YMCA of Metro Denver changing lives with health classes, diabetes prevention program
According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 1,444,000 Coloradans with prediabetes, which means their blood sugar is higher than recommended and they're verging on developing Type 2 diabetes. The YMCA of Metro Denver offers a Diabetes Prevention Program as part of its Health Initiatives.
"The Diabetes Prevention Program is a year-long program that is basically offered to people who are diagnosed with pre-diabetes," said Hazel Urbaniak, a Lifestyle Coach with YMCA.
The classes are in-person, and throughout the year, participants get the opportunity to break down their eating and exercise habits and rebuild them.
"They get a lot of guidance on their nutrition, the importance of moving, just getting more exercise in general," Urbaniak explained. "Movement has a lot of benefits just in terms of chemical releases in the brain. It helps to lower pressure."
Another of the YMCA Health Initiative classes is Blood Pressure Monitoring.
"It's a one-on-one coaching that we do with people. They help monitor their blood pressure and make sure that they understand what causes those triggers to go up," Urbaniak said.
Alice Dent struggled with high blood pressure and prediabetes. She suffered a sudden disability that forced her to retire from work and left her adrift.
"As a senior or a person with disability, I started to feel less than myself," she told CBS News Colorado.
She also started to eat more, causing her to put on weight, which raised her blood sugar and her blood pressure.
"My blood pressure was a roller coaster, constantly," she explained.
Dent found the YMCA Blood Pressure Monitoring Program. She learned all the factors that cause your blood pressure to go up and down.
"You have to know that your emotional state, what you allow into your mind and heart, causes a lot of that fluctuation," she explained.
She went right from Blood Pressure Monitoring to the Diabetes Prevention Program, where she got even more in-depth guidance on nutrition and exercise.
"Mindful eating and to pay attention to my food intake, and how important is was to actually eat vegetables and more fruits," she said about what she learned in the class.
Dent took all the lessons to heart and added in the Silver Sneakers exercise class three days a week as the foundation for a new, healthier lifestyle. Silver Sneakers is an exercise class for older YMCA members which includes cardio, light weight lifting, and stretching. It's all set to music which Dent said she loves the best.
"I'm happier now than I have been in a really, really long time," she said.
YMCA DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM
Upcoming sessions:
Arvada YMCA:
Thursdays | 12 – 1 p.m. | Starting Mar. 27
*Classes available in English and Spanish. Insurance coverage and financial assistance available.
BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITORING PROGRAM
Offered virtually and at multiple locations throughout Denver metro area
FREE program. Rolling enrollment.
SILVER SNEAKERS PROGRAMMING
–
Special membership options and older adult programming available at all locations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community takes place at Penn State Behrend
The public was invited to step in to support their favorite non-profit organization. The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community took place at Penn State Behrend Saturday morning. Ten local non-profits were in attendance, raising money for their own individual missions. Tickets now available Erie Zoo's centennial Mane Event Participants walked either a 5K or one mile and were able to take part in family-friendly activities as well. 'We have the YMCA doing line dancing, we have the walks and all the help, and I love seeing the dogs and children and all the fun,' said Michelle Smiley, the director of the walk. 'We have a scavenger hunt for them, it's just, we have a wonderful day of engagement with the community, it's beautiful.' Smiley said they raised almost $35,000 this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Free summer meals, grocery support for keiki available
As the school year concludes, families across Hawaii can access a suite of free programs aimed at keeping children fed and healthy during the summer months—when many students lose access to the meals they usually receive at school. 'No child in Hawai 'i should go hungry just because school is out, ' Deborah Zysman, executive director of Hawaii Children's Action Network, said in a statement. 'These summer meal programs help ease the burden on families while keeping our keiki healthy and nourished. They provide essential meals now, and help build healthier communities for the future.' Three primary resources are available to support low-income and working-class families this summer. All are funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and implemented in partnership with the state Department of Education, the state Department of Human Serv ices, Hawaii Child Nutrition Programs and various community organizations statewide. Eat-On-Site keiki meals Free meals will be available at dozens of schools, parks, libraries and community centers for any child or teen under 18—no registration or ID required. These meals must be eaten on site in supervised settings that encourage safe, communal dining. 'When school is out, many children in low-income communities lose access to the consistent meals they rely on, ' Greg Waibel, CEO of YMCA of Honolulu, said in a statement. 'That's why programs like the USDA Summer Food Service Program are so critical. As a Summer Food Service sponsor through our YMCA's at Kalihi, Leeward, Nuuanu and Waianae Coast ; and community sites at Barbers Point Elementary, Pohakea Elementary, US Vets Waianae, and Waipahu Safe Haven—all located in communities with high need—we're able to reach these children where it matters most, providing free, nutritious meals in a safe and supportive environment.' Families can find participating meal sites using the Hawaii Afterschool Alliance's 2025 Summer Programs + Meals map at /seasonal-programs. Locations offering Eat-On-Site meals are marked with yellow icons. Kaukau 4 Keiki kits Kaukau 4 Keiki offers families in eligible areas free weekly meal kits filled with fresh, local food. In addition to feeding children, the program supports Hawai 'i's local farmers and food vendors. 