Nutritional information to help you manage your diabetes
- 16 Nov 2023
![](https://d2uyohgbau728j.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/27165150/BC-Diabetes-486x328px-WEB.jpg)
Key points:
- Diabetes is a condition characterised by an inability to control the amount of glucose in the blood, primarily due to issues with insulin
- There are two main types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2
- There can be long-term complications if diabetes isn’t managed (for example, cardiovascular disease such as hypertension)
- Ways to manage living with diabetes include regular exercise, a balanced diet, insulin management and a consultation with diabetes health professionals, maintaining a healthy weight, and regular/appropriate foot and eye care
- The Diabetes Plate Method is a simple tool to help plan balanced meals without the need for extensive calculations
What is diabetes?
When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates, your body digests the carbohydrates into sugar (glucose) that is then used as energy by the cells in your body. Diabetes is a condition that occurs when your body is unable to produce enough insulin.
A hormone called insulin is required to transfer glucose from the bloodstream to cells and be converted to energy. For individuals with diabetes, blood glucose levels are frequently above average because either the body does not create insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or cannot make enough insulin (Type 2 diabetes).
Type 1 diabetes
This form of diabetes is an autoimmune condition caused by the pancreas failing to supply insulin. People who have this condition require regular injections of insulin.
Type 2 diabetes
In this form of diabetes, the cells that convert glucose to energy in the body become insulin resistant It is diagnosed most commonly in both young and older adults. The risk is increased by family history, aging, prior gestational diabetes, pre-diabetes, being above healthy weight/obese and having an inactive lifestyle.
Common symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
Many of the symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar, however, they present in different ways. People with Type 2 diabetes may not present with symptoms for many years as their symptoms often develop slowly over a long period of time.
Both forms of diabetes can share the following short-term symptoms caused by high levels of glucose in the bloodstream:
- Passing large amounts of urine
- Being very thirsty and drinking lots of fluids
- Being tired
- Blurred vision
- Experiencing regular skin infections which can be slow to heal
- Unexpected weight loss
Long-term complications of diabetes if not managed
If diabetes is not managed carefully, the following significant long-term complications may arise:
- Heart and circulation issues
- Infections
- Kidney disease
- Eye problems, leading to being visually impaired
- Nerve damage to the lower limbs and other parts of the body
- Hyperglycemia: all adults with untreated diabetes are at risk of developing hyperglycemia which is a disorder of dangerously high blood glucose. Untreated and unaddressed hyperglycemia presents severe health risks which can involve a diabetic coma (ketoacidosis).
Ways to manage diabetes
- Regular physical activity
- Healthy and balanced diet
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Insulin management: insulin users need to consider the timing, amount, and type of carbohydrate foods they eat, in addition to the timing, amount and type of insulin they take
- Regular blood glucose testing will assist you in managing your diabetes, but you should regularly consult with a diabetes health team
Healthy eating tips for people with diabetes
- Eat consistent meals and healthy snacks spread over the day
- Eat meals high in fiber, low GI carbohydrate foods i.e., wholegrain breads and cereals, beans, lentils, vegetables and fruits
- Examine the amount of fat you consume and reduce saturated fatty foods by opting for lean meats and healthy fats
- Remain in your healthy weight range
- Try to balance the amount of food you eat with the amount of energy you burn each day
- Nutrition Australia offers valuable resources to help you better understand the concept of energy derived from food and how best to maintain a healthy weight. They have also developed a budget-friendly eating guide for tips on promoting a nutritious diet while being mindful of your expenses.
The Diabetes Plate Method – an important tool in managing diabetes
The Diabetes Plate Method is a simple yet effective way to create healthy meals that can help manage your blood sugar. By using this method, you can create appropriate portioned meals with a healthy balance of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates. Therefore, you do not need to do any counting, calculating, weighing, or measuring – all you need is a plate! Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute developed a portion plate guide, so you can use this to help you plan, prepare or when ordering a meal.
Baptcare’s Allied Health Professionals are here to support you
At Baptcare, we have skilled nursing and allied health professionals, who can support you to maintain your health, manage pain or chronic conditions supporting you to live more safely at home. Our community nursing and allied health services include nurses with diabetic management skills and podiatrists who can support foot care.
All services are flexible and can be purchased or you may be eligible through a government-funded Home Care Package. You can read more about how home care works on our website.
https://www.baptcare.org.au/why-baptcare/news/how-does-home-care-work
With thanks to Baptcare’s Registered Nurse, Amita Sagar for her specialist input on this blog post.
