Mission Statement

Archived Article From September 2007
 

 Diabetes can be a debilitating disease, and in the later stages, can be very difficult to manage. What most people don’t realize, however, is that diabetes in adults, or Type 2 diabetes, can be prevented. Also, if you are diagnosed with diabetes, in can be managed, and controlled in the early stages.
As a federally qualified health center (FQHC,) we here at Three Lower Counties Community Services, Inc. (TLC) have a significant amount of patients who are Type 2 diabetics. TLC educates the patients on how they can manage their disease, and TLC also educates on how to prevent the disease.
One of the easiest things you can do to help manage your disease is making an appointment with your provider. Your provider can help you stay ahead of the disease, and give you helpful tips on how to prevent the disease.
Another thing you should do is ask your provider questions. The provider wants you to be healthy and to be informed, so if something isn’t clear, don’t be afraid to ask your provider questions to clear things up.
Finally, try your best to follow your provider’s advice. The provider will help you come up with a plan to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes, or, if you’ve already been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, will help you manage the disease better. So, please, work with them in creating the right plan for you.
So remember, make an appointment, ask questions, and follow you provider’s advice, and that can help you stay ahead of Type 2 diabetes. Now, if you don’t have a provider, or healthcare home, please feel free to call us at either 410-651-1000 for Princess Anne, or 410-219-1100 for Salisbury.

Pack a Lunch- Make a Difference!

It’s that time of the year again when we send our kids back to school! Take time and plan some nutritious, exciting and delicious brown bag lunches for both you and your kids! Or, one of the best parts of shopping for school supplies is picking out the new lunchbox, or two! Lunch boxes currently available have many food safety features, including thermoses, frozen gel packs, and pockets to put bacterial hand wipes. Now all you have to do is pack a lunch that you and your kids will love to eat! Do some pre- planning and preparation, have the necessary foods available and both you and your kids are more likely to eat it! Not to mention having a better choice for diabetes management.

Improvement in nutrition is a great goal for both blood sugar control and parents of school aged children. The availability of so many processed and less nutritious foods is astounding these days. A less than adequate diet can have many negative consequences, on those with diabetes, such as higher fat and salt intake, excess calories, and for children, it can affect their learning, concentration, and energy levels, as well as contribute to obesity.

Here are a few suggestions to keep things simple, healthy and fast:

• School lunches actually last only 15-20 minutes and can be filed with distractions so pack foods which are easy to eat, easy to open and don’t require special tools or peeling.
• Sandwiches are a classic lunchbox food- so use some different breads- whole wheat, rye, sourdough, bagels, baguettes, pita, small sandwich buns, mini muffins, tortillas, etc.
• Watch those fillings! Stay away from those processed sandwich meats, like salami and bologna! They are high in fat and salt. Choose some fresh veggies, use low fat cream cheese topped with cucumber slices, or even add new ingredients to the old standards. Top with alfalfa sprouts, avocado, tomato. Keep them interesting will keep you interested!
• Small foods are easy to handle and more fun to eat so cut things up into fun shapes, serve baby carrots and peel and cut fruit up into bite-sized pieces.
• Make a yogurt parfait with plain or vanilla low fat yogurt and add fresh or frozen fruit. Pack some raisins or granola as a topping they can add when they eat lunch.
• Pack celery and carrots- spread with peanut butter or low fat cream cheese.
• Use leftover pasta- add chopped spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers and a favorite low fat dressing for a delicious cold pasta salad.
• Make your own snack mixes- include some healthier choices such as dried fruits, unsalted nuts, pretzels and baked crackers- munching on something crunchy or sweet is sure to please your kids!
• Take time to look at those prepackaged lunches in the grocery store- the kid’s love them but they are lacking in nutrition- imitate them yourself with the same types of foods only use healthier choices.
• And for that dessert or sweet treat in the packed lunch, try dried fruit, graham crackers, fig bars, oatmeal raisin cookies instead of brownies or chocolate chip cookies. Try chocolate covered raisins for a special “healthy chocolate dessert!”
• Make sure to think about food safety- freeze juice boxes or small gel packs to put in the lunch box. Use an insulated thermos for any hot foods like soup or cold foods like salads.
• And watch the beverage for both you and your kids! Leave those sugary drinks out and enjoy fresh pure water- add a splash of fruit juice or a refreshing squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Non fat milk is also a healthy option- freeze it the night before and it will be ready for lunch!
• Add a bacterial hand wipe and enjoy that packed lunch- good for your body and good for your taste buds!

Eating Well & Recipes

Be sure to check out Eating Well & Recipes.

Am I at Risk?

Take Our On-Line Risk Assessment by clicking here