b'success with preventing type 2 diabetes. In additionTheprogramhasbeensosuccessfulthatMr. toproviderreferrals,JacquettasaidshealsopulledCalhoun,Jacquettassupervisor,isintheprocessof patientsfromCareSouthCarolinasin-houseAzarexpandingthenumberofcertifiedstafftohavean systembasedontheirA1Clevels.TheA1Ctestevengreaterimpactonthecommunity.Jacquetta measures what percentage of hemoglobin proteins insaidpartofwhatmakestheprogramsosuccessful your blood are coated with sugar.A1C levels must beis the common bond shared by participants. When between 5.76.4 to qualify for the program.Normalparticipantsdiscoverthatothersaredealingwith levels are 5.7 or below.In August of 2017, Jacquettathe same challenges theyre facing and feel the same began her first class with 15 participants.Classes areway about eating certain foods and staying physically heldweeklyonWednesdaysfor30minutes.Afteractive,theyrealizetheyarenotalone.Havinga classes began, Jacquetta enlisted a nutrition specialistsupportsystemthatcallsandchecksonthemto from DHEC who agreed to come once per month tomake sure they are eating right, especially during the teach participants about healthy eating. pandemic,helpskeeptheirspiritsupbecausethey knowsomeonecares,sheshared.Thevaluable JacquettascurrentclassstartedinOctoberof2021lessonIlearnedfromtheprogramisthatgoing with11participants.Thenutritionistintroducesthrough the program with others and understanding participantstoavarietyofhealthyrecipesthatcanwheretheyarecomingfrom,whileunderstanding bepreparedathome,whichfostershealthiereatingmyself, helped me keep my A1C low. habits.The classes stress the importance of making healthyfoodchoiceslikechoosingfreshorfrozenThepatientsintheprogramalsoencouragedher vegetables rather than canned.If affordability is anand would remind her that if we have to do it, then issue,participantslearnthatrinsingcannedfoods,you have to do it, too. If we have to eat it, then you which tend to cost less, reduces added salt or sugar.havetoeatit,too,shechuckled.Jacquettaurges In addition, Jacquetta said participants learn how toothers challenged with prediabetes to join the In It read nutrition labels and choose foods that will notTogether program to learn how to manage and treat increasetheirA1Clevels.Eachsessionstressesthetheir diabetes.For more information about the In It importance of regular exercise and food portion sizes. together Program visit https://inittogethersc.org/.You are worth every step of the journey. You can prevent type 2 diabetes with the PreventT2 program. Take the test, find an in-person or virtual program.Scan the code to take the testSmoking increases your risk of type 2 diabetes.You CAN quit.Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.'