Diabetes Recipes:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Snack Frittata
All American Cornbread
Creating a Type 2 Lifestyle
The pack of 100 runners left the Piazza delle Signore in Florence and headed south through the Tuscan hills towards the village of Montecatini. The running distance would be about 40 kilometers. Meanwhile, the enthusiastic group in Montecatini awaited word of when the runners would be approaching. Soon, they set out to greet them and run the final 2 miles with the pack. There was electricity in the air when they ran together through ancient, narrow cobblestone streets lined with cheering onlookers. They trotted up through the hilly park to the hotel where the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association’s international conference would officially begin.
Over the next four days, I had the opportunity to meet and chat with many of the runners, even though I only ran the final two miles. They were all Italian, all had diabetes, and all managed their diabetes with the sustenance of the Mediterranean diet and daily exercise. It surprised me to learn that all these outstanding athletes were type 2s. At the finale of the meeting, a grand soccer match took place, featuring Italy vs. the Rest of the World. Guess who won?
I have met up with this same group at several other diabetes and sports conferences over the years, and they remain extremely fit and healthy, with all but one triumphing in the down-and-dirty soccer match. The philosophy and reality of their medical teams is that discipline, coupled with a vibrant, active, and healthy lifestyle, can effectively manage type 2 diabetes.
In the US, I attend many meetings, symposia, conferences, and health fairs, where, sadly, I have never witnessed the kind of zest and enthusiasm in a group dynamic that I have with the Italians. Diabetes is generally treated as a disease. Unfortunately, I hear comments like “I can’t exercise because of my sugar” or “I can’t do the things I would like to do because of my diabetes”. I see people sit in lectures, line up for free tastes of sugar-free foods, take a drunken cocktail mix of pills for their diabetes, heart, circulation, digestion, blood pressure, neuropathy, and more.
I don’t see crowds lined up at the kiosks that blast music and do aerobic dances, teach Zumba, or challenge people to learn race walking. Why is this? What are we not doing to spark enthusiasm and excitement about exercise? Exercise speaks for itself: it energizes the brain, lowers blood sugar levels, aids in weight loss, benefits the heart, improves circulation, enhances skin health, boosts stamina, and keeps us young and challenged, to mention a few key attributes.
Oh dear, Oh dear! What to do! If you feel motivated to start changing the lackadaisical or negative attitudes of type 2s in your outpost of the world, I have a few ideas to get you going:
- Start gradually with any type 2s you know. Choose a time and place to meet, and then start walking. Have them test their blood glucose levels before walking and at the finish line. Depending on their fitness level, begin with a mile or part of it. Increase slowly. When your group can comfortably walk 5K, consider participating in a local charity walk or organizing one yourself. This is an outstanding motivational challenge.
- Contact a support group or hospital diabetes program and ask if anyone would like to join a weekly walk group. Perhaps you could convince a personal trainer or exercise physiologist to speak to the group about the basics of an exercise program.
- Advertise in your local newspaper, community bulletin board, or town website for type 2 walkers. When you get a group going, assign everyone to tap one other person to join in. Before you know it, you’ll have them attending the next Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association’s conference. There is one coming up 6/25-28 in Boston (www.diabetes-exercise.org for more info)
Maybe I’m just dreaming, but word of mouth and pen often have a way to ignite energy. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns by contacting us through the DESA contact page. By the way, the reason I chose walking as an exercise is that it is something everyone can do. All you need is a sturdy pair of comfortable walking shoes, clean socks without holes, loose clothing, and a smiling outdoor attitude. It’s smart to check your blood glucose levels and carry a snack, such as dried fruit and nuts, to graze on during long-distance walks.
After your walk, you might be a little hungry. If you’re in the neighborhood of Cyber Kitchen, stop in for a bite.