In an interview with BlackDoctor.org, Bryant explained, “The American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) website has invaluable resources and tools for diabetes prevention and management. The risk test is a noninvasive tool to begin the conversation about diabetes. The test contains 7 questions and it evaluates the risk of developing diabetes. The ADA also lists community diabetes education programs, some specifically tailored for African American churches, meal planning guidelines and guidance on increasing physical activity. “
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President Obama has also joined the crusade for early detection which will benefit Black men all over America.
The Obama administration has proposed expanding Medicare to include payment for certain “lifestyle change programs” for those with pre-diabetes.
The change in the health care system from reactive to proactive is necessary to control the runaway health care costs.
Senior Health Educator/Lifestyle Coach, Natasha Coleman, says that brothers can decrease their chances of developing the disease by not only early detection, but also exercise and better food choices. Coleman speaks to the men from experience. Her 200 pound weight loss has received national recognition from The Steve Harvey Show and Essence Magazine. She says things like cutting back on soda, drinking fresh juices, eliminating processed sugar and fried food all together worked. But the last component is, of course, exercise.
Studies have shown that exercising combined with a healthy diet are great first steps toward lowering your risk of diabetes She recommends 150 minutes of physical activity per week to aid in losing 5-7% of your body fat. Her belief is that concentrating on your health and not the actual weight loss is a great strategy for overcoming diabetes and lowering your risk.
“If we concentrate on our health, weight loss will be a result of that.”
Small incremental changes in your life could make the difference according to the coach. Weight loss is something that Coleman and Bryant agree is the key to decreasing Black men’s risk of diabetes. They encourage Black men to lead more active lifestyles full of exercise which will aid in the weight loss and also watching their calorie intake on a daily basis. That means asking for grilled chicken and maybe not that crispy fried we love so much. Small changes make the difference.
I challenge brother’s to get screened for diabetes at their next check-up.
For more diabetes resources, click here.
5 Things Every Black Man Should Do To Cut His Diabetes Risk was originally published on blackdoctor.org