Community news
-
Personal Alert Victoria | Enhancing safety and independence
Personal Alert Victoria (PAV) offers eligible Victorians a free personal monitoring and emergency response service. This important service is funded by the Victorian Government and helps people continue to live independently at home, safe in the knowledge that help is only a button press away.If you or someone you know is frail, elderly and isolated or who is living with a disability, you may like to consider applying for the PAV program.What does the PAV service involve?The PAV service responds to calls for assistance 24 hours per day.Clients wear a pendant around their neck or wrist which is designed with a button that, when pressed, dials the PAV hotline connecting the caller with trained staff ready to provide assistance. For example, if you fall or suddenly feel unwell, you can press the button and be connected with someone who can speak with you through the pendant.PAV hotline staff will talk with you to determine whether a call should be placed with emergency services, one of your nominated contacts (usually family members, friends or neighbours) or whether you simply require some reassurance about your situation (in the event of a non-urgent issue).How does my pendant connect me to the PAV hotline?A receiver unit sits next to your telephone and is plugged into your telephone line. When it receives an alert from your pendant (after you have pressed the button), the receiver unit automatically dials the PAV hotline.Who is eligible for the PAV service?Eligibility is determined via an assessment conducted in your own home.There are two sets of eligibility criteria to meet – Part A and Part B:Part A:You must meet all three conditions set out below –Daily monitoring – you consent to daily monitoring.Wearable pendant - you are capable of using and willing to wear the PAV pendant at all times.Living situation – you live alone OR are alone for most of the day or evening OR live with a person who would be unable to get to the phone in an emergency (or is unable to use the phone).Part B:You must meet two of these criteria –You have had at least one fall that needed medical attention in the previous six months or be at risk of falls.You suffer from a major medical or chronic condition that puts you at risk of medical emergencies or has some ongoing effect on your health or wellbeing.You are taking six or more different medications on a permanent basis that are prescribed by your doctor / medical specialist.Who conducts my eligibility assessment for PAV?Eligibility assessments for the PAV service are usually conducted by your local council, community health service, aged care assessment service, district nursing service and some publicly funded community rehabilitation services.You can either contact your local service provider directly (for example, by enquiring with your local council’s aged care program) or be referred to an assessment service by your doctor or local community health service.It’s worth noting that there may be a waiting period involved until a PAV unit becomes available for installation at your home.For more detailed information on the PAV program, please refer to the PAV program and service guidelines provided by the Victorian Department of Health.
- 29 Jul 2024
-
Faces of Baptcare | Meet Durham Smith
Personal Alert Victoria (PAV) offers eligible Victorians a free personal monitoring and emergency response service. This important service is funded by the Victorian Government and helps people continue to live independently at home, safe in the knowledge that help is only a button press away.If you or someone you know is frail, elderly and isolated or who is living with a disability, you may like to consider applying for the PAV program.What does the PAV service involve?The PAV service responds to calls for assistance 24 hours per day.Clients wear a pendant around their neck or wrist which is designed with a button that, when pressed, dials the PAV hotline connecting the caller with trained staff ready to provide assistance. For example, if you fall or suddenly feel unwell, you can press the button and be connected with someone who can speak with you through the pendant.PAV hotline staff will talk with you to determine whether a call should be placed with emergency services, one of your nominated contacts (usually family members, friends or neighbours) or whether you simply require some reassurance about your situation (in the event of a non-urgent issue).How does my pendant connect me to the PAV hotline?A receiver unit sits next to your telephone and is plugged into your telephone line. When it receives an alert from your pendant (after you have pressed the button), the receiver unit automatically dials the PAV hotline.Who is eligible for the PAV service?Eligibility is determined via an assessment conducted in your own home.There are two sets of eligibility criteria to meet – Part A and Part B:Part A:You must meet all three conditions set out below –Daily monitoring – you consent to daily monitoring.Wearable pendant - you are capable of using and willing to wear the PAV pendant at all times.Living situation – you live alone OR are alone for most of the day or evening OR live with a person who would be unable to get to the phone in an emergency (or is unable to use the phone).Part B:You must meet two of these criteria –You have had at least one fall that needed medical attention in the previous six months or be at risk of falls.You suffer from a major medical or chronic condition that puts you at risk of medical emergencies or has some ongoing effect on your health or wellbeing.You are taking six or more different medications on a permanent basis that are prescribed by your doctor / medical specialist.Who conducts my eligibility assessment for PAV?Eligibility assessments for the PAV service are usually conducted by your local council, community health service, aged care assessment service, district nursing service and some publicly funded community rehabilitation services.You can either contact your local service provider directly (for example, by enquiring with your local council’s aged care program) or be referred to an assessment service by your doctor or local community health service.It’s worth noting that there may be a waiting period involved until a PAV unit becomes available for installation at your home.For more detailed information on the PAV program, please refer to the PAV program and service guidelines provided by the Victorian Department of Health.
- 27 Jul 2024
-
Enjoying the comforts of home: Lynette and George
Lynette is 75 and her husband, George, is 70. With a little help from home care, they're able to live healthily and happily together at home.
- 21 Jun 2024