Diabetes UK Colchester and East Essex
Voluntary Group

Diabetes? We can help

X-PERT programme
Improve your lifestyle and manage your diabetes better

 

The X-PERT Programme is a six-week diabetes education programme. You will learn all about the up-to-date treatments and management of diabetes and will have the opportunity to explore and address problems/issues you may have with your diabetes.

The programme has been shown to improve diabetes control, reduce diabetes tablets/insulin, increase self management skills, improve lifestyle and quality of life.

 

The six week sessions last for two and a half hours each and are an enjoyable and fun way to understand your diabetes. A brief overview of each session is listed below:

1. What is diabetes, self-monitoring of diabetes and treatment: exploring feelings and dispelling myths by using visual educational materials developed for the programme.

2. Weight management: The balance of good health with food models to inform about sensible eating whilst exploring barriers in doing so. A video/DVD, which clearly shows in an educated but humorous way that crash diets, don't work. The benefits of exercise and practical examples including information about local exercise-on-prescription schemes

3. Carbohydrate awareness: a group task developed to show the effect of carbohydrate food (quantity & quality) on blood glucose levels using ping-pong ball models and laminated food pictures to dispel the myths surrounding glucose, sucrose and starch.

4. Supermarket tour: addressing some common confusion surrounding dietary fat, sugar and food labels. Encouraging a diet that is enjoyable, variable and balanced whilst dispelling the concept of good and bad foods.

5. The long-term complications of diabetes. How to reduce the risk through lifestyle, treatment and regular monitoring. Use of educational aids to explain certain conditions (nephropathy, retinopathy, arteriosclerosis, blood pressure etc.) in a visual rather than verbal manner.

6. Are you an X-PERT: a board game designed to reinforce the main messages from the X-PERT Programme, drawing to an end the structured education programme in a relaxed and fun manner whilst allowing the participants to re-cap and appreciate how much they have learnt.

Full details about local sessions can be obtained from:

Diabetes Secretary
North East Essex Primary Care Trust
Telephone 01255 201536

Visit the X-Pert website for more information at http://www.xperthealth.org.uk/

 

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The information presented on this site is for general use only and is not intended to provide personal medical advice or substitute for the advice of your physician. If you have questions or concerns about individual health matters or the management of your diabetes, please consult your diabetes care team. Products highlighted on this website are not necessarily endorsed by Diabetes UK