Members of RiverView Health’s free Prevent Type 2 (Prevent T2) Diabetes classes are not only receiving important information to arm themselves against diabetes, they are also receiving the means to prepare healthy meals through the Farmacy Program. Through the Farmacy Program, RiverView Health – in conjunction with the Crookston Area Farmer’s Market and Polk County Public Health/SHIP – gives Prevent T2 participants vouchers for healthy foods available at the Farmer’s Market held at the Town Square in Crookston every Thursday from 4 to 7 pm.
“The Farmacy Program is a great way to make healthy choices easier,’’ said RiverView Registered Dietitian Darcey Larsen. Larsen leads the Prevent T2 classes along with RiverView Health Coach Kelsey Billing. “Half of your plate should be filled with vegetables in the colors of a rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The Farmer’s Market has a great variety of those vegetables.’’
Prevent T2 is designed for those who have been diagnosed with prediabetes -a condition that occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be full-blown diabetes – or those who have risk factors that could lead to type 2 diabetes. The lifestyle change program uses evidence-based information and best practices to promote healthy eating, weight loss, and physical activity. “I always had such encouragement from Darcey and Kelsey and also from the other people in the class,’’ shared one former Prevent T2 participant who says that since taking the classes she’s been reading labels more often and looks for hidden sugars in foods. Her time in the classes also taught her to watch portion control, making sure she has mostly non-starchy vegetables and protein on her plate.
The thankful participant shared that the classes brought much more than just statistics and how to read labels, though. “Sharing the personal stories and laughter was the best,’’ she shared.
Eighty-four million Americans have prediabetes – that’s one out of three adults. Of those 84.1 million, nine out of 10 don’t even know they have it. People with prediabetes not only have a higher risk of developing diabetes but also heart disease and stroke.
Without intervention, 15 to 30 percent of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years. With numbers like that, it’s important to learn about prediabetes and take action.
If you have concerns about prediabetes, call RiverView Health to make an appointment with Larsen at 218-281-9589.
Left to right: Kirsten Fagerlund, Polk County Public Health; Jim Borkowski, Crookston Area Farmer’s Market; and Darcey Larsen, RiverView Health.
