Mission Statement

This is from our May 2009 Article

African Americans and Diabetes

Diabetes – If you don’t have it, you probably know someone who does. This disease is on the rise and it touches everyone. Unfortunately, about one-fourth of the population doesn’t know they have it. In the African American community, the percentage of people affected (3.7 million) by diabetes is much greater than in the general population.

• 14.7 percent of all African Americans age 20 years or older have diabetes (as compared to 10.7 percent of this age group in the general population)
• Twenty-five percent of African Americans between 65 and 74 years of age have diabetes
• Death rates for African Americans with diabetes are 27 percent higher than non-Hispanic whites
• By 2020, it is projected that the number of African Americans developing diabetes will increase by 50 percent

Diabetes Complications

Uncontrolled diabetes, over time, can lead to a number of serious, possibly life-threatening complications. Sadly, an initial diabetes diagnosis is often not made until a complication occurs.

Complications of diabetes include heart disease (which is the most common cause of death for people with diabetes), stroke, diabetic retinopathy (damage to the eye) and nephropathy (kidney damage) and diabetic neuropathy which causes nerve damage and puts you at risk for foot injury, infection, and even amputation.

Men with diabetes do better than women with diabetes when taking into account these risks. Deaths from heart disease have gone down 13 percent in men; for women, they have gone up 23 percent over the past 30 years. In the African American population, retinopathy, neuropathy and amputation are more common compared to non Hispanic whites.

For more information on diabetes and its complications, visit “Diabetes Statistics” on diabetes.org.

What Can I Do?

The good news is that a healthy lifestyle, including exercise and eating well, can make a difference in the risk of developing diabetes and in keeping diagnosed diabetes under good control. A landmark research study, the Diabetes Prevention Program Trial, showed that the loss of just five to seven percent of body weight (the equivalent of eight to 11 pounds for a 160-pound woman) and physical activity for 30 minutes, five days a week, lowered the change from pre-diabetes to diabetes by 58 percent; for those age 60 years and older, the decrease was a whopping 71 percent!

If diagnosed with diabetes, healthy eating, regular physical activity and self-monitoring are the cornerstones for keeping blood sugars in the target range and in lowering the risk of long term complications.

The concept of diabetes self-management is key. A person with diabetes should know their ABC’s and strive to meet the goals set by the American Diabetes Association for testing:
A1C – every 3-6 months [level should be less than 7 percent]
Blood Pressure – every visit to the doctor’s office [should be less than 120/80]
Cholesterol – yearly [LDL should be less than 100 mg/dl (less than 70 if you have a history of heart disease); HDL should be greater than 40 mg/dl for men and greater than 50 mg/dl for women; triglycerides should be150 mg/dl]

Programs

To address the growing diabetes epidemic, the American Diabetes Association created the African American Initiatives. They are designed to increase awareness of the rates and seriousness of diabetes among African Americans, to teach the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices, and to educate those with or at risk for developing diabetes about prevention, treatment, and management. The initiatives include educational programs, workshops and training to be carried out in the community setting.

Project Power is a faith-based program targeting the African American community. It provides a variety of year-round activities and a series of educational workshops. Topics include diabetes basics, management and treatment, risk reduction, physical activity, healthy eating, diabetes and African American youth, and diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Choose to Live – A Heart to Heart Discussion is a workshop that targets African American women ages 35-55 years who have diabetes or who are at risk for developing the disease; it provides education about the risks associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

For more information on these program initiatives, call your local chapter of the American Diabetes Association or the national office at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

Help Defeat Diabetes With American

 Idol Host Randy Jackson

Hollywood- American Idol's own host Randy Jackson has announced that he has Type II Diabetes and has teamed up with the American Heart Association to help defeat this dreaded disease. February is not only when American Idol starts heating up but more importantly it is Heart Month! To learn more about the American Heart Associations "the Heart of Diabetes" campaign click here. Be sure to check out some of Randy Jackson's Web Cast videos and American Idol news story.

Everyday Eating with the Dietician

Diet and diabetes go together like a horse and carriage, peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper! If you have diabetes, you already know what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat decides if your blood sugar sky rockets or plunges! So if a little motivation is in order to eat better- and we know most of us can use that- then read on and maybe these easy and well known ideas can set you back on the path of good control and a healthy lifestyle.

Eat a balanced diet! That means a variety of foods- carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy, meat, fish and poultry, and healthy fats. If you are feeling like food is becoming monotonous, try some new foods in all the categories. With the warmer weather approaching look for some new ideas to expand your selections.

Spread those meals throughout the day! Eating 3 small meals and a few snacks can actually balance your blood sugar better than 3 big meals or skipping the meal entirely and making up for it later. Take a look at your schedule and plan your meals so they fit around all those things you do in a day.

Go for the grains! Those carbohydrates are full of vitamins minerals, fiber and give you energy. Whole grain breads, cereals, brown rice and pasta, beans, lentils and those new grains can add some variety and nutrition and they taste delicious!

How small is small? Serving sizes matter and they are smaller than most of us think. A carbohydrate serving is 1 slice of bread- that large bagel can be equal to over 6 slices!; a serving of cereal is ½-3/4 cup- smaller than a large apple!; meat is 3 ounces- about the size of the palm of your hand without the fingers- so that 12 ounce steak is equal to 5 meals worth of meat!! Get to know that food label and note the REAL size of a serving!

Fat! Fat! Fat! Eat less fat and eat healthier fats, such as olive oil, canola oil and trans free foods. Look at the labels, avoid those fast food meals, and choose low-fat foods whenever you can!

Welcome spring with these easy and delicious recipes. Take advantage of all the fresh fruits and vegetables at your local
farmer’s market!


Spinach Salad with Nectarines & Raspberries
(makes 4 servings)

1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup raspberry vinegar
1 ½ tsp. lemon juice
½ cup orange juice
4 cups fresh raw spinach, washed and stems removed
5 ripe nectarines, pitted and sliced
Red onion, raw and sliced
2 cups raspberries
Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk first 4 ingredients together for the dressing. Divide the spinach among salad plates, and lay nectarine slices, red onion slices, and raspberries on top. Drizzle dressing over salads, add ground pepper and serve!

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: 238
Total Fat: 7.7 grams
Saturated fat: 3.2 grams
Calories from fat: 69
Carbohydrates: 45.8
Fiber: 15 grams
Cholesterol: 0 grams

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 2 ½ fruit, ½ fat

Fruit Kabobs with Lemon-Lime Dip
(makes 2 Kabobs)

4 ounces low-fat, sugar-free lemon yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 to 6 pineapple chunks
4 to 6 strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
½ banana, cut into ½ -inch chunks
4 to 6 red grapes
4 wooden skewers
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lime juice and lime zest. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Put 1 piece of each fruit onto the skewer. Repeat with the other skewers until the fruit is gone. Serve with the lemon lime dip.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 160
Total fat: 1 gram
Saturated fat: < 1 gram
Calories from fat: 9
Carbohydrate: 36 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Cholesterol: 4 grams