Notes from the Neuro Café on 16th June 2021.
Diabetes
It is Diabetes Awareness Week. There are 2 main types of diabetes:
type 1 diabetes – where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin
Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.
We do not know exactly what causes diabetes. There is no cure for diabetes but it can be managed.
Type 1 is not affected by lifestyle or weight and may be diagnosed later in life.
Type 2 is becoming more common in younger people and can be affected by family history, background, ethnicity, age and weight.
Symptoms may appear gradually and can be missed. Type 2 diabetes can be managed with medication, exercise and diet and insulin.
For more information and find out what your risk of diabetes might be:
What should we be eating? 10 tips
Choose healthier carbohydrates
Eat less salt
Eat less red and processed meat
Choose healthier fats
Cut down on added sugar
Be smart with snacks and favour unsalted nuts seeds, vegetables and fruits
Drink alcohol sensibly
Do not bother with food labelled ‘diabetic’
Get your minerals and vitamins from food
Beetroot
Be active - exercise is a form of medicine! Build activity into your daily life. Start slow, build up your confidence and exercises gradually. Take plenty of rest. Listen to your body; rest and recuperation are as important as exercise itself. In addition to the many benefits of exercise you may like to pay attention to your diet.
Beetroot is recommended and it is a powerful cholesterol killer - have a glass of beetroot juice every day. One LEGS participant eats it chilled from the fridge with sour cream.
Q Will beetroot give me red teeth?
A No but if you prepare it fresh it might stain your hands red!
You can find more the slides that accompanied Conor's talk on the LEGS website, in the members’ area. Please ask Victoria (info@legs.org.uk) if you need helping logging in.
Comments and Tips
We would appreciate being delivered information in small packets.
It is easy to put on weight post-stroke because of the changes in mobility; it can be difficult to find a balance and maintain an healthy weight.
Be careful exercising in the heat and mindful of added fall risk with heat-induced fatigue. Heat is draining. Remember to stay hydrated!
Plants
Tomatoes and passion fruit are growing well, both inside and outside the home. Strawberries and chillies are showing small signs of fruiting. You can try an ultraviolet light to encourage interior plants.
One person has so many plants in their living room, we suggested they should set up a garden centre. Perhaps they could deliver the plants to customers on their mobility scooter?
Well Done for Doing Daily Exercise
Congratulations from being a person who did not get out at all, to being someone who walks every day and who is seeing the changes and feeling the benefits. Now reporting feeling restless if the daily walk is not completed. The walking programme was very helpful and encouraged regular walking without a stick now. An inspiration to us all!
Future Plans
We hope to have some music therapy and poems at future gatherings.