Alabama
Community Diabetes Support Group
I am very grateful to the St. Croix Healthy Heart Program. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes it was pretty emotional to know I had to live with this disease for the rest of my life. Watching my grandson’s worried look and his asking if I was going to die was heartbreaking. I knew I had to get healthy to walk on this earth for a while longer-for myself as well as my grandson. He would ask me, “Gramma if you die, who’s going to teach me?”
Without this program and the educational aspects of life change and diet I could not have done it.
Today I am health conscious. Getting in as much exercise as I can, walking, traditional dancing, getting involved with traditional recreation and watching what I eat has done wonders for me. My sugar levels are within normal range. I don’t need medicine every day and I watch my diet. Diabetes doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I can pretty much eat what I want as long as I eat several times a day and in moderation.
We have cut many things from our home meals such as sugar and salt and we eat a lot of wheat products.
My grandson has learned along with me and that increases his chance of not becoming diabetic later in his life. We have learned together how important it is to be healthy.
The first step after becoming diabetic is the Healthy Heart Program!!
Triglycerides average decreased from 194 at baseline to 148 after 5 years as Wisconsin St. Croix Chippewa Healthy Heart participants. Baseline: 38% at goal (of less than 150) to 56% at goal at 5th year annual.
St. Croix Chippewa Healthy Heart Participants lost an average of 8% of body weight after being in the program for 5 years which exceeded the goal of 7%.
100% of Participants in the St. Croix Chippewa Healthy Heart Program for 5 years met and exceeded the LDL goal (of less than 100) with an average of less than 70 mg/dl.
Diabetes Program Participants
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Diabetes Care Providers
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