November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Diabetes and the Effectiveness of Regular Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is very beneficial to those living with diabetes. The short-term benefits of increasing physical activity are: 

• Lowers your blood glucose within one hour.
• Increases your energy and strength during the day
• Decreases stress, anxiety and fatigue
• Improves relaxation and sleep
• Improves overall well being    

The long-term benefits if activity is sustained: 

•  Improved blood glucose (sugar) control
•  Helps with maintaining weight management when healthy eating is involved.
•  Lowered blood pressure
•  Stronger bones and muscles
•  Lower risk of diabetes complications such as eye, heart, and kidney disease
•  Improved quality of life

One of the most effective aerobic activities with the lowest dropout rate is walking. It can be as simple as going for a brisk walk in your neighbourhood. Here is a sample walking program for your use.                                                                                                

Both aerobic and resistance exercises are important when it comes to decreasing the risk of developing or advancing Type 2 Diabetes as both help to improve the body’s insulin sensitivity. 

Make sure to interrupt sitting at least every 30 minutes by getting up and walking, standing or stretching.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a very effective form of exercise at a higher intensity for shorter durations, as an option for those who are able to tolerate it. 

Tracking your activity/steps throughout the day is another way of monitoring the amount of time you are active and for some, it is a strategy for reducing sitting time by staying accountable.

Canadian Diabetes Association information: 

www.diabetes.ca

• Low physical fitness is as strong a risk factor for mortality as smoking.
• Higher levels of physical activity and fitness level is one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality in people with diabetes.
• Physical activity can be as powerful as glucose-lowering medication… with fewer side effects.
• Regular physical activity, in conjunction with healthy eating and weight control, can reduce type 2 diabetes incidence by 60 percent.

     If you require help with getting started on an exercise or physical activity plan, ask your family doctor for a referral to the Exercise Specialist at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

November is Diabetes Awareness Month! 

Did you know that 1 in 3 Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes? So many lives are touched by this chronic disease, yet so few Canadians know they are at risk for developing diabetes. 

What is Diabetes?

It’s a chronic disease where the body cannot make enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps to control blood sugars. A high amount of sugar in the blood can damage organs, blood vessels, and nerves over a long period.  

Are you at risk?

Not much is known about definite risk factors for Type 1 Diabetes, but there are quite a few risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes. Some we can have some control over, but some we cannot. 

Here’s a list of risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes:

• Have a parent, brother, or sister living with diabetes.

• Member of a high-risk group (Indigenous, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian, African descent)

• Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 4kg or 9lb

• Have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)

• Prediabetes diagnosis

• Have high blood pressure

• Have high cholesterol  or high blood fats

• Have extra weight around the abdomen, overweight

• Have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis

• Have acanthosis nigricans diagnosis

• Have obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis

• Have diagnosed psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, depression

Ask your doctor to test if you have diabetes if you are over 40 years old or if you have several risk factors after taking this risk test: https://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/en/canrisk

Don’t have a doctor?  Find one here: www.albertafindadoctor.ca

Fight the Risk

Here are some healthy habit ideas that can help lower your risk of diabetes:

• Eat a high fibre breakfast every day

• Eat 1 cup of vegetables at each of your meals

• Eat 2-3 servings of fruit each day (1 serving =0.5 cups or tennis ball size piece of fruit)  

• Go for a 10-15 minute walk at lunch every day

• Try deep breathing or visualization technique to manage your stress or check out other stress management techniques at https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/tests-treatments/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=rlxsk&

Your Team

You have a team of Registered Dietitians, an Exercise Specialist, Registered Nurses, Behavioural Health Consultants and Mental Health Therapists that can support your health journey through the Team-Based Care program at the PCN.  You can access this team for support by asking for a referral from your family doctor.  

Rethinking the Annual Physical Exam - by Dr. Keith Barry

In years past, having patients come in for an "Annual Physical" was commonplace in any family medicine practice.  As evidence has evolved, we have realized that the time and cost of this practice can be better used elsewhere. The actual physical examination component of a yearly visit has never been shown to be of utility. What is more debatable, is the need for routine testing or screening. 

