Classes help prevent type 2 diabetes
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
News from CSKT Tribal Health
ST. IGNATIUS — Community members are invited to join in an upcoming PreventT2 lifestyle change program offered by Tribal Health of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
Classes will begin Jan. 5, 2017 and end on Dec. 28, 2017. Each class runs from 12-1 p.m., and will be held in the upstairs boardroom of the Salish Kootenai Housing Authority in Pablo.
Guided by a trained lifestyle coach, groups of participants will learn the skills they need to make lasting changes such as losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active, and managing stress.
People with prediabetes — higher-than-normal blood glucose (sugar) levels — are five to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood glucose levels. In fact, many people with prediabetes can be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within five years.
“One in three American adults has prediabetes, so the need for prevention has never been greater,” said Brenda Bodnar, CSKT Health and Wellness Division Director. “The PreventT2 program offers a proven approach to preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes through modest lifestyle changes made with the support of a coach and one’s peers.”
Participants learn how to eat healthy, add physical activity to their routine, manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can get in the way of healthy changes. PreventT2 groups meet for a year — weekly for the first six months, then once or twice a month for the second six months — to maintain healthy lifestyle changesThe program’s group setting provides a supportive environment with people who are facing similar challenges and trying to make the same changes.
“Small changes can add up to a big difference,” Bodnar said. “Working with a trained lifestyle coach who provides guidance, PreventT2 participants are making lasting changes together.”
People are more likely to have prediabetes and type 2 diabetes if they:
—Are 45 years of age or older;
—Are overweight;
—Have a family history of type 2 diabetes;
—Are physically active fewer than three times per week; or
—Have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
For more information about the PreventT2 program, please contact Lynn Hendrickson, Recruitment/Retention Specialist for Tribal Health at alhendrickson@ cskthealth.org or 406-745-3525, ext. 5150.
Tribal Health of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes provides comprehensive health care services to recipients including audiology/ speech; behavioral health; dental; medical; nursing services; optical; pharmacy; physical therapy; wellness and radiology across a broad network on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Tribal Health is dedicated to a promise that every Tribal Health recipient receives high-quality health care grounded in tribal values— supporting each recipient’s journey of “Being in a Good Way.”
