living with diabetes: one man’s story of how simple steps can lead to success
paving the way to diabetes control through sustainable lifestyle choices
oct 27 2023
3 minute read
frank waldner and his wife adopted a puppy to help them stay physically active in their retirement years. supplied
advertised by
abbott diabetes care
this story was provided by a client for commercial purposes.
today, there are more than 11.7 million canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes, with 90 per cent of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. for many people living with the chronic condition, adjusting to life with their new diagnosis can be daunting. while everyone’s road to successful diabetes management can look different, retired software engineer, frank waldner, believes in the power of small, easy lifestyle changes.
frank was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes almost 30 years ago at the age of 40. despite having seen his mother experience the condition, frank immediately felt overwhelmed by his diagnosis and went into denial. at first, he didn’t make any changes and avoided measuring his blood glucose levels, both key components to managing diabetes.
“i wasn’t exercising enough or eating very healthily. i also didn’t keep up with my medications,” says frank. “i know now that those three points of the triangle – activity, nutrition and medication – have to be balanced. back then, my triangle was askew.”
all this began to change when frank was introduced by his healthcare team to abbott’s freestyle libre 2 system, † which he was thrilled to learn was covered through the ontario drug benefit program. ‡ with the easy-to-use technology , frank started to understand how his daily actions were affecting his glucose levels.
advertisement
advertisement
“as an engineer, i appreciate the value of data and ongoing feedback,” frank says. “the freestyle libre 2 was like my own personal speedometer. it told me exactly what was making my glucose spike and what helped bring it down. it was easy to use and allowed me to adjust as i went about my day. suddenly my diabetes felt much more manageable.”
frank started by taking small steps, like opting to eat rice and potatoes in moderation and switching out his regular pop for diet alternatives. more recently, however, frank took on a much larger lifestyle change with an unexpected benefit – adopting a puppy he named pepsi.
abbott’s freestyle libre 2 flash glucose monitoring system helps those living with diabetes understand how daily actions affect their glucose levels. supplied
a lifelong dog lover, frank chose to get a furry companion to keep him and his wife busy in their retirement years. while frank knew a dog would turn his life upside down, what he didn’t expect was pepsi’s positive effect on his health. with the many walks they take – totalling nearly 10 kilometres daily – the puppy has helped frank lose close to 22 pounds and it has also helped keep his a1c (an average measure of glucose levels over 2-3 months) at a consistent 6.0, well below the 7.0 recommended target.
“i can’t really decide that i don’t feel like walking, because pepsi needs to get outside,” frank adds. “but once you get into the groove of it, those walks don’t really feel like much. and the benefit to my health has been tremendous. i never thought just walking could make such a difference to my diabetes.”
advertisement
advertisement
these days, frank pairs his glucose data with the step counter on his smartwatch to stay motivated and keep up with the lifestyle changes that are bringing him lasting diabetes management success. for him, knowledge is the key to a healthier life.
“you don’t have to give up everything that you love and find comforting,” frank notes. “use the data from your flash glucose monitoring system to your advantage. and once in a while, eat that pizza, have that cake. enjoy life. it’s all about moderation.”
if you have diabetes, speak with your healthcare team about abbott’s freestyle libre 2 system. you may already have access to the technology through public or private insurance. visit myfreestyle.ca to learn more and sign up for a free trial.
disclaimers:
† the freestyle libre 2 flash glucose monitoring system is indicated for measuring interstitial fluid glucose levels in people aged 4 years and older with diabetes mellitus. always read and follow the label/insert.
‡ for people managing diabetes with insulin.
this story was provided by abbott diabetes care for commercial purposes.
adc-80837 v1.0
share story
