Luis is overcoming a family legacy of type 2 diabetes 17 June 2021 Luis’s father and grandfather both had type 2 diabetes, but it was still a shock when he was diagnosed with the condition in his early 30s. Luis had the advantage of knowing what can happen if you ignore your diabetes. Tragic complications “My Dad lost his vision and his legs. He had an old-fashioned attitude and kept eating and drinking anything he wanted. “He thought having his magic pill was all he had to do.” Luis’s father paid a high price for putting his faith in medication only. Fightback “I want to help with the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes,” Luis wrote when he contacted our organisation to offer his support. “I have a story that I want to share with everybody in Australia who is battling this silent disease. A long game “I was diagnosed at 34 and now I’m 46 years old. This story is a long fight and I am winning. I took many years to realize the importance of proper care and nutrition, exercise, and managing stress,” Luis said in a later interview. “These factors can impact your life massively.” Luis changed his diet, worked very hard at the gym, and now his HbA1c (two- or three-monthly blood glucose average) is 6.9%. He has lost 40kg and at 176cm tall now weighs 80kg. Importantly, a recent scan showed his body fat has decreased from 35% to 17%. A wakeup call “Changing your lifestyle is the key,” Luis says. “A diagnosis of diabetes is not a curse. It’s a wakeup call that can lead you to the right path for better health. Small changes win the battle “Small changes that you can sustain is the key. “It’s never too late to start.”
Media releases 13 May 2025 The time is now for clear labelling of sugar content on sugary drinks Diabetes Australia is proud to stand with the Rethink Sugary Drink Alliance in today’s call for mandatory labelling of teaspoons... Continue Reading
News 12 May 2025 New insights into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health reveal alarming rise in diabetes New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveal a concerning increase in diabetes prevalence among Aboriginal and... Continue Reading
Blog 4 May 2025 What type of diabetes do you have? What type of diabetes do you have? The answer is often straightforward - type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes, and most people fit easily into one of these categories. But not all. Continue Reading