Diabetes currently affects more than 200,000 people in New Zealand and experts fear that there are another 100,000 people who have Diabetes but haven’t been diagnosed yet. As with many conditions, the earlier that it is diagnosed, the better it is controlled, and the long-term outcomes are more positive.
Diabetes has been dubbed the next “health catastrophe” in Western countries. It is set to be a massive problem for many people as well as health systems. Thankfully, there are simple lifestyle changes that can be made to prevent and manage it and many people diagnosed with Diabetes will make healthier choices. What happens in our bodies in Diabetes? Our bodies need glucose for energy. An organ called the pancreas produces the hormone insulin which acts like a metabolic traffic cop, allowing glucose into cells where it's burnt as energy. Too much food means a traffic jam of glucose in the blood, and combined with insufficient exercise, the effect of insulin is overpowered. Instead of being a vital food source, glucose...
