Baltimore Project Homeless Connect

The other day, Operation Diabetes partnered with UMBC Pre-Pharmacy Club to educate patients on the actual healthiness of their drinks, and provided handouts on how to read nutrition labels and prepare a healthy food plate. 

Handouts were also given on how to manage diabetes and decrease risks of serious long term complications.

To encourage medication adherence, patients currently taking medications were provided a Script Your Future Medication Adherence Medication card to help the patients keep track of their medications!

Genesis Fellowship Bible Health Fair

Changing to a healthier lifestyle can be hard and frustrating. This is where Operation Diabetes comes in to help make this change easier!

The other day, MOD volunteered at the Genesis Fellowship Bible Church and educated church-goers on how to lead a healthier lifestyle and better control their blood sugar. Faculty helped answer  questions about medications and healthy granola bar snacks were given out. 

       Also, MOD got a chance to talk to individuals about their eating habits and the importance of change especially for those who had a high risk based on their Diabetes Risk Assessment!

APhA & SNPhA Diabetes Fair

In health care, collaboration is important! 

Not long ago, MOD went to help out at a diabetes fair at Bon Secours Hospital, where Operation Diabetes worked with SNPhA to provide diabetes education to the public and hospital staff. Together, we made a difference in the hospital community!

"Jump" Out of Diabetes

Did you know that diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death?

Or that it can lead to blindness, stroke, and kidney failure?

Thankfully, diabetes can be prevented through good diet and exercise!

Recently, MOD participated in the "Jump" Out of Diabetes event for World Diabetes Day!

At Baltimore's Inner Harbor, MOD and other student pharmacists provided jump ropes to passerbys to promote healthy exercise. Jump romping is great cardiovascular exercise for helping with diabetes!

Through this event, MOD and fellow pharmacy students hope to encourage patients to get more active and to make healthier choices in their daily lives.

Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes

Hello everybody!

After a lengthy summer break, MOD is back! Starting off her semester, MOD recently participated in the Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes event! It is a great cause that helps raise money and also create a positive impact on the lives of those who are affected by diabetes.

Special Fact: The Operation Diabetes team of UMB SOP APhA raised over $900 towards their original goal of $800! Congratulations guys!

The Genetics of Diabetes

MOD recently went to the UMB Wellness Fair to educate the public about diabetes. One person stopped by the Operation Diabetes booth and asked "How likely am I to get diabetes since my Mom has diabetes?" This inspired MOD to do some more research into the genetics of diabetes.

Both diet and exercise play a big role in your risk of developing diabetes, but genetics also play a role. The following facts were found on the American Diabetes Association website
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/genetics-of-diabetes.html.

• In general, if you are a man with type 1 diabetes, the odds of your child developing diabetes are 1 in 17
• If you are a woman with type 1 diabetes and your child was born before you were 25, your child's risk is 1 in 25; if your child was born after you turned 25, your child's risk is 1 in 100.
• In general, if you have type 2 diabetes, the risk of your child getting diabetes is 1 in 7 if you were diagnosed before age 50 and 1 in 13 if you were diagnosed after age 50.

Farxiga for type 2 diabetes will soon hit shelves

By Stephanie Yager, Student Pharmacist

Is Your Blood Pressure Under Control?

 

Last week, we participated in our annual blood pressure screenings for Million Hearts Week. We went to 3 pharmacies and conducted over 30 blood pressure screenings

 

  New guidelines for the management of blood pressure were recently released. MOD went through the guidelines and created a new chart for patients to determine their blood pressure goals. The treatment goals listed below are for people who are diagnosed with hypertension. Note that if you have Diabetes, your blood pressure goal is probably less than 140 over 90. If you are over 60 years old and don't have diabetes, your goal might be less than 150 over 90. Consult your doctor to determine what blood pressure goals are right for you.

 

 

Diabetes Jeopardy!

Last month, MOD played Diabetes Jeopardy at Johns Hopkins Outpatient Pharmacy. How much Diabetes Jeopardy do you know?

Glycemic control for 100: The goal blood pressure for most people with diabetes.

                         Answer:What is 140/80 mmHg

Diabetes Management for 100: Things you can do if you think you have low blood sugar.

                       Answer: When would you check your blood sugar right away. Treat by eating/drinking something containing sugar such as 1/2 cup of regular fruit juice or soda, 3 glycose tablets, or 5-6 hard candies.Wait 15 minutes and then check your blood sugar again. If it is still low, have another 1/2 cup of juice or a few hard candies

Glycemic control for 200: The goal Hemoglobin A1c for most people with diabetes.

                    Answer: What is < 7 percent

Photo of pharmacy students providing diabetes education in the pharmacy.

