Addressing Current Health Issues

Published: 2019
By Roubie Younkin

Dining with Diabetes: Diabetes is a very serious and costly disease, but research has shown that those who learn to manage their blood glucose (sugar) levels, eat healthy, and exercise regularly can lower their risk of complications and lead a healthier and more productive life Participants learned how to prepare healthy, simple meals that taste good and fit into a diabetic diet. They also learned current information on nutrition, meal planning, and exercise, as well as how to understand important diabetes-related medical tests. • Gains in knowledge include 100% of the participants learning how to read and understand food labels, learning how to modify or substitute ingredients to make healthier meals, and learning how to make meals align with the MyPlate guidelines. 100% of the participants reporting that they are leaving the class knowing which food raises blood sugar levels the most and 88% of the participants are leaving the class knowing the Idaho Plate guidelines for how many non-starchy vegetables you should put on your plate. • Changes in behavior include 100% of the participants reporting positive behavior trends towards eating more fruits and vegetables and reading the nutritional facts labels on their food. 89% towards drinking less sugary drinks, and cooking more at home. 44% of the participants reporting that they are checking their feet daily. Changes in attitude include 100% of the participants reporting that they are leaving the course feeling they can make a positive impact on themselves or others and feeling confident they could take the knowledge learned from the class and use it to stay in control of their own diabetes or help someone else.