On Thursday, April 4th, we collaborated with Madison B-Cycle to spread awareness of Tour de Cure. We were able to reach UW-Madison students, staff and visitors by providing extra information, free merchandise and a convenient way to sign up for the race. Similar events will occur on campus this April, so be sure to check for future dates on our Facebook or Twitter pages. Here are a few pictures from our event!
Add Comment The ADA Tour de Cure 2013 Kick-Off Event was a success! Over 40 people attended the event last Sunday at Badger Bowl to learn about Tour de Cure and have some fun. There were stations about the different types of ride routes, website and fundraising, the Red Riders program, team captains, and ADA programs and services. Afterwards, the Kick-Off teams enjoyed a DJ and bowling!
Kick-Off team members had a great time while learning a lot at the event! Team members visited different informational stations throughout the event, and one of the stations included a bike demo. Thanks to all who came and supported the Madison Tour de Cure 2013! Pathway to Stop Diabetes to provide funding for innovative diabetes researchers. With nearly 26 million adults and children in the U.S. living with diabetes, and another 79 million living with prediabetes, diabetes is a physical and financial burden for the health of the nation. To accelerate the research needed to discover solutions and ultimately cure this deadly epidemic, the American Diabetes Association is launching a bold new program, Pathway to Stop Diabetes, an effort to inspire and support a new generation of diabetes researchers. Individuals supported through this program will focus on innovative ideas and transformational approaches that lead to discoveries in diabetes prevention and treatment, and ultimately change the face of diabetes. To learn more, visit diabetes.org/pathway. 
Thanks to your advocacy, the Special Diabetes Program reauthorization passed both the Senate and the House and is on its way to the President’s desk to be signed into law! Your meetings with Members of Congress, phone calls and emails kept this alive and got us to the finish line! The reauthorization renews the Special Diabetes Program for one year at the current funding level of $150 million for the type 1 diabetes program and $150 million for the program focused on diabetes in Native American and Alaska Native communities. This is a major victory for people affected by diabetes. Our nation’s most effective federal initiative to Stop Diabetes® and its complications, the Special Diabetes Program has made real advances in diabetes research, treatment and prevention efforts, bringing us closer to a cure for diabetes. Because of your help, this renewal will allow for:
Thank you for taking action and giving hope to millions of Americans with diabetes. Find out more about the American Diabetes Association's advocacy efforts: 2012 Legislative Priorities | 2011 Legislative Victories | Take Action on Federal Alerts | What's Going on in Your State?  Trying to come up with a New Year’s resolution? In a recent study published in the University of Scranton Journal of Psychology, less than 50% of the people surveyed stuck to their New Year’s resolutions for more than six months. However, the most drop-off occurred in the first month, and those who made it to February were far more likely to persevere. So how do you make your resolution stick during that pivotal first month? One strategy is to change the way that you think about New Year’s resolutions. “Losing ten pounds” might seem like a reasonable goal, but it can leave you unsure where to begin. Think instead about substituting the donut in the break room with some Greek yogurt or limiting dessert to weekends instead of every day. In the same vein, the ever popular “exercise more” is incredibly vague and easily overlooked during the dreary winter months, and “manage stress” will leave you stressed out about forgetting to manage your stress. Instead, vow to begin the day with a fifteen-minute yoga video or take a half-hour to read for pleasure before bed each night. Small changes are much easier to fit into a busy schedule, and they won’t leave you feeling like a failure come February. Eventually, they will be become habit, and, as we all know, old habits die hard. Want to see what others are resolving to do in 2013? Check out Google’s Zeitgeist 2012 here! You can input your 2013 resolution in the map and see what other people are saying. Remember that little, everyday changes can lead to a healthier lifestyle.  You know that walking to classes or work is good for you, but have you ever wondered exactly how it affects your health? This infographic shows that even walking just thirty minutes a day can work wonders. For instance, those who aren’t fans of cardio will be happy to hear that walking to the grocery store burns more fat than jogging. With flu season fast approaching, it is also good to know that walking can cut in half your odds of catching a cold. Students and faculty out there will also be glad to know that walking up Bascom Hill once per day, five days a week, thirty weeks a year, for four years is the equivalent of 17.59 times the height of Mount Everest--every little bit counts! Hopping on the bus may seem tempting as temperatures drop, but toss on an extra layer instead and walk towards a healthier lifestyle.  For those suffering from diabetes, Halloween isn’t an all-you-can-eat affair. Everyday people with diabetes closely watch their diet and manage their sugar intake. But, this doesn’t mean they have to sit out on all the fun! With this carb counter people with diabetes can still participate in the fun while managing their intake! Check it out here! People with diabetes are already benefitting from the Affordable Care Act...
