the overall diet, may contribute to the risk factors of various diet related chronic diseases.
• Being readily understandable and meaningful across socio-economic groups, culturally and linguistically diverse groups and low literacy/low numeracy groups.
• Increasing awareness of foods that, within the overall diet, may contribute positively or negatively to the risk factors of diet related chronic diseases.”
Common sense however is proving very difficult to turn into reality given the Government proviso also that the: “food labelling regulatory framework must strike a balance between seeking to ensure good public health outcomes (both short and longer term) and ensuring a strong and profitable food industry.”
Different agendas In short, public health groups (of which Diabetes WA is a part) and food and drink manufacturers, must agree on a system – and therein lies the rub.
Health groups want consumers to see
clearly the ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ nutrients and to promote healthier choices as well as highlighting poorer choices. A ‘traffic light’ system is just one of the options being considered.
The food industry obviously wants to protect their valuable brands and sell as much as possible, and highlighting the ‘negatives’ like high fat, sugars, sodium and other less healthy aspects, is not something they want.
Working groups are presently trying to navigate this minefield of opposing viewpoints while important questions are also being raised about an effective system to enforce and monitor any eventual system.
Where we stand From the point of view of Diabetes WA, there is no set ‘diabetes diet’ and we instead encourage people at risk, or living with diabetes, to manage their diets to maintain a healthy balance across all food types.
Our stance is not the complete denial of certain foods, but careful self-management across a balanced diet, and to achieve this, properly executed food labelling is absolutely essential.
Being able to look at a product and easily calculate the impact on their total kilojoule, salt and fat intake, allows them to think ‘well I had fast food on Friday night so I’ll go for this healthier option today’.
We support the need for a clear and consumer driven front of pack labelling
system that will help, and not hinder, people with diabetes and others to navigate the maze of unhealthy food products out there.
Unified clear front of pack labelling should be mandatory and monitored for adherence by an independent authority. Self-regulation being pushed for by industry is no regulation – just look at ‘self-regulated’ junk food marketing to children.
Government must not bow down to food and beverage manufacturers on food labelling. A strong stance was taken on tobacco two decades ago, and new packaging laws have recently been put in place.
Let’s not wait 20 years for similar action on common sense health labelling for our food and drinks.
Diabetes WA is committed to keeping members informed on this vital issue.
Andrew Wagstaff, CEO.
in Australia
1414
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Specialised drug treatment for type 2 diabetesKen Yan Thong, Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, Rockingham General Hospital
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Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, (GLP-1 agonists),
is an interesting class of drugs currently available to treat type 2 diabetes. Unlike many diabetes drugs, treatment with GLP-1 agonists actually promotes weight loss. This is a distinct advantage when many people with type 2 diabetes are also overweight. This article summarises the benefits and limitations of their use, and highlights some important developments.
How they work?The GLP-1 hormone is one of several hormones produced in the gut in response to a meal. The actions of GLP-1 are diverse but include stimulating the production of insulin and reducing levels of glucagon. It also sends signals to the stomach to slow emptying, making us feel more full, as well as signals to the brain to suppress appetite. As a result, blood glucose is lowered, both directly by the effects of insulin/glucagon, and indirectly by discouraging us from eating more! However, the GLP-1 hormone is quickly broken down and this allows the signals to turn off when food is no longer present in the gut. GLP-1 agonist drugs work by being longer lasting versions of our own GLP-1 hormone.
Benefits of treatment?Treatment is associated with improvements of blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and weight loss. The amount of weight loss varies between individuals. Treatment with GLP-1 agonists generally carries a low risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose). They have also been shown to slightly lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Why aren’t GLP-1 agonists more widely used?There are several reasons. Firstly, they need to be administered as injections and this limits appeal. Secondly, gastrointestinal side effects are common with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea the most frequent. These side effects often improve with time as the
body adjusts, but may be severe enough to halt treatment. A further concern is that not everyone responds uniformly to treatment and it is currently hard to predict who might respond well. Finally, the drugs are more expensive than most other diabetes drugs and subsidised treatment under the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) will likely remain restricted to certain people (see below).
Currently available GLP-1 agonists?Exenatide (tradename BYETTA®) was the first marketed GLP-1 agonist. It is injected twice a day and is currently listed under the PBS as a second or third line diabetes drug. Liraglutide (VICTOZA®) is a once-daily injected GLP-1 agonist and while approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), it has not yet received PBS listing. Besides the advantage of one less injection per day, liraglutide has been shown to cause fewer problems with nausea than exenatide in a clinical trial.
Using these drugsBoth exenatide and liraglutide should not be used by people with type 1 diabetes, those who are pregnant (or planning to be), or who have significantly poor kidney function. Their use purely for weight loss in people with diabetes is also not recommended at this stage. This is due to a lack of long-term safety data and the significant cost implications.
Rare cases of pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, have also been reported in association with the use of exenatide and liraglutide. However, it is not clear whether these are truly due to an adverse effect of the drugs, or actually represent a higher risk of pancreatitis among patients with type 2 diabetes. People with a previous history of pancreatitis are advised not to start exenatide or liraglutide.
GLP-1 agonist researchGLP-1 agonists that can be injected less frequently (once weekly or once
monthly) are currently being trialled. The effectiveness of GLP-1 agonists in patients already on insulin treatment is also being investigated. Combined formulations of GLP-1 agonists with insulin in a single injection may also be on the horizon. With proven benefits in diabetes control, weight, and to a lesser extent blood pressure and cholesterol, trials are also underway to assess the role of GLP-1 agonist treatment in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and stroke.
In summary, GLP-1 agonists as a class of diabetes treatment has the important advantage of promoting weight loss, but cost, tolerability or effectiveness may sometimes limit their use.
THE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATIONOF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC)
Research is the key to our future
16
communityIN THE
June Gascoigne, of Ellenbrook coordinates Australia’s only Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group, providing help to
those affected by the debilitating diabetes-related condition.
“About 15 years ago I was diagnosed by a neurologist with peripheral neuropathy, or PN, after several years of pain and difficulty walking,” June said.
