My name is Lewis and I live in my own flat in Darlington, enabled by ubu. This year I have been trying my best to get healthier. The ubu enabling team who give me support when I need it, have been helping me to find ways to achieve my goal.
I’ve had a check-up with the nurse at my local clinic and had some useful advice from my doctor about how to go about getting fitter and having a healthier diet.
I was previously diagnosed with type two diabetes. It turned out that a lot of this was to do with the type of food I was eating and the fact I was drinking lots of alcohol. It wasn’t helped by not taking any exercise at all. My diabetes was quite hard to control and I was taking medication to help control it. With some advice from my doctor, I decided it was time to take back some control and make a change to my life.
I started by working with my ubu enablers to plan for more positive and healthier choices when I go shopping for food. I knew it would be good if I cut down on my drinking and eating snacks and treats too. I still enjoy the odd treat and I do have a drink now and again, but much less than before. It didn’t take much to start feeling stronger and more confident in myself.
I’ve taken up swimming, going along to my local pool with enablers from ubu and I’ve also been walking to town where in the past I might have taken the bus. It’s amazing how a bit of exercise can make such a difference to the way I feel.
Recently I have taken up Tai Chi which is a Chinese martial art. It is an ancient exercise system that mixes breathing with slow, flowing movements. I found out that it can help you to be less stressed, have better posture and make you stronger without hurting your joints and muscles. I thought it was worth trying and I have really taken a liking to it. I’m always keen to show friends some of the moves that I have learned in my Tai Chi class.
The changes I have made are making me feel better about myself and have given me something to focus on. I’ve met new people and tried things I didn’t even know about. Taking these gentle steps towards being healthier have also helped me lose weight and to control my diabetes to a level where I don’t need medication at the moment. That’s been a really big achievement for me and something I am really proud about.
