Diabetes Self-Management

Church Health now offers an online version of our Diabetes Education Class. Our four-part series teaches the basics of diabetes, its role in the body, diabetes medication and chronic disease management. In addition to these topics, we focus at length on nutrition for diabetics.

Learn the Basics of Managing Diabetes

Small steps you can take every day to take care of your body

To begin click on the Module 1 video below and continue through each video module until you have completed all four modules. Please let our registered dietician or health coach know when you have completed each video.

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View video in Spanish

Play Video

View video in Spanish

Play Video

View video in Spanish

Play Video

View video in Spanish

ABCs of Diabetes (English)

What is Diabetes? When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose or sugar. In response, your body produces insulin to move glucose from your bloodstream into the cells to use for energy. When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin doesn’t work properly to open the doors of the cells for glucose to enter. As a result, glucose accumulates in the blood stream, causing high blood sugar. This can lead to serious health complications over time.

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Diabetes resources:

Know your Risk for Diabetes

Healthy changes you can take to prevent and treat diabetes

When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose or sugar. In response, your body produces insulin to move glucose from your bloodstream into the cells to use for energy. When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin doesn’t work properly to open the doors of the cells for glucose to enter. As a result, glucose accumulates in the blood stream, causing high blood sugar. This can lead to serious health complications over time.

Success Strategies for Preventing Diabetes

Food and cooking education

Most people decide what to cook based on convenience or taste. These are important, but if you have diabetes or prediabetes it’s even more important to consider your health. This means learning how to make healthier choices at the grocery store and in the kitchen. One place to start is our community cooking class series, called Cook Well, Be Well.

Follow a Heart-Healthy Diet

Eat more fruit and vegetables

A diet full of a variety of fruit and vegetables is linked to healthier hearts and a lower risk of heart disease.

Swap to whole grains

Whole-grain cereals include more of the natural grain. This means they have more nutrients like dietary fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, and healthy fats.

Make healthy fat choices

The best fats to include in your diet are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (omega-3 and omega-6) fats. You can find these healthier fats in avocados, nuts, fish and sunflower seeds.

Use herbs and spices instead of salt

Eating too much salt is bad for your heart. The sodium in salt can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.

Get Moving

Move more

Get up and move throughout the day. Any activity is better than none. Even light-intensity activity can offset the serious health risks.

Set realistic goals

Any physical activity is better than none. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity. Exercise helps lower blood pressure over time.

Choose activities you enjoy

When you enjoy being active, you’re more likely to do it more often.

Sit less

Any physical activity is better than none. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity. Exercise helps lower blood pressure over time.

Blood Sugar
less than

fasting between:
after meals (1-2 hours):

80–140
140–180

A1c (average blood sugar)
less than

7.0

Blood Pressure
less than

140/90

Total Cholesterol
less than

200

LDL (bad) cholesterol
less than

HDL (good) cholesterol
more than

100

40

Know Your Numbers

HbA1C measures your average blood sugar over the last two or three months. The results are given in a percentage. This tells you how well you are controlling your blood sugar long term. A high Hba1c means you are at an increased risk for diabetes complications. Your HbA1C goal is less than 7 percent.

Blood glucose tells you how much sugar is in your blood stream in that moment. This helps you know how your medication, diet and exercise are affecting your blood sugar.

Goal:
Fasting (before eating/taking medications): 80–140 mg/dL
2 hours after eating: 140–180 mg/dL

Heart-Healthy Eating

Healthy eating starts with healthy food choices

You don’t need to be a chef to create nutritious, heart-healthy meals your family will love. Learn what to look for at the grocery store, restaurants, your workplace and any eating occasion. and effort, but the benefits are worth it. If you can’t do it perfectly, guess what? Nobody can, but everyone who puts in serious effort will see benefits!

What's on your plate?

Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean dieting or giving up all the foods you love. Learn how to ditch the junk, give your body the nutrient-dense fuel it needs, and love every minute of it!