“It was a relief to put a name to my problem but when I arrived home I asked myself what did the name mean and my husband and I shared blank glances.”
Peripheral neuropathy is actually the most common type of diabetic neuropathy, which is nerve damage, and causes pain or loss of feeling in the toes, feet, legs, hands, and arms.
People with diabetes can develop nerve problems at any time, but risk increases with age, with the highest neuropathy rates found in people who have had diabetes for at least 25 years.
June decided to tackle her questions head on and placed a newspaper ad asking for anyone who could tell her about PN.
“I received 35 calls but they were from people in the same boat – they knew nothing and were seeking information,” she said.
So June went about establishing a support group, which today has more than 100 members, including people in the country and interstate.
The group holds monthly meetings and provides a monthly newsletter to members for an annual $10.00 subscription.
“We provide understanding and support through sharing experiences in practical management of daily living with PN and we are working towards creating a greater awareness among both doctors and those suffering PN, as well as the general public,” June said.
The Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group meets the second Monday of every month at Connect Groups, 337 Pier St, East Perth (Opposite Perth Oval) and more information is available from June on (08) 9296 7190.
Peripheral NeuropathyPeople Living With
Support Groups - Get Involved
Diabetes can be hard to understand unless lived with daily and sharing experiences with others can provide welcome relief.
There are a range of support groups across Western Australia including:
• Parents of children with diabetes
• People with type 1 diabetes (including those for 18-30 year olds & over 30 years)
• People with type 2 diabetes
• People with type 1 or 2 diabetes
• Over 50’s
• Non English-speaking people
To find a group that suits you, visit www.diabeteswa.com.au and go to ‘living with diabetes’ then ‘support groups’, email [email protected] or call DIAL on 1300 136 588.
How to start a support group?
ConnectGroups, known also as Support Groups Association WA (previously the Western Institute of Self Help (WISH) Inc), is a not-for-profit, community organisation providing assistance to support groups with start-up, ongoing development, advocacy and networking. Call 1800 195 575 or visit www.connectgroups.org.au
Diabetes WA can also post you a support group manual, help with a database of potential guest speakers, provide information on diabetes, and help you network with current support group leaders – useful for ideas and to help promote your group.
Speak to the Diabetes WA Community Engagement Coordinator on (08) 9325 7699 or email [email protected].
My journey to Tanzania to attend the first ever African Diabetes
Congress was an amazing, informative, confronting and challenging experience.
The scientific congress itself was held in Arusha in late July, but the ‘young leaders’ also met beforehand in a mountain lodge for the first ever African Diabetes Youth Leadership Program. Here the YLD met with 43 young people between 15 and 21 years, 22 nurses and 21 doctors from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Guinea and Congo.
The program focused on diabetes management, peer-to-peer support, education, building awareness, and the principles of good leadership as ways to address the increasing burden of diabetes on children and adolescents in Africa.
The YLD were joined by various experts and worked together to look at the problems faced by young people with diabetes in Africa, and to brainstorm practical solutions.
There were many ice breakers, exercises which involved lots of butcher’s paper and furious scribing, informative lecture sessions, motivating leadership speeches and a spot of dancing at the end of each day.
Throughout the program, the African youth also held presidential elections and initiated the formation of a youth council, which was later formally introduced at the opening of the scientific conference and attended by the Tanzanian President.
It’s hard to describe how inspiring it was to be involved in a program which instigated such important social change. The conference was an amazing, jam packed, emotional roller coaster of a trip. I learned so much, and the presentations were very informative.
Despite having the common theme of diabetes, a lot of the stories, statistics and scenarios were pretty foreign, scary and hard to comprehend. We heard:
• Of people wishing they had AIDS instead of diabetes so the government would provide them with free medication.
• Cases where parents waited/hoped for their children to die so the cost of insulin wouldn’t drain the family finances - already below modest.
• That the cost of diabetes supplies were sometimes equal to, or exceeded the annual family income of the WHOLE family – and that wasn’t including medical bills, transport, special food, etc.
• Testing of blood sugars only three times a week was considered good control, when I test mine 5-8 times on a good day!
• About ignorance when young people were shunned in their villages because diabetes was thought to be the result of witchcraft.
Living with type 1 diabetes can be exhausting, confusing, frustrating, lonely, consuming and really, really challenging. But hearing how people live with it under those conditions, made me leave each day feeling so lucky, fortunate, blessed – and a little guilty. I felt guilt for having access to things like the NDSS, YWAIT, DWA and everything else I’m privy to as an Australian.
In reflection on my time there, it’s hard to know what to do with this new knowledge and the experience as a whole. I think one of the most important things is that I left Africa with new eyes - educated about what it’s like to live with the disease that I have, in a completely different context.
The experience made me think, reflect and engage in some pretty big internal questions.
If you would like to know more about the YLD program visit: http://youngleaders.idf.org/ or follow us on facebook and twitter. The next World Diabetes Congress will be held in Melbourne in December 2013.
For information on YWAIT (Young Western Australian Insulin Takers) - a social support space for young adults 18 to 30ish living with type 1 diabetes in Perth & WA - visit http://insulintakers.org/ or follow me on twitter at: @Rach_diaBEETing
17
communityIN THE
Diabetes on aWorld Scale
Rachel Lamb is a founding member of YWAIT (Young Western Australian Insulin Takers) & also an International Diabetes Federation ‘Young Leader in Diabetes’ (YLD). In July this year she travelled to Tanzania to attend the African Diabetes Congress as an Australian youth representative. Here is an edited version of her report:
18
communityIN THE
‘Richy Bear’ By NameGenerous By Nature
To purchase a kit now visit shop.diabeteswa.com.au or call 1300 136 588
Diabetes First Aid KitFor emergency treatment
of hypoglycaemia
Do you have diabetes or know someone who is at risk of having a hypo? Be prepared in your home, school, sporting club or workplace with this handy kit!
