Bass Coast Health’s (BCH) Diabetes Education team is joining a nation-wide effort by diabetes clinicians for a future where diabetes can do no harm.
This National Diabetes Week, 13-19 July, the BCH Diabetes Educators are urging people with diabetes to arrange a consultation to keep their diabetes in check.
BCH’s Diabetes Educators offer a comprehensive service to make life easier for people with diabetes and their carers. The educators help people to use glucose monitoring devices that connect to not only their smartphones but also the BCH team. This enables easier monitoring and control of glucose levels to keep patients safer.
The BCH team also helps patients manage their diabetes through lifestyle changes, glucose monitoring and medications, and advice about using insulin pumps and new monitoring technologies.
“We take pride in ensuring people living with diabetes in our community have access to the support and information they need to ensure they can enjoy a life that’s as fulfilling as possible while living with diabetes,” BCH Diabetes Educator, Vivienne Prestidge, said.
Another BCH Diabetes Educator, Claire Gatto, said, “Regular check-ups can help patients to stay on top of managing their diabetes and prevent problems from escalating to the point where their health is harmed.”
Roger Lindenmayer, also a BCH Diabetes Educator, urged people with diabetes to have regular health appointments.
“See your GP, Endocrinologist, Diabetes Educator, Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist, Optometrist, Podiatrist and Dentist to prevent or limit the complications of diabetes,” he said.
In many cases, a person may not have symptoms of diabetes, yet have the condition and be experiencing damage to their health.
BCH’s Diabetes Educators encourage people aged 40 and over to be screened for diabetes by their GP at least every three years, or more often if they have additional risk factors. Symptoms, including passing urine more often, blurred vision, increased thirst and hunger, or recurrent or persistent infections, should be discussed with your GP.
Appointments to any of our diabetes services can be made after receipt of a referral from your medical practitioner or a self-referral to BCH Access Intake via fax to 9102 5307 or email access@basscoasthealth.org.au
Diabetes is a chronic condition in which blood glucose level, often referred to as blood sugar level, can be too high. Glucose is the body’s main source of energy and comes primarily from the carbohydrate foods we eat: cereals, bread, pasta, rice, pulses, milk, fruit, starchy vegetables, baked goods made from flour, most dairy products, fruit, cane sugar and honey.
Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, is needed to take the glucose from the bloodstream into our cells or muscles, to be used for energy. If the body doesn’t make enough insulin, or doesn’t use insulin well, glucose accumulates in the bloodstream and doesn’t reach the muscles.
This is the reason why with high blood glucose levels, people can feel low energy levels. Consistently high levels of glucose in the bloodstream can damage the blood vessels and, ultimately, cause complications to the eyes, the kidneys and the feet, and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
According to Diabetes Australia, diabetes is a prevalent condition in Australia, with more than two million people living with all types of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. Every five minutes another Australian is diagnosed. While genetics plays a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes, up to 58 per cent of diagnoses can be prevented or delayed through lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and healthy eating.
The Australian Diabetes Map shows that rates of diabetes are higher in Gippsland – including the Bass Coast – compared to the national average - 6.82 per cent compared to 5.58 per cent.
There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes. Type 1 affects approximately 10 per cent of people diagnosed with diabetes in Australia. While there is a genetic predisposition, the onset of Type 1 diabetes is often triggered by environmental factors. Type 1 diabetes can be managed well with the support of a diabetes healthcare team.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition that requires regular monitoring, but some people can achieve remission through intensive lifestyle modifications and weight loss. Type 2 diabetes runs in families and so risk factors include genes, ethnicity and advancing age.
However, there are also modifiable lifestyle factors such as increased weight or waist measurement, eating a diet higher in processed foods, inactivity, and emotional or medical stress that contribute to the onset of Type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes typically resolves after the birth of the baby, however, there is a 50 per cent chance of the mother developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. The child also has a higher risk of developing diabetes later in life.
“People with diabetes can help to manage their condition by making lifestyle changes such as exercising more, improving their diet, losing weight if they need to, looking after their physical and emotional health, quitting smoking and taking their medication,” Vivienne said.