JOHN DAY – The bad news about diabetes is in the numbers: 20.8 million Americans have the disease; another 54 million have pre-diabetes and are heading that direction. On average, people with diabetes have already lived with it for seven years before their diagnosis, putting their health at greater risk.

But there is also good news.

It’s easy to be tested for diabetes and a healthy lifestyle can help prevent diabetes and can help a person with diabetes avoid complications from the disease – it can be managed.

Since 2005, physical therapist Sarah Russ has taught a diabetes education course at Blue Mountain Hospital. The class is for anyone who wants to learn more about diabetes and is held once a week for five weeks in the hospital’s conference room.

“My role is not to direct anyone’s behavior or choices, but to provide information,” Russ said. “People are then in a position to make informed choices about how to address their condition.”

Registered dietitian Kim Jacobs also leads one of the classes in each series to help class members with meal planning using the diabetic guidelines.

“No foods are forbidden to a person with diabetes, but it’s important to know the recommended amount of certain foods within one’s food plan,” Russ noted.

“The lifestyle recommendations for controlling the high blood sugar levels for people with diabetes are very similar to those for any person: whole foods with emphasis on reasonable portions of nutritious foods, moderate daily exercise, and stress management,” she said.

Knowing a patient’s history of diabetes is important to a physical therapist because an injury or surgery can elevate a diabetic’s blood sugar levels. A physical therapist also needs to be aware of how exercise provided during a physical therapy treatment can affect blood glucose levels in a patient with diabetes. This information affects the type of guidance the patient would receive.

Mary Jane Allen of John Day was diagnosed with diabetes five years ago and recalls taking Russ’ course.

“If you follow her advice, you won’t have any trouble,” Allen said. “But being people, we tend to fall into the old habits.”