Kit contains: • Instructionalguide• Glutosegel• Glucosetablets• Jellybeans•Mueslibars• Generalfirstaid
RRP $59.95
Richard with his grandmother
Running half marathons in a bear suit is not something most 25-year-
olds would contemplate as an ongoing pursuit – but Richard Low is not ‘most’ people.
The Perth process engineer, affectionately known as ‘Richy Bear’, regularly runs 21.1km races as part of a unique passion – to fundraise $100,000 for Diabetes WA (DWA), in honour of his grandmother.
Richard’s grandmother, Mrs Ly Lien, has type 2 diabetes and heart problems and her quality of life has decreased over the past few years.
“I run for my grandma because she no longer has the capacity to enjoy physical exercise and food as I do, and I want to show her how much her health means to me,” Richard says.
“I will never forget the day she told me that she believed she wouldn’t live to see me graduate high school but I’m now well past that point and it is time to show her the person I have become.”
Richard explained that the idea for his trademark bear suit started out around two-years-ago as a bit of a joke among friends.
“I adopted the nickname ‘bear’ on account of my love for eating and sleeping,” he laughingly recalled.
But the penchant for hibernation didn’t last long and Richard soon decided to take direct action and to get his body moving in a quest for fitness.
“I decided to get healthy and first started training with a friend for the 2010 City to Surf 12km race,” he said.
“After a lot of hard work to increase my fitness, I made it, and soon started to think about how I could up the stakes.
“Then I had an idea – ‘why not run in a bear suit?’.”
After searching on eBay and finding a suit for $200, Richard’s idea became
a reality in August this year when he donned the bear suit to run for a charity close to his heart – Diabetes WA.
That first half marathon for Diabetes WA was completed in an incredible 2hrs 28min 22 sec – even more amazing when considering the added weight involved.
Richard’s ‘Richy Bear’ suit weighs 5kgs alone and added to this is an internal ice pack and water pack, weighing 4kgs and 2kgs respectively.
Richard said that the internal cooling and hydration was heavy, but necessary, given that he loses between 2-3kgs in perspiration, each time he runs.
Despite the extra weight, he still manages to maintain an average pace of 6min/km (or 10km per hour).
“People think I’m crazy to attempt running marathons in a bear suit but that doesn’t bother me,” he said.
“I am determined to finish what I started and have had a lot of support from friends and family and even strangers who high five me and give me bear hugs while I’m training.
“Next year, in my efforts to raise $100,000, I want to complete a half marathon in every capital city in Australia and I want to make it in to the Guinness World Records for fastest or most half marathons in an animal suit.”
The money raised by Richard is used to support people with diabetes, subsidise medical materials and to provide ongoing research for a cure.
You can assist Richy Bear’s amazing efforts by visiting his dedicated fundraising web page at: everydayhero.com.au/richy_bear and making a donation.
Be sure to follow Richard’s journey at facebook.com/richybear or via twitter.com/richy_bear.
19
To purchase a kit now visit shop.diabeteswa.com.au or call 1300 136 588
Diabetes First Aid KitFor emergency treatment
of hypoglycaemia
Do you have diabetes or know someone who is at risk of having a hypo? Be prepared in your home, school, sporting club or workplace with this handy kit!
Kit contains: • Instructionalguide• Glutosegel• Glucosetablets• Jellybeans•Mueslibars• Generalfirstaid
RRP $59.95
20
Order your refill pack of the
hypoglycaemia treatment products
through the Diabetes WA online shop at
shop.diabeteswa.com.au
Level 3, 322 Hay St, Subiaco WA 6008
172 Campbell St, Belmont WA 6104
Phone: 1300 136 588
www.diabeteswa.com.au
Keep hypoglycaemia treatments at room
temperature and out of direct sunlight
DIABETES FIRST AID
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We want to hear your personal experiences of diabetes & associated issues. If you wish to share your challenges & accomplishments, we’d like to hear your story. Email a brief description & your contact details & you could be interviewed & selected to feature in a future edition of Diabetes Matters Magazine. Email: [email protected]
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A hypoglycaemia episode (or hypo) occurs when the blood glucose level (BGL) drops below the ‘ideal’ level which is generally below 4 mmol/L.
The body registers a low BGL as a ‘stress’ so, in response, releases adrenaline in an automatic ‘fight or flight’ reaction to a life-threatening situation. This stimulates the bodily functions needed to run faster, see better and survive a threat like sweating, shaking and an increased heart rate – all classic hypo signs.
Over time, this adrenaline response becomes progressively weaker in people with type 1 diabetes, which leads to an impaired awareness of hypo events.
Statistics show that one in four people with type 1 diabetes, and some others with type 2 diabetes, have impaired hypo awareness. People with impaired hypo awareness may unknowingly continue with everyday tasks while experiencing a hypo, such as driving, and are at increased risk of having a severe hypo.
Those who have experienced hypoglycaemia for many years are at greatest risk of developing impaired hypo awareness.
The good news is that it is possible to regain symptoms. The best strategy to sensing hypos again is to avoid having them, which can be difficult.
Other strategies include:
• Making it a priority to speak to your healthcare professional;
• Checking BGLs more often to detect hypos earlier;
• Pay attention to night-time hypos;
• Finding out how to treat hypos effectively as prompt treatment is vital;
• Keeping an eye on your emotional stress and discussing any concerns with a healthcare professional; and
• Attending a DAFNE program (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating). DANFE has helped many people regain their awareness, so contact Diabetes WA for more information.
Another specific online program on offer is BGAThome (Blood Glucose Awareness Training at Home). BGAThome is currently being trialled in WA and is proving very successful. It is hoped it will be available to DWA members in the near future.
If you think you may have impaired hypo awareness, you can discuss your concerns with a Diabetes WA diabetes educator. Call DIAL on 1300 136 588.
Losing Your SensesHypoglycaemia: For many people, hypoglycaemia is a big part of living with
diabetes. Studies have shown that mild hypoglycaemia occurs an average of twice weekly in people with type 1 diabetes. A further seven to 15 per cent of people with type 2 diabetes, who take insulin or insulin-stimulating medications, also experience hypoglycaemia.