Screening is the practice of looking for disease in people without any symptoms. The idea is to find a disease or a modifiable risk factor for disease early on, where early intervention can prevent complications or offer an easier cure. Many screening tests are current recommended in Canada. Examples include but are not limited to: 

• pap smears
• mammograms
• FIT testing (fecal immunochemical test)
• bone density
• PSA (prostate-specific antigen)
• cholesterol testing
• diabetes screening

You may be surprised to learn that for even these commonly recommended tests, the evidence of benefit is often questionable and almost no one needs them yearly.  In this video, Dr. Mike Evans discusses some of these tests along with some others which are generally not recommended. The key with screening is making it individualized, based on your specific history, risk factors and values. This is why it is important to have a good relationship with your family doctor. 

Although an "Annual Physical" may not be necessary, you should touch base regularly with your family physician, who knows you and your health history, to discuss and decide which test's you may benefit from.  How often this discussion or "preventative health exam" should occur needs to be individualized. You can use the same opportunity to work on improving your lifestyle, which is usually much more beneficial to health than any test. 

I see a common practice still occurring in some physician offices, where a receptionist gives a patient a lab requisition as soon as they book for a physical. This is bad medicine. Which tests to do needs to be a discussion between you and your physician. A single list of tests for every patient is not appropriate. This is an unnecessary cost to the system; but more importantly will lead to unnecessary testing, false positives and harm. More information about various screening tests and their indications can be found at choosingwisely.ca. 

Below is information from Towards Optimized Practice about a change in the way we think about Cholesterol/Cardiovascular risk reduction.  No one needs their cholesterol checked every year! (click on image to download/enlarge.)

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

November is Diabetes Awareness Month! 

Did you know that 1 in 3 Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes? So many lives are touched by this chronic disease, yet so few Canadians know they are at risk for developing diabetes. 

What is Diabetes?

It’s a chronic disease where the body cannot make enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps to control blood sugars. A high amount of sugar in the blood over a long period of time can damage organs, blood vessels, and nerves.  

Are you at risk?

Not much is known about definite risk factors for Type 1 Diabetes, but there are quite a few risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes. Some we can have some control over, but some we cannot. 

Here’s a list of risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes:

• Have a parent, brother, or sister living with diabetes.

• Member of high-risk group (Indigenous, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian, African descent)

• Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 4kg or 9lb

• Have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)

• Prediabetes diagnosis

• Have high blood pressure

• Have high cholesterol  or high blood fats

• Have extra weight around abdomen, overweight

• Have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis

• Have acanthosis nigricans diagnosis

• Have obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis

• Have diagnosed psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, depression

Ask your doctor to test if you have diabetes if you are over 40 years old or if you have several risk factors after taking this risk test: https://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/en/canrisk

Don’t have a doctor?  Find one here: www.albertafindadoctor.ca

Fight the Risk

Here are some healthy habit ideas that can help lower your risk of diabetes:

• Eat a high fibre breakfast everyday

• Eat 1 cup of vegetables at each of your meals

• Eat 2-3 servings of fruit each day (1 serving =0.5 cup or tennis ball size piece of fruit)  

• Go for a 10-15 minute walk at lunch everyday

• Try deep breathing or visualization technique to manage your stress or check out other stress management techniques at https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/tests-treatments/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=rlxsk&

Your Team

You have a team of Registered Dietitians, Exercise Specialist, Registered Nurses, Behavioural Health Consultants and Mental Health Therapists that can support your health journey through the Team-Based Care program at the PCN.  You can access this team for support by asking for a referral from your family doctor.  

November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

November is Diabetes Awareness Month! 

Eleven million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes. 

What is Diabetes?

It’s a chronic disease where the body cannot make enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps to control blood sugars. A high amount of sugar in the blood over a long period of time can damage organs, blood vessels and nerves.  

Are you at risk?

Not much is known about definite risk factors for Type 1 Diabetes but there are quite a few risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes. Some we can have some control over, but some we cannot:

• A parent, brother, or sister living with or who had diabetes.

• Being a member of high-risk group (Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian, African descent)

• Given birth to a baby weighing more than 4kg or 9lb

• Had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)

• Prediabetes diagnosis

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol or high blood fats

• Extra weight around abdomen, overweight

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis

• Acanthosis nigricans diagnosis

• Obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis

• Diagnosed psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, depression

If you are over 40 years old or have any of the above risk factors, talk to your doctor.

Take the Diabetes Canada test.

