Ep 7: The Road Ahead: Next Steps for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

[00:00:02] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: Throughout this series, we've heard from some brilliant people about what to do to prevent type 2 diabetes. We've talked about the lifestyle changes someone can make like eating a healthy diet, exercising, reducing stress, and taking the medications their body needs. Now, if you or someone you love has been diagnosed with prediabetes or is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, you may be asking two key questions.

Where do I go from here, and how do I make a new healthy lifestyle stick? It's important to remember:

[00:00:33] Ryan Aiazzi: Your past doesn't define you.

[00:00:35] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: This is Ryan Aiazzi. 

[00:00:38] Ryan Aiazzi: What you do going forward defines you like any other disease, heart disease, cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid, things like that. This is something that we can help manage and we can improve this situation, so the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train. 

[00:00:56] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: This may be the last episode in our series, but it's not the end of your journey. Welcome back to the Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Podcast. 

The Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Podcast is a production of Mission Based Media and was made possible with support from the American Pharmacists Association Foundation. This series is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for formal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. So if you have questions about your health, talk to a qualified healthcare provider. 

One of the biggest influences on sustaining the changes we need to make is the support we get from the people around us. Lifestyle coach Sebastian Beller pointed this out earlier in the series. 

[00:01:40] Sebastian Beller: Your parents, for example, will tell you you need to eat more.

[00:01:43] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: But some of the lifestyle changes you make to prevent type 2 diabetes might come as a surprise to your loved ones. Like not eating or drinking as much at holiday or family celebrations. Sebastian recommends giving them a heads up about your new choices. 

[00:01:58] Sebastian Beller: Start setting boundaries and start setting expectations early on. It really does just boil down to sitting down, having a face-to-face conversation with the people in your life who are going to have a direct effect on your progress, positive or negative.

[00:02:12] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: Being honest with friends and family can make it easier for them to understand what you're doing and support you. 

[00:02:18] Sebastian Beller: When you set those expectations and you tell them that this is what I'm going to be doing, this is what you're going to be seeing, this is the support that I need from you, they're much more likely to give you that support and at the very least, withhold those opinions that might be not so helpful to your progress.

[00:02:33] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: Across the United States, there are hundreds of organizations that deliver programs to try and prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. These programs are called lifestyle change programs and help people with prediabetes make the kinds of lifestyle changes we've talked about in this series. Sebastian is a lifestyle coach with one of these lifestyle change programs run by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation.

[00:02:57] Sebastian Beller: One thing I really like about the program is that it's not aimed at addressing the downstream symptoms, right? We don't deal with people who already have type 2 diabetes. We try to get a hold of them before they get to that point and we try to address the upstream causes.

[00:03:10] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: The organizations that run these programs are recognized by the CDC. Joining is easy and the meetings are flexible. Here's Katie Engel, another lifestyle coach. 

[00:03:20] Katie Engel: The great thing about these programs is sometimes they're virtual, but they're also in person as well. And so you could be able to find one in a city near you, which is great too. 

[00:03:30] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: Lifestyle change programs provide a full year of support to learn how to eat healthy, add physical activity to your routine, manage stress, stay motivated and solve problems that can get in the way of your goals. They are available for anyone and everyone and are even offered by many pharmacies across the country. To find programs available in your state, city, or zip code, visit impactdiabetes.org. You can find a link to that resource in the show notes and on our website, healthunmuted.com/resources. You can even search for programs offered in different languages.

There are also other organizations that are focused on specific needs of people and communities. Grace Silverio, who we've heard throughout this podcast series is on the board of diversity in diabetes.

[00:04:20] Grace Silverio: It's an amazing organization that helps provide resources for people of color living with diabetes. We also have a monthly support group that is a safe space to come and share and ask questions and be vulnerable. So I would encourage you to check out Diversity in Diabetes website.

[00:04:39] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: Reaching out for help can be really difficult, something that is often particularly true for men like Oscar Camejo.

[00:04:47] Oscar Camejo: It's okay if you're struggling to reach out to a friend or a loved one to say, hey, you know what? I'm concerned about my health, I need support from you. Because we as men don't like to make it known that we need help, but we need to get over that. 

[00:05:03] Sebastian Beller: Men do have more difficulty relying on their support network. They just have this belief that they can do it better themselves a lot of times. 

[00:05:12] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: Part of that difficulty comes from the reality that you may remember being fit and healthy when you were younger.

[00:05:18] Oscar Camejo: You may have played soccer or American football or tennis back in the day or what have you. Those days are gone. We're talking about you right now, especially if you're in your 30s, 40s, definitely in your 50s, you don't want to keep neglecting your health. And if you are married or you have a partner or what have you, you want to be accountable to them to let them know, hey, I'm working on my health, so I need your help. 

[00:05:49] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: It's important to also understand that while your story is unique, your experience is one that's been shared by millions before you, and a lot of brilliant advice and assistance is out there.

[00:05:59] Adrienne Maye: I really was concerned about patients being diagnosed with diabetes and being sent home with their paperwork and needing to figure it out on their own.

[00:06:10] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: This is Adrienne Maye, a registered nurse, certified diabetes care education specialist and author of the book, Beating the Sugar Beast. 

[00:06:19] Adrienne Maye: That is not a way that we need to deal with this condition. Diabetes is a day by day process. It's a journey, it's a marathon, it's something that patients have to deal with on a daily basis. 

[00:06:31] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: If you have prediabetes, it affects you every day and affects every facet of your life. As we have heard in the previous episode, advances in treatment in this field are happening at a rapid rate, so it's also really important to stay up to date. When doing so, always try to ensure the resources and advice you're seeking comes from reputable sources. 

[00:06:55] Adrienne Maye: I always want patients to use something that's credible and that's been research based and something that is accurate. Some of the go-tos that I use and that I recommend are the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Mayo Clinic, the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.

[00:07:15] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: As we've said throughout the series, links to the resources, including the National Diabetes Prevention Program, lifestyle change programs, and all of those that have been mentioned are available at healthunmuted.com/resources. 

Throughout this series, we've been hearing from people with prediabetes who have made positive changes to their lives. If you've made it this far, well done. You've made a positive step of your own by educating yourself on what you can do to improve your health. From this point, it's up to you. The journey forward will be challenging. You'll have days where you want to give up, but just remember that each and every day you're doing your best.

Please, if you are facing a prediabetes diagnosis, do not let that diagnosis define you. There are so many resources available to help you through your health journey. Work with your healthcare provider, talk with your friends and family, and leverage all the available resources. Find a plan that fits you, your family, and your priorities for your health.

With all the resources available today, it is much more feasible than ever to maintain cultural and ethnic practices while adjusting your diet, finding exercise regimens that fit into your lifestyle, and taking control of your health on your terms. We'll leave the final word to Adrienne Maye. 

[00:08:40] Adrienne Maye: Sometimes we feel like it's too much, we're not going to make it, but you can do it. This is individual choice, individual walk, individual journey. Once you get everything lined up the best way you can, move forward. Just do it. It's not going to be perfect. You're not going to get it right every time, but just do it. You can do it. It's your journey and just stick with it.

[00:09:05] Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell: Thanks for joining me for this podcast series. And a huge thanks to all of our wonderful experts and those with lived experience for giving up their time in the making of this podcast. The Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Podcast is hosted by me, Dr. BCW, and was produced by the team at Mission Based Media.

This show is part of the Health UNMUTED audio library and was created with support from the American Pharmacists Association Foundation. To listen and learn more, visit healthunmuted.com. Please like and subscribe to Health UNMUTED where you'll find other series about different health conditions and you'll stay up to date with all of our future series.

Thank you so much for joining us.