Rifle through Grandma's recipe book - that's where homespun wisdom lies.
That's the advice of Uniting AgeWell Dietician Philippa Spence to today's generation of feisty older diabetics, who are often so busy living life to the max they don't have time to return to the back-to-basics diet that their grandmothers’ advocated.
“Think homespun common-sense served with lean meats, fruit and veggies, and good fats like nuts, olive oil and avocados,” Philippa says. “Processed foods and lollies offer limited nutritional value – opt for oats, whole grained foods, nutritional basics, just like Grandma did back in her day.”
She cautions diabetics against too much sugar or carbohydrates, and says when you do have carbs, opt for wholegrain bread.
“It’s important to enjoy food too,” Philippa says. “After all, a lovely meal is one of life’s great joys.”
Richard Lawrence agrees. He loves the healthy and nutritious meals at Uniting AgeWell Camberwell Community Condare Court, and has his diabetes totally under control.
It wasn't always the case. In his younger days, Richard used to manage a swag of hotel resorts in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and his life was a rollercoaster of stress and long hours, coupled with rich food and drinks – and no exercise.
His blood pressure increased as sharply as his clothes’ size and before long he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Fast forward many decades, and the 75-year-old resident also goes for an hour-long walk each day to keep his diabetes under control.
National Diabetes Week from July 10-16, is the ideal time to showcase how people like Richard are living well with the condition which affects 1.7 million Australians, many of them older people.
Richard attributes this to a controlled diet and regimen of exercise, medication and health services he receives. “The food here is good– and trust me, I’ve eaten enough hotel food to be able to judge!” he says.
But there’s more to the equation than just diet.
Uniting AgeWell provides a range of services for people with diabetes including podiatry and foot care; dentistry; physiotherapy and exercise physiology to help with walking; and occupational therapists to prescribe aids and equipment, with one-on-one health services available to people in their own homes or at an AgeWell Centre.
During National Diabetes Week 2022, Diabetes Australia is asking Australians to #RethinkDiabetes.
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