Living an active lifestyle and reducing sedentary behaviour is almost as good as medicine when it comes to managing blood sugar and cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure. Physical activity can help build and maintain muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance which is important to be able to do every day activities like walking, gardening, cleaning and playing with kids or grandchildren. Being active can also have a positive impact on mental health and help manage stress.

• Try to be active for at least 30 minutes each day. If 30 minutes at once is not realistic try 3 bouts of 10 minutes.

• Add muscle and bone strengthening activities 2 times a week.

• Avoid sitting for long periods by getting up to stretch or walk around every 20-30 minutes.

• Limit screen time (TV, computer, tablets, phones, etc.) to less than 2 hours a day.

Learn more in our Physical Activity section or by visiting Canada’s Physical Activity Guidelines here.

Eating a diet that is rich in vegetables and fruit, whole grains, lower fat milk and alternatives, lean protein and lower in sodium, free sugar* and unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fat) can help reduce your risk of diabetes.

Frequently relying on restaurant and packaged meals and snacks can make it hard to get enough vegetables and fruit and increases intake of sodium, unhealthy fats and free sugar. Setting aside a little time each week to plan healthy meals can help make cooking and eating at home easier.

• Eat 3 meals a day at regular times.

• Fill half your plate with vegetables and enjoy fruit for dessert.

• Make at least half of your grain choices whole grain.

• Select lean cuts of meat and poultry and have fish twice a week.

• Incorporate legumes (chickpeas, beans, lentils) into a few meals during the week.

• Cook with unsaturated fats like non-hydrogenated margarine, olive or canola oil.

• Read the Nutrition Facts Table and ingredient list on packaged foods to help you choose products with less sodium, added sugar and saturated and trans fat.

• Stay hydrated by reaching for water instead of sugary drinks. 

* Free sugar is any sugar that is added to foods by the manufacturer or when cooking at home, plus it includes the sugar that is naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. It does not include sugar present in milk or whole fruit and vegetables.

For more information, visit our Nutrition page

Making lifestyle and behaviour changes can be hard and takes time. Instead of making a lot of changes at one time, choose one or two goals to work on. Your goal should be specific, measurable and realistic based on your lifestyle. It must also be important to you. Write your goal down and set a timeline for yourself so you will know when you have achieved it. Think about things that you can do help make sure you are successful. Reward yourself for your achievements before you move on to setting another goal. Below is an example. 

Set a Goal

SAMPLE:
I will replace pop with water 6 days a week for the next month. 

Why it is important to me?

SAMPLE:

This will help control my blood sugar which can have a positive impact on my energy level. Buying less pop will save me money and drinking less pop may help me sleep better by reducing my caffeine intake. Drinking water throughout the day will help me stay hydrated. 

My plan for success?

SAMPLE:

I will buy a new water bottle to keep with me while I am at work or away from the house. At home, I will keep jug of water in the fridge and add lemon or cucumber for extra flavor.

Treat Yourself!

SAMPLE:

I will buy myself a new outfit.

Smoking increases the chances of developing chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes or diabetes complications. The dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke affect the health of the blood vessels and interfere with the conversion of glucose to energy. Quitting can be difficult and most smokers make several attempts before they can quit and stay quit. Quitting is a process and you can make changes, one step at a time.

Ready to quit smoking? We have the resources to help you take action.

Visit our Quit Smoking page to find out more.