Carolann Green with grand daughter Indiana
Kentucky Fried Chicken
- Burger, Original Recipe,
Bacon & Cheese
These burgers have different
calorie counts across Australia
Queensland’s is the highest at
524 calories, followed by WA on
483 Calories/2020 Kilojoules,
and the rest of the nation on 467
The WA burger has 20.7g Total
Fat (32% of total daily value),
with Saturated Fat at 7.5g
21
Night-time Hypoglycaemia
Hypos experienced during sleep often go unrecognised because BGLs are less likely to be measured and symptoms may not be obvious. Signs sometimes include vivid dreams or nightmares, morning headaches, chronic fatigue or mood changes.
Because recurrent hypos can cause further impairment of hypo awareness, it is important to prevent and treat night-time hypoglycaemia which can also cause spiking of BGLs in the morning.
Consider:
• Testing BGLs at bedtime & overnight. (Bedtime BGLs can be predictive of hypos during sleep);
• Testing again before breakfast; and
• Having a long acting carbohydrate snack before bed.
Above all, it is vital you talk to your specialist, educator or GP regarding any suspected night-time hypos.
Getting Help is Vital
Perth grandmother Carolann Green has had type 1 diabetes for almost 40 years and says that hypos were initially easy to sense because she would sweat a lot and mentally she felt there was a ‘loose wire’.
However, in the past decade Carolann’s lows slowly became lower before she noticed, and she could no longer second guess her levels – thinking she was low, only to discover on testing that she was high.
“It got so bad that once I was alone at home and started to feel that something wasn’t quite right but I had no symptoms and I wasn’t feeling sick,” she explained.
“When I don’t feel right I always test my sugars and, to my horror, my blood sugar level was 0.9 (mmol/L).”
Carolann tackled hypos head on by firstly discussing things with her diabetes specialist, who referred her to the diabetes clinic at Sir Charles
Gairdner Hospital, which helped her craft a diabetes management plan.
“It became a journey of self-discovery to reconnect with my hypo signs,” she said.
“I was advised to start treating any blood glucose level below six as a hypo, which has since been lowered to less than five as I’ve become more responsive.”
Part of her ‘journey’ involved accepting diabetes as a changing condition.
“I was feeling a lot of self-blame when it came to my levels when, actually, I was trying my best and there are so many outside factors that affect my levels including hormonal changes and gastroparesis,” she said.
“I also found the DAFNE program a life changing course because I had not done carb counting or portions before - even after 40 years with diabetes.
“Fully understanding how insulin works and how to work out the right amounts for me helps me gain more accurate sugar levels no matter what I eat.”
If you feel your hypo awareness level has changed, take action and see your specialist, GP or educator today. For more information on DAFNE (Dose Awareness for Normal Eating) call DIAL on 1300 136 588.
Order your refill pack of the
hypoglycaemia treatment products
through the Diabetes WA online shop at
shop.diabeteswa.com.au
Level 3, 322 Hay St, Subiaco WA 6008
172 Campbell St, Belmont WA 6104
Phone: 1300 136 588
www.diabeteswa.com.au
Keep hypoglycaemia treatments at room
temperature and out of direct sunlight
DIABETES FIRST AID
Open
000
Hypoglycaemia
Signs & Symptoms
Hypoglycaemia (hypo) occurs in people with diabetes when their blood gluclose level has dropped too low, and they are demonstrating any of the symptoms below.
•Weakness,tremblingorshaking•Sweating
•Dizziness/light-headedness•Tearful/crying/irritability•Numbness/tinglingaroundlips & fingers
•Rapidpulse•Slurredspeech•Lackofcoordination/unsteady•Lossofconsciousness•Convulsions/fitting
DO NOT GIVE ANY FOOD OR DRINK
Conscious & Alert
Step 1
Step 1Step 2
Step 2
Unconscious
Give one serve of fast-acting carbohydrate from pack AAfter 10 minutes, if symptoms persist repeat step 1
When symptoms improve Give one serve of long-acting carbohydrate from pack B
Place in the recovery positionCheck airway
Call 000Stay with the person until the ambulance arrives
Thepersonisunconscious or unable to swallow
Thepersonisconscious and able to swallow
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YourMove
Way
The Great Outdoors
You can take to nature on your own, or consider joining an outdoor group. The Action Outdoors Association offers a range of outdoor activities from bushwalking to hang gliding.
Pros: An exciting way to meet people, reconnect with the great outdoors and enjoy a vast range of activities.
Cons: Some organized events require high skill levels.
Cost: Annual $40 membership includes magazine subscription, free day events and reduced costs for loan of outdoor equipment. Contact: 9487 2548 www.aoa.asn.au
Group Fitness Classes
Organised classes are many and varied. Options include Zumba (latin dancing), Tai Chi (relaxing martial art), water aerobics and spin classes (stationary bike with music), just to name a few.
Pros: Highly motivating and fun, often catering to different skill levels.
Cons: Some aerobic-type classes require coordination and timing which can initially be daunting!
Cost: Usually ranging from $10 per class to more than $100 per month as part of gym membership. Check your local Councils for cheaper or free options.
Where: Your local gym, recreation or aquatic centre.
Personal Training
If you want one-on-one support to get you active, personal training might be for you. A qualified fitness instructor works with you to plan and help motivate, as you work through your fitness goals, in a gym or outdoors.
Pros: Tailored to your needs and abilities. Highly motivating.
Cons: Can be expensive. Consider sharing a trainer with a friend to cut costs.
Cost: Approx $40-$80 per session.
Where: Local gyms are a good place to start.
Smart Phone Apps
With the arrival of smart phone technology there is a wide range of physical activity-related apps available to help. Our favourites include:
RunKeeper – Track running, walking, cycling and more using your phone’s GPS. Links with social media for extra support.
Endomondo – Like RunKeeper, Endomondo tracks activity using GPS (as well as other activity such as swimming) and measures distance, duration, speed, pace and calories.
MyFitnessPal – a free exercise tracker and calorie counter, helping you balance your energy intake and outtake. (also available on computer)
Pros: Widely available, cheap and portable (for those with a smartphone). Tracking your progress can help you stay on track.
