BIKES

FITNESS
Cycling helped
with my diabetes
The number of cases of Type 2 diabetes
diagnosed each year is increasing, but
cycling and healthy eating can play a large
part in controlling it. We speak to cyclist
Janet Simpson about how her passion for
long-distance bike riding has helped her
manage her symptoms, and allowed her to
continue to enjoy exercising as well as the
occasional foodie treat
Words Hannah Reynolds Illustrations Chris Watson
J
anet Simpson was
diagnosed with Type 2
diabetes nine years ago.
CA met up with her the
day before she completed an epic
950-mile ride across France, from
St-Malo to Nice, to find out how
Type 2 diabetes had affected her
lifestyle and cycling.
“I was diagnosed with Type 2
diabetes when I was 40, but I had
gestational diabetes [which
affects pregnant women] the two
times I was pregnant,” Janet says.
“The doctors did say to me at the
time that this meant it was likely I
would develop it [Type 2]
sometime after I was 40.”
When Janet was first
diagnosed with diabetes, she
started to watch what she ate. “I
tried to be careful not to have too
many things I thought were bad,”
she says. “I used to love fish and
chips, bread all over the place and
lot of carbohydrates, sweeties and
chocolates — whatever I fancied.”
But then Janet took up
exercise, which helped manage
her symptoms instead. Before
being diagnosed, Janet says she
wasn’t a cyclist and didn’t
exercise a lot, but since having
children she has taken it up
significantly more. “I used to go
for a twenty-minute run, but after
my first child I did my first 10km
and half marathon. Then after the
twins — my second pregnancy
— I did my first marathon and
then got into triathlon.
“I’ve done much more since
having the children and being
88 CYCLING ACTIVE SEPTEMBER 2014