When your illness isn't obvious, it's easy to be complacent about ongoing care.
That's what Doug Dalton has found in his 15 years living with Type 2 diabetes.
"Unless you have low blood sugar or high blood sugar episode, there's really nothing to indicate that anything is awry."
A regular walking group organized by the local branch of the Canadian Diabetes Association has helped him stay on top of his exercise.
"It's a support group in a sense," said the 67-year-old, adding the weekly commitment gives him the push he needs to get physical.
Last fall Dalton joined the Walk & Talk, a 10-week self-management program, which is gearing up for a second spring round starting Saturday at 10 a.m.
All levels of fitness come out, and participants can pick a pace that works for them. In the group of 40 that regularly came out last session, Dalton said some were trailblazers and some had canes.
The program has also helped his understanding of the disease and its progression through the weekly short talks that kick of the 40 to 50 minute walks.
"With diabetes you lose sensitivity in your feet area. It can be very dangerous," he said of foot care considerations. He also learned to be on guard for sores.
"That's something that I hadn't really considered because I hadn't had any problems but I mean diabetes is a progressive disease and so it's something the a person should be aware of, so if problems like that do come up, you know what to do about it."
They also addressed mental health.
"When you do have an illness, you should reduce the stress in your life."
David Devore, who has Type 2 diabetes, runs the first introductory session for the walking group.
He calls it a good-news, bad-news disease.
It touches most systems in the body, including brain, senses, vision.
"All of those are implicated so it's a devastating disease, but the good news is there's very specific things you can do on a daily basis that help delay and maybe delay indefinitely any complications that occur," said Devore, 68, who was diagnosed 13 years ago.
Once those daily tasks are identified, including physical exercise, healthy eating and proper medication, "you really are in control," he said.
"One of unfortunate things about diabetes is that the average time between developing and discovering is about seven years."
This makes awareness so important; Devore, a Diabetes Association volunteer, has given more than 100 talks on healthy living.
The actions people take to prevent diabetes - or its escalation - has a spillover effect, he said.
"What you do for that also helps you with heart disease, cancer, stroke, kidney disease."
Being part of a group adds little social pressures to ensure participants are responsible and committed to their health.
"It was such a huge success," said Boyanne Young, organizer of the walking group and local Canadian Diabetes Association chapter. "People loved it. People came out in the rain. It was just amazing."
Young said she already has 30 people signed up, and many are returning from the fall group.
"Physical activity is a huge part of management of diabetes," she said, adding each week they try out a new trail and the group is open to everyone. "It's a fun way of getting out and walking where people are not walking alone."
To register and for further information on the Walk & Talk series, which starts this Saturday, call 250-561-9284 or email organizer [email protected].