Learn more about the benefits of health care reform for people with diabetes! Check out the PDF below! 
On June 28, 2012, the Affordable Care Act was upheld by the Supreme Court, and the American Diabetes Association has something to say about it. Read the attached press release below to understand why Larry Hausner, CEO of the American Diabetes Association , called the Affordable Care Act "a crucial victory in our continued fight to Stop Diabetes." The Affordable Care Act:
"Every day, the American Diabetes Association works hard to expand access to affordable care to prevent, delay and slow the progression of diabetes," and "upholding the law is a major step forward in our continued fight."
 A healthy lifestyle is important and key in everyday life. A healthy lifestyle can help keep us from diseases that can damage our life and even damage the lives of others around us. I didn’t fully understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle until spring of 2009. I was always active. I played sports. I exercised. My diet, I thought, was reasonably healthy. If I put on weight, I would diet and usually it worked. It wasn’t enough and to be frank, I wasn’t taking care of myself in the right way. I found myself at my primary doctor’s office with high blood pressure at the age of 23. I was placed on medication and it was the start of something I never thought would happen to me. By summer I packed on 17 pounds and weighed XX on a 4’10” frame. During that time, I tried working out, but I found myself short of breath and tired, making it difficult for me to exercise. I became stressed, emotional, embarrassed, you name it. I struggled with food, too. I would eat healthy, but I would also find myself dining out and pulling up to drive thru windows a lot. I didn’t think it was affecting me, though. My eating habits had been the same for years. During that time, I went back to my primary doctor. I told her something was wrong and that I am putting on weight like crazy. Her response, “Keep exercising”. I asked her if there was another high blood pressure medication I could go on as I was convinced it was the medication. I was placed on a water pill. I still put on weight, but for the most part, I was leveling off. I wasn’t satisfied. What was I doing wrong? I was living my life the same way I had been for years and now my body was completely rejecting it. By the fall I was miserable and fed up, ready to figure out what was wrong with me. My mom was ready, too. We met with my doctor. We asked her again for help, another alternative. She told me the blood work that was done months prior was fine and it wasn’t anything else. I was told to try counting my calories and exercise. I asked her to refer me to an endocrinologist. She didn’t want to, but agreed. By November, I was having blood work and glucose tests done. By December, I was informed I was prediabetic and once again placed on medication. I was 24 and on my way to having type 2 diabetes. This was not going to happen to me and I prepared myself to do what it takes to make sure I would have it under control. This time it wasn’t going to be a crash diet. My amazing endocrinologist referred me to a program through Aurora. It was called the Living Well Program. This program truly saved my life. I had a support system that I met with on a weekly basis for the first three months. I worked with a dietitian and a personal trainer. I learned a lot about food, personal wellness, exercise and most of all how to maintain a healthy lifestyle that worked for me. The weight was coming off like crazy and by the end of the third month I was training for my first triathlon. I continued into phase 2 of the program, which was a commitment of another nine months. Within one year, I lost 32 pounds, completed a triathlon and built and maintained a lifestyle of healthy eating and daily exercise. Most of all, in a way you could say I beat type 2 diabetes. As of today, I am no longer on any medication and I am the healthiest I have ever been. I didn’t do it by crash diets or by burning myself out with too much exercise. I did it by making changes that I can take with me for the rest of my life. The Living Well Program is what brought me here today. I wanted to tell my story. I wanted to start with an introduction as to what I want for my future. I currently have my Bachelor’s in Science in Education and Human Services from the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh. However, the career path I have been on is not what I am looking for. Health and wellness have become important aspects in my life and I want to share that with others. Making the decision to go back to school for dietetics feels right this time around. I want to take the knowledge I have now and the knowledge I will gain and put it towards something I believe in my hope is that I can use it and be what could be considered a health and wellness “life coach”. I want to take it and develop goals and plans for those that will be my future patients. I want to help others focus and strive for a healthier life free of disease that can be controlled with the right tools. I want to help others strive for what they may have thought was the unthinkable. Unfortunately, we have allowed ourselves to create a society that doesn’t revolve around health and wellness, causing an increase in health problems among Americans. With the right people and persistence in prevention, we can create a healthier society. I want to take part in that. I understand the efforts, the time and hard work involved in making lifestyle changes. I want to help coach someone with the knowledge I gain, the efforts I make and the support I can give in helping save another person’s life and keep them free from disease. This is why I am making the decision to continue my education in a field that is very important to me. Thanks for listening, Samantha Rappa | Authors:For this blog we have many different authors. People submit inspirational stories to us for publishing. Do you have a story to share? If so, please email me at jeposh@gmail.com. Thank you! Archives:April 2013 Categories:All | |||||||||
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