Diabetes is on the rise in African-American communities, and Steps to a Healthier Florida is offering diabetics and others information and counseling to keep their lives in control.
A series of education, self-management and nutrition classes for diabetics are giving Midtown residents a family atmosphere where they can talk about their diabetes. The classes teach diabetics how to control their blood sugar by regularly taking their diabetes medication along with exercising and eating balanced meals.
The classes, which are taught by a registered nurse, have been “a lifesaver” for Mattie Wright. When diagnosed in 1996 with diabetes she said her doctor offered little help and sent her to a support group in Dunedin, more than 25 miles away, for information.
Diabetics learn through videos, newspaper or magazine articles and round table discussions how to regulate their own bodies and be independent.
“I have learned to control myself so I could control my health,” Wright said.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, which is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. While the cause of diabetes is not clear, both genetics and environmental factors, such as obesity and lack of exercise, appear to play roles in its development.
The most common complications affect vision and circulation. Severe cases can sometimes lead to amputations or kidney disease. More than 3.2 million African Americans are dealing with diabetes nationwide and African Americans are 1.8 times more likely to be affected than whites.
Without informational classes, which also address heart disease prevention and cancer, many people would be misinformed, or not informed at all.
“The doctor didn’t tell me anything,” said Barbara Willis, who attends the Monday meetings at the Enoch Davis Center every week with her husband, who is not a diabetic. Willis said she received all of her information from the classes because the doctors were no help. “I just thought that many doctors didn’t know that much about it.”
Yvonne Lake is “still in shock” after her recent diagnosis. The classes were the only place for her to go for help and information. She recently attended her third meeting and said she is “still learning.”
Gwen Felder, a registered nurse who works full time for the Offices of Minority Health in the Health Department and part time with Steps, tries to teach the diabetics to eat “in moderation.”
Felder breaks down each meal into portions, brand of the food and what they might have added to the meal to help them see why they might be experiencing high or low blood sugars.
Felder helped a woman who couldn’t stay for the meeting understand why she was experiencing high blood sugar levels. The culprit: large portions of butter added to her food.
Those diagnosed with diabetes help each other based on their own experiences. They share home remedies and secrets they have found to be helpful, such as eating a teaspoon of cinnamon or drinking a glass of cold water, to help balance their blood sugar levels.
“I have learned that I didn’t have to change what I ate,” said Tonya Johnson, who also suffers from Sickle Cell, “but how I ate it.”
Felder said that with the holidays coming up diabetics should remember moderation and “if you over eat, exercise to compensate.”