Are you at risk of diabetes?

November is Diabetes Action Month so it’s a good time to look at what we can do to prevent more Kiwis being diagnosed with this condition which can damage the body’s organs and lead to heart attack, stroke, and problems with the kidneys, eyes, gums, feet and nerves.

If you are a fan of Te Atatu Toasted cereals, it’s likely you are already committed to eating a healthy diet, which is a great start when it comes to preventing Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes.

Diabetes is the result of the body not creating enough insulin to keep blood glucose (sugar) levels in the normal range, according to Diabetes New Zealand. Everyone needs some glucose in their blood, but if it’s too high it can damage your body over time.

In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the cells in the body don’t recognise the insulin that is present. The end result is the same: high levels of glucose in your blood.

For many people (but not all), type 2 diabetes can be prevented by good lifestyle choices.

Here are a few ways you can avoid type 2 diabetes developing:

• Stay physically active and get regular exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. Brisk walking, swimming, cycling, Marae activities, dancing and mowing the lawns all count. Remember you don’t have to do all of your daily exercise at once. For example, three brisk walks for 10 minutes in the day may be more manageable than one of 30 minutes.
• Eat healthy food – Te Atatu Toasted Healthy Blend Muesli has only 2.9g of sugar per 100g, making it the lowest-sugar muesli we can find on the market.
• Watch your portion sizes, when you purchase Te Atatu Toasted cereals, you can request a free portion cup, so you eat the right portion size.
• Keep your weight in a healthy range.

It’s really important to follow these tips if you fall into one of the groups of people more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. These include:

• People of European descent aged 40 years or older
• Those with diabetes in their family (grandparents, parents, brothers or sisters)
• Maori, Asian, Middle Eastern or Pacific Island people aged 30 years or older
• People with high blood pressure
• People who are overweight (especially if you carry most of your weight around your waist
• Anyone diagnosed as having pre-diabetes (also known as impaired glucose tolerance) – this occurs when the glucose (sugar) in your blood is higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes
• Women who gave birth to a large baby weighing more than 9lbs / 4kg, or have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or high blood glucose in pregnancy
• Anyone diagnose with high blood glucose in the past

Head to the Diabetes New Zealand website to find out more about diabetes and take a quick quiz to find out if you are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

This month as part of Diabetes Action Month, we are offering all our customers 10% off any casual purchase. Just use the code 10%OFF at checkout.