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On the Line
ON THEline
ON THE LINE
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The Diabetes WA Helpline and Telehealth Service provides free comprehensive access to personalised diabetes management advice and support from a Credentialed Diabetes Educator. Meet our educators as they share some of the common concerns they hear from our members.
Narelle Lampard
Narelle is an accredited practising dietitian. She has worked for Diabetes WA over the past 20 years and also for South Metro Health Service for 13 years. Narelle enjoys the diversity of experiences working in roles across both community and clinical health care.
She especially likes facilitating group education sessions that assist people with diabetes to better understand and manage their condition. Witness the ‘lightbulb moments’ and helping to lighten the burden of living with diabetes is a real privilege, she says. Outside of work, Narelle likes to spend time with family and friends, read books, cook, travel and go walking in the bush. She regularly conducts DESMOND, which is a one-day diabetes self-management program.
There has been a lot of health hype around coconut oil over the past few years. It has been promoted as being beneficial for heart health, body weight, diabetes and reducing inflammation. But is this fact or fiction?
Coconut oil is a tropical oil made from the coconut palm fruit. Australia does not have a local coconut industry and imports all our coconut oil from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. Coconut oil can be expensive, especially the organic versions. Coconut oil contains around 92% saturated fat (mostly the long-chain saturated fatty acids called lauric, myristic and palmitic). You can clearly see coconut oil is high in saturated fat because it is solid at room temperature. A recent article in the journal Circulation reviews all the evidence and concludes that coconut oil significantly increases total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol levels are known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found no evidence that coconut oil lowered blood sugar, lowered inflammation or affected body weight as compared with other vegetable oils. In summary, we should not view coconut oil as a healthy option for heart health. Ideally don’t use it as a regular cooking oil, but it can be used sparingly for taste and texture. Think of it as an occasional ingredient rather than an everyday staple. So, what is the healthiest option for oil? As a dietitian, I have a few suggestions: 1. Limit saturated fats that will have a negative effect on cholesterol levels. These include coconut oil, palm oil, butter, ghee, lard, dripping, copha, tallow, duck fat. 2. Include unsaturated fats that will have a positive effect on cholesterol levels
For example: olives and olive oil, avocados and avocado oil, nuts and nut oils (macadamia, peanut, walnut), seeds and seed oils (sunflower, safflower, canola, soybean, sesame), rice bran oil, grape seed oil, oily fish. 3. Watch quantities, as all types of fat are high in energy (kilojoules and calories) and can therefore contribute to weight gain. 4. Choose Australian grown and locally sourced produce whenever possible. My top pick? An Australian extra-virgin olive oil.
ON THEline
Melissa Robinson
Mel is an accredited practising dietitian and has worked in the diabetes space for more than 10 years. Mel is passionate about supporting individuals to self-manage their diabetes by making small, realistic and achievable changes. Facilitating diabetes group education sessions in remote Aboriginal communities is another passion and she loves meeting new people and hearing their stories. Mel’s other areas of interest include the role nutrition plays in managing conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, gut health and autoimmune conditions.
“What fruit should I eat if I have diabetes?”
People are often confused about what types of fruit they should eat when they have diabetes. They are often told or hear about certain fruits like banana, watermelon and mango being ‘bad’ for diabetes and that only berries are ‘safe’. The truth is, all types of fruit are a fantastic source of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and higher fruit intakes have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers.
No fruit should be off limits if you have diabetes, although how much you have and how often you have it may affect your blood glucose levels (BGLs). One standard serve of fruit (a medium apple, small banana or cup of chopped fruit) contains around 15g of carbohydrate, most of which is digested slowly due to the high fibre content, giving a slow, steady rise in blood glucose. One small banana or one large slice of watermelon contains 15g of carbohydrates and is therefore unlikely to cause a spike in blood glucose levels. Mangoes typically contain more carbohydrate, simply because they are larger in size. One small mango weighs nearly twice as much as one small banana (220g vs 135g) and contains approximately double the amount of carbohydrate (30g vs 15g). Dried fruit contains more carbohydrate compared to fresh fruit because the water has been removed, meaning the carbohydrate is more concentrated. Two tablespoons of dried fruit has the same amount of carbohydrate (15g) as one cup of chopped fresh fruit. The best way to find out how fruit affects your blood glucose levels is to test using a blood glucose monitor. You will need to test before eating the fruit, then test again two hours later. If your blood glucose levels have jumped more than 2–3mmol/L in that time (for example, they have jumped from 6mmol/L before eating to more than 9mmol/L two hours later), the size or type of fruit you have eaten may have contributed to this. If you do find that certain fruits have a greater impact on your BGLs than others, it doesn’t mean you need to completely cut them out of your diet, especially if you love them! You may want to consider eating those fruits with other foods containing protein or fat (a handful of nuts or seeds, or small tub of plain yoghurt), as fat and protein slow down digestion and reduce the glycaemic index (GI) of food. So which fruit is ‘best’ for diabetes? We can safely say that no one fruit is best, and all can form part of a healthy diet. It really comes down to how much you eat and how often you eat it – if you are eating two large mangoes for breakfast each day (approx. 100g carbohydrates), you might expect to see an increase in blood glucose levels after breakfast. If you are eating two or three standard serves of fruit spread over the day, you likely won’t see a big impact on BGLs. Just remember – everyone is different, and the best way to know exactly how fruit affects you is to test blood glucose levels before and two hours after eating. For more information about foods containing carbohydrates, attend Diabetes WA’s CarbSmart program or book into one of our online webinars.
