A newsletter from The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program Strategy, Support, Success, Weight Loss
Our Mission: To teach patients the skills necessary to make lifestyle changes and to empower patients to implement these changes in their everyday lives. Each patient’s program is personalized based on his/ her current weight, medical conditions, lifestyle factors, and personal goals.
The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program provides comprehensive treatment programs designed specifically to treat various levels of overweight and obesity. Treatment staff include physicians, psychologists, social workers, physician assistants, nurses, nutritionists, and exercise physiologists. Patients can enroll in a free orientation session by calling 401-444-4800. The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program 146 West River Street Suite 11A, First Floor Providence, RI 02904 www.miriamhospital.org/ weight-management
Editors: Vincent Pera, MD Lucy Rathier, PhD Suzanne Moriarty, MSW
Volume 2, Issue 1: Fall 2015
A Few Key Changes can Help Prevent or Manage Type 2 Diabetes! According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 out 11 people in the U.S. has type 2 diabetes. That is 29 million people. 86 million people have prediabetes in this country and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. While there is no cure for diabetes, lifestyle changes can prevent the onset of diabetes in individuals that are pre-diabetic and greatly reduce the risk for complications in individuals diagnosed with diabetes. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking medication as prescribed can have a tremendous impact.
After just 16 – 20 weeks of treatment in the Weight Management Program:
What is type 2 diabetes? Most of the food we • 59% of all diabetes medication eat is turned into sugar (glucose) to be used by is discontinued or reduced. the body for energy. The pancreas is the organ • Average weight loss in patients responsible for making insulin. Insulin helps the with diabetes is 37 pounds. glucose or sugar in your blood enter our cells to • Average reduction in HbA1C is be used for energy. When a person has diabetes, 1.0%, from 7.6% (pretreatment the body either does not make enough insulin or on diabetes medications) to cannot use the insulin well. Therefore the sugar 6.6% (while reducing diabetes or glucose stays in the blood stream. It cannot medications). be used by the cells for energy. The buildup of sugar in the blood stream over time can lead to serious health complications. Type 2 diabetes can occur at any age. It puts people at an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and limb amputations. Studies have found that a 5-10% weight loss can delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. For type 2 diabetics, losing just a few pounds through exercise and eating well can help with blood sugar control, potentially reduce your need for medication, and reduce your risk for other health problems. Healthy eating for both successful weight loss and long term management of type 2 diabetes includes the following: • M eal planning - including a consistent meal schedule with carbohydrates divided evenly between 3 meals. • Using tools for portion control both at home and when dining out. • Making healthy food choices from each food group. The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program has a specialized weight management program for individuals with diabetes. Within this program, registered dietitians teach how to make healthy food choices and plan meals in a concrete, visual, and practical way. Our dietitians and nurse are Diabetes Outpatient Educators certified by the RI Department of Health to teach all aspects of diabetes management. Please call 401-444-7800 to sign up for our free orientation or to learn more.
A newsletter from The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program
Patient Success
An noun ceme nts Recent studies suggest that walking 10,000 steps per day is helpful in maintaining weight. Using an activity tracker, like a Fitbit, makes counting steps as easy as looking at your wrist. The application also allows you to record your calorie and fluid intake, daily exercise, sleep, and weight. Starting in January 2016, we’ll be providing Fitbits to new Masters patients to support longterm weight management success.
Watch for more information about our new comprehensive Center for Weight and Wellness, opening in East Greenwich, January 2016. We’re on Twitter and Facebook! Get specific tips on weight management from our experts. Follow us on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/Miriamhospital Twitter: twitter.com/Miriamhospital or @MiriamHospital Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/Miriamhospital
Amy’s Advice: Regular exercise is especially beneficial for diabetics. Physical activity will lower blood glucose because cells take in glucose more efficiently. This improvement only lasts up to 72 hours so for long term control, exercise needs to be done at least every other day. To learn more about The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program, register for a free orientation session. Call 401-444-4800. Exclusive provider of
in Rhode Island
“I weighed 200 pounds at age 12, I’ve had a weight problem all my life,” says Doug, age 67.
After
When he joined The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program in June 2014, Doug had a history of type 2 diabetes for 10 years, sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation, and arthritis. Doug’s starting weight was 267.2 pounds. His Body Mass Index was 41.2 (Class III Obesity). Doug was using both Glyburide and Metformin twice daily to help control his blood sugars. His fasting blood sugar was 148 and A1C was 6.6 at the start of treatment.
Doug chose to participate in the specialized group for patients with diabetes in The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program. The group focuses on the proper management of diabetes as well as weight management. A nurse and nutritionist who are certified Diabetes Educators provide information on medical and dietary aspects. A behavioral Before clinician focuses on the use of behavioral strategies in weight management. There are also presentations by an exercise physiologist, a pharmacist, and a podiatrist. Doug lost a total of 72.7 pounds. Now, at 194.5 “I learned to restrain pounds, his Glyburide was discontinued and my eating by making his Metformin was decreased. His fasting proper food choices..” blood sugar is now 136 and his A1C is 6.5. With these accomplishments, Doug is no longer troubled by the shaking and sweating that occurs with low blood sugar. In November 2014, Doug began participating in the Master’s Program which provides ongoing support for long-term weight maintenance. Doug says, “I’m not a perfect patient, but I learned to restrain my eating by making proper food choices, limiting portions and carbohydrates, limiting dining out experiences and weighing myself weekly.” He added, “A group member helped me when she said that ‘now cravings are thoughts’ and now I don’t have to act on them. I really liked that concept and use it frequently.” Doug had hip replacement in January 2015. He attributes his successful recovery and rehabilitation to his weight loss. He resumed attending the weekly Masters’ group. He continues to exercise regularly doing Pilates, cardiovascular exercise, and resistance training. Doug weighs himself regularly and immediately takes action when his weight increases. When asked what has helped him with his weight loss and maintenance, Doug credits the support of his wife and the personal attention and support of the Weight Management staff with making this attempt at weight loss much more successful than past attempts. The Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program 146 West River Street, Suite 11A, First Floor, Providence, RI 02904 www.miriamhospital.org/weight-management