The Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center at CSU is starting a new eight-week class Jan. 18 to help people manage their diabetes through nutrition, cooking and physical activity. It’s the first class of its kind in Northern Colorado.
The new Diabetes Empowerment program builds on the center’s years of educational experience and borrows elements from several of its existing offerings: the National Diabetes Prevention Program, Healthy You, and Dining with Diabetes, according to Kalyn Garcia, a registered dietitian nutritionist who will be leading the class.
Preserving quality of life
“We took the best of these tried-and-true programs and blended them into this hands-on class series,” she said. “We want to help people gain confidence in managing diabetes so they don’t have to deal with life-altering complications and can preserve their quality of life.”
The model of this class involves learning and practice — a more effective way to make lasting lifestyle changes than typical passive, lecture-style health classes.
The class includes a hands-on cooking component that reinforces the nutrition topics taught that day, and guided physical activity.
“And we do all the shopping, so dinner is included on cooking nights,” Garcia said.
Good for caregivers and family members, too
The program, designed and led by a dietitian, includes comprehensive nutrition classes with Q&A, group support, problem-solving, guided physical activity and more. This program is ideally suited for those with diabetes (type 1, type 2 and gestational) as well as caregivers or family members.
“The class is all about accountability, troubleshooting, working together to overcome barriers, and getting the latest information about managing a disease through lifestyle,” Garcia said.
Registration for the class is now open. It will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays beginning Jan. 18, in the Gifford Building, Room 237. The cost is $300 per person, and participants can bring a companion for an additional $150. For more information or to sign up, call 970-495-5916 or visit www.nutritioncenter.colostate.edu.
The Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center is in CSU’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, which is part of the College of Health and Human Sciences.