Diabetes WA Webinars
If you’re still isolating from home, Diabetes WA’s series of online educational webinars offers a convenient way to hear about a variety of hot topics on diabetes from our Credentialled Diabetes Educators from the comfort of your living room. Free for Western Australians who are registered on the NDSS, the webinars are held via Zoom, with new sessions added regularly. To book into a webinar, head to diabeteswa.com.au/ eventscalendar.
Self-management Workshops
Diabetes WA runs a number of education programs, held as two or three-hour workshops, to help you manage your diabetes and improve yourhealth. ShopSmart – understand how to read food labels and learn how to make the best food choices for your health. FootSmart – this session will teach you all you need to know about checking and caring for your feet. MonitorSmart – learn how to effectively monitor you blood glucose levels.
CarbSmart – learn how you can choose the type and amount of carbs that are healthier for you. MedSmart – understand how your medications can help you manage your diabetes. Living with Insulin – learn all about insulin and the importance of looking after your blood glucose levels. Ready Set Go, Let’s Move – this session gives you the facts on diabetes and exercise and provides tips on how to start exercising and stay motivated. Insulin Pump Workshop – this practical session will show you how to get the most benefit out of your insulin pump and its features.
Type 1 Tactics For Exercise – Learn how the body responds to different types of activity and how to effectively adjust insulin, carbohydrates, and exercise to manage blood glucose levels. Type 1 Technology Night
Explore pumps, CGMs and flash monitoring and meet with device company representatives to find out the pros and cons. Connect with Diabetes
A 2.5 hour free presentation for people with type 2 diabetes, carers, families and those at risk of diabetes. Connect with Diabetes enables you to understand and manage your diabetes and learn about food choices.
Workshop Calendar
Perth Metro
Armadale ShopSmart Armadale FootSmart Melville DESMOND Floreat DESMOND Midland CarbSmart Midland FootSmart North Beach DESMOND 21 January 21 January 24 January 28 January 29 January 29 January 31 January
Rockingham DESMOND Bentley DESMOND Armadale DESMOND Mirrabooka DESMOND Floreat CarbSmart Floreat MonitorSmart Heathridge DESMOND Melville DESMOND Midland DESMOND
2 February 5 February 9 February 11 February 14 February 14 February 17 February 19 February 21 February Cockburn DESMOND 23 February Karawara Ready-Set-Go Let's Move 25 February Karawara ShopSmart 25 February Mandurah DESMOND 26 February Mirrabooka MedSmart 28 February Mirrabooka CarbSmart 28 February Rivervale DESMOND 2 March Fremantle DESMOND 3 March Scarborough DESMOND 8 March Rockingham CarbSmart 10 March Rockingham MonitorSmart 10 March Heathridge ShopSmart 12 March Heathridge MedSmart 12 March Floreat DESMOND 14 March Cockburn FootSmart 16 March Cockburn ShopSmart 16 March Melville DESMOND 17 March Heathridge DESMOND 19 March Rockingham DESMOND 23 March Melville CarbSmart 24 March Melville MedSmart 24 March Mandurah ShopSmart 24 March Mandurah MedSmart 24 March Karawara DESMOND 25 March Armadale DESMOND 29 March Subiaco Living With Insulin 30 March Mirrabooka DESMOND 31 March
Workshop Calendar WA Regional
Albany DESMOND TBA Albany DESMOND TBA Bunbury DESMOND 2 February Bunbury CarbSmart 1 March Bunbury FootSmart 1 March Bunbury DESMOND 25 March Busselton DESMOND 14 March Geraldton CarbSmart 31 January Geraldton FootSmart 31 January Geraldton DESMOND 18 February Geraldton ShopSmart 4 March Geraldton MedSmart 4 March Geraldton DESMOND 18 March Harvey DESMOND 11 March Kalgoorlie FootSmart 25 January Kalgoorlie ShopSmart 16 February Northam DESMOND 16 March South Hedland DESMOND 9 February South Hedland DESMOND 23 March
DESMOND
DESMOND – Diabetes Education and SelfManagement for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed is a one day workshop designed to equip those living with type 2 diabetes with the knowledge and skills to better manage their condition. DESMOND can help you achieve lower HbA1c, weightreduction, greaterphysical activity, reduced diabetes distress and better overall healthoutcomes.
Telehealth
The Diabetes Telehealth Service for Country WA is available to those living out of the metropolitan area. One-on-one appointments via video-conferencing can be arranged through your doctor, or contact Diabetes WA on 1300 001 880.
Upskilling for health professionals in countryWA
The Diabetes Telehealth Service upskilling sessions are typically 1–2hours in duration and are easily accessed via a desktop computer. The sessions cover a wide range of diabetes-related topics such as chronic kidney disease, diabetic retinopathy and gestational diabetes. To find out more or to register for any upcoming sessions call 1300 001 880 or visit ourwebsite.
Keeping you safe
Diabetes WA has a comprehensive COVID-19 plan in place, strictly following the WA Roadmap and including elements such as – venues with plenty of space; screening before people attend a program (there’ll be extra questions we need to ask); hygiene safety advice for the session itself; and adjustments made to the delivery of interactive parts of the workshops so everyone can stay at a safe distance from each other. We know that people are better able to manage their diabetes after attending our workshops, so we want to offer support as soon as possible. Keep an eye out for updates on our website and in our e-newsletters for the sessions starting up in your area, or call 1300 001 880 for more information.
For more information or to book into any of these workshops, visit diabeteswa.com.au, call1300001 880 or email bookings@diabeteswa.com.au
