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When one family member is diagnosed with diabetes, it can be extremely difficult to help them switch to a new, healthier diet. Many factors need to be considered and questions answered. Can you afford to make the nutritional changes? What kind of food should they be avoiding? Do I have to change my diet too?<\/span><\/p>\n According to <\/span>the<\/span> Borgen Project, <\/span><\/a>diabetes\u00a0is one of the three leading causes of death in South Africa, the other two being tuberculosis and cerebrovascular diseases.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Socioeconomic disparities and other factors contribute to the prevalence of diabetes in South Africa, where proper healthcare is inaccessible in poorer communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n More than one million citizens in South Africa do not know if they are diabetic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are many ill-side effects for those living with diabetes. Diabetics must consistently track their blood sugar levels to ensure they don\u2019t go into a diabetic coma.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, diabetics are two to three times likelier to experience cardiovascular problems, like heart attacks or strokes. Diabetes can also cause an individual\u2019s kidneys to stop working.<\/span><\/p>\n Among the South African population, there is a major lack of awareness of the disease<\/a> and access to proper healthcare. <\/span><\/p>\n Dr Joel Dave is the Head of the Endocrinology Division at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town.\u00a0 He explained a few things that we should know about diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n When a family member is diagnosed with diabetes, what happens to their body? <\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There is a multitude of symptoms and complications of diabetes. Common symptoms at diagnosis include frequent urinating of large volumes, especially at night, increased thirst, increased drinking, blurred vision, fatigue and dizziness.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At diagnosis, 50% of people living with type 2 diabetes are already likely to have a complication such as nerve damage in their feet, eye damage or damage to their kidneys.\u00a0 All of the symptoms and complications can resolve and be prevented by good control of diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n What kind of changes do they have to make in terms of their diet (do they have to cut out certain foods or add certain foods)?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The most important thing to cut out of the diet is anything containing sugar.\u00a0 They will also need to limit their intake of carbohydrates.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How do these nutritional and lifestyle changes make managing diabetes easier for the individual and family as a whole?<\/b> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lifestyle changes and particularly diet are essential components of diabetes management.\u00a0 Often good control of diabetes could be obtained just with strict lifestyle changes.\u00a0 There is also some data that suggests that these stringent changes include remission of type 2 diabetes in some people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What kind of exercises are they allowed to do? <\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is a difficult question to answer in general because there is a wide spectrum of people living with various types of diabetes and with various comorbidities such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease and diabetic retinopathy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In essence, almost all people living with diabetes should do some form of exercise, guided by their treating clinicians.<\/span><\/p>\n Will family members who change their eating habits make it easier for the individual who is diagnosed to change theirs?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Definitely, support is essential for people living with diabetes, and if the whole household is able to eat similarly, it will make it much easier for the person living with diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n Diabetes SA has launched our new #ExercisePhysiology<\/a> service, focused on supporting people who are living with #diabetes<\/a>, or at risk of diabetes. You can find out more, or book an appointment, by speaking with Trent, our #AccreditedExercisePhysiologist<\/a>: https:\/\/t.co\/pCfOf1aVuI<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/uZlhos2K2S<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Diabetes SA (@DiabetesSA) February 14, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Do family members who are not diagnosed with diabetes have to follow the same diet as the family member who is? <\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If one was honest, the type of diet that a person living with diabetes is required to adhere to should actually be followed by EVERYONE.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Obesity and chronic diseases of lifestyle are at an all-time high, so it is important for everyone to review their lifestyle choices and to make the type of changes that would promote achieving a normal body mass index and prevention of chronic disease.<\/span><\/p>\n What can a family, who can\u2019t afford to make big nutritional changes, do to support the family member who has been diagnosed with diabetes?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n This is an excellent question that is very difficult to answer.\u00a0 Food insecurity is a major problem in our country, and the types of food that offer the best chance of achieving good health are expensive.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We certainly do need some form of social grant system and\/or community empowerment to grow vegetables or fruit that can be used to make healthy meals.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All families should review their spending and to rather divert it to purchasing foods that would promote good health rather than other items, for example, cigarettes, alcohol, fast food, sugar-containing carbonated drinks and high glycaemic index carbohydrates.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nLiving with diabetes<\/h2>\n
Good control possible<\/h2>\n
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Review your lifestyle<\/h2>\n
Handy tips for those living with diabetes<\/h2>\n