Frederick County Office
330 Montevue Lane
Frederick, MD 21702
TEL 301-600-1594
FAX 301-600-1588
http://extension.umd.edu/frederick-county
November 19, 2015
Release Date: November 25, 2015
Deborah Rhoades, MA, RD, FAND
Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences
DIABETES IS NO SUGAR-COATED ISSUE
November is American Diabetes Month. Sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, this
campaign is designed to both heighten awareness of the disease among the general population
and educate diabetics on how to prevent complications through better control of blood sugar.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of people in the
US diagnosed with diabetes has tripled in the last 35 years. The Frederick County 2014
Community Health Assessment revealed that 9.4% of county residents report having a diabetes
diagnosis.
Diabetes lowers life expectancy by up to 15 years and can lead to several life-threatening
complications. It is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in young adults. Diabetes can
lead to renal disease, nerve disease and lower-limb amputation, heart disease and stroke.
The increased incidence of type 2 diabetes is cause for great concern. As more adolescents and
children are diagnosed with type 2, the complications of diabetes will begin to appear at younger
ages and with greater severity. Alarmingly, there are even pre-school children being diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes.
Looking for resources to help the person with diabetes? They are right here in our community Frederick Memorial Hospital, Center for Diabetes and Nutrition Services (CDN). Formerly
located at the Wellness Center at the FSK Mall they have moved to FMH Crestwood, 7211 Bank
Court, Suite 240, Frederick, Maryland. Their staff of health professionals includes a Certified
Diabetes Educator (CDE) and Registered Dietitians (RD), and they will evaluate, educate and
support you to manage the disease.
The FMH Diabetes Program offers a 10-hour comprehensive educational program that teaches
meal planning, carbohydrate counting, blood sugar testing, drug administration, weight
management, and behavioral management skills to help you better control your diabetes. Most
insurance companies cover the cost of the program with a physician referral. Call 240-215-1474
to enroll or visit their website at www.fmh.org Appointments are also available for those
diagnosed with gestational diabetes and pre-diabetes.
The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual
orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.
For this article I interviewed Jan Drass, Certified Diabetes Educator, of the FMH CDN to inquire
about other resources. Jan very passionately recommended Diabetes Forecast® magazine and
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) for accurate information. ADA has an excellent
website www.diabetes.org which provides a quick risk assessment tool for Type 2 diabetes. For
the newly diagnosed diabetes they offer a FREE 12 month program with
• 5 informational packets
• Tasty and healthy recipes
• A monthly e-newsletter
• 6 free issues of Diabetes Forecast®
• Access to their online community and local events
• Opportunity to receive personalized text messages from Care4life
Jan also highly recommends everyone watch the HBO video documentary The Weight of the
Nation, to fully understand the reasons, consequences, and challenges we face from the rapid rise
in obesity. The third segment of this 4-part series addresses childhood obesity which affects 1 in
3 children in America today! Check it out at http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/
As we approach the holidays and New Year, I hope you will make steps to create a healthy food
environment to prevent you and your loved ones from developing this devastating disease. Yes
it is no sugar-coated issue but there are resources to help.
Here are two recipes that easily fit into a healthy meal plan for people with diabetes.
SEAFOOD STIR-FRY
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound bay scallops or shrimp
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 head bok choy (Chinese white cabbage, about 3 lbs), trimmed and chopped
1 package (16 ounces) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Heat the sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, and
scallops and sauté until the scallops are cooked through. With a slotted spoon, remove the
scallops to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Add the sesame seeds and ginger to the wok and
cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Add the bok choy and the stir-fry
vegetables and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes. Return the scallops to the wok and add the soy sauce.
Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately. Serves 8 (1 cup serving).
Nutritional Analysis per serving: 109 calories, 5 gm total fat, 1 gm saturated fat, 15 mg
cholesterol, 9 gm protein, 205 mg sodium, 6 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm sugars, 3 gm fiber. Dietary
Exchanges per serving: 1 very lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.
TUSCAN TUNA AND WHITE BEAN SALAD
Serves 6
1 can (6-1/2 ounces) water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
1 can (19 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup prepared light Italian dressing or vinaigrette
Combine tuna, beans, onion, green pepper, and black pepper. Add dressing and toss to combine
and coat all ingredients. Chill before serving. Nutritional Analysis per 1/2 cup serving: 129
calories, 1 gm total fat, 0 gm saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 395 mg sodium, 3 gm fiber, 18 gm
carbohydrate, 12 gm protein. Diabetic exchanges: 1 starch, 1 very lean meat.
For more information about the University of Maryland Extension Frederick County Office
check out our website http://extension.umd.edu/frederick-county
University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all persons and will not discriminate
against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability,
religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or
gender identity and expression.
Deborah Rhoades, MA, RD, FAND, is a licensed Registered Dietitian, Fellow of the Academy
of Nutrition Dietetics, and Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Sciences.
DHR:ls