Diabetes Education & Research for Long, Healthy Lives

Goals – It’s that time of year again. The holidays are over and the guilt from the over-indulgences we all tend to engage in has set in. Many of us engage in the annual ritual of setting resolutions to improve our health – lose weight, exercise more often, quit smoking, eat healthier, just to name a few. Although we often start off strong (as I witnessed this morning with a 3 fold increase in attendance at my gym), many of us struggle to maintain our motivation and commitment. We often end up feeling overwhelmed, unsuccessful and apathetic about our abilities to effectively change our health behaviors. BUT HAVE NO FEAR! CHANGING HEALTH BEHAVIORS IS POSSIBLE!

The key is in goal setting. Here are a few tips to help set achievable goals for health behavior change you can actually accomplish:

1. Start small – Small changes can have big effects. Instead of trying to change everything at once, start with one behavior at a time.

2. Be realistic – Set yourself up for success by setting a goal you have a high likelihood of achieving. If you have a lofty goal (ex: losing 20 lbs) break it into small, achievable steps (ex: 1 lb per week).

3. Reward yourself for small successes – Every step in the right direction, no matter how small, will help you achieve your goal. Give yourself a pat on the back or put a quarter in your reward jar each time you do something that supports your goal (ex: taking the stairs, choosing salad over fries, only eating half your entrée at the restaurant).

4. Find a buddy – Enlisting the help of a friend or family member will not only help you stick with your commitment, you will have the added benefit of additional social support. Be sure to tell them exactly what they can do to help you meet your goal (ex: go on a walk together, choose restaurants with healthy choices, leave the ice cream at the store).

5. Forgive yourself for mistakes – Change is a process and relapse into old habits is part of the change cycle. Don’t discount the progress you have made just because you slipped (ex: ate that giant bowl of ice cream before bed, skipped the gym, gained 2 lbs). Mistakes are common and don’t erase the progress you have made. View each day as a new opportunity to make positive choices for your health.

Happy and realistic goal setting!

The 4th Annual $10,000 Treasure Valley Weight Loss Challenge kicks off on January 7th! Registration is from 8am – 1pm at our Boise office (1226 River Street).

Can’t make the kick-off? Continuing registration is from Jan 8 – 22 at Ladd Family Pharmacy (1109 Broadway, Boise) or at our Meridian office (Suite 1229 in St. Luke’s Meridian).

Prize money awarded to the top 3 women and top 3 men. Participants receive weekly emails with health tips, monthly support groups, opportunities to work with personal trainers, special offers from health professionals and more.

Final weigh-in will be held on Thursday, June 7, 2012.

Want all the details? Download the Weight Loss Challenge Brochure

Have questions? Email us!

Wishing you Happy – and HEALTHY – holidays!

The holidays are a very busy time of year. With the fun and excitement of parties, presents, and family gatherings also comes increased levels of stress. Stress has a negative impact on health. Patients with diabetes may experience uncontrolled changes in their glucose levels, as rises in blood glucose are a common side effect of stress.

Engaging in active stress management activities is critical for good mind/body health during the holiday season. When you find yourself feeling tired, overwhelmed, crabby or just plain “maxed out,” STOP!
Take a quick break and try one of these simple stress reducing strategies:

• Take a few deep cleansing breaths and focus your mind on what your truly enjoy about the holidays (even if that one thing is them ending)
• Look at or imagine a calming scene and picture yourself there (a beautiful field of wild flowers, waves rolling onto the sandy shore, snow covered houses twinkling with Christmas lights)
• Take a walk – even 10 to 15 minutes of exercise can help clear your mind and boost your energy and mood
• Set realistic expectations for holiday gatherings – sometimes in our quest for the “perfect holiday memory” we set ourselves up for frustration and stress with unrealistic expectations
• Set aside time for yourself and do something you enjoy (listen to music, spend time with a pet, call a friend, enjoy a cup of tea). Investing in a few minutes of self-care can help replenish your energy reserve for giving to others

Make active stress management part of your holiday routine. Your mind and body (not to mention your family) will thank you for it!

Happy Holidays,

Dr. Amy

Habits - Those behaviors we engage in day after day without even thinking about. We are all creatures of our habits. Some are good and support our health goals (like brushing our teeth), while others are destructive and sabotage health goals (reaching for chocolate or ice cream when we are upset). Habits are useful because they help us to make efficient use of our energy. But unhealthy habits can make us feel like prisoners to our own behaviors (the mind says “No,” but the body doesn’t listen.)

The bad news – changing an unhealthy habit can be challenging, as it has often become the “default setting” in our mind. The good news – despite their well established presence in our daily lives, habits can be changed.

So how do you “reset” your default behaviors? Five simple steps: 1) make a conscious decision to change; 2) make a plan (set a time/date/ place to start, rally your supports, set up your environment for success); 3) give your plan a try; 4) adjust your plan as needed to optimize success; and 5) reward yourself for your ongoing efforts. Happy habit changing!

Time – There is never enough of it. We use it as an excuse to avoid making changes in our

eating habits, exercise and self-care. We can’t change the number of hours in the day, but we can change how we use them.

Ask yourself these questions: What are my priorities? Do they line up with how I spend my time and energy each day? If not, would I like them to? Try to identify one small change you can make to realign your personal priorities with your daily allocation of time and energy. This simple exercise will help you decrease your stress and reach your personal health goals more easily.

Healthy Coping for Parents of Children with Diabetes
A 4-session class that helps parents learn effective coping strategies!

Taught by Judy Davis, RN, CDE, FAADE and
Amy Walters, PhD, Licensed Psychologist

Topics include but are not limited to:
• Emotional aspects of diabetes
• Dealing with transitions
• Impact of diabetes on the family
• Helping children cope with diabetes
• Developing 504 & other school plans
• Nutrition and insulin

Class Dates: Nov 8, Dec 13, Jan 10 and Feb 14
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
St. Luke’s Humphreys Diabetes Center – 1226 River Street, Boise

Child care is provided

Cost is $69 per session and can be billed to insurance and Medicaid with a physician referral.

Please contact us at 331-1155 or info@hdiabetescenter.org with any questions or concerns, or to register.

Are you struggling to manage your diabetes? Has it been difficult for you to improve your diet and exercise routine? This group is for you!

Walk N Talk is led by Dr. Amy Walters, HDC’s Director of Behavioral Health Services. Designed to help you overcome the emotional and behavioral barriers to diet and exercise habits, the program offers six sessions of weekly group meetings, each 1 1/2 hours long. The first hour is structured group interaction with a topic of discussion (TALK). The last half hour is a walk or other physical activity with informal discussion about the topic of the day (WALK).

Groups are offered at the Boise and Meridian offices and are billable to insurance and Medicare (Medicaid is not eligible.)

For more information or to enroll in the next group, call us at 331-1155 or email us.