Winter 2022–23 11 Take control The Diabetes Wellness Center can help you manage your type 2 diabetes. To learn more, call (888) 354-4630 or visit RiversideHealthcare.org/services/diabetes-and-endocrinology. Get schooled on diabetes When you have diabetes, learning all you can about the disease is essential. And one of the best places to do that is at the Riverside Diabetes Wellness Center. Classes about managing diabetes range from one-on-one interactions to small groups. Individuals meet with a dietitian to create a personalized meal plan and participate in a follow-up visit to make sure that the plan is working. “We like to have fun. And we try to use a variety of teaching options so that it makes it a little more entertaining as we go. We get really good results with that,” says Nancy Peeler, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist at the Center. “People are constantly commenting how much they learn and how much they wished they’d come sooner. It can be really transformational.” ● Having high blood pressure, a low level of HDL cholesterol or a high level of triglycerides. ● Having had gestational diabetes or a baby weighing 9 or more pounds. ● Being physically inactive. Prediabetes: Time to act Many people are told they have something called prediabetes. This is a stage where they are teetering on the edge of developing full-blown diabetes. Their blood sugar is too high but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. If blood tests have revealed you have prediabetes, you can take steps to pull yourself back from that diabetes edge and prevent the disease by making diet and lifestyle changes. Here are three things to try: Shed a few pounds if you’re overweight. Losing just 5% to 7% of your starting weight can make a difference. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, set a goal of losing 10 to 14 pounds. Get moving. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week. Eat healthy foods—but not too much. Lower your daily calorie intake by eating smaller portions. For example, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits and just a quarter of it with a low-fat protein and the other quarter with whole grains. Choose low-fat foods that don’t have a lot of sugar, salt or calories. Drink water instead of sweet beverages. You can do it! If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, you can take control, starting today. Talk with your primary care provider about more ways to prevent this disease.
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