Self-Care - Diabetes

Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints. The 2 most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis affects the smooth cartilage lining of the joint. It makes movement more difficult than usual, leading to pain and stiffness. Once the cartilage lining starts to roughen and thin out, the tendons and ligaments must work harder. This can cause swelling and the formation of bony spurs called osteophytes. Severe loss of cartilage can lead to bone rubbing on bone, altering the shape of the joint and forcing the bones out of their normal position. The most affected joints are those in the hands, spine, knees and hips.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the body’s immune system targeting affected joints, leading to pain and swelling. The outer covering (synovium) of the joint is the first place affected. This can then spread across the joint, leading to further swelling and a change in the joint’s shape. This may cause the bone and cartilage to break down. People with rheumatoid arthritis can also develop problems with other tissues and organs in their body.

Managing your arthritis

Self-management is key to living with arthritis.

Self-management is about making positive and healthy lifestyle choices and addressing the physical and emotional effects of the disease. Having arthritis affects everyone differently, so it’s up to you to learn and practice what helps you to live well and thrive. Through self-management, you can make a big difference to how much arthritis affects your quality of life, so you can continue to say ‘Yes’ to the things that are important to you.

About 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes.

• A major risk factor is being overweight. The more overweight you are, the more your risk increases, especially if you’re large around the middle
• Your risk tends to increase with age. You’re more at risk if you’re aged over 40 and white or aged over 25 and of African-Caribbean, Black African or South Asian descent
• You’re also more likely to get Type 2 diabetes if you have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes

Other factors that can affect your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes include:

• Sedentary lifestyle – it is important to keep moving and be physically active
• Disturbed sleep – Not getting enough sleep, or sleeping for too long have been associated with an increased risk
• Gestational diabetes – If you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy it is important to have your blood glucose levels tested regularly afterwards as you have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

A healthy diet and keeping active will help you to manage your blood sugar level.

There’s nothing you cannot eat if you have type 2 diabetes, but you’ll have to limit certain foods. You should:

• Make healthier choices more often, reduce your portion sizes
• Eat a wide range of foods – including fruit, vegetables and some starchy foods like pasta
• Keep sugar, fat and salt to a minimum
• Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day – do not skip meals

Physical exercise helps lower your blood sugar level. You should aim for 2.5 hours of activity a week. You can be active anywhere as long as what you’re doing gets you out of breath. Activity can be built into your day by walking faster, climbing stairs rather than taking the lift or doing more strenuous housework or gardening.

Losing weight (if you’re overweight) will make it easier for your body to lower your blood sugar level and can improve your blood pressure and cholesterol. If you need to lose weight, try to do it slowly over time. Aim for around 0.5 to 1kg a week. Find out about a structured education course in your area that will help you understand and manage your diabetes.