Diabetes & Nutrition
Clinic Location
Diabetes & Nutrition Center
1506 Crown Drive
Kirksville, MO 63501
Phone: (660) 627-4493, Ext. 412
Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
What is Diabetes?
With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should. Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. With diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.
Facts About Diabetes
• 86 million Americans have pre-diabetes
• 1 out of 3 have pre-diabetes
• 9 out of 10 do not know they have it
• 35.9% of Missourians have pre-diabetes
• Pre-diabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to diagnose you with diabetes
• Pre-diabetes puts you at an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and stroke
Assess Your Risk
It is important to talk to your doctor now about getting your blood sugar tested. Many times, there are no clear symptoms, until serious health problems show up. Risk factors for developing prediabetes include:
• Being overweight
• Being over the age of 45
• Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
• Physical inactivity
• Gestational diabetes
Services
Personalized Diabetes Education and Support
Personalized Food and Nutrition Counseling
Medicare Weight Loss Program
Monthly Support Group
Providers
Events & Classes
General Class Information
The Diabetes and Nutrition Center is proud to offer a variety of fun and informative classes. All Northeast Missouri residents are welcome to take part in our FREE classes. Prior to attending, participants must complete an initial evaluation with one of our diabetes educators.
If you wish to register for any of our classes, please contact us at (660) 627-4493, Ext. 412. You may also stop by 1506 Crown Drive during business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday) to register.
Classes have limited spots; reserving a spot is on a first-come-first-serve basis.
All classes, unless otherwise noted, will meet at our Diabetes and Nutrition Center, 1506 Crown Drive, Kirksville, MO 63501. All Northeast Missouri residents are welcome to participate in our FREE classes. Prior to attending, participants must complete an initial evaluation with one of our diabetes educators.
Adult Diabetes Education
Our Adult Outpatient Diabetes Education program is taught by a certified diabetes educator who is a registered dietitian. The program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association. The recognition and certification process is based on national standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Services.
Receive one-on-one diabetes disease management:
• Fine-tune your blood sugars and medication regimen
• Coaching to help manage daily life with diabetes
• Support and scheduled phone calls to help keep you on track with your diabetes
• Support to help manage the effects of diabetes distress
• You are also able to focus on healthy kidney function, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or weight loss.
Adult Diabetes Education
Our Adult Outpatient Diabetes Education program is taught by a certified diabetes educator who is a registered dietitian. The program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association. The recognition and certification process is based on national standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Services.
Receive one-on-one diabetes disease management:
• Fine-tune your blood sugars and medication regimen
• Coaching to help manage daily life with diabetes
• Support and scheduled phone calls to help keep you on track with your diabetes
• Support to help manage the effects of diabetes distress
• You are also able to focus on healthy kidney function, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or weight loss.
Preparing for Pregnancy with Diabetes
Pregnancy complications and birth defects related to diabetes can be reduced with proper pre-pregnancy care. The Diabetes and Nutrition Center offers a program to help women with pre-existing diabetes who are planning pregnancies in 6 to 12 months. Planning for a pregnancy with a pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes requires different resources than addressing diabetes that arises during pregnancy, which is known as gestational diabetes. Research has shown that proper control of blood glucose before conception reduces pregnancy complications in the mother and greatly decreases the rate of serious birth defects in babies. Both of these risks are significantly greater when blood glucose is not kept in check. These complications can be prevented with proper planning!
The program consists of:
• Preconception counseling with individualized recommendations for diabetes care.
• Follow-up via monthly visits and phone calls for support in achieving ideal preconception glycemic control.
Topics covered include:
• How diabetes affects pregnancy
• How pregnancy affects diabetes
• Pregnancy nutrition
• Basic diabetes management skills
• How to prevent complications
• Medication safety
Flexible Diabetes Management Classes
The Flexible Management Classes are designed for adults with diabetes. Four sessions, two hours long, are held four times per year. This class is recommended either for adults who are newly diagnosed with diabetes or for adults who would like to obtain the most current information to help with their diabetes management, as well as for adults who are interested in an insulin pump. Our goal for this class is to give you tools and suggestions that you will be able to utilize in dealing with your diabetes.
The information in this program is tailored to what is important to you. As an attendee, you are encouraged to share your thoughts, concerns, and questions with us during the classes.
This class is a prerequisite for those interested in pumps. In the class, you will learn what insulin pumps are, what is involved in starting a pump, how to manage emergencies, and more. After you have completed the class, the diabetes education team will work with you personally to prepare you for an insulin pump. We will coordinate ordering and provide education and follow-up to help you become a successful “pumper."
Diabetes Meal Planning 101
There is no one size fits all approach to meal planning for patients with Type 2 Diabetes. We do know that modifying what, when, and how much you eat can make great improvements in your blood sugar. This 2-hour class focuses on:
• How different types of foods impact our blood sugar
• Methods to decrease portion sizes
• How the timing of meals and snacks influences our blood sugar
• Different ways to plan meals to meet your blood sugar goals
Meal Planning for Mealtime Insulin
You and your provider may have decided to begin mealtime insulin, or maybe you have been taking mealtime insulin for years. This class is designed to help you understand and apply the following:
• How different types of insulin treat your blood sugar differently throughout the day
• Why a meal plan helps you reach your blood glucose goals and prevents hypoglycemia when taking mealtime insulin
• Feel confident in identifying which foods contain carbohydrates
• Understand how your blood sugar responds to different foods
• Different methods to count carbohydrates
• Identify the right amount of carbohydrates to consume with your mealtime insulin.