Diabetes Awareness

Diabetes is the epidemic of the 21st century and is a huge challenge for the Australian Health System. It is a serious and often silent disease.

Understanding Diabetes is important:

  • 280 Australians develop Diabetes every day – that’s 1 person every 5 minutes.

  • In 2013 Diabetes caused 5.1 million death globally

  • You don’t have to be old

  • You don’t have to be overweight

  • It’s not just “a touch of the sugar”

  • You will have to spend the rest of your life managing your diabetes.

But there is GOOD NEWS – you can improve your outcomes with good management.

So what is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a group of conditions in which there is too much glucose in the blood. The pancreas either cannot make insulin or the insulin it does make is not enough and doesn’t work properly. Insulin is required to break down the glucose.

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of Diabetes.

People with Type 2 Diabetes have a higher risk of developing heart disease, kidney failure, circulation problems, amputations and blindness.

Many Australians are at risk and symptoms often go unnoticed.

Common symptoms:

  • Being more thirsty than normal

  • Feeling tired and lethargic

  • Having cuts that heal slowly

  • Blurred vision

  • Gradually putting on weight (type 2)

  • Headache

  • Passing more urine

  • Always feeling hungry

A lot of these symptoms are just seen as part of getting older, but they should not be ignored.

So what can you do to prevent Diabetes?

It’s really quite easy. Maintain a healthy lifestyle.

  • Be as active as you can, just start moving, follow a healthy eating plan and try to maintain a healthy weight.

  • Have regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks with your GP and stop smoking if you do.

  • Age and family history are risk factors you cannot change, but you can do something about being overweight and how active you are. You can also stop smoking.

If you have Diabetes or feel you could be at risk, make sure you book for a regular check up with your doctor. We have a team here that can help. You can receive education from our Dietician, Exercise Physiologist, Podiatrist and Practice Nurse.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s your first step to continuing your life long journey with Diabetes Prevention or management. Have a fit and healthy life.


Excerpts and links to this blog may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Townsville & Suburban Medical Practice with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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