Managing Diabetes in Winter

In the winter I think my diabetes, managing my diabetes goes out the window because you know you shouldn't but it's just because there's nothing going on and you just eat because The days are dark, they're long, and nights are short. It's just very hard to manage diabetes in the winter, but you can do it. There are people that do it. And it's just keeping your mind on track when it comes to diabetes control. So we're looking at going back to your meal planning, going back to looking at what's best for you and how to eat it in different kinds of way. Again, your peer support group will help you, will support you as long as you keep in touch. And are there any issues during the winter with your diabetes that you need support with, maybe from your health care professionals or other people? Are there any concerns, any challenges, maybe one you've mentioned already, that you need support with to do with the diabetes, but needing support from other people? I want the diabetes peer support group to continue. That's what I want. I think everybody needs the peer support group because we need people to encourage you. The GP surgeries, the healthcare professions cannot encourage you. They're very discouraging when they say your sugar level's too high, you need to go take more medicine, they keep throwing tablets at you. But what you want is another way of dealing with your sugar, high levels of sugar, other than more tablets. So keep the peer group going so that people can contact somebody just to help them through the days where you are really not doing so well. And what we need really. And if you could give advice to someone who's struggling, really struggling with their diabetes, especially during winter, what would that message or advice be? Don't give up, please don't give up if you're struggling. Continue with your peer support group advice and anything else you've used in the past to help you. Continue, don't give up because diabetes Diabetes is a long-term thing and to have a problem based on diabetes going out of control is worse than living with diabetes and having a proper diet. So please, please, please look after yourself and just get help where it's necessary from the peer support group. And you talked about how you don't want extra tablets just because your sugars are high. So do you have a message for the healthcare professionals in terms of how they can help to support you and prepare you for the winter? What can they do? We need the groups. We need people around us that is able to give their time to support people like myself with diabetes. We need somebody to help us through those times where the winter months can make you depressed. The winter months can make you feel, I can't do this anymore. I just want to eat the way I used to eat. Diabetes is not a thing that you change overnight, unfortunately. It's a long thing and it's very hard to get your head round if after 40 years you've eaten a certain way and now you've been told you can't eat that way. So it's very difficult but we just need the support 24-7, 365 days a year. We need the support as and when it's available. you