Cons: Need to be relatively tech-savvy to use.
Costs: Mostly free.
Where: Google ‘free fitness apps’ or Google Play Store (Android) and iTunes (iPhone).
Choosing a way to keep physically active that suits your interest, budget and ability is a
surefire way to stay motivated and to see results.There has never been so much choice! Here we test some popular ways to keep active.
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Boot Camp: Outdoor Group Training
If you hate stuffy gyms, like a challenge and love to be social, boot camp is for you. Run as small groups in local parks and beaches, boot camp trainers put you through your paces in running, stair climbing, boxing, circuit training and water activities.
Pros: Provides great variety, gym-style work outs in fresh air and is socially supportive and engaging.
Cons: Not for the faint hearted. Weather permitting.
Cost: Approx. $15-30 per session, usually paid by the month.
Where: Many local venues, check local notice boards or visit outdoor group trainers Step Into Life - www.stepintolife.com.au
Calico
Calico is a unique fitness system working with local councils to deliver free physical activity, weight loss and lifestyle programs. Calico works online and outdoors.
The online component allows you to set fitness goals and the outdoor component turns public space into your very own private gym, with Calico Fitness Totems.
Totems are installed every 500m at public walking paths across six metropolitan local councils and together with online information, help you to work out the intensity, time and distance needed for you to achieve your physical activity goals.
Pros: Free, personalized and goal-focused.
Cons: Availability, still expanding. Requires internet access.
Cost: Free.
Where: Available in Cambridge, Cockburn, Gosnells, Joondalup, Kwinana and Stirling council areas. Visit www.calico.com.au
An Amazing Race: The New Get On Track Challenge
The new Diabetes WA Get on Track Challenge is great for people who want a fun way to get healthy with friends, family or workmates, via a fully guided interactive online program.
Register a team of 2-8 people and you’ll embark on a virtual race via Google maps. Daily physical activity and fruit n’ vegetable consumption is converted to kilometers, so the healthier you are, the further you progress along the track. The team who finishes first wins!
Pros: Fun, supportive and great for team building.
Cons: Requires internet access and reliance on others.
Cost: Free.
Where: www.getontrackwa.com.au and register your interest today.
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Pork is one of the most widely-eaten meats in the world and in recent
years there has been a concerted effort to promote its health benefits, so it is no surprise that Australians are now eating more pork than ever.
According to world statistics on pork consumption, per capita by country, Australia ranks number 14 on the global pork-eating scene.
The world’s top pork eaters are without doubt the Danes, followed a long way back by Spain in second position and Hong Kong a close third.
Australia, while it might not have millennia of pork eating behind it, like Denmark, has managed to build, very quickly, a world class reputation for producing the highest quality pork meat.
Pork, famous as a traditional roast, has more recently been promoted as a versatile meat, perfect for barbeques, stir fries, meatballs, kebabs and a host of multi-cultural recipes.
Pork is now more widely acknowledged as a rich source of protein, niacin and thiamine (vitamin B1), as well as being high in vitamins B6 and B12 and a good source of folate and iron.
The pork industry is now increasingly focused on promoting the health
benefits of eating pork and is not just spending on
advertising, but on scientific
research.
Just this year, The Australian Pork Cooperative Research Centre (APCRC), made up of Australian pork industry companies, research organisations and universities, allocated funds to the research of the health benefits of pork.
The funding was announced for projects designed to fill gaps in existing knowledge, or to develop system-changing technologies in pork production.
A major priority for projects included investigating the role of pork in a balanced diet, and as a weight management tool to address health issues, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
This funding of new projects follows a 2010 study by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) indicating potential benefits of pork for people with diabetes.
The study, by CSIRO Animal, Food and Health Sciences researchers led by Manny Noakes (author of the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet books), found that a diet high in lean Australian
pork, when combined with exercise training, lead to increased weight
loss and improved insulin levels in some overweight
and obese patients with type 2
diabetes.
The study also looked at the effect of pork on thiamine (vitamin B1) levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Thiamine helps to metabolise carbohydrates and fat to produce energy and is essential for growth and proper heart, nervous and digestive system function.
A portion size of 100gm of cooked pork (about the size of a pack of cards) provides the recommended daily intake of thiamine for healthy adults.
The industry emphasizes that pork provides higher levels of thiamine than red meat or chicken and gram for gram, contains less total and saturated fat than beef. Pork is higher in protein than chicken.
While pork remains the most popular meat worldwide, not all cultures or religions eat pork, and not all overseas producers are as exacting as in Australia.
The Australian pork industry has been at pains to emphasize that Australian pork is of the highest quality and can be cooked and enjoyed in many different ways.
Bacon or ham cured with salt are high in sodium and can be high in fat, so are best eaten in moderation, as part of a well-balanced diet.
Overall, pork is considered a lean meat - there are 11 trimmed lean cuts of pork that can be healthy and tasty options!
P pularP rk
sesame gingerpork stir fry
serves 4500g pork fillet, sliced thinly1 tblsp oil2 tsp green ginger grated2 tsp sesame seeds1 tsp sesame oil5 spring onions, sliced1 bunch bok choy, sliced1 bunch asparagus, sliced1 bunch broccolini, sliced 1/3 cup ginger marmalade2 tsp soy sauce
To serve: Steamed basmati rice
1 Place sliced pork in a bowl with oil, grated ginger and sesame seeds. Mix well to coat.
2 Heat a large wok and stir the pork fillet until fragrant and well browned. You may need to do this in several batches. Remove from wok and set aside.
3 Heat sesame oil in the wok and stir fry the prepared vegetables for 3 - 4 minutes.
4 Return the pork to the wok and stir in ginger marmalade and soy sauce, stir fry for a further 3 minutes.
5 Serve hot over steamed basmati rice (¾ cup per serve).
Nutritional Information peR SeRve• 2190 kJ, • 13.5 g fat, • 60 g carbohydrate, • 5 g fibre, • 283 mg sodium.
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26Recipe and image kindly provided by Australian Pork Limited
The nutritional estimation provided may vary according to serving sizes and products used.
