Meeting Recap - February 2, 2016

Linda LaFond opened the meeting with the Pledge and invocation.

 

John Risdall introduced his guest, Seth Thorson, owner of Eurotech Auto Service in New Brighton.

Linda Lafond's guests were her husband, Roger and son, Steve.

 

President Dana reminded us that there will be a brief Board meeting immediately following next week's club meeting.

 

Next week's program will be Blake Huffman, Ramsey County Commissioner.  Mr. Huffman will  speak on "Housing the Homeless".

 

Dana noted that the Technology and Public relations Committees have been merged to form the Communications Committee.

 

Paul Fournier may be able to get tickets for "A Chorus Line" at the Ordway in February.  He'll have a sign-up sheet next week.

 

Finemaster Jim Kadechka quizzed us on the results of the Iowa Caucus and our knowledge proved wanting.   Immediately after fleecing us of our hard-earned dollars, Jim had the nerve to win the raffle.

 

Linda LaFond was proud to introduce her son, Steve, to talk with us about diabetes and healthy lifestyles.  Steve grew up in Fridley, studied biology and chemistry at the University of Minnesota and recieved his PharmD from Minnesota as well.  As a pharmacist, Steve has a natural interest in diabetes, but his young daughter's diabetes diagnosis makes his interest more personal. As a self-confessed health fanatic and former personal trainer, he is also very interested in how lifestyle can prevent or minimize the impact of diabetes.

 

Steve explained that there are two kinds of diabetes; type 1 and type 2.  Both types result in the body being unable to regulate the level of sugar in the body.  Symptoms (if present) are similar for both types: fatigue, poor healing, increased thirst and frequent urination. Type 1 diabetes results when the body's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, resulting in no insulin being produced.  In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas is still able to produce insulin, but the body is unable to utilize the insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance, and it is primarily caused by lifestyle factors like high sugar diet, obesity and inactivity.

 

Type 2 diabetes affects 28 million Americans and that number is growing very rapidly.  Even more ominous is the 86 million Americans who are pre-diabetic, many of whom will become type 2 diabetics if they are unable to make lifestyle changes.  Equally alarming is the fact that pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are occurring at much earlier ages, with children and teens showing a huge increase.

 

Steve had some dietary suggestions for diabetes control and prevention, but these suggestions are healthy for non-diabetics as well.  Fruits and vegetables (the more colorful, the better), lean meats, eggs, fish, yogurt, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.  Avoid processed foods, especially highly processed carbohydrates and sugar. 

Dana and Steve are shown below.