Diabetes management
Make your diabetes easier to manage, one practical step at a time
You have been told to change your diet, move more and watch your blood sugar levels, but nobody has shown you how that works on a Tuesday night. Diabetes responds well to the right food and activity plan, and you do not have to work it out alone.
Medicare, NDIS, DVA and private health funds accepted.
Understanding Diabetes management
Diabetes management means keeping your blood glucose in a healthy range across the day, using food, activity, medication and monitoring together. Our dietitians and exercise physiologists help you translate that into meals, portions and movement that suit your life.
Most of the work happens between appointments, so your plan has to be realistic. You get practical guidance on what to eat, when to move, and how to read what your numbers are telling you.
Who does it affect?
adults and children with type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, prediabetes or gestational diabetes.
How common is it?
diabetes is one of Australia's most common chronic conditions [CONFIRM: current NDSS registration figure, around 1.3 million Australians].
What is the recovery like?
diabetes is a long-term condition, and how quickly your numbers respond varies from person to person.
Who should I see for treatment?
your dietitian and exercise physiologist, working alongside your GP or endocrinologist.
What funding options are available?
Medicare, NDIS, DVA and private health funds accepted.
What is diabetes management?
Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot keep blood glucose, the sugar in your blood, within a healthy range. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin, which means your body can not move sugar out of your bloodstream. In type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to the insulin it makes, and gradually produces less of it.
Type 2 diabetes usually develops slowly over years. Blood glucose creeps up, often through the prediabetes range first, and many people feel fine while it happens. Management works by reducing the load on your system: steadier carbohydrate intake, more muscle activity to clear glucose, and medication doing its part.
Things that influence how well your glucose sits day to day include:
the amount and type of carbohydrate at each meal, and how it is spread across the day
how much muscle you use, and how often you break up long periods of sitting
your medication, its timing, and how it interacts with meals
sleep, stress, illness and alcohol, all of which shift glucose levels
family history and how long you have lived with diabetes
Symptoms of Diabetes management
High blood glucose can be silent, particularly early on. When symptoms do show up, they often include:
feeling thirsty a lot of the time and passing urine more often, including overnight
tiredness that does not improve with rest
blurred vision that comes and goes
cuts, wounds or skin infections that heal slowly
unexplained weight loss
pins and needles or numbness in your feet
Your plan comes out of your assessment, your current readings and the medication you take.
What to expect at your first appointment
Tell us what is going on
Bring your recent HbA1c and glucose readings, your medication list, and a sense of what you eat in a normal week.
A full assessment
We look at your usual meals, activity, weight history, sleep, other conditions and what you have already tried.
A clear plan
You leave with a few specific changes to start, not a lecture and a pamphlet.
Review and adjust
At follow-up we check what moved, what did not, and change the plan based on your numbers.
When to book an appointment
your HbA1c has stayed above your GP's target for three months or more
glucose swings are affecting your work, driving, sleep or exercise
you have tried cutting sugar or carbohydrates yourself and your readings have not shifted
you have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes or gestational diabetes and are not sure where to start
Book an assessment if:
Looking after yourself at home
These habits support most people between appointments, and your plan may adjust them.
the amount and type of carbohydrate at each meal, and how it is spread across the day
how much muscle you use, and how often you break up long periods of sitting
your medication, its timing, and how it interacts with meals
sleep, stress, illness and alcohol, all of which shift glucose levels
family history and how long you have lived with diabetes
Meet the team who treat this
Behind every appointment is a team of practitioners who know each other, trust each other and work together for you. Across seven clinics and nine disciplines, our team shares expertise, coordinates treatment plans and celebrates your progress together.
