Tips & Hints

The internet is full of articles and information about diabetes and how to manage it. Be careful about the sources and the reputation of the information being presented, and check to see if the same advice is also repeated by other sources.

Please check all information with your doctor or medical team before contemplating any changes. Please also contact us here at Diabetes Wellington if you're not sure who to talk to. Note that we are not responsible for the information published on other websites.

Walking After Eating:

New University of Otago research highlights the value of walking after meals as an ''important tool'' in managing type 2 diabetes. The current advice for New Zealanders with type 2 diabetes is to walk at least 30 minutes a day, but no particular time of day is suggested.

The new research, undertaken by Dr Andrew Reynolds, as part of his recent Otago PhD thesis, suggests that people managing type 2 diabetes should walk after meals to gain the greatest blood sugar-lowering benefits. Post-meal blood sugar levels throughout the day dropped an average of 12% when the participants walked for 10 minutes after meals instead of walking at any time.

Most of this effect came from the ''highly significant 22% reduction in blood sugar'' when walking after evening meals, which were the most carbohydrate heavy, and were followed by the most sedentary time, he said. Dr Reynolds, an assistant research fellow in the Otago human nutrition department, acknowledged that New Zealand faced an epidemic of type 2 diabetes, and said the findings were ''pretty encouraging'' and could help to ''break up'' sedentary behaviour.

Corresponding author Prof Jim Mann said post-meal glucose was regarded as an important target in managing type 2 diabetes, given its independent contribution to overall blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk. Prof Mann, and colleagues Dr Reynolds, Dr Bernard Venn and Associate Prof Sheila Williams, wrote that post-meal physical activity ''may avoid the need for an increased total insulin dose or additional mealtime insulin injections that might otherwise have been prescribed to lower glucose levels after eating''.

The research findings suggested current guidelines should be amended to specify post-meal activity, particularly when meals contained a substantial amount of carbohydrate, the researchers said. The researchers had earlier prescribed walking to 41 Dunedin patients with type 2 diabetes. The patients - fitted with accelerometers to measure physical activity and blood sugar measuring devices - walked for 30 minutes a day, or for 10 minutes after main meals. The findings have been published in international journal Diabetologia.

 

Current Diabetes Research in Wellington:

 

Want to get involved and volunteer for research about diabetes in Wellington? See the new website for the Centre for Endocrine, Diabetes and Obesity Research at Wellington Hospital: www.cedor.org.nz

Current research includes: Fidelio and Figaro – investigation about raised protein in urine. Lexicon - For people with Type 1 Diabetes to take part in a 6 month trial of a TABLET to help lower blood sugars. SEPTH2  - A clinical trial testing 3 different hypoglycaemia (low blood sugars) treatment protocols to rate how good they are at relieving symptoms in adults with Type 2 Diabetes.

Requesting Your Own Blood Tests:

People with diabetes should be aware of the opportunity to request your own blood tests from Wellington SCL Laboratories. There are a range of tests that are available including the HbA1c test for blood glucose control. There is however a charge for these tests as well as an administration fee - but this may be cheaper than going to your doctor.

The HbA1c test is listed as being $18.49, Lipids (cholesterol) is 14.26 and Microalbumin/Creat Ratio is $26.10. The administration fee is $15.97 per visit.

There are only some locations that this is available at, which are those that accept payment, and these are listed on the Laboratory website.

New Blood Testing Locations and Opening Times:

As from the start of November 2015 a new organisation (Wellington SCL) took over the collection of laboratory testing across Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Wairarapa. The process for people with diabetes remains the same but there have been some changes to locations and opening times.

The main collection point in Courtenay Place has now been shifted next door to Level 2, Symes de Silva Building, 97 Courtenay Place, Wellington and no longer opens on a Saturday morning. The Lambton Quay location has shifted to Level 4 of 256 Lambton Quay, Wellington and is the Saturday collection from 8.30am to 12pm.

Full list of collection and opening hours

Free Batteries for CareSens Meters:

 

Diabetes Wellington is pleased to advise that we have free replacement batteries for CareSens meters - just pop into our Information Centre.

Replacing Your Batteries - CareSens N    Replacing Your Batteries - CareSens N Pop 

How to Deal With Nerve Pain If You Have Diabetes:

 

What to do about tingling, burning or stabbing in your feet and legs

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-deal-with-nerve-pain-if-you-have-diabetes/

Reducing Blood Pressure Lowers Risk of Complications:

 

This article reports on recent research that details the benefits of reducing your blood pressure on diabetes complications

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/11/reducing-blood-pressure-lowers-risk-of-diabetes-complications/?_r=0