Berlie began the Complex Care program following a diagnosis of diabetes in July of last year. After feeling unwell for a time, she performed several tests with her family doctor, as she previously developed diabetes around 2008 when she was pregnant. As it turned out, her diabetes had returned so she began to consider her options: should she start seeing a dietician or invest in diet foods?

Berlie was driven to participate in the Complex Care program as she began thinking about the future. She began to ask questions about what would happen if she didn’t look after herself. Severe diabetes, she recounts, can lead to a loss of eyesight and soreness of the limbs. Were she to become blind, she would be unable to engage in her profession; she works helping people file taxes. Severe diabetes would make it much more difficult to look after her family.

Berlie realized that there would be obstacles if she didn’t look after herself. Compromises and changes needed to be made to be healthy and take control of her diabetes. She worked with her family nurse specifically around food and exercise, routinely working on new suggestions. In the past, he would get frustrated when she would deliberately eat healthy foods, but her blood sugar stayed high. She has learned healthy alternatives to target her blood sugar specifically. On top of this, her nurse encouraged her to start incorporating regular exercise, stressing that consistency is key when forming healthy habits.

A few months out of the program and she is feeling good – her clients ask what she has done. She looks and feels younger, and can engage more with life, as losing weight and treating diabetes has ended up mending other problems. Berlie recalls that she has been trying to lose weight for many years. She recounts consistently weighing in around 135 pounds, now she fluctuates between 116 and 120 pounds. She takes regular walks after supper, aiming for half an hour to an hour. She is more able to go canoeing and biking in the summertime, and she has more energy to be involved with her child – who is now 13 – spending good quality time. To make long-lasting change, she says, you have to work yourself and make a dedicated effort.

She has become more in tune with her body, explaining that: “I will know when my blood sugar is average, I feel I am healthy and feel no side effects. But on the other hand, you know when you are not following the rules because there are consequences.” Between her job and her family, she is busy, but she finds ways to use what she has learned in the Complex Care program to stay accountable and keep her blood sugar manageable.

Bernie recalls that the program was a positive experience, and while she would recommend the Complex Care programs to others in her situation, she wants others to know that while the programming works, people must be consistently motivated in order to change their lifestyles.

“It is important to take care of your body while you have the opportunity,” she says. “Life is not a movie where you can call cut and start from the top. You need to make good use of your one shot.”

Health Basics was my Kick Start to a Healthier Weight

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