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We hear it again and again: Good food and physical activity create a deep well of energy that you can draw from all day. Christine Corvalan has been discovering just how true this is. Christine has type 1 diabetes, and, since starting to work at APOGEE in March 2009, she’s been exercising regularly and eating the fresh, whole foods from the APOGEE Café in White Plains.  “It definitely makes a difference in how I feel,” says Christine. Her healthy habits help create a natural energy balance so the 23-year-old often needs less diabetes medication.

November is American Diabetes Month, a time to build awareness of the disease. Type 1 diabetics, like Christine, are born without the ability to regulate blood sugar naturally. They lack insulin, the hormone that moves blood sugar into cells where it’s used for energy. Type 2 diabetics develop the disease as adults; they either no longer produce insulin, or their cells have lost the ability to use it. Both types must monitor blood sugar several times a day. High levels mean they must take insulin to lower their blood sugar as excess blood sugar damages organs.

Christine has found firsthand that exercise is powerful medicine. “When I take a Pilates class at 5:30 I need a very small dose of short-acting insulin with my evening meal, if any at all,” she says. Exercise lowers blood glucose and improves the body’s ability to use insulin. The effect is the same for everyone, including type 2 diabetics and people who don’t have diabetes. Regular workouts create balanced, healthy energy and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The APOGEE Café’s soups and whole-grain based salads are also a boon to Christine’s control of the disease. Christine must eat regularly to balance her blood sugar and having such healthful foods available is a real plus. The whole grains deliver fiber, which slows absorption of food; the protein and good fats in the salads also create a steady stream of energy into the bloodstream. “Quality grains require less insulin coverage,” says Christine. “The fiber and the mix of proteins and fat have less of an effect on my blood sugar. “ A fiber- and nutrient-rich diet is another way that everyone can provide their body with steady energy and reduce their risk of developing diabetes.

Now working as APOGEE’s marketing coordinator, Christine knows firsthand how the company’s wellness philosophy translates into a healthy life.