> Are You at Risk for Diabetes?

> What is Diabetes?

> What is Active Living?

> Who Gets Diabetes?

> Why Should You Be Concerned About Type 2 Diabetes?

> What Can You Do To Take Care of Yourself?

> Physical Activity - Get Some Every Day

> Healthy Eating - Learn How to Eat Healthy and Do It

> Healthy Weight - Keep Your Weight Down

> Monitor Your Medications – Watch for Complications

> Get Regular Check-Ups - Monitor Your Health

> How Can You Take Care of Yourself if You Have Diabetes?

> How is Diabetes Treated?

> The Good News

> Acknowledgements

> Useful Resources

> References

Why Should You Be Concerned About Type 2 Diabetes?

Many people with disabilities lead healthy lives, but there are also lots of barriers to staying healthy with a disability.  If you live with a disability, developing type 2 diabetes will add to the challenges of daily life.  Fortunately, there are many things you can do to lower your risk.

The most important is to learn how to take good care of your health.  Understanding diabetes and your risk of developing this disease is important for everyone, and especially for people who already live with an impairment or chronic illness.  Many adults with type 2 diabetes do not know that they have the condition until they are diagnosed with a serious diabetes-related condition.  Make sure that you understand diabetes so that you can take care of your health.

There is a lot of information about diabetes and related issues on the Internet, in libraries, community service offices and in clinics and doctors’ offices.  The Canadian Diabetes Association and other organizations provide information on their websites and in pamphlets.  You will find contact information in the Useful Resources section of these pages.

Christine’s Story – Learning to Stay Healthy

At a mature age of 40 years old, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during a routine blood test. It was a shock to me as I didn’t see myself having the condition, despite the fact that my mother had a late onset of diabetes as well. I was put on insulin therapy, because my condition wasn’t controlled by oral medication. After four years, I went off insulin and medications, and since then I have been able to manage the condition with a diabetic eating plan and exercise.

I am an individual with multiple disabilities who faces multiple barriers in life. The stress level is always intense as I strive with all my strength to become a contributing member of the community. Moreover my addictive personality doesn’t help, because on many occasions I find myself turning to comfort food, especially when I’m depressed. You can imagine how devastating it is for me to have a life threatening condition such as diabetes while I have problem controlling my over-eating habit.

Nonetheless my health is vital to me. I’ve learned not just how to cope, but to manage my diabetic condition through a healthy eating plan, exercise and creative ways to overcome barriers. My first challenge was to adhere to the diabetic eating plan. As a person with a learning disability, apportioning and reading food labels isn’t easy. I worked zealously with medical professionals and my diabetic care team, and over a long period of time, I was have succeeded in controlling my diet, budgeting my food and eating healthily. Daily screening of blood glucose level is crucial and self discipline is the key.

Routine exercise and staying active is another important component of the entire regime. I walk daily for 3 miles, swim regularly and am active in the community by volunteering and taking interest classes. I keep both my mind and body active, and in the process I learn more about my condition, seek choices available to me and get support from people who care about me.

Christine Feigel (living with type 2 diabetes)
Richmond, BC