Today is World Health Day and the focus is on Diabetes. Did you know that there are an estimated 11 million people who are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes in Canada? There are over 420 million people in the world who have diabetes and that number is projected to double within the next 20 years...
This year, the World Health Organization's theme is diabetes. It is a disease that impacts millions of people globally.
Diabetes is a disease where the body cannot produce insulin or use the insulin it produces to control sugar. Every three minutes, a Canadian is diagnosed with this disease.
Disease Prevention
The WHO is looking to highlight beating diabetes through:
- Healthy eating
- Exercise, and
- Avoiding excessive weight gain.
We support this as we believe that everyone should have access to local nutritious foods that they can prepare for themselves at home. Which is why we have local workshops focused on healthy eating or preparing nutritious foods.
Gardening is exercise - both mentally and physically. You are moving, digging, dragging and in some cases lifting (or carting) heavy soil. It is also great to get outside (patio container gardens count too) and connect with mother nature. At Burnaby Food First, we promote community gardens as well as learning to grow your own veggies in containers through our workshops as well.
By cooking and preparing your own food as well as gardening, you are avoiding excessive weight gain. Eating healthier and gardening helps to create a healthier environment. Through gardening, you also benefit from homegrown foods!
So, today let's help beat diabetes - either by cooking nutritious food at home or getting outside in your gardens (in your backyard, on your balcony, within your community or through sharing backyards)!
