Diabetes | Live Well Lamoille

Improving Health, One Organization at a Time

Feb 13 2018

By: Valerie Valcour

Did you know that where you live, your zip code, is important to your health? Do you think that where you work, play and learn are also important to your health? How about when you stop in that corner market for a quick snack or when you meet for church service, do you think these places impact your health too? The Vermont Department of Health says yes.

The Vermont Department of Health has added two new organizations to the list of 3-4-50 partners. There are new Tip Sheets and Sign-On forms for retailers and faith-communities. Haven’t heard of 3-4-50?

3-4-50 is a simple but powerful way to understand and communicate the overwhelming impact of chronic disease in Vermont. 3-4-50 represents 3 behaviors – lack of physical activity, poor nutrition and tobacco use – that lead to 4 chronic diseases – cancer, heart disease/stroke, type 2 diabetes and lung disease – resulting in more than 50 percent of all deaths in Vermont.

Retail establishments, like the corner markets, can help you meet your goals for good health by displaying healthy snack options like fruit and nuts and they can keep tobacco products out of eye-sight, especially from children.

Faith-communities can set guidelines that make sure healthy foods are made available during coffee hours, potlucks and meetings. They can also create property-wide tobacco-free spaces. Having bike racks or offering physical activity options for gatherings can also help the overall health of the community.

Join the Lamoille Valley 3-4-50 Partners and sign your organization on to good health and wellness today! http://www.healthvermont.gov/3-4-50

Valerie Valcour is a Public Health Nurse and specializes in chronic disease prevention and emergency preparedness at the community level for the Department of Health in Morrisville. Valerie has lived in Lamoille County most of her life. She graduated from People’s Academy in 1983 and worked as a nurse at Copley Hospital for several years. In addition to her work, she volunteers as a board member of both Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley and the Lamoille County Planning Commission.

Diabetes Skin Care During Dry Winter Months

Dec 14 2017

By: Nancy Wagner

Your skin is the biggest organ in your body and it needs extra attention during the cold, dry winter months. Lower outdoor humidity and heaters in the home cause the air to become dry, which makes it more likely your skin will be dry. People with diabetes need to take extra care to avoid irritation, cracking and bleeding. What can you do to maximize skin health?

Hydrate from the inside – Drink plenty of water and avoid excess caffeine and alcohol.
Use a humidifier – At home and at work.
Control your blood sugars – Elevated blood sugars will pull moisture out of the body.
Moisturize – Use a heavier, oil-based moisturizer, ointment or cream in the winter months. Do not use moisturizer between your toes.
Keep hands covered – Wear gloves or mittens when outdoors.
Avoid wet gloves and socks – This could irritate sensitive skin.
Baths and showers – Avoid hot water and keep your bath/shower short.
Avoid irritating soaps, detergents and cleansers – Instead use mild ones and wear gloves when cleaning.
Pat your skin dry instead of rubbing – Rubbing can irritate. Be sure to fully dry between your toes. Leave your arms and legs slightly moist, then apply moisturizer.
Don’t forget your lips – Use lip balm frequently.
Keep warm – Getting cold can aggravate circulation problems. Dress in layers which can be taken off if you become too warm.

Nancy Wagner is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a Certified Diabetes Educator at Copley Hospital. She provides health and wellness to Copley employees through screenings, education and fun activities; educates patients regarding their nutrition and diabetes needs; and works with community members providing education to schools and businesses. Nancy enjoys helping others learn new things about nutrition, their health habits, and their chronic diseases.

Free Upcoming Healthy Workshops

Feb 03 2017

There are some terrific FREE opportunities coming up to help you make healthy choices. Check these out:

supportgroup

Living with Diabetes: If you or a loved one is living with diabetes, there’s a diabetes support group that meets monthly at Copley Hospital’s Wellness Center. Call Nancy Wagner at 888-8369 for details.

Chronic Pain Management: February 6th at Stowe Family Practice at 1:00-3:30 p.m. Learn ways to reduce pain, deal with related issues like having trouble sleeping, and more.

Quitting Smoking: February 22nd, Morrisville SASH, 5-6 p.m. When you’re ready to quit smoking, the Vermont Quit Partners are ready with free workshops to help you set up a plan and succeed in being tobacco-free. There are Quit Partners all across Vermont available to provide support and motivation to help you through the quitting process. Call Erica Coats at 253-9171 to sign up.

Cooking For Your Guests with Diabetes

Oct 03 2016

By: Nancy Wagner

balanced meal

Suppose you’re planning a dinner party with several couples and find out that one of your guests has diabetes. Do you need to serve something special for them? Not necessarily.

When any of us eats carbohydrates (carbs) our body converts them to blood sugar which is the fuel for our muscles and brain. In diabetes, our bodies have a hard time managing these carbs so we need to do it ourselves through balanced eating.

