World Diabetes Day

Protect your family!

Family and Diabetes are in the center of awareness on the occasion of World Diabetes Day.

At GEP we would like to make the public aware of the impact that diabetes has on the family and  also to support its role in diabetes management, care, prevention and education.

What are the risk factors?

Various factors are associated with type II diabetes and include the following:

• Family history
• Obesity
• Unhealthy diet
• Lack of physical activity
• Increase in age
• High blood pressure
• Nationality
• Impaired glucose tolerance
• History of gestational diabetes
• Poor nutrition during pregnancy

What you can do for prevention:

Your daily habits, both in the workplace and in your daily routine, can help you increase your health by preventing diabetes and improving your quality of life:

• Choose water, coffee or tea instead of fruit juice, soft drinks or other sugary drinks
• Eat at least three servings of vegetables each day, including green leafy vegetables
• Eat up to three servings of fresh fruit each day
• Choose unsalted, raw nuts, a fresh fruit or sugar-free yogurt for a snack
• Limit alcohol intake
• Choose lean pieces of white meat, poultry or seafood instead of red or processed meat
• Choose peanut butter instead of praline or jam
• Choose wholegrain bread, rice or pasta instead of white bread, rice or pasta
• Choose unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, instead of saturated fats such as butter, animal fat, coconut oil or palm oil.
• Increase your physical activity by including exercise into your life

How can you prevent diabetes in the family?

Many cases can be avoided it by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Reducing your family’s risk begins at home:

• When a family eats healthy meals and exercises together, all family members benefit and encourage behaviors that could help prevention
• If someone has diabetes in your family, learn about the dangers, warning signs to look out for, and what you can do to prevent it
• Families need to live in an environment that supports a healthy lifestyle and helps prevent all factors that may adversely affect health, such as smoking, lack of exercise and unhealthy nutrition.