Ardee Slimming World Group encouraging diabetics to join

Lynne Mc Cormack who runs the Slimming world groups in Ardee and Haggardstown has advised that by managing and losing weight you can reduce your chance of developing the disease.

Diabetes UK suggests that following a healthy eating plan which aims to reduce fat intake, particularly saturated fat, limit sugary and Salty foods and drinks, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and some starchy carbohydrates and increase consumption of high fibre foods which can be easily achieved by following Slimming worlds Food optimising plan which gives great flexibility. 

Slimming World also encourages exercise through body magic which people with diabetes are encouraged to follow to help them achieve a healthier lifestyle. 

Slimming world also provides members with an additional booklet ‘eating well with diabetes’ which includes information on healthy eating steps plus how to manage blood glucose levels, blood fats and regulate weight as recommended by Diabetes UK.

An online survey of slimming world members with diabetes found they experienced the following improvements after joining their slimming world group: 

More than 90% reported improvements in glucose control

38% had been able to reduce or stop their diabetes medication 

Members with type 1 and Type 2 diabetes lost weight successfully 

66% had increased their activity levels

89% found it easy to fit individual dietary advice from their health care team into Food Optimising 

If you or a family member or friend is struggling with their weight and you’d like to find out more about how Slimming works and can help you lose weight , you can check out The Slimming world website for your nearest group. 

If you're in Ardee or surrounding areas Lynne is available on 0879839776 if you’d like to find out more.  

Diabetes: The Facts 

An estimated 225,000 people in Ireland are currently living with diabetes and another 50% are unaware Ireland is on the verge of a diabetes epidemic, according to a report from The international Diabetes federation Diabetes Atlas 2013. 

Since 1996 the number of people living with the disease has doubled and as a result the cost to the Department of health is 70 million per year, according to an Irish Medical Times article published in 2017. 

Type 1 diabetes develops when the body is unable to produce any insulin, this effects 10-15% of the population and usually starts in childhood and isn’t caused by lifestyle factors. The condition can’t be cured and must be managed by daily injections. 

Type 2 diabetes is often linked with being overweight and obesity and it accounts for 85% of people living with the disease. 

It develops when the body can’t make enough insulin to function effectively or the body cells don’t react to the insulin that’s produced. There are several stages of treatment and the condition can be managed by losing weight and adapting a healthier lifestyle through diet and exercise plus medication. 

In Ireland obese or overweight adults are 7 times more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than those adults of a normal weight. 

More than 850,000 adults in Ireland are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to increased obesity rates. The disease usually occurs in middle aged people but more recently it is appearing in much younger people who are overweight. 

Losing just 7% of your body weight can help reduce the risk of developing the disease by 58%. 

When diabetes is not well managed it is associated with serious complications like heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputation which leads to disability and premature mortality.