LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – A local nutritionist says type 2 diabetes is an epidemic and many people with diabetes may not know they have it because they don't go to the doctor regularly. said. Doctors refer diabetic patients to registered dietitian Jan Miller. She is one of three at Lawton Community Health Center.
When Miller first meets a patient, he likes to help them learn about the disease and talk about seven things: lifestyle, exercise, medications, monitoring, healthy coping, risk reduction, and problem-solving. .
“What is the hardest thing for you about diabetes? What do you think we need to work on? This is your disease,” she said. “We're here to coach you. I often tell people, 'I'm your coach.' I'm here to help you understand this issue. This will help you control your diabetes so you can enjoy the rest of your life without having to stay home and take care of it. ”
Miller said it's important to go to the doctor and find out your blood sugar levels because he wants to work with people who are borderline diabetic to stop diabetes.
“We know that if we can actually prevent people from being diagnosed with diabetes, keep people below prediabetes, and bring their hemoglobin AIC closer to a healthier number, we can reduce the risk of all kinds of associated chronic diseases. “It can be associated with type 2 diabetes,” she said.
Miller said he is talking with them about how to test, when to test and what the numbers should be.
“I get asked that question a lot,” Miller said. “'What's my number?' Even if you get past that. Sometimes you get confused. You need something before your meal. You need something else after you eat. Exercise. Then the numbers should be different. So we don't want to do that. We want to avoid high blood sugar fluctuations, and we also want to avoid low blood sugar fluctuations.”
Dietary changes are necessary, but Miller said he sometimes sees people overcorrect.
“Carbohydrate intake has gone from huge amounts to very small amounts, and there is a happy medium for carbohydrates,” she says. “I think people have this idea that they're somehow 'bad.' We really want people to eat more whole grains and more fiber. Fiber is very beneficial in managing diabetes.”
Miller said most people don't get the amount of fiber they need each day. When it comes to diet, what to eat and what not to eat, she says she follows the American Diabetes Association's recommendations and meets with people who are in between.
“We didn't have a single adult who said, 'I'll do what you say.' So we compromised and looked for ways we could improve their self-care to achieve our goal, and our goal was to improve hemoglobin AIC.” to a more appropriate level below 6.5,” Miller said.
He said levels will be adjusted based on whether the person has kidney or heart problems.
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