Healthy advice from The United Family for National Diabetes Awareness Month

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and The United Family’s dietitian team wants to share health advice, recipes, and food options.

Nearly 35 million U.S. adults deal with diabetes across the country, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and more than 1 in 3 are living with prediabetes, increasing a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

While there are many risk factors associated with developing diabetes like being overweight, smoking, or having a sedentary lifestyle, Brenda Garcia, a registered dietitian, and health & wellness manager for The United Family, says there are many approaches to slow or even stop the onset of type 2 diabetes.

“Most people can definitely manage their risk by building a healthy lifestyle now. Food choices, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices can go a long way to helping your body be where it needs to be”, Garcia said.

The nutrition team continuously updates their blog, Happy and Nourished, with the latest advice on living a healthy life and sharing delicious recipes every day.

One of their latest entries includes meal prepping tips for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes such as:

the plate method which mirrors moderate protein and carbohydrate intake, prioritizing fruits and vegetables with a lower-calorie beverage on the side.
prioritize produce is the dietitians’ recommendation, with half of your plate coming from fruit and non-starchy vegetables.
plan ahead one to two meals until you’re comfortable and can set yourself and your family up for success.

Garcia and her nutrition team are constantly working to develop healthy options in the stores. If you come across a ReadyMeals with a special tag that reads ‘Dietitian Top Pick’, you can trust that it is a good choice for you to grab, says Taylor Sutton, corporate dietitian for The United Family.