Don’t have a doctor?  Find one here: www.albertafindadoctor.ca

Our PCN health care providers offer education through classes and workshops that are open to the public; a referral from a family doctor is not needed to register for these classes.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Diabetes and the Effectiveness of Regular Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is very beneficial to those living with diabetes. The short-term benefits of increasing physical activity are: 

• Lowers your blood glucose within one hour.
• Increases your energy and strength during the day
• Decreases stress, anxiety and fatigue
• Improves relaxation and sleep
• Improves overall well being    

The long-term benefits if activity is sustained: 

•  Improved blood glucose (sugar) control
•  Helps with maintaining weight management when healthy eating is involved.
•  Lowered blood pressure
•  Stronger bones and muscles
•  Lower risk of diabetes complications such as eye, heart, and kidney disease
•  Improved quality of life

One of the most effective aerobic activities with the lowest dropout rate is walking. It can be as simple as going for a brisk walk in your neighborhood.  Here is an example of a walking plan if you are just starting out:   

Sample Walking Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Both aerobic and resistance exercises are important when it comes to decreasing the risk of developing or advancing Type 2 Diabetes as both help to improve the body’s insulin sensitivity. 

Make sure to interrupt sitting at least every 30 minutes by getting up and walking, standing or stretching.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a very effective form of exercise at a higher intensity for shorter durations, as an option for those who are able to tolerate. 

Tracking your activity/steps throughout the day is another way of monitoring the amount of time you are active and for some it is a strategy for reducing sitting time by staying accountable.

Canadian Diabetes Association information: 

www.diabetes.ca

• Low physical fitness is as strong a risk factor for mortality as smoking.
• Higher levels of physical activity and fitness level is one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality in people with diabetes.
• Physical activity can be as powerful as glucose-lowering medication… with fewer side effects.
• Regular physical activity, in conjunction with healthy eating and weight control, can reduce type 2 diabetes incidence by 60 per cent.

      If you require help with getting started on an exercise or physical activity plan, ask your family doctor for a referral to the Exercise Specialist at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.

Fall 2019 Workshops

To register for Grief & Loss, Your Best Weight, Child/Teen Anxiety or Happiness Basics, please visit our website at www.lbdpcn.com or call the office at 780-986-6624.

To register for Heart Health, Diabetes Healthy Eating, Taking Charge: Daily Management of Type 2 Diabetes, Better Choices, Better Health Chronic Pain Self-Management, please call Alberta Health Services at 780-401-2665.

Spring 2019 Workshops

For more information, please visit our website: www.lbdpcn.com

Diabetes and the Effectiveness of Regular Physical Activity

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Diabetes and the Effectiveness of Regular Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is very beneficial to those living with diabetes. The short-term benefits of increasing physical activity are: 

• Lowers your blood glucose within one hour.
• Increases your energy and strength during the day
• Decreases stress, anxiety and fatigue
• Improves relaxation and sleep
• Improves overall well being    

The long-term benefits if activity is sustained: 

•  Improved blood glucose (sugar) control
•  Helps with maintaining weight management when healthy eating is involved.
•  Lowered blood pressure
•  Stronger bones and muscles
•  Lower risk of diabetes complications such as eye, heart, and kidney disease
•  Improved quality of life

One of the most effective aerobic activities with the lowest dropout rate is walking. It can be as simple as going for a brisk walk in your neighborhood.  Here is an example of a walking plan if you are just starting out:   

Sample Walking Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Both aerobic and resistance exercises are important when it comes to decreasing the risk of developing or advancing Type 2 Diabetes as both help to improve the body’s insulin sensitivity. 

Make sure to interrupt sitting at least every 30 minutes by getting up and walking, standing or stretching.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a very effective form of exercise at a higher intensity for shorter durations, as an option for those who are able to tolerate. 

Tracking your activity/steps throughout the day is another way of monitoring the amount of time you are active and for some it is a strategy for reducing sitting time by staying accountable.

Canadian Diabetes Association information: 

www.diabetes.ca

• Low physical fitness is as strong a risk factor for mortality as smoking.
• Higher levels of physical activity and fitness level is one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality in people with diabetes.
• Physical activity can be as powerful as glucose-lowering medication… with fewer side effects.
• Regular physical activity, in conjunction with healthy eating and weight control, can reduce type 2 diabetes incidence by 60 per cent.

 

If you require help with getting started on an exercise or physical activity plan, ask your family doctor for a referral to the Exercise Specialist at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.  

Fall 2018 Health Education Classes now available!