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pork chopsfestive bbq
1 Season pork chops and brush with a little oil.
2 Barbecue or cook on a pre-heated griddle for 3 - 4 minutes each side.
3 While pork chops are cooking, whisk together blackcurrant juice with the arrowroot powder and pour into a saucepan with the canned cherries and juice.
4 Heat over a low heat stirring until the sauce thickens and boils, stir in the butter until well combined.
5 Serve pork chops with vegetables and festive cherry sauce.
serves 4
4 pork loin chops
pepper and a little salt
½ cup blackcurrant juice
1 tblsp arrowroot powder
400 g can cherries or 200 g fresh cherries, stones removed
30 g margarine
To serve: Steamed cocktail potatoes
Steamed Brussels sprouts
Nutritional Information peR SeRve• 1534 kJ, • 10.6 g fat, • 24 g carbohydrate, • 6 g fibre, • 246 mg sodium.
Recipe and image kindly provided by Australian Pork Limited
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serves 6
500g lean pork, cubed
8 slices of fresh pineapple, quartered
1 green capsicum, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
2 tblsp oil
200ml sweet chilli sauce
12 thick bamboo sticks, soaked
Note: canned pineapple may also be used. When
using fresh pineapple, do not prepare kebabs
more than 12 hours ahead of cooking.
1 Thread pork cubes onto skewers, alternating between pineapple wedges and capsicum.
2 Brush each kebab with a little oil.
3 Pre-heat a griddle or BBQ plate on medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes. Cook the kebabs turning frequently for 5 minutes.
4 Brush each kebab with sweet chilli sauce and continue to cook for 2 - 3 minutes, being careful not to burn the sauce on the kebabs. Remove and rest.
Nutritional Information peR SeRve• 890kJ, • 8 g fat, • 25 g carbohydrate, • 2 g fibre, • 445 mg sodium.
sweet chilli pork& pineapple kebabs
Recipe and image kindly provided by Australian Pork Limited
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Recipe and image kindly provided by Australian Pork Limited
serves 6
4 lean rump steaks
1/3 cup tandoori paste
1 lemon, juiced
2 tblsp yoghurt
1 tblsp oil
150g salad leaves
2 small cucumbers, deseeded and sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, finely sliced
Dressing
1 cup plain yoghurt
1 lemon, juiced
½ tsp cumin, ground
¼ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
1 Combine tandoori paste, lemon juice, yoghurt and oil in a shallow non metallic bowl and mix well.
2 Marinate pork steaks for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
3 Toss together the salad leaves, cucumber, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl and arrange on a large platter.
4 BBQ the pork steaks for 4 – 5 minutes on each side, remove and rest for 2 minutes before slicing.
5 Arrange sliced tandoori pork over salad and drizzle with a little combined dressing.
Nutritional Information peR SeRve• 973 kJ, • 8 g fat, • 9 g carbohydrate, • 2 g fibre, • 500 mg sodium.
pork saladtandoori
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with red fruit & balsamic glazeroast rack of pork
serves 6
1 x 5-6 pork rib rack
1 tblsp oil
pepper and a little salt
Glaze
1 x 400g satsuma plums in syrup
½ cup raspberry conserve
50ml balsamic glaze
½ tsp cinnamon ground
100g cranberries or red currants
Salad or vegetables to serve
1 Season the pork rack with pepper and a little salt and rub with oil.
2 Place the rack in oven proof baking dish and roast for 25 minutes per 500g.
3 Drain plum and pour juice into a small saucepan with raspberry conserve, balsamic glaze and cinnamon. Stir over a low heat and simmer until syrupy.
4 30 minutes before roasting finish time, brush liberally with glaze. Continue basting with glaze every 10 minutes until roast is cooked.
5 Add plums to remaining glaze and heat through.
6 Remove roast and sprinkle red currants on the glazed roast.
7 Serve rack with plums in the glaze accompanied with salad or vegetables
Nutritional Information peR SeRve• 1398 kJ, • 7.8 g fat, • 32 g carbohydrate, • 1.2 g fibre, • 170 mg sodium.
Recipe and image kindly provided by Australian Pork Limited
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serves 6Preparation time: 5 minutes 6 serves of fruit in this recipe6 disposable plastic cups6 pop sticks
STRAWBERRY & KIWI1 punnet strawberries, hulled and chopped2 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped1½ cups orange juice
Drop strawberries and kiwi fruit into each disposable cup. Pour orange juice over fruit, add
a pop stick to each cup and freeze until set. Run
under hot water to remove from the cup.Makes 6 cups
TROPICAL ICE TREATS
1 fresh mango, peeled and chopped or 425g can
mango
1½ cups orange juice
410g can apricots in natural juice, drained and
chopped
Purée mango in a blender and add orange juice.
Divide apricots between plastic cups. Pour
mango and orange juice over fruit, add a pop
stick to each cup and freeze until set. Run under
hot water to remove from the cup.
Makes 6 cups.
Nutritional Information
peR SeRve
• 192 kJ, • 0.1 g fat,
• 8.9g carbohydrate,
• 2 g fibre, • 3.5 mg sodium.
Recipe from Healthy Food Fast © State of Western Australia 2012, reproduced with permission.
Summer holidays evoke images of fun filled days enjoyed with family, but what we tend to forget - or to block out - is just
how busy food demands keep us during the holidays.
Those of us caring for children or grandchildren, suddenly find ourselves at the mercy of what sometimes feels like ‘starving hoardes’ for weeks on end.
The reality is that without the relief of school, we must be prepared to endlessly feed children who are relentlessly on the go, and who quickly burn up energy, loudly demanding more fuel.
The trick to surviving the long summer holiday food fest is to get organised:
• Consider pre-planning your daily/weekly menus to take the guess-work out of meal preparation and shopping.
• Write out a list of healthy option, easy-to-prepare, lunches and dinners that you know your children will eat up without fuss.
• Ask your friends for suggestions or use the internet or visit your library to help with meal ideas.
• Clean out and organise your collection of plasticware – essential for all those summer picnics, park visits and play-dates.
