Local expert endorses Diabetes UK approach
Woking Lions offer free diabetic testing
"Making small changes can lead to big differences," says Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals Diabetologist Dr Mike Baxter says, endorsing the theme for Diabetes UK's National Diabetes Week. "For the increasing number of people who suffer with diabetes it is important that they change their habits. Even the smallest changes can result in a significant improvement in their long term health."
Some of the recommendations made by Diabetes UK and endorsed by Mike Baxter include:
- Making small changes in your life
- Thinking ahead by recording what you do and eat during a day
- Start reading food labels to increase your awareness of what is in food
- Cut back on fat, salt and sugar
- Become more active with lifestyle-based activity
- Reduce your alcohol intake
- Eat regular meals
- Take a packed lunch to work to avoid temptation
- Eat more fruit and vegetables
Woking Lions has arranged for qualified nurses to test for diabetes in Wolsey Place Woking (outside Sainsbury's) from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm on Saturday 16 June 2007. Diabetes UK will also be there to provide information about diabetes. Anybody is welcome to come for a test or just pick up some information.
Dr Mike Baxter at this year's "Living with Diabetes Day"
Dr Baxter continued: "In any year the average diabetes patient will spend three hours being cared for by a doctor and 8,757 hours looking after themselves. The recent Stephanie Marks 'Living with Diabetes Day' was a tremendous success and we must do more of the same. It demonstrated the importance for patients, and any one who has to support someone with diabetes, about having a better understanding of this disease. Currently only one in ten people with diabetes has been on an education course and the Stephanie Marks Diabetes Resource Centre will help address this problem. We expect to make an announcement about the Centre shortly."
Dr Baxter continued: "In May Dr Sue Roberts, the national director for diabetes, published her report 'Working together for better diabetes care; the clinical case for change'. This important report recognised that care for those with diabetes has to change as the burden of the disease increases. We need to redesign health systems to ensure that we can give people the best care possible. We have done much locally and the new Stephanie Marks Diabetes Resource Centre will be an important part of local plans to ensure that both patients and healthcare staff can play their part in diabetes care."
Further Information
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