Ros wasn’t surprised when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 48. In addition to a family history of diabetes, she had put on 40kg after quitting smoking.

Ros says that she was frightened by how type 2 diabetes might impact her long term health. Through diet and exercise, she lost weight and increased her fitness level. She was able to reduce her medication and manage diabetes through diet and exercise alone. She also reduced the risk of eye health impacts, one of her biggest concerns.

Last year, Ros celebrated her 50^th birthday. She shares the changes that turned diabetes into “her blessing in disguise”.

“Experiment with exercise, find something you enjoy and stick with it.”

I hated exercising outdoors. Either it would rain or the magpies would swoop me. However, keeping active was essential to managing my diabetes and reducing the risk of heart and kidney disease. I needed to find a more enjoyable exercise, stick to it and get fitter.

My solution was to join a gym. It was out of the rain and there were no magpies! Now I had no excuses not to go. I set a goal, using a smart watch app, of reaching 500 days of doing 2000 kilojoules of exercise a day, and I smashed it.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. There’s support to get you through.”

Two years ago, when I was diagnosed, I didn’t think I’d make it to 50. The news was overwhelming and I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to.

Fast forward to now. Things don’t always go the way I want but I deal with them a lot better. In between seeing my doctor or dietitian, I get online support from people who understand what I’m going through.

Without diabetes, I wouldn’t have changed my lifestyle. Now my health is the best it’s been in two decades.

“Choose the right food for you. There’s no single diet.”

I’d tried many diets and thought I knew how to eat healthily. But the usual advice doesn’t always apply for people living with diabetes, and recommended food choices would spike my glucose levels.

I had to work out what food was right for me. I read labels, researched options and talked to my dietitian. Although I couldn’t eat things I had thought were healthy, dairy products were back!

Now my diet is helping manage my weight and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications such as heart problems and strokes.