Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 2020)
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 13 Sisters ‘Prevent Diabetes’ class hits halfway mark Agenda By Katy Yoder Correspondent What does it take to change your life and improve your health? Classmates in Sisters are finding answers as they seek ways to avoid Type 2 diabetes. Most of the adult students either have pre- diabetes or are teetering on the edge of a diagnosis. It9s Kylie Loving9s job to guide students who either have pre- diabetes or are concerned about getting the potentially debilitating disease. A collab- oration with Prevent Diabetes Central Oregon, the Sisters program began in January with a dozen participants. Together they9re navigating the challenges and rewards of getting active, losing weight and feeling better. Loving is a Health Educator with the Crook County Health Department and has been teaching a year- long class in Sisters for the past two years. She9s dedi- cated to providing the tools necessary to make behavioral changes that promote overall health and decrease the pos- sibility of adverse health risks associated with being overweight or an unhealthy lifestyle. Students learned that avoiding diabetes takes more than just shunning sugary food and drinks. Fats, both saturated and unsaturated, can play an important role in becoming diabetic. Some fat is beneficial. To find a healthy balance of fat in their diets, students learned that saturated and trans-fats (often solid at room tempera- ture) and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (often more liquid) have dif- ferent effects on the body. To gain insights into their eating habits and how it may be affecting their health, stu- dents began tracking the total fat and calories they ate daily. They began reading packag- ing and investigated the fat and calories in animal prod- ucts and plant-based foods. For many the realization of how much fat and calories were in certain foods was shocking. That knowledge helped them decide to control and balance how much, and what, they were eating. At the beginning of the class, each student had a six- month weight-loss goal that was approximately seven percent of their starting weight. With a daily target for exercise and total grams of fat and calories, students could expect to lose one to two pounds per week. Then COVID-19 entered the pic- ture, adding a level of stress and challenges to every- thing from having weekly meetings to managing food- related triggers. The pandemic took a toll on the class with some students deciding to stop and possibly start again next year. <Zoom meetings were tough for some of the students,= said Loving from her home in Redmond. <Overall, there was more engagement this year and many of the people have made steady progress with the class.= Facilitating online meet- ings and a weekly curricu- lum, Loving guides her stu- dents as they explore the inevitability of stress and how to manage it. <We talk about alterna- tive strategies when deeply ingrained, unhelpful choices tend to show up. With what we9re going through now it9s super understandable. People are more home-bound and are using food to cope,= said Loving. <We talk about find- ing strategies for specific situations to stay healthy and maintain beneficial goals dur- ing stressful circumstances.= Loving has heard students in the virtual meetings say they appreciate the interac- tion and materials. <They tell me if they hadn9t joined this program, they9d be so much worse off. At least they9re able to maintain and not completely spiral. They are more aware now and realize when they9re turning to food. There9s a greater awareness and they were healthier before enter- ing this stressful time.= At the halfway point, Loving finds that some people decide they9re not committed and choose to step away. A second group is finally feeling ready to fully commit to some of the changes they9ve learned but weren9t completely follow- ing yet. <Six months is a good landmark,= she said. <Some may drop off while others commit to the whole year. Then there9s the third group who just plugs along, has done a lot of the work and are ready to solidify it. The first six months are about checking in and helping people not slide into old hab- its. It9s not realistic to think you won9t have moments of backsliding.= To keep people mov- ing in the right direction, principles are reinforced to solidify those changes. It9s all designed to change each person9s status quo as they shift habits and continue to get healthier. Age, family history, and being overweight are all factors for those concerned about Type 2 diabetes. By losing five to seven percent of their weight students can reduce the possibility of get- ting diabetes. There are other benefits, too. <I hear about people who go to see the doctor and are happy to find they lowered their blood sugars. Studies have shown that losing that weight is effective and reduces the risk of getting diabetes by half. The goal is to get there by six months,= said Loving. <The second six months is either maintenance or setting another goal of 5 to 7 percent. It9s about making changes that are sustainable and not just something you stop after a few months.= Other benefits to follow- ing the program can make exercising easier. <Every person who takes the class and is successful in following the program, always reports health ben- efits whether it9s less joint pain, better sleep, lower blood pressure medica- tion or feeling more in con- trol. The positive results are usually attached to weight loss. There9s a real sense of accomplishment when they9re able to lose weight and make their goals. It9s a fun class and the year-long program provides interac- tions and relationships with classmates that often con- tinue when it9s over.= Takeaways for success are consistent. A big key is track- ing what you eat. <The people who track are more successful. They can see in black-and-white what their habits are and where they could make changes. Just the act of writing down what you eat is a key com- ponent in managing weight and weight loss. People are often unaware of how much they9re eating and how often. That awareness piece is vital,= said Loving. For more information con- tact Sarah Worthington with Deschutes County Health Department at 541-322-7446. Sisters City Council Wednesday, June 10, 2020 520 E. Cascade Ave. The meeting will be accessible to the public via teleconference. Use the following phone number to listen to the meeting: 1-844-802-5555 Access Code: 399434 5:30 p.m. workshop: 1. Republic Services request for rate increase. 2. COVID-19 City opera- tions update. 3. Update on East Portal acquisition and concept. 6:30 p.m. regular meeting: Written comments will be accepted for the public comment section of the hear- ing via drop-off to the util- ity payment box at City Hall or emailed to nmardell@ ci.sisters.or.us by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10. A. Continuation of a pub- lic hearing: Modification to the MP 15-01/SUB 15-01 (Master Plan and Tentative Plat for the ClearPine Subdivision). The modifica- tion would alter the condi- tions of approval related to the timeline for delivery and type of affordable housing units. B. Personal services agreement with Becon, LLC. for Well #4 Phase B design. Haystack Layer Plus Poultry PELLETS OR CRUMBLE 17% PROTEIN $2 OFF 40 lb. bag (Expires 6/24/20) 102 E. Main Ave. | 541-549-4151 r e m m u s r u o y l l a For t h g i r s d e e n t c e j o r p here in Sisters! WHAT PANDEMIC? W ’ getting We’re tti pampered d with ith h room service i h happy hour, ice cream sundaes, and popcorn for the movies. WE L OV E IT HERE! Lumber • Hardware • Paint Fencing & Decking • Doors & Windows FREE Local Delivery! Hours: M-F 8 to 5, Sat. 8 to 4, Closed Sundays 440 N. Pine St. • 541-549-8141 • www.hoyts.net 411 E. Carpenter Ln. • Th eLodgeInSisters.com 541-549-5634