WORLD DIABETES DAY

World Diabetes Day was established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization. It is celebrated every year on November 14 , the birthday of Canadian Nobel laureate physician Frederick Banting , who discovered synthetic insulin with Charles Best in 1922, giving the gift of life to millions of patients suffering from the "sweet disease". Its symbol is the blue circle, a symbol of life , health and unity of people with diabetes.

Globally, it is estimated that 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980. The rapid increase in the number of people with diabetes has resulted in an increase in risk factors for complications of the condition, which makes it necessary to inform and raise awareness about the 'sweet' disease.

This year's World Diabetes Day is dedicated to diabetes and wellness, focusing on the physical and mental challenges of living with the disease. Millions of people with all types of diabetes are called upon to make decisions every day to manage their blood glucose levels at home, at work, and at school.

But what is wellness? It is our personal journey, the struggle we make throughout our lives to be healthy. The goal of wellness is health and wellness is independent of our age, our physique or our gender. It is a goal that we can adopt at every stage of our life. From the moment we take our own life into our own hands, it is a continuous effort, a commitment to having quality years of life and in the long term to conquer our happiness, well-being and personal development.

For people with diabetes, a change in their lifestyle and their efforts towards wellness contribute to more effective regulation of glucose levels. With proper education, self-management and self-control, they will be able to eliminate the risk of complications, ensuring a trouble-free coexistence with their sweet companion.

Wellness is a holistic concept, encompassing various aspects of our lives. Let's see how we can achieve it...

• Physical well-being

1. by maintaining a healthy body and maintaining or achieving our ideal weight.
2. By adopting healthy eating habits by consuming a variety of foods in reasonable quantities and avoiding processed foods. Nutrition is the cornerstone for managing diabetes and improving our health. The role of the treating physician is crucial for proper nutritional education and setting goals, depending on our needs,
3. By incorporating exercise into our daily lives. Before starting any form of exercise, we should consult our doctor to recommend the appropriate activity, duration and intensity of exercise, depending on our age and physical condition. In people with diabetes, it helps to better control glucose, reduces cardiovascular risk factors, contributes to weight loss and improves our mood.
4. With adequate sleep. A quality sleep of 7-8 hours a day contributes not only to our rest, but also to ensuring the strength of our immune system, even to a longer life span!
5. By limiting alcohol. Increased alcohol consumption is likely to cause hypoglycemia, weight gain, or even hyperglycemia.
6. By limiting or reducing smoking, as it causes an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes.

• Mental well-being

Mental well-being is related to stress management, positive coping with life's difficulties, the absence and management of negative emotions, such as resignation, depression, and the lack of purpose and meaning in life.

Emotional well-being is an important part of diabetes care and self-management. It is essential to stay positive, pursue your goals, decide what gives meaning to your life, and strive to achieve them. And if you are unable to adopt an optimistic attitude and manage your stress, do not hesitate to seek professional help or open your heart to people you trust.

• Social well-being

It is about creating positive relationships with other people in our family or at work. Through successful relationships we experience acceptance, recognition and trust that we are not alone in our difficulties. If you are a person with diabetes, it is important to inform those around you about the ways they can help you and to explain your needs to them. Your family and friends want you to be healthy and happy every day.

Especially for people with diabetes, the family environment is vital. All family members adapt to the change in daily life brought about by the advent of diabetes. Its role is decisive and irreplaceable, as with the attitude of the members and their unlimited support, it lightens the routine of diabetes, supports and encourages the daily struggle of their sweet loved one. It is a shield of protection that provides security that the person suffering from diabetes is not alone and that everyone together will be by his side when he needs them.

• Spiritual well-being

To empty our minds as much as possible of dark thoughts to make room for positive stimuli that will heal our body, soul and mind. To find value in our lives and give meaning to our moments. For people with diabetes, positive thinking is a very important step towards achieving happiness and effectively managing their chronic condition.

• Professional well-being

It is of great importance to feel that we spend a large part of our daily lives in a job that brings us joy, satisfaction and the feeling that we contribute to society as a whole. Through the relationships that develop in the professional world - if they are not competitive and false - we feel fulfilled in our lives and "full" of experiences and a desire to become better and better.

• Economic well-being

It is about managing our money effectively so that we can manage our daily needs, but also face some extraordinary expenses or have a long-term savings plan. For all of us, money is a source of stress that we need to manage in order to improve our lives and get rid of the dark thoughts that overwhelm us with what will happen “the next day”.

For those involved either directly or indirectly with the bittersweet disease, November is not just Diabetes Awareness Month. Every day is a struggle, an unequal battle to manage to keep their sugar levels as normal as possible. Knowledge is power, technology is their valuable assistant , and the continuous developments in the effort to regulate the chronic disease rekindle hope in sufferers that the moment when diabetes will be a memory and they will be able to continue their lives without measurements and injections will not be long in coming.

Systematic exercise , careful nutrition , faithful implementation of the instructions of the treating physician and - most importantly - positive psychology, support, acceptance and love from the family , are the "keys" for effective management of the disease.

Diabetes and wellness, wellness and diabetes can balance and give years of good health with the sweet companion. A decision is the path to our wellness, a life decision! Let's make it today!

Written by Marianna Metaxa

Educator, Author of the books "My Sweet Kelly" and the fairy tale "Melita and Zacharoulis" and lyricist of the song "Listen to My Heart" which was set to music by Sofia Grammenou