• Pre-pack and store healthy snacks, to balance the treats, when visiting the movies or attending parties.
• Go for fresh options. Salads, wraps, dips and sliced veggies are often far more appealing to busy children than lethargy-inducing fast food.
• If you are preparing food for a picnic or car journey remember to store it safely. Be sure to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
• Be innovative. Freeze fruit for an instant healthy ice block – without artificial colours!
• Involve your kids in the food preparation. If they’re home all day, they may as well learn what cooking involves and even littlies will enjoy making faces on their plates with food.
• Consider introducing a ‘water-only’ holiday rule, with other drinks only occasionally. This will help keep your kids properly hydrated in hot weather, cut down on kilojoules and help your wallet at the same time!
• Don’t stress about the occasional ‘less than strictly healthy treat’, it won’t do too much damage when part of an overall balanced diet for your family.
Last of all – enjoy this time with the children in your lives – they grow quickly!
Surviving Summer with the Kids– a quick food guide
fruityice treats
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A Balanced Diet IS EASY WITH
THERMOMIX
For delicious recipes and product information visit www.thermomix.com.au
Thermomix in Australia and New Zealand
*Diabetes WA members will be required to quote their membership number on the Thermomix order form.
FREE COOK BOOK Diabetes WA members will receive a free Thermomix vegetarian cookbook when you purchase a Thermomix.
Ingredients – Salad
Ingredients – Yoghurt Dressing
Method Rinse the dried chickpeas and set aside in a bowl to soak overnight.Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place pepitas onto the lined baking tray and toastin the oven for 8 – 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set pepitas aside in a small bowl to cool. Leave the oven on at 180°C.Place coriander seeds, peppercorns and cumin seeds into mixing bowl and dry roast 2 min/Varoma/speed 2, then mill 1 min/speed 10. Add lemon zest and chop 10 sec/speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl.Add olive oil, red onion and capsicums and mix 15 sec/speed 3, or until ingredients are well-coated with the spice and lemon zest mixture. Line a roasting tray with baking paper. Place the spice-coated vegetables into roasting tray and roast in the oven for approx. 30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and slightly browned at the edges. Set aside until required, allowing vegetables to cool slightly.Place 1½ L water into mixing bowl. Place
chickpeas into TM basket and insert TM basket into mixing bowl. Place sweet potatoes into Varoma dish. Place Varoma dish into position and cook 30 min/Varoma/speed 2. Place zucchini onto Varoma tray. Insert Varoma tray with zucchini into varoma dish and cook for a further 15 min/Varoma/speed 2.Remove the Varoma and set aside. Using the spatula, carefully remove the TM basket and set chickpeas aside to drain. Clean and dry the mixing bowl.
Method – Yoghurt DressingPlace garlic into mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl.Place yoghurt, tahini and lemon juice into mixing bowl and mix 20 sec/speed 4.
To serveIn a large serving bowl, toss spinach leaves together with the roasted vegetables, sweet potato, zucchini and chickpeas until well combined. Top with half the dressing and sprinkle with the reserved roasted pepitas.
This recipe contains no added salt. If you prefer a saltier flavour try potassium salt, which is a lower sodium option, and add to the vegetables prior to roasting.This dish can be served as a vegetarian meal or as an accompaniment to barbequed meats, poultry or fish. Try dusting your meats with Moroccan spice blends to enhance their flavours and complement this salad.Use the remaining dressing for meat, poultry or fish as an accompaniment.G
ener
al T
ips
Chickpea andKumara SaladPreparation time: 10 minutesTotal time: 1 hour (plus overnight soaking)Recipe makes: 4 main serves or 6 side serves
200 g dried chickpeas, rinsed60 g pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns1 tbsp cumin seeds zest of 1 lemon½ - 1 tbsp olive oil ½ red onion, sliced
½ red capsicum, sliced½ yellow capsicum, sliced½ green capsicum, sliced3 baby sweet potatoes, washed, cut into 1 cm slices10 baby zucchini, sliced lengthways150 g spinach leaves, washed, dried
1 garlic clove 300 g fat free Greek-style natural yoghurt
100 g tahini 40 g freshly squeezed lemon juice
LIFE SAVING FIRST AID TRAINING FOR WORKPLACES.
WE’RE BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO FIRST AID TRAINING.
We train over 30,000 people a year using hands-on, practical training that is fl exible, enjoyable and engaging. Now isn’t that a breath of fresh air? So isn’t it time for you to learn fi rst aid? We have a training centre near you. Call 9383 8200 or go online for course information, dates and venues.
BOOK AND PAY ONLINE AT WWW.LIFESAVINGWA.COM.AU
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AGMDIABETES WA
CONTENTS
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3 1 16
7 0 10
23
4 18
18 8 23 18 14
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Coca-Cola – 1 bottle 330ml
142 Calories/594 Kilojoules
Carobohydrate 35g (12% of
total daily value)Four/N/Twenty Traditional Meat Pie1603 Calories/6713 KilojoulesTotal Fat 79.1g (122% of total daily value)Saturated Fat 39.9.5g
Mars Bar251 calories/1050Kilojoules
Total Fat 9.5gm (15% of total
daily value)
Saturated Fat 5.6gm
Numbers Game: Just for FunInstructions: Fill in the missing numbers.
The missing numbers are integers between 0 and 9. The numbers in each row add up to totals to the right and the numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom.
The diagonal lines also add up the totals to the right.
Diabetes WA
Summer CompetitionEnter our summer competition to win a $50 Coles Myer Voucher.
To enter, complete this form & competition slip and mail to: Diabetes Matters - Member CompetitionPO Box 1699, Subiaco, WA, 6904or email your answer with the below details to [email protected].
Good Luck!Name: Diabetes WA membership number:
Address:
Contact number: Email address:
Entries close January 25, 2013.
Diabetes First Aid Kit Winner Congratulations to John McGovern, the lucky winner of the Spring Diabetes Matters competition, a Diabetes WA Diabetes First Aid Kit.