Our Fall 2018 health education classes and workshops are now available for registration!
Register online at www.lbdpcn.com or call our office at 780-986-6624.

Heart Healthy

To register online: http://lbdpcn.com/Pages/Event-Details.aspx?EventID=33&EventSeriesID=70&

March is Nutrition Month!

Understand how food can help prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. #NutritionMonth

March is Pharmacist Awareness Month

Each March Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM) celebrates the contributions that pharmacists make to our health care system and helps educate Canadians about the health care services and advice their pharmacists are now delivering. 

Pharmacists across Canada have had a widely expanded scope of practice over the past decade that has them doing more for their patients than ever before. We want to celebrate the great strides the profession has made, highlight the health care services now offered at the pharmacy, and encourage Canadians to Think Pharmacists this March.

Our PCN Pharmacist, Nandini Desai, provides a wide scope of patient care from diabetes education, medication reviews and tobacco cessation support. Ask your PCN family doctor for a referral to visit Nandini for support. 

Health Talks

Our PCN healthcare team brings you Health Talks - a series of health related sessions offered to you for FREE! No need to register, just show up to the session(s) you want to learn more about. Questions encouraged! See our website for descriptions of each session. 

Mission: Possible - 21 Day Challenge to help end diabetes

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to start a healthy habit over the next 21 days to raise awareness on diabetes, live healthier, and to help end diabetes.  

Mission Data:

November is Diabetes Awareness Month! 

11 million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes.  And that’s not even counting the family members whose lives are changed by supporting those living with diabetes.  So many lives are touched by this chronic disease, yet so few Canadians know they are at risk for developing diabetes.  Each November, the Canadian Diabetes Association runs a campaign to raise awareness on the risks of diabetes, and what you can do to lower your chances of developing diabetes.  This year, the CDA is promoting a 21 day health habit challenge.  All that’s involved is a commitment to making a healthy lifestyle change and raise funds to support diabetes research to find a cure!  More information on this challenge at the Canadian Diabetes Association website.

What is Diabetes?

It’s a chronic disease where the body cannot make enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly.  Insulin is a hormone that helps to control blood sugars.  A high amount of sugar in the blood over a long period of time can damage organs, blood vessels, and nerves.  

Find out more about diabetes at our PCN Diabetes 101 class: 

http://lbdpcn.com/Programs/Pages/Health-Education-Classes.aspx

Are you at risk?

Not much is known about definite risk factors for Type 1 Diabetes.  But there are quite a few risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes.  Some we can have some control over, but some we cannot. 

Here’s a list of risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes:

• Have a parent, brother, or sister living with diabetes.

• Member of high-risk group (Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian, African descent)

• Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 4kg or 9lb

• Have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)

• Prediabetes diagnosis

• Have high blood pressure

• Have high cholesterol  or high blood fats

• Have extra weight around abdomen, overweight

• Have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis

• Have acanthosis nigricans diagnosis

• Have obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis

• Have diagnosed psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, depression

Ask your doctor to test if you have diabetes if you are over 40 years old or if you have several risk factors after taking this risk test: http://www.diabetes.ca/take-the-test/

Don’t have a doctor?  Find one here: www.edmontonareadocs.ca

Fight the Risk.  Accept the Mission Challenge.

Here are some healthy habit ideas you can try over the next 21 days. 

• Eat a high fibre breakfast everyday. For example, you can have oatmeal with fruit.

• Eat 1 cup of vegetables at each of your meals.

• Eat 2-3 servings of fruit each day (1 serving =0.5 cup or tennis ball size piece of fruit)  

• Go for a 10-15 minute walk at lunch everyday.    

• Try deep breathing or visualization technique to manage your stress.  Or check out other stress management techniques at https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/tests-treatments/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=rlxsk&

Find out other ways to eat healthier and live healthier at our Nutrition for Diabetes and Active Living class: http://lbdpcn.com/Programs/Pages/Health-Education-Classes.aspx

Start your 21 Day Challenge Now:  http://crm2.diabetes.ca/site/TR?fr_id=2463&pg=entry

Your Team

You have a team of Registered Dietitians, Exercise Specialist, Registered Nurse, Registered Pharmacist, and Registered Psychologist through the SMILE program at the PCN.  You can access this team for support by asking for a referral from your family doctor.  

More information about the SMILE program: http://lbdpcn.com/Programs/Pages/SMILE-Healthcare-Program.aspx