Diabetes type 2 - General Patient Information
Lifestyle advice:
Diet advice:
Healthy and balanced diet.
High fibre, low-glycaemic-index sources of carbohydrate (such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, and pulses), low-fat dairy products, and oily fish.
To control the intake of foods containing saturated and trans-fatty acids, high-sugar drinks, and foods high in salt content.
Regular meal patterns.
Limited substitution of sucrose-containing foods for other carbohydrate in the meal plan is allowed, but care should be taken to avoid excess energy intake.
Use of foods marketed specifically for people with diabetes is discouraged.
If you are overweight or obesed, set an initial body weight loss target of 5-10%.
Please visit the website Diabetes UK and read the resource(s) ‘What is a healthy, balanced diet for diabetes’ (and ‘Weight loss and diabetes’ if appropriate).
Physical activity and exercise:
Aim to minimize time spent being sedentary.
Please visit the website Diabetes UK and read the resource 'Diabetes and exercise'.
Alcohol:
The recommended alcohol limit is 14 units a week.
Please visit the website Diabetes UK and read the resource Alcohol and Diabetes, which also explains the potential impact of alcohol on diabetes and its treatment.
It is always recommended that you wear or carry some form of diabetes identification, such as a
- MedicAlert® bracelet, necklace, or watch (available from www.medicalert.org.uk)
- Diabetes identity card or wristband (available from www.diabetes.org.uk).
Smoking:
If you smoke smoking cessation is important to eliminate the health risks of smoking.
Please visit the website Diabetes UK and read the resource Help with giving up smoking
and make an appointment with the practice nurse or a GP if you cannot stop smoking on your own.
Dental care:
It is recommended to have at least annually a dental review.
Please visit the website Diabetes UK and read the resource Diabetes and Gum Disease.
Anxiety and depressions:
If you experience symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, please make an appointment with your GP to get help.
Flu (influenza) and pneumococcal vaccination:
Please make sure that you get very year in the early autumn an influenza (flu) vaccination to protect you against seasonal influenza (flu).
Please also make sure that you had at least one pneumococcal vaccination against pneumonia.
Free prescriptions:
You are entitled to free prescriptions for medicines to manage your diabetes. If you are under 60 years, you must have a medical exemption certificate from your GP before you can claim them. Please visit the website Diabetes UK and read the resource Free Prescription (England).
Screening for complications:
To detect diabetes complications early please make sure that you attend every year following checks, which are normally arranged by your nurse or GP:
- Retinopathy screening
- Diabetes foot check with screening for peripheral neuropathy
- Diabetic kidney disease screening
- Cardiovascular risk assessment
- Autonomic neuropathy screening
Please click on the underlined links for more information.
Structured group education programme:
It is recommended that patient with diabetes take part in a structured group education programme such as the Diabetes Education for Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) at or around the time of diagnosis with annual reviews.
Please visit the website www.desmond.nhs.uk for more information.
Information and support: - Diabetes UK (website available at www.diabetes.org.uk): national charity that provides information, support and advocacy for people with diabetes and their families with confidential helpline (0345 123 2399) and hosting an online community for peer support, as well as a wide range of education and information patient resources.