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I want to share Jane’s journey with her Type two Diabetes with you.

Six months ago, Jane came to talk with me on a referral from her doctor. Recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, Jane was struggling to accept the fact that her body was having difficulty processing blood glucose and that she needed to make some lifestyle modifications, and soon.

Jane’s doctor had decided the best pathway for Jane was to develop and enhanced primary care (EPC) plan which would give her five sessions with specific health professionals who could provide some advice and direction.

Jane’s doctor decided that the main areas to address in relation to Jane’s needs, apart from medication, was physical activity (Jane was not doing any structured exercise), diet and diabetes education. Jane was given her enhanced primary care referral for three sessions with the Exercise Physiologist and two sessions with a dietician experienced in Type 2Duabetes dietary requirements and medication. Jane was also referred to the Type 2 Diabetes Group Education course which provided eight sessions in a small group, delivered over eight weeks, with the express purpose of helping Jane understand and help herself manage her condition. 

Jane came to meet with me initially because both her referrals, the EPC and the eight-week course, was sent to my Wellness Centre, the Green Apple, as the first step. Jane attended the initial consultation because she wanted the opportunity to find out what the Exercise Physiologist and the Dietitian could do for her and what the eight-week course was about. 

For the first time in her life, Jane tracked her own exercise history. We discussed what she did as sport or exercise between the age of 10 and 20, a crucial time to lay down a good bone bank and to ensure the muscles on the developing female body are well formed and balanced. Jane had been involved in various sports and physically active in many ways and I was able to explain how important this was in re-introducing exercise back into her life. Not only did she have a base-level to build from physiologically, she also had an area in her brain that regarded exercise as a positive experience. This was excellent because Jane would not have the barriers to exercise at brain level which can exist because of no prior positive feelings in relation to physical exertion, or worse, a history of failure in participating in exercise. 

As I talked, I could see Jane becoming more accepting of what needed to be done. We discussed the challenge of her occasional lower back pain and previous frozen shoulder. Also, a family history of osteoporosis had been a concern to Jane for some time, but she had put any action on the backburner because of other more pressing matters.

I was able to share stories of health challenges of others facing her which were being resolved through appropriate physical activity.

Exercise as medicine is as important in many conditions as conventional medication. Both are needed for best outcomes. People with special conditions need a doctor who understands their treatment and medication requirements and who will encourage them, the patient, to help self-manage their condition with structured “body housekeeping”. Often, it’s not until we are diagnosed with a medical condition that we suddenly realise this body we rely on to transport us around needs body maintenance in the form of exercise. Generally, we may look after our car and our house more diligently than our own body. A significant mental shift is required to contemplate exercise, regular exercise, as something which needs to be done for the rest of our lives. 

If you need help with your “exercise as medicine”, source an Exercise Physiologist you can relate to, who will listen to what you want, and will work with you to provide the best possible exercise choices. 

Cheers,