World Diabetes Day Blue Monument Challenge

World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14th.  It was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to growing concerns about the escalating threat of diabetes worldwide.  In 2007, World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day as a result of UN Resolution 61/225.  The Resolution invites all member states to participate in World Diabetes Day and draw attention to the need for education and awareness to tackle the growing diabetes epidemic.

Since 2007, the global diabetes community has worked together with local champions to light iconic landmarks and buildings in blue to mark World Diabetes Day around the world. More than 1000 monuments in 84 countries have gone blue for diabetes.

This year, one students lit one of the monuments in front of the library blue. The Bromo-Seltzer Tower was shining blue in the background. Pharmacy students handed out flyers containing diabetes education to spread awareness to people walking by.

MOD was excited to be involved in such a monumental event!

Healthy Halloween

Last week 20 third and fourth graders came to the School of Pharmacy for a Healthy Halloween celebration.
The event combined health education with fun activities and a haunted house. The number of children affected by obesity and diabetes continues to increase each year. It is important to educate children and their caregivers at a young age to make healthy lifestyle choices.

One of the stations was a guess the calories game. Did you know that there are about 100 calories in an apple, 300 calories in a sandwich, and 400 calories in a hamburger?

 



One of the stations was about healthy hand washing. Did you know that frequent hand-washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness? When you wash your hands you should rub them vigorously for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.

 

  



Other stations included Healthy Hydration, How Sweet are these Treats, Healthy Exercise and more.





Step Out Walk for Diabetes

We had a great turn-out at the annual Step Out Walk for Diabetes in Baltimore on Saturday, October 5. Our team managed to raise over $1014 and we had nearly 40 students walking from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. All of the proceeds went to the ADA to support diabetes research. Go Maryland!

Invokana

By Stella Chan, Student Pharmacist

MOD does another health fair!

Last week, MOD had a diabetes education booth at a health fair at the Genesis Bible Fellowship.



35 people stopped by our booth to learn about diabetes and diabetes prevention. Our most frequent question was if it is possible to cure diabetes. Once you are diagnosed with diabetes there is no cure. However; you can control your diabetes so that you need fewer medications or no medications at all.

Move Your Body!

Last year, a pharmacy student brought the message from Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Campaign to Baltimore.
He taught middle and elementary school students the dance from Beyoncé's music video "Move Your Body".

Today, nearly 1 in 3 children in America are overweight or obese. If we don't solve this problem, 1/3 of children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes or chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma at some point in their lives. "Let's Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams."  It gives parents information and fosters an environment that supports healthy choices. (Information above retrieved from the Let's Move! website).
Here are pictures from our Move Your Body class.



 The dance leader taught 34 middle and elementary school students how much fun exercise can be. Everyone laughed, learned some new dance moves, and got their heart pumping.

MOD tries healthy recipies

A few days ago I decided to try for myself one of the delicious recipes from the American Diabetes Association website. Since I love pasta, I found a recipe that uses low carb Rotini. I started off making the ground beef and spinach sauce using this recipe: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/recipes/dreamfields-rotini-with-ground-beef-and-spinach.html

Ingredients (Makes 6 servings)
1 box Dreamfields Rotini, Penne Rigate or Elbows
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 pound (90%) lean ground beef
1 can (8 ounces) no salt added tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 package (10 ounces) spinach leaves, shredded
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt (optional)
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef; cook until no longer pink, stirring and breaking beef into pieces.
3. Stir in tomato sauce and oregano. Continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add spinach, basil and red pepper flakes; continue cooking 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired.
4. Drain pasta. Add to skillet; toss with beef mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

 

Nutritional Information (1/6 of recipe)

401 calories
27 g protein
14 g digestible carbohydrates*
11 g total fat
4 g saturated fat
49 mg cholesterol
178 mg sodium
8 g total dietary fiber

 

I found that healthy cooking can be fun and delicious. People with diabetes can work with a diabetes educator or dietitian to design a meal plan that includes the foods they love. Foods high in carbohydrates raise blood sugar the most and need to be monitored throughout the day. Round your meals out with meat and non-starchy vegetables. For more diabetes friendly recipes look here: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/recipes/

 

Teaching about Healthy Snacking at Middle Schools

Last month, some pharmacy students partnered up with 'The Challenge Program' and helped out at the Green Street Academy Health Fair to teach the students about healthy snacking.

 

We made delicious fruit and yogurt parfaits and trail mix. We also showed students how to read a nutrition label. It is healthier to limit the amount of fat and sodium. If you have diabetes you want to monitor the amount of carbohydrates in each meal. Check the fiber and vitamins section of the label to see if the item is healthy for you.To maintain a healthy diet it is a good idea to look at the nutrition label of all the foods you eat. Below is an image from the National Kidney Foundation providing more information about nutrition labels.