Vim & Vigor - Winter 2017 - Community Healthcare - 13

About the same time, Anderson also
made exercise a part of his routine,
biking while he was in Manhattan and
running while in L.A. He kept a close
eye on his blood sugar, checking it
three times a day.
His efforts paid off. Anderson lost
46 pounds, enough to have a positive
effect on his blood sugar. It also meant
that the production crew on Law &
Order had to buy a new wardrobe for
his character.
Petersen stresses the importance of
weight loss to diabetes management,
because excess body fat leads to insulin
resistance, or an inability of the body to
properly deal with glucose.
"It is the cornerstone of what we can
do to potentially curb and treat diabetes," he says. "There is a genetic component, yes. But if you have that genetic
component, then the leading risk factor
you have control over is your weight."
The good news is that weight loss
doesn't need to be as dramatic as
Anderson's to yield results. Losing 5 to
10 percent of your body weight-that's
10 to 20 pounds for a 200-pound person-can greatly reduce the risk of
heart-related diabetes complications,
according to the journal Diabetes Care.

The Magic of Moderation
Being handed a diagnosis of diabetes
is stressful, but managing the disease
doesn't have to be overwhelming.
"Yes, there is a lot to think about,"
says Joanne Rinker, RD, a certified diabetes educator and a spokeswoman for
the American Association of Diabetes
Educators. "Talk to your diabetes educator about which changes are important right now, and take them one at
a time."
In addition to eating less, Anderson
focuses on reducing the amount of
refined carbohydrates he eats. He still
allows himself sandwiches, but now
he has half, so he's eating one piece of
bread instead of two. When he's hungry
for pasta, he opts for multigrain.

"It's really just about portion control and making healthier choices,"
Anderson says.
Rinker recommends moderation
when starting an exercise routine, too.
"If you haven't done much activity
before, start with 10 minutes of walking around your neighborhood," she
says. "Associate walks with mealtime.
Walk and then eat breakfast, or walk
after lunch and dinner. At the end of
the day, you're at [the recommended]
30 minutes."
Eventually habits will form, and eating well and exercising will become
second nature. That's what happened
for Anderson, and he hopes his story
will inspire others to make changes.
Whether acting as a spokesman for
the FACE Diabetes campaign, which
stands for Fearless African-Americans
Connected and Empowered, educating
his family or incorporating lines about
the disease into Black˙ish, Anderson's
goal is to live by example.
"I found out that when I'm doing
interviews like this, I am and have
become an inspiration to people. They
stop me on the street and they tell me,
'I read this article that you did, and I
just want to let you know because of
you, I've turned my life around,' " he
says. "I hear stories like that all the
time, and it makes me feel good about
going public with my disease and trying to inspire people."
And what an inspiration Anderson
has become. No -ish about it. ■

DIABETES
MANAGEMENT
BASICS
For people with diabetes, good
health begins in the blood. The
body's inability to convert sugar,
starches and other foods into energy
means that a healthy diet is the key
to controlling blood sugar levels. In
observance of American Diabetes
Month in November, the American
Diabetes Association recommends
adapting a diet that contains the
right amounts of vegetables, protein,
fruits and whole grains.
"Diabetes runs rampant in
Northwest Indiana, so it is important to reach out to help families
adjust their lifestyle, treat and
manage this disease," explains Yves
Frantz Brignol, MD, president of
St. Catherine Hospital's medical staff
in East Chicago.
At diabetes management classes
at Community Hospital in Munster,
St. Catherine Hospital in East
Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center
in Hobart, the theme is the same:
Eating healthy can lead to better
health. Participants learn how to
follow a special diet, plan special meals, participate in simple
exercise programs and monitor
glucose levels. The American
Diabetes Association has recognized Community Hospital and
St. Catherine Hospital classes for
quality self-management education. Diabetes management
classes are available in Spanish.
St. Mary Medical Center also offers
diabetic diet and meal planning and
glucose monitoring.

CALL

Control Is Key
Learn to control blood sugar with diabetes management classes from
the hospitals of Community Healthcare System. Call Community Hospital,
Munster (219-836-7714); St. Catherine Hospital, East Chicago
(219-392-7786) or St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart (219-947-6234).

WINTE R 2017

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