Runner promotes healthy lifestyle to prevent diabetes

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When he first joined Team Diabetes Canada, 33-year-old Jason Koochicum did it for the personal challenge running a marathon would provide. But when his sister was diagnosed with diabetes while he was in training, the run he was about to take part in gained a whole new significance.

Koochicum, who works as a counsellor with the Circle Project in Regina, was part of the Team Diabetes Canada contingent that participated in a marathon in Reykjavik, Iceland in August 2003. He said running the 42.2 km marathon, which he completed in just over five hours, was an experience he won't soon forget.

"It was a great experience. A lot of good people went and I made a lot of good friends," he said.

Being part of Team Diabetes Canada has also provided Koochicum with an opportunity to help make more people aware of diabetes and the steps they can take to reduce their risks of developing the disease.

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, the risk factors that increase a person's chances of developing diabetes include being overweight, having high cholesterol or higher than normal glucose levels in your blood, and having high blood pressure or heart disease. Your chances of developing diabetes are also greater if you are over the age of 45, or if you have a parent or sibling that has diabetes.

Among the ways a person can delay or prevent the onset of diabetes is by maintaining a healthy weight, having a healthy diet, exercising and reducing the amount of stress in their lives.

"I believe that creating an awareness in terms of having a balanced diet and being active are two of the biggest things that people can do to help maintain their weight. And the other benefit is that it also relieves stress," Koochicum said.

"Typically as Aboriginal people we are not used to the high carbohydrates such as breads, pastries and glucose products, such as pastas, that we have today. Our diet was basically on a lot of protein, such as meat, fish and chicken, so that is what we have to start having more of in our diet."

As for adopting a more active lifestyle, Koochicum said it doesn't take much exercise to stay fit. Even 20 or 30 minutes a day, three times a week, can make a difference.

"I believe taking this approach is better than taking a reactive approach, which is when you do something only after you've been diagnosed with the disease," he said.

"I'm not running as far as I did when I was training for the marathon but I keep fit by running about three times a week. I also play hockey, keep busy and try to exercise four times a week if not more," he said.

On Jan. 30, Koochicum took part in the Canadian Diabetes Association's second annual Aboriginal forum on diabetes, Small Changes Make A Big Difference.

During an interview held before the forum, Koochicum said he hoped to share his message about taking proactive measures to live an active lifestyle and to go over some of the issues that people are facing when they have diabetes.

"The disease is really high in our Aboriginal communities so if I could support this goal by getting the awareness out there so that people can make some positive lifestyle changes then that is great. Being asked to the forum came as kind of a surprise for me. There was a documentary made about the trip and after the documentary was aired I got some e-mails and some calls asking me to share my story of why I took part in the run."

Koochicum was born and raised on Peepeekisis First Nation. He said that he is really thankful that as a kid his parents were able to afford his hockey fees and equipment and said that he was also involved in other sports such as baseball.

"Living in a reserve I had to keep active. We did not have all the distractions that kids have today such as video games. My parents have always been there and I'm very lucky to have them and I was very lucky to grow up with a two-parent household and they are still together. They are very suppotive," he said.