People with diabetes need to count and space out the amount of carbs they eat. They can do this either by counting portions of carbs or by counting actual grams of carb. The general guidelines are:

2-3 portions or 30-45 grams of carb per meal for women
3-4 portions or 45-60 grams of carb per meal for men.

It’s also beneficial to have protein at each meal. Sweets are allowed as long as their carbs are counted in the allotted portions or grams. Some examples of a carb serving are:

1 slice of bread or a small dinner roll;
½ cup mashed potatoes, corn, peas, or winter squash;
1/3 cup of cooked rice or pasta
½ cup cooked beans or lentils;
½ cup mixed fruit or a small piece of fruit
8oz of milk
2 small cookies
½ cup ice cream.

All other vegetables are very low in carbs and usually can be considered “free”.

So, how do you plan that dinner party meal? You could start by planning several vegetables. For instance, a nice tossed salad with lots of colorful vegetables. Maybe some cooked broccoli or summer squash and zucchini. Add a protein like salmon or boneless chicken breast. A small amount of starch such as brown rice could round out the meal. Have a variety of non-calorie beverages including seltzer, plain water, coffee and/or tea to offer. Desserts don’t necessarily have to be sugar-free. You could have a variety so that the person with diabetes can make his or her own choice. Maybe some angel food cake with fresh berries. The key for desserts is portion size, smaller is better.

Your job as host/hostess is to provide a variety of healthy food choices and allow the person with diabetes to make their own choices. Many people with diabetes do not like attention brought to their eating or disease, so have a private conversation about the menu before the actual dinner party or before the other guests arrive. Now, sit back and enjoy the meal and the conversation.

3-4-50 Lamoille

Jun 07 2016

By: Valerie Valcour

Vermont has ranked as the number 1 and number 2 healthiest state for the past 7 years. That’s good news! Yet according to the Department of Health, 55% of all deaths in Vermont result from chronic diseases caused by 3 behaviors: lack of physical activity, poor diet and tobacco use. These 3 behaviors can lead to 4 diseases: cancer, heart disease and stroke, Type 2 diabetes and lung disease. These 4 diseases lead to more than 50% of all deaths in Vermont.

3-4-50 is a new prevention campaign to support the health of Vermonters. The 3-4-50 concept is a helpful tool when supporting families to live longer, healthier lives, in safe and vibrant communities.

3-4-50

So what is our local Department of Health doing to help families live healthier lives? One example is helping local businesses become Breastfeeding Friendly Employers. Check out the list of employers here. Another example is helping the Lamoille Regional Planning Commission include health, recreation and healthy food practices in the regional plan. Yet another example is the creation of the Healthy Lamoille Valley coalition, which is made possible by a grant from the Vermont Department of Health and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration.

You may recall, I recently wrote about the benefits of walkable communities. Celebrate summer and get out to enjoy the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, sidewalks, backroads, and other local resources in your communities. Bring a friend or family member for added support, safety and fun. Grab an apple or banana instead of that candy bar the next time you shop for a snack. Go to 802 Quits for resources to help you or a loved one quit smoking.

Visit 3-4-50 to learn more about active living, healthy eating and tobacco prevention. Live Well Lamoille!

National Get Fit Don’t Sit Day

May 04 2016

By: Nancy Wagner

Many of us are affected by diabetes or know someone who is. In fact, experts say that diabetes is now an epidemic. But there’s good news: Type 2 diabetes can be managed and even prevented with a more active lifestyle! To help raise awareness of this connection, the American Diabetes Association is sponsoring National Get Fit Don’t Sit Day on Wednesday, May 4, 2016.

National Get Fit Don't Sit Day

Sitting for too long is harmful to our health. Getting up at least every 90 minutes to stretch, walk around the office or do some simple exercises can go a long way in managing and preventing type 2 diabetes. I encourage you to visit the American Diabetes Association’s website for a list of moves you can do at your desk or try some of the following ideas:

Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Take the long way to the bathroom or the mail room
Park farther away from the building
If you go out to lunch, walk to the restaurant
Get up and stretch at your desk

Here at Copley Hospital we are challenging our employees to first fill up the parking lot that is farthest away from the hospital. We’ll have some healthy breakfast foods waiting for those that do! And they’ll be entered into a “Get Fit Basket” raffle. We’ll also tour the hospital throughout the day handing out raffle tickets to those we see taking a fitness break.

Happy National Get Fit Don’t Sit Day!

It is essential that you seek professional advice for all issues concerning your health. Do not take any of the information in this blog (either in posts or comments) as professional advice or official communication from Copley Hospital or any of the blog authors. Posts and comments on this blog are not intended to be professional advice, unless implicitly indicated in the blog post, and do not necessarily reflect Copley Hospital policy or corporate opinion. The opinions and/or views expressed on Live Well Lamoille represent the thoughts of the individual bloggers and commenters, not those necessarily of the organizations they represent or organizations affiliated with the blog.

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Tag - Diabetes