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June 3, 2024
You may have diabetes.
You may be pre-diabetic.
You may not be either, but there may be aspects of your life that make you more likely to develop diabetes in the future.
For all these reasons, Barbara Boiselle, a community nurse with Hartford HealthCare, recently implemented a diabetes education program at Rose City Senior Center. Karen Barbone, a recently retired Hartford HealthCare diabetes educator, implemented the program for about 15 people.
The group, which included members of the Rose City Senior Knit/Crochet Club, had plenty of questions, and knitting and crochet needles kept clicking nonstop throughout the hour-long presentation.
Barbone provided an overview of what diabetes is and why people get it, and also noted that if you don't have diabetes but have risk factors such as a family history or obesity, “if you educate yourself about diabetes, you can fight it.”
You are at risk of developing diabetes if you:
- Have a family history of the disease
- Taking certain medicines that increase blood sugar levels
- You are sitting still
- You are overweight
“We need to make sure our bodies are able to accept insulin,” Barbone explained, “and for that a balanced diet is really important. It needs to have a balance of sugars and carbohydrates, proteins and fats. And we need to stay active.”
She says that when people are told they're at risk, they often make drastic lifestyle changes and then fail to keep them up. “Make small changes,” she advises. “Read food labels. Understand what you're eating. Portion size is the most important thing.”
She answered a variety of dietary questions, including which fruits are best to eat and which types of nuts are healthier. “Fruit is better for you than chocolate,” Balbone said with a laugh. When asked about peanuts, she replied, “Yes, but not the peanuts in a Snickers bar.”
“The more muscle you have, the more insulin you can tolerate,” so it's important to stay active and participate in both aerobic and weight training.
“They say you need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day,” she says, “but you don't have to do it all at once. Do 10 minutes before breakfast, 10 minutes after lunch, 10 minutes around dinnertime. Take a long walk from the parking lot to the front door. Do chair yoga.”
Most importantly, Balbone says, beware of scams and products that make false promises — there's no magic pill.
“You need all the components of a healthy diet. You need to learn about your blood sugar levels and the behaviors that affect them. Get your blood pressure, cholesterol and kidney function checked regularly. Get an eye exam once a year. Pay attention to the nerves in your hands and feet. If you smoke, quit.”