Participants in Jemi Health Wellness and Fitness' 13-week weight management program "In Control". The objective of "In Control" is to help at-risk individuals better understand the benefits of healthy living and to equip them with the tools for long-term success in magaging diabetes. (Photo: Jemi Health and Wellness)
Twenty-five at-risk individuals who are pre-diabetic, diabetic, overweight and obese have been given the opportunity to take control of their health through a 13-week weight management program known as "In Control" offered by Jemi Health Wellness and Fitness.
The objective of "In Control" is to help at-risk individuals better understand the benefits of healthy living and equip them with the tools for long-term success in managing diabetes.
Conducted in collaboration with Joslin Diabetes Center, out of Boston, Massachusetts, the "In Control" program, which is patterned after the Joslin Diabetes Center's "Why Wait" weight management program, provides holistic support from a multi-disciplinary team to assist participants with setting personal goals for weight loss management.
The progression of the "In Control" program will be monitored throughout the 13-weeks with the assistance of the Joslin Diabetes Center.
The team of local medical professionals includes internal medicine specialist Dr. Sheena Antonio-Collie; behavioral therapist Janette Martin-Isaacs, who is also president of Jemi Health and Wellness; registered nurses; nutritionists; holistic life coaches; exercise physiologists; insurance practitioners and pharmaceutical partners, who have created the environment to provide support for participants with challenges along the way.
The individuals chosen to participate in the program are now into their fourth week, and according to the program facilitators at JEMI, they are responding positively to the lifestyle changes. Some participants have lost weight and as a result are experiencing reduction in fasting blood glucose levels.
Renaldo Thompson, Deborah Seymour, Olive Hanna, Michele Fields, Joanne Knowles, Desiree Bain, Jan Knowles, Pethrel Virgil, Cheryl Miller Russell, Kim Adderley, Franklyn Strachan, Ellamae Collie, Christopher Wallace, Vaninca Tate, Karil Johnson-Gibson, Samantha Major, Gidget Turnquest, Mavis Delancy, Felix Delancy, Suzette Johnson, Sacario Leadon, Yvone Thompson, Paula Strachan, Katherine Cartwright and Althea Gibson are the participants.
They engage in fitness activities up to five times a week. Each participant aims to lose seven to 10 percent of body fat by the end of the program.
Martin-Isaacs was pleased to be able to offer the program in The Bahamas, given the country's obesity rate and the increasing number of pre-diabetics and diabetics.
"This is an intervention we can use with most persons in The Bahamas, and we expect to offer it to the wider community," said Martin-Isaacs.
While on the program participants will be educated through a series of diabetes educational activities that included nutrition, fitness and cognitive behavioral lifestyle exercises.
"At the end of 13 weeks, it is anticipated that participants will graduate with HBA1C values less than seven. Under seven means they are in control of their health and hence, their lifestyle," said Martin-Isaacs.
Dr. Antonio-Collie stressed the importance of participants being thoroughly informed.
"This program gives diabetics and pre-diabetics that boost in the right direction to help control their glucose. It is important for them to understand what it means to be diabetic, the complications of diabetes and how they can treat and control it," she said.
The doctor said diabetic participants on medication were encouraged to continue with their daily dosage, but said she hopes to see a reduction in the need for medications.
The nutrition component of the "In Control" program includes a meal replacement -- Boost Glucose Control -- which is designed specifically for diabetics with 25 vitamins and minerals. Lowe's Wholesale Brands Manager Nyoka Sweeting said the meal replacement could also be supplemented as a snack and is also suitable for people who are lactose intolerant.
Atlantic Medical's Wellness Coordinator Donovan Ingraham said his company came on board with the program as a result of the diabetes problem in the country.
"We know there is an obesity epidemic that is directly related to diabetes. We find it important to make sure individuals are well educated in terms of every avenue whether mental, physical or nutritional health, therefore, we found it very important to sponsor an individual program to help reduce diabetes," said Ingraham.
Martin-Isaacs said JEMI Health and Wellness is committed to creating lifestyle change through ongoing health and wellness programs that encourage healthy living in mind, body and spirit.
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