Visualise a healthier you

Elite athletes have been using visualisation for years now to help them achieve their goals. A new study from McGill University reports that participants that visualised consuming more fruit in the week actually did, and that visualisation can be a great way to keep your diet on track.

Visualisation is a technique where the person imagines doing something, in this case eating more fruit, as well as all the feelings and emotions that go along with it and the feeling of loosing weight. This technique then helps you stay focused on your goals and become a healthier you.

To read more click here.

National Diabetes Week 8-14 July 2012

In 2012, Diabetes SA will be working to raise awareness about diabetes and cardiovascular disease (conditions of the heart and blood vessels).

The aim is to encourage all people with diabetes to manage lifestyle factors and have regular checkups to help prevent or to manage cardiovascular disease.

The key messages are:

Diabetes: Did you know?
People with diabetes are 3-4 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes: Did you know?
More than 65% of people with diabetes die from cardiovascular disease.

Although the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is high when you have diabetes, there are many things you can do to keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.  

Talk to your health care team for further advice on:

Quitting smoking
Smoking doubles your already high risk of CVD when you have diabetes due to blood vessel damage. Call Quit line on 131 848 today to start taking your steps towards quitting.

Take medications as directed
Medications may be prescribed to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Take all medications as directed by your doctor.

Regular screening
Regular screening of blood pressure, blood fats and blood glucose levels is important to identify your risk of CVD and management options. Your doctor should check your blood pressure and your cholesterol, triglyceride and blood glucose levels regularly to determine if they are in the desired range for you. 

Getting active
Regular physical activity can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, maintain a healthy weight and improve your self esteem and sense of wellbeing.

Maintaining a healthy weight/waist circumference
Carrying extra weight, especially around the middle can increase LDL cholesterol and worsen glycaemic control by increasing insulin resistance. Even a small weight loss will dramatically reduce your CVD risk.

Enjoying a healthy eating plan
Healthy eating can help maintain a healthy weight and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose levels.

National Diabetes Week Resources
Diabetes SA has developed materials to add to their ongoing suite of resources. This year’s materials include: 

1. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease tri-fold brochure
2. A3 poster
3. Cardiovascular health checklist

Diabetes SA has a free resource pack available to health professionals. To place an order please email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Diabetes Week Events
Diabetes SA will be celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Week with a free seminar focusing on diabetes and cardiovascular disease on Saturday July 14^th, 2012 at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Booked out

Various workplaces will be visited to raise awareness of diabetes. People will be encouraged to take the ‘Risk Test’ to determine whether they are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The CSIRO is seeking participants for a study researching how diet affects diabetes.

To take part in the study you need to be 35 to 68 years old and suffer from type 2 diabetes.

For more information:

Post Code as Important as Genetic Code in Childhood Obesity

Newswise — SEATTLE: April 10, 2012 — Nearly 18 percent of U.S. school-aged children and adolescents are obese, as the rate of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity puts children at greater risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and other illnesses, and of suffering severe obesity as adults. New study results indicate that where a child lives, including factors such as the neighborhood’s walkability, proximity to higher quality parks, and access to healthy food, has an important effect on obesity rates. Researchers found that children living in neighborhoods with favorable neighborhood environment attributes had 59 percent lower odds of being obese.

To view the full article click here.

Thank you!

We have reached a milestone for online orders that would not have been possible without the support of our members.

To show our gratitude Diabetes SA sent a gift basket valued at $100 to the lucky member that got us there.

Diabetes SA would like to say a big Thank You to everyone who has placed an order online, it is fantastic to see that our reach is now well and truly out of the metropolitan area.

Stop Diabetes

There is a new study for the prevention of diabetes being undertaken in South Australia. The Type 1 Diabetes Prevention Trial, also known as the Intranasal Insulin Trial (INIT II) is part of a global effort to develop a vaccine for type 1 diabetes.

This new trial aims to help prevent the need for daily injections for people living with type 1 diabetes. The treatment uses nasal sprays to administer insulin through the nose. It works like a vaccine to stimulate a protective type of immune response to insulin. This has been shown to suppress the immune attack on the pancreatic beta cells which causes type 1 diabetes.

To find out more about the study and to get involved in the trial check out the Stop Diabetes website.