By SUMMER ZIMMER
Director of Communications and Social Responsibility, Kosciusko Community YMCA

From 6 a.m. until 10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 26, Parkview Health will be conducting A1C blood sugar testing at the Parkview Center for Healthy Living in the Parkview Warsaw YMCA at no cost. Contact (260) 672-6500 to register. The A1C test is a blood glucose test that measures the amount of sugar in your blood over a three month period. Higher sugar or glucose levels in the blood stream indicates an individual’s risk for type 2 diabetes. Those qualifying for a high risk of type 2 diabetes will be connected with information about the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program.

The YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne is offering the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program in Kosciusko County through the Kosciusko Community Y. By participating in the program, participants can reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes while gaining tools for healthy living. The program helps those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles by eating healthier, increasing physical activity and losing a modest amount of weight in order to reduce their chances of developing the disease. Based on research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the program reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.

In a classroom setting, a trained lifestyle coach facilitates a small group of participants in learning about healthier eating, physical activity and other behavior changes over the course of 16 one hour sessions. Topics covered include healthier eating, getting started with physical activity, overcoming stress, staying motivated, and more. After the initial 16 core sessions, participants meet monthly for added support to help them maintain their progress.

One past participant of the Kosciusko County program says, “I gained a group of friends that ended up being a motivational team. We each brought a wealth of knowledge each month, and I feel that group participation led to our success. I liked meeting each week, and also enjoyed the small group. Our instructor Stacy was great, and she really listened to our individual concerns, while keeping us motivated each week.”

Another program participant, Steve, says, “I have dropped twelve percent of my body weight, my blood pressure dropped 20 plus points, and my doctor stopped prescribing an oral diabetic medication. I make healthier choices when dining out, I exercise regularly, and I look forward to making even more progress through the program at the Y!”

For more information and to see if you qualify, contact: Stacy Thomas at [email protected] or (574) 269-9622 or stop by the Parkview Warsaw YMCA on Mariners Drive. Class starts at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3.