- OhioHealth’s Dining with Diabetes program helps participants learn about diabetes, make healthier food choices, and save money on groceries.
- Participants learn cost-effective recipes, proper portion control, and ways to incorporate healthier options into their diets.
- The program emphasizes the importance of mental health and well-being alongside nutritional guidance.
Editor’s note: OhioHealth supports a Dining with Diabetes Program in Marion twice a year. The latest round of classes is happening this month, which aligns with American Diabetes Month. The program has always had a focus on maximizing a grocery list for savings and nutritional value − but leaders say the need to keep food costs down may be more important than ever before.
For John Rayner, a weekly cooking class at the YMCA means more than learning a new recipe. It’s about discovering simple ways to see big savings on the grocery bill and eat healthier.
“This educational seminar is very informative and has given me a better understanding of diabetes and its complications,” Rayner said. “I know this program has helped me to take better care of myself and help me lower my A1c.”
Rayner is a participant in Dining with Diabetes − a program supported by OhioHealth that’s held Thursday afternoons at the YMCA during November.
“I learn a lot and the educational materials help keep me on track,” said Molly Harris, another participant. “My A1c is in a better range, I have lost weight, and I do not have to take medications for diabetes.”
Diabetes is on the rise
Diabetes affects over 38 million adults and children in the U.S. − that’s one in 10 Americans. Diagnoses are also on the rise. According to the American Diabetes Association, 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year, and it’s the eighth leading cause of death. Of the more than 97 million Americans who have prediabetes or are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, an eye-opening 81% don’t know it.
“In the last 20 years, according to the American Diabetes Association, the number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes has doubled,” said Cheryl Gillespie, an in-patient diabetes educator at OhioHealth Marion General Hospital. “Unless we reverse the trends, the American Diabetes Association projects that by 2050, one in three Americans will have diabetes.”
There is hope thanks to the collaborative work done to support an educational program called “Dining with Diabetes. It’s offered twice a year in Marion − once in the fall and again in the spring. The fall session aligns with American Diabetes Month. The program is the result of a partnership between OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, the Marion County OSU Extension Office and the Marion Family YMCA.
“This is a vital resource for our community, and we are proud to work in a collaborative way to help our neighbors focus on their health and wellness,” Gillespien said. “The most common thing we hear at the classes is, ‘no one has ever explained this to me before!’ And that is why I am so glad we can provide this education.”
Dining with Diabetes teaches more than just healthy eating
The program runs for four weeks, and each class is two hours long and includes strategies for meal planning, recipes and cutting costs at the grocery store.
“The cost-saving measures we can help with may be more important than ever before,” Gillespie said. “As prices go up at the grocery store, more and more people are struggling to make ends meet. It’s heartbreaking. We don’t want anyone to sacrifice nutritional value for savings, so that’s where we do our best to help.”
She said one of the go-to recipes participants in Dining with Diabetes will learn is for turkey chili made with ground turkey meat, tomatoes, canned beans and spices.
“It’s an example of a meal that’s both inexpensive and nutritionally rich,” she said.
The classes also focus on portion sizes and ways to recognize and avoid highly processed foods. In many ways – it’s a resource that provides value beyond the kitchen.
“We also focus on mental health and wellbeing,” Gillespie said. “That’s a big part of the work we do to help people transform their lifestyle and see success in the long term.”
Gillespie remembers hearing from a recent Dining with Diabetes participant, who said the program has helped her change her life for the better.
“I remember someone telling me that through the lessons they discovered they could still eat out at a restaurant sometimes, but they realized they had to say ‘goodbye’ to the extra-large side of fries and ‘hello’ to the grilled chicken,” she said.
For Rayner, the value of the program has made a positive impact on his life.
“It really saved my life,” he said. “I tell everybody about it.”
The next session is in April. Contact the Marion Family YMCA for more information.