Reduce your risk

Type 2 diabetes can’t be cured, but it can be prevented.

The following videos were developed to raise awareness of the increasing numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth developing diabetes.

Bran Nue Leg is a 25 minute video promoting living a healthy lifestyle to avoid the onset of diabetes.

Bran Nue Leg Part 2: Deadly (and not in a good way) is a 30 minute documentary where diabetic amputees from the Kimberley in Western Australia share their experiences on how they learnt they had diabetes and how it has impacted their lives.

You can do the following things to lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes:

Be more active

• Increasing activity/exercising more helps your insulin to work better
• Increasing activity/exercising can help you to stay at a healthy weight
• Some good ways to increase your activity or to exercise is to walk a lot, play footy, basketball or softball, gardening and swimming
• You can find more information about activity in Exercise and Diabetes – A Pictorial Guide

Eat healthy food

• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables to give your body vitamins and minerals to fight sickness
• Eat lean meat like fish and kangaroo; cut the fat off steak and chops and take the skin off chicken
• Don’t eat too much junk food like chips, chocolate, pies, lollies and takeaway. Packaged foods are high in fat, sugar and salt and you are likely to gain weight.
• Replace soft drink, juice, cordial and alcohol with plenty of water instead; or try limit your intake of sugary drinks.
• Have a few smaller meals a day instead of one or two big meals
  You can find out more information about healthy eating in Healthy Eating – A Pictorial Guide

Keep your weight healthy

• Eat healthy food and be as active as you can to keep your weight healthy
• If you are finding it hard to lose weight speak to your doctor

Quit smoking

• Smoking causes lots of health problems including diabetes
• If you need help to quit call the Quitline on 13 78 48 or look at their website

Manage stress

• Feeling stressed all the time could onset diabetes
• It’s important to find a way to manage your stress. You can try:
  • exercise
  • art such as painting or music
  • meditation
  • talking to your family and friends about how you are feeling
  • talking to your doctor or Aboriginal Health Worker about how you are feeling