Aimee Fuller
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Alicia Whiticker
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amanda Banks
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amanda Duggan
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amy Meekings
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Anita Beerapu
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Benjamin Tucker
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Blake Cossar
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Bronte Tupper
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Chris Farrugia
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Corrina Aitken
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
David Logue
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Dean Gresser
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Emma Nassif
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Esha Sharma
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Fatima Hussaini
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Felicity Spencer-Davey
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Frankie Raikadroka
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Hannah Norrie
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Heather Edwards
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Isaac Vella
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Jarrah Nesbitt
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Jonathan Lopez
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Justin Hanna
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kasey Collins
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Katrina Gauci
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kennedy Touet
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kristy Edwards
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kyle Perry
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Lorna Nicastri
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Maja Bosic
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Marxy Koronel
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Matt Barton
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Michael Todd
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Mr Jeffery Jenkins FACPS
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Nathan Cavanagh
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Patrick Celeban
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Praise Khin
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Sarah Bonnici
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Shannon Smith
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Siobhan Kelly
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Taleisha Bozzi
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Trystan Singh
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Uty Kotwal
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Yoni Hochberg
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Zak Lloyd
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
EPC, DVA, NDIS and WorkCover welcome
Nearly half of our appointments are funded through Medicare, DVA, NDIS or WorkCover. We manage the paperwork so you can focus on your health.
NDIS
We support eligible NDIS participants across podiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology, dietetics and psychology, depending on your plan and goals. Eligibility and funding are set by your plan.
Medicare
Medicare may rebate podiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and dietetics sessions when your GP refers you under an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) or Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan, and psychology sessions under a Mental Health Care Plan. The number of sessions is set by your plan.
DVA
Gold and White card holders can access DVA-funded care across our services with a valid referral.
WorkCover
If you have been injured at work, we accept WorkCover referrals for physiotherapy, exercise physiology and psychology, and manage the paperwork with your insurer, with a clear return-to-work plan.
Seven clinics across three regions
Find a clinic near you. Each location is staffed by local practitioners who know your community.
Penrith
Western SydneyOur largest centre, with our full range of services under one roof.
Ropes Crossing
Western SydneyPodiatry, at Ropes Crossing Village.
Blaxland
Blue MountainsPodiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and group classes.
Springwood
Blue MountainsPodiatry, dietetics and a boutique footwear store.
Katoomba
Blue MountainsPodiatry, physiotherapy and dietetics, in a restored 1914 cottage.
Ryde
North ShorePodiatry, physiotherapy, dietetics and exercise physiology, with a footwear store and gait analysis.
Lindfield
North ShorePodiatry, with mobile podiatry across the North Shore and Northern Beaches.
Ready to make your diabetes easier to manage?
Book with a dietitian or exercise physiologist and leave with a plan you can start this week.
Frequently asked questions
Can type 2 diabetes go into remission?
Some people with type 2 diabetes reach blood glucose levels in the normal range without glucose-lowering medication, which is described as remission rather than cure. It is more likely earlier after diagnosis and with significant, sustained changes to weight and eating patterns. Remission is not guaranteed, and glucose can rise again later, so monitoring continues either way.
What is HbA1c and how often should it be checked?
HbA1c is a blood test showing your average blood glucose over roughly the past three months, so a single high reading after a meal will not change it much. Most people have it checked every three to six months, and your GP sets your personal target based on your age, medication and other conditions.
How quickly does exercise lower blood glucose?
Blood glucose usually starts falling during the session, because contracting muscle takes up glucose without needing insulin. The effect on insulin sensitivity can last a day or more after moderate exercise. If you take insulin or sulfonylureas, exercise can trigger a hypo, so your exercise physiologist will plan timing, intensity and any snack around your medication.
Do I have to give up carbohydrates and fruit?
No. Carbohydrate is the main nutrient that raises blood glucose, but cutting it out entirely is rarely necessary or sustainable. The bigger levers are portion size, spreading carbohydrate across meals, and choosing higher-fibre options like whole grains, legumes and whole fruit. Whole fruit raises glucose far more gently than juice or soft drink.
Can you help if I have type 1 diabetes?
Yes. Support for type 1 diabetes focuses on matching carbohydrate to insulin doses, managing glucose around exercise, and reducing hypos overnight or after activity. Your dietitian works with the insulin regimen your endocrinologist or diabetes educator has set. We do not adjust insulin doses; we help you eat and move with more confidence around them.
Will my medication change if my diet improves?
Possibly, but that decision belongs to your GP or endocrinologist. If your readings drop, some medications carry a higher risk of hypoglycaemia and may need reducing. We share your progress and glucose patterns with your GP so any medication review happens safely, and we ask you to keep taking your current medication until they advise otherwise.