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.

Dietitian Comes to University of Maryland

On November 12th, Operation Diabetes brought Annette Hottenstein to speak at the University of Maryland. Annette is a Registered Dietician and is involved with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Diabetes Association. From her presentation, students learned about th history of nutrition therapy in diabetes. She pointed out that being overweight is not the only risk factor for diabetes. People who are not overweight can also be at risk. She taught that diabetics shouldn't skip meals, they should avoid sugary drinks, and eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish. In fact, the diabetic diet is the same as the recommended American diet. Unfortunately, the typical American diet is far from the recommended diet and she passed around bags showing the typical amount of fat and sugar in a fast food meal.

 Amount of butter in a fast food meal:                                            Amount of sugar in a fast food meal:

 

Annette also talked about foods that are good for diabetics. Oatmeal has been shown to be good for controlling blood sugar. Some diabetics feel that cinnamon is helpful but there is unclear evidence about its benefits. Fenugreek spice has some data showing its benefits and it tastes like maple. Whey has more evidence supporting it, but Alpha Lipoic Acid has the strongest evidence that it will effect glucose levels in the blood.

MOD learned a lot from Annette Hottenstein's talk!