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"I’ve Not Only Accepted Living With Diabetes, I’ve Learned To Love It"

How a diabetes diagnosis turned this sports scientist into one of Australia's fittest men - by Scott Henderson
  • 12 Jul 2018
"I’ve Not Only Accepted Living With Diabetes, I’ve Learned To Love It"
Women's Health

This week marks National Diabetes Week, an initiative launched in an attempt to raise awareness on the importance of early detection and treatment for all types of diabetes.

One of Australia’s biggest advocates for diabetes awareness leading the charge in health promotion is exercise physiologist, singer-songwriter, Fitbit ambassador, and sports scientist Drew Harrisberg.

“I’ve not only accepted living with diabetes, I’ve learned to love it and manage it so that it doesn’t manage me,” said Harrisberg on his official website when recognising National Diabetes Week.

After receiving a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis in his early 20’s, the eternal optimist and all round top bloke immediately sought to educate himself on diabetes management, taking his knowledge and sharing it with others.

Recent figures released by Diabetes Australia identify diabetes as the fastest growing health epidemic facing Australians in 2018. The problem is so extensive, that it's believed that one Australian develops diabetes every 5 minutes; that translates to one person by the time you've finished scrolling through this article.

drews.daily.dose View Profile
1,086 likes - View Post on Instagram
My Diabetes Essentials Kit. No matter where I go, I always have 3 things with me: 1️⃣ INSULIN - because without it I'd be dead. 2️⃣ GLUCOSE METER - because tightly controlled blood sugar levels are absolutely critical for optimal health. 3️⃣ HEALTHY CARB SOURCE- because if my blood sugar level drops too low, carbohydrates (sugar) will literally save my life. - The conventional way that people with diabetes treat low blood sugar levels is by eating jelly beans or other confectionary, but I'm simply not putting that junk into my body. I usually opt for real food sources like a piece of fruit (ripe banana or dates), but when I'm on the go, fruit doesn't always keep so well. That's why I almost always have a @sneaky_wholefoods bar or ball in my backpack. It's my go-to healthy snack when I detect that my blood sugar level is dropping towards an unsafe range. Plus they are incredibly delicious!🤤#teamsneaky

Characterised by irregularly high levels of glucose in the blood, diabetes either decreases the body’s ability to produce insulin, the hormone responsible for glucose breakdown, or inhibits the body’s ability to use it properly.

“After being diagnosed with diabetes, I made it my responsibility to learn as much as I possibly could about nutrition,” says Harrisberg. “I’ve discovered which food groups affect my blood sugar levels. I’ve discovered ways to improve my insulin sensitivity and ultimately reduce my overall insulin requirements.”

“I was able to reduce my insulin requirements by nearly 70 per cent. Exercise, is the single most important tool and one that I use the most frequently to maintain such tight blood sugar control. Without it - I’d be lost.”

drews.daily.dose View Profile
5,435 likes - View Post on Instagram
Time for some REAL TALK. Have you ever received bad news that left you feeling completely shattered? Like to the point where you feel physically sick and can't sleep? Well it just happened to me. Don't worry, nobody died, everyone is healthy and well - but it's still bad news nonetheless. Basically, I worked my ass off for something that I was very VERY passionate about. I put in an enormous amount of time, energy, and effort. I achieved something that I was incredibly proud of and couldn't wait for the world to see. But it got taken away from me after a longgggg wait. I'm completely devastated. - I've been thinking about how to deal with it but I'm stuck in a tug of war between positive thinking and negative emotions. I hate calling them "negative" emotions because they're just real emotions and are totally justified. I think its important to embrace and accept negative emotions instead of adopting the conventional mindset of "focus on the positives" or "look on the bright side". The truth is, you can still be a 'glass half full' kinda person AND accept the negatives at the same time. Here's how I do it: I allow myself to feel the negative emotions. Things like anger, frustration, disappointment, sadness etc. If you try to ignore them they'll come back to bite you later. Instead, I use them to fuel something positive. I say it all the time: "find a way to turn adversity into opportunity". The two can be synonymous if you let them. #drewsdailydiatribe #punintended

Due to his personable nature, solid rig, and aspirational achievements, Drew has amassed a huge following in the health and fitness space, in large thanks to his refusal to let the traditional notions of diabetes define him.

Opting for an ‘exercise as medicine’ approach, Drew has grown a brand around holistic health and diabetes management, whilst carving himself into one of Australia’s top athletes in the process.

“It’s no secret that a huge part of my diabetes management is exercise,” said the recent Ninja Warrior contender. “I move my body in a different way every day as part of my management strategy. As a result of the sheer volume of training that I do, I’m in the best physical shape of my life. I’m the most athletic (and as a nice byproduct the most aesthetic) that I’ve ever been thanks to diabetes.”

drews.daily.dose View Profile
2,367 likes - View Post on Instagram
Just getting my daily dose of movement and play at the same time. This has to be one of the best ways to get a quality full-body workout without even knowing you're doing it💪🏼😅@ninjawarriorau @channel9 #NinjaWarriorAU 👀😬

Drew’s attitude to diabetes management has not only earned him acclaim in the diabetes community, but the health and fitness industry at large. In his role as a Fitbit ambassador, Drew travels the country, educating large groups on the benefits of a health and active lifestyle, a true example of not only living with diabetes, but thriving with it.

Holistic and sustainable ways of living with diabetes provided by experts such as Drew is invaluable, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics reporting in 2015 that close to 1.2 million Aussies had diabetes (although the figure is most likely severely inflated in 2018, with undocumented cases estimated to be around the 500,000 mark). Further reports suggest that in the last 20 years, the incidence of diabetes has more than tripled, developing into a major health risk for all Australians and the cause of over 16000 deaths every year.

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Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson
Scott is the Editor of Men's Health Australia, where he oversees all editorial content of the country's largest men’s magazine. As a fitness addict, adventure sport lover, and passionate story-teller, Henderson is committed to living the Men’s Health brand.

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