Some cool diabetes diet images:
Health Fair at Wilmington Senior Center
Image by Christiana Care
Atherleen Gooding wants her body to last a long time, so she takes good care of it.
She is 66 and has been lifting weights for 35 years. She walks three miles every day. She eats lots of fruits and vegetables and has given up red meat.
To make certain her hard work is paying off, she attended the health fair sponsored by Christiana Care at the Wilmington Senior Center. Gooding received free screenings for bone density, diabetes and hypertension, as well as a flu shot.
“It’s good to get tested on a regular basis,” she said. “You can find out if there is a problem and take care of it right away.”
The event took place on Oct. 27, which is Make a Difference Day, an annual observance in which citizens are encouraged to band together to help other people.
Carmen Campbell receives a free blood-glucose screening, which tests for diabetes, at the Wilmington Senior Center health fair.
Christiana Care makes health care convenient and accessible to people in the community all year round through its outreach and education programs. By removing barriers to care, people can get the help they need when illnesses are in their earliest, most treatable stages.
People also can learn to prevent diseases through healthy behaviors, such as not smoking and practicing safe sex.
Deborah Hassler, an advanced practice nurse who treats trauma patients at Christiana Care, says texting and driving is a dangerous practice that contributes to accidents and serious injuries that are sometimes fatal.
“We are here to make people aware of just how serious this problem is and to ask people to sign a pledge that they will not text while driving,” she said.
Attendees also could learn their body mass index, or BMI, an indicator of obesity, as well as tips on starting an exercise regimen. Christiana Care residents gave quizzes on suggested portion sizes in a nutritious diet. For example, a serving of meat should be no larger than a deck of cards.
“How big should that serving of cheddar cheese be?” asked Amit Patel, M.D.
The answer: the equivalent of four dice.
In all, more than a dozen residents and attending physicians participated in the day’s events, including staffing Ask the Doctor tables, where people could get answers to common questions about health and wellness.
There were two presentations: Ina Li, M.D., a gerontologist who operates a Christiana Care practice at the Wilmington Senior Center, discussed how to age gracefully. Karla Testa, M.D., and Himani Divatia, M.D., two residents at Christiana Care, talked about health and wellness for all ages.
Linda Brennan-Jones, a Christiana Care social worker, connected people at the health fair to resources, including homeless shelters and the Community Access Healthcare Program or CHAP, which provides discounted care for people who don’t have insurance. Attendees who don’t have a primary care provider were linked with a medical home where they can receive routine care.
Seniors were encouraged to bring friends and relatives to the event.
“A lot of grandparents are raising children, so we are reaching out to people in all age groups,” Jones said.
Doris Murphy, 81, of Wilmington, took home information on screenings for colorectal cancer. She had her heel scanned—a quick, painless screening designed to detect bone loss—and was reassured that her bone health is good.
“Knowledge is power,” said Stacy Adams, a Christiana Care radiologic technologist certified in bone-density testing. “If someone gets a negative result here, we refer them for a more extensive test.”
As for Gooding, she learned that her lifestyle is paying off. Her bones are strong, and her blood pressure and blood glucose are at healthy levels.
“I’m happy that I came,” she said. “It only takes a few minutes to get screened—and now I have peace of mind.”
Camp FRESH helps teens and parents become smarter, healthier shoppers
Image by Christiana Care
A special supermarket trip showed 15-year-old Anthony Graves that when it comes to breakfast cereal, he should hold the sugar — and the salt.
At ShopRite on the Riverfront in July, a tour with Christiana Care Health System dietitians showed Anthony and other local teenagers that healthy eating often starts with reading the label.
“I was shocked when I found out there is a lot of salt in Rice Krispies,” he said. “But there it is, right on the label.”
Dozens of teens and their families got a hands-on lesson in nutrition on a field trip for Christiana Care’s Camp FRESH, a summer program that teaches teens the benefits of eating and living healthfully.
Campers and dietitians took to the aisles at ShopRite to learn how to make informed choices at the grocery store by evaluating nutrition and cost.
Karen McCurtis of Wilmington, whose 15-year-old daughter Landra is a camper, took her very first nibble of a granola bar, recommended as a healthy grab-and-go breakfast. McCurtis may have been won over.
“It doesn’t look great, but it doesn’t taste bad at all,” she said.
In the frozen-food section, dietitian Teresa Insetta pulled a bag of name-brand mixed vegetables from the freezer.
“These are good for you but they are very expensive,” she said. “It’s better to buy the store brand, because it’s less expensive and just as healthy. Frozen foods are a year-round way to bring important nutrients into your diet.”
As dietitian Isaac Hicks rounded the corner in the dairy section, he explained to the campers and their families that they could reduce their fat intake without sacrificing nutrients by switching to skim milk.
“The only difference between whole milk and skim milk is the level of fat,” he said. “The level of carbohydrates, calcium and vitamins is the same.”
After the tour, campers and their families gathered in the ShopRite cafe for a low-fat dinner and tastings, including low-sodium luncheon meats and fresh vegetables. Campers and their parents also received ShopRite gift cards so they can put their new shopping skills into action.
Camp FRESH, established in 2007, encourages teens from low-income families to eat well and exercise, and it gives them educational tools to become ambassadors for good nutrition and healthier lifestyles in their families and communities.
“Research shows that exposure to healthy foods can have a positive impact on adolescents’ eating habits,” said Christopher C. Moore, program manager of Adolescent Health in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Christiana Care. “At Camp FRESH, it goes both ways. The teen can be the coach for the parent, showing how healthy living can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and support good physical and mental health.”
The eight-week program also enables Camp FRESH teens to make a difference in their communities. In recent summers, they built raised-bed gardens and ran produce stands at Howard High School and Wilmington Hospital. They also helped establish Wilmington’s first urban farm at 12th and Brandywine streets. This year they are working on “FRESH Voice,” a photo project that will capture community resources through their own eyes.
“The goal of Camp FRESH is to empower teens to make better choices that will have a positive impact on their health, from eating well, to exercising, to setting clear goals and objectives for their futures,” Moore said. “We want the program to be a one-stop shop for teens who want to maximize their potential but don’t always know how to make it happen.”
mmm marjoram
Image by whirledkid