To purchase a kit now visit shop.diabeteswa.com.au or call 1300 136 588
Diabetes First Aid KitFor emergency treatment of hypoglycaemia
Do you have diabetes or know someone who is at risk of having a hypo? Be prepared in your home, school, sporting club or workplace with this handy kit!
Kit contains: • Instructionalguide• Glutosegel• Glucosetablets• Jellybeans•Mueslibars• Generalfirstaid
RRP $59.95
34
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World Kidney DayWorld Kidney Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of
kidneys to overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of
kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
Visit www.worldkidneyday.org for more information.
DESMOND stands for Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed. It is a one-day education program designed to support you, the person with diabetes, to become the expert. It is specifically designed for type 2 diabetes. It is delivered by DESMOND Educators who will assist with self-management techniques and increase participants’ knowledge and understanding of diabetes. Classes are free for National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) registrants and Diabetes WA members.
We have sessions for those who are newly diagnosed (diagnosed in the last 12 months) as well as a Foundation course for people who have had diabetes for more than 12 months and might need a refresher. Upcoming DESMOND programs:• Subiaco – 16 January 2013, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Newly Diagnosed)• Subiaco – 21 January 2013, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Newly Diagnosed)• Belmont – 4 February 2013, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Foundations)• Joondalup – 14 February 2013, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Newly Diagnosed)• Midland – 20 February 2013, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Newly Diagnosed)• Subiaco – 26 February 2013, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Foundations)• Belmont – 4 March 2013, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Newly Diagnosed)Bookings are essential - call 1300 136 588 or email [email protected].
JAN ‘til 4 Mar
Thank a Volunteer DayThank a Volunteer Day acknowledges and celebrates the role of
volunteers in the community. Volunteers are an important part of
our team here at Diabetes WA. Without their dedicated support,
we would not be able to fulfil our role & successfully provide
much needed services and programs.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer phone
1300 136 588 or email [email protected].
DEC 2012
Kid’s CampThe next Diabetes WA and PMH kids’ camp is planned for 14 - 18
January 2013 for 11-12 year olds. The camps include three days of
activities, friends and fun!
If you would like more information, please call 1300 136 588
or email [email protected].
JAN ‘til 18 Jan
National Close the Gap Day
National Close the Gap Day is a way for all Australians to join
together and remind our political leaders of their commitments
to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-
Indigenous Australians within a generation. The focus this year
is on the need to build the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
health workforce.
APR 2013
APR 2013
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CookSmart is a 90 minute interactive food preparation session. It will provide you with the opportunity to learn how to prepare healthy snacks and meals without compromising on taste. • Subiaco - 24 January 2013, 10:00am – 11:30am• Guildford – 5 February 2013, 10:00am – 11:30am• Belmont – 13 February 2013, 10:00am – 11:30am• Subiaco – 21 February 2013, 10:00am – 11:30amFREE to NDSS Registrants and Diabetes WA Members, the cost is $20 for all others.Bookings are essential! Please phone 1300 136 588 for more information.
JAN ‘til 21 FebCook Smart
This 90 minute program covers how to effectively self-test your blood
glucose levels, the range of meters available and how testing fits into
effective diabetes management.
Upcoming sessions:
• Subiaco - 22 January 2012, 10:00am-11:30am
• Belmont - 25 February 2012, 2:00pm-3:30pm
• Subiaco - 28 March 2012, 2:00pm-3:30pm
MeterSmart is FREE for NDSS registrants and Diabetes
WA members, $20 for all others. Bookings are essential. To
book your place, or for any other enquiries, phone 1300 136
588 or email [email protected].
MeterSmart –”Diabetes Meters”
JAN ‘til 28 Mar
Story Time for Aboriginal Mums
and BubsDiabetes WA has a new program for
Aboriginal mums and their young children
to encourage healthy lifestyles and the
prevention of type 2 diabetes.
The Story Time program is free and offers fun and engaging
sessions for both mums and kids around the three key messages of “eat
healthy, choose water, and keep fit.”
Mums taking part in the sessions will receive a free storybook, “Gary
Goanna Goes Healthy”, stickers and colouring in books. Gary Goanna
Goes Healthy is a colourful picture book that was developed by
Diabetes WA in partnership with Aboriginal children and communities
around WA.
Sessions are suited to childcare centres, playgroups, Aboriginal
community groups and other facilities catering for Aboriginal mothers
and their children. For more information, or to book a session, please
email Ebony Nardi, Diabetes WA Health Promotion Officer, Aboriginal
Health, on [email protected].
For your copy of Gary Goanna Goes Healthy, please visit
www.diabeteswa.com.au.
Melbourne is set to play host to the 2013 IDF World Diabetes Congress over the period 2 – 6 December. Diabetes Australia will provide proud support for the event and more information on the Congress is available at the official website: www.idf.org/worlddiabetescongress.
2013 World Diabetes Congress
DEC2013
Diabetes foot disease is the most common cause for a person with diabetes to be admitted to hospital. Come and learn how to look after your feet.Upcoming sessions:• Belmont – 19 February 2013, 10:00am-11:30am • Subiaco – 5 March 2013, 10:00am-11:30am• Belmont – 8 April 2013, 2:00pm-3:30pmFootSmart is FREE for NDSS registrants and Diabetes WA members, $20 for all others. Bookings are essential so please phone 1300 136 588 or email [email protected].
Foot Smart – “Caring for your feet”
FEB ‘til 8 Apr
BOOK
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Real SolutionsReal Support
Janet BarryObesity Assessment Clinician
Harsha ChandraratnaSurgeon
Clare JurczykDietician
Jo ClimoNurse
Call 9332 0066 to make a healthier life.
www.obesitysurgerywa.com.auSubiaco • Murdoch • Joondalup • Mandurah
Obesity Surgery WA offers a multidisciplinary team approach to people with obesity and obesity related problems.
We undertake pre-operative and post-operative counselling, consultation with our dietician, physicians review and surgery as our core business to achieve the best results for our patients.
We also offer the opportunity for personal exercise training, social interactions and more informal support helping individuals through what is a difficult time in their lives.
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