'Kaukau 4 Keiki is more than just a summer meal program—it's a lifeline for families on the Wai 'anae Coast and a vital link to Hawai 'i's local food systems, ' Avary Maunakea, executive director of Kahu mana, a nonprofit that supports vulnerable families through farming and community development, said in a statement. 'By sourcing fresh ingredients from local farmers and vendors, we're not only feeding our keiki but also investing in our community's long-term resilience. It's a powerful model of how food security and economic sustainability can go hand in hand.' To check eligibility or apply for Kaukau 4 Keiki, visit Maui families can find local resources through SUN Bucks grocery benefits In addition to meal sites and kits, families can also receive $177 per eligible child for groceries through the new SUN Bucks program. The funds can be used at most local grocery stores and farmers' markets to help close the summer nutrition gap at home. Most qualifying families were supposed to receive the benefits automatically by mail in late May or early this month. Others may need to apply by Aug. 3. More information is available at and 'As a parent, summer can be really stressful when school meals aren't available, ' Tara Mossman, a college student and mother of a special needs child, said in a statement. 'SUN Bucks helps me stretch our grocery budget and gives me peace of mind knowing I can afford to buy healthy food for my son. These programs truly make a difference for families like mine.' While these summer meal programs provide critical support, their future may be uncertain due to proposed federal budget cuts. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act, ' which includes significant reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs and Medicaid. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill would reduce federal Medicaid spending by $793 billion and SNAP funding by $230 billion over the next decade. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that roughly 7.6 million people could lose Medicaid coverage under the proposed changes, and millions more may lose access to SNAP benefits. As of Fiscal Year 2024, approximately 161, 600 individuals in Hawaii participated in the SNAP program, representing about 11.2 % of the state's population. While specific data on the number of children benefiting from SNAP in Hawaii is not readily available, nationwide trends indicate that a significant portion of SNAP recipients are children. In addition to SNAP, Hawaii participates in the Summer EBT program, known locally as 'SUN Bucks.' For the summer of 2024, approximately 100, 000 children in Hawaii were eligible to receive Summer EBT benefits, totaling around $12 million in grocery assistance. These benefits are provided to help families purchase food during the summer months when school meal programs are not in operation. The proposed federal budget cuts, including reductions to SNAP and Medicaid, could significantly impact these programs. HCAN expressed concern, stating that the FY25 federal reconciliation budget includes substantial cuts to SNAP, which would reduce the number of keiki who automatically qualify for Summer EBT and school meals. HCAN encourages families to check their eligibility for Summer EBT benefits at /states / hawaii. Families who do not automatically qualify are urged to apply before the Aug. 3 deadline to ensure they receive assistance during the summer months.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
0602K + Tirzepatide Muscle Mass / Function and Adipose Transformation Data to be Presented at ADA Scientific Sessions
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cirius Therapeutics, Inc., developing innovative therapies for patients suffering from diseases caused by insulin resistance, including obesity/overweight and type 2 diabetes (T2D), today announced that new preclinical data combining lead candidate 0602K and tirzepatide as a late-breaking poster will be presented at the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) 85th Scientific Sessions, taking place June 20–23, 2025, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. Presentation details: Title: 1982-LB - MPC-Directed Insulin Sensitizer MSDC-0602K Combines with Tirzepatide to Maintain Muscle Mass/Function and Restructure Adipose Tissue [Board No. 1982] Authors: M. Abu-Farha, J. Abubaker, F. Almulla, M. Abdul-Ghani, L. Norton, R.A. DeFronzo,J.R. Colca, K.S. McCommis Date & Time: Sunday, June 22, 2025, at 12:30 AM CT Location: Poster Hall (Hall F1) The abstract for this late-breaking poster will be available beginning Friday, June 20, 2025 at 6:30 PM CT. About CiriusCirius is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focusing on mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC), addressing the metabolic dysfunction that causes insulin resistance and the organ pathologies associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity/overweight. Its lead product candidate, 0602K (azemiglitazone potassium), is a potential best-in-class small molecule being developed as a once-daily oral therapy designed to selectively inhibit the mitochondrial target MPC, which plays a central role in selecting mitochondrial energy substrates. MPC inhibition reprograms mitochondrial metabolism, reducing insulin resistance in cells and driving metabolic benefits in organs throughout the body. This markedly improves glycemic control in T2D, body composition in obesity, liver function and fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and outcomes in cardiometabolic disorders. About 0602K0602K has completed 7 US clinical trials including a 52-week placebo-controlled Phase 2b study in 392 subjects with MASH with and without T2D, and a 28-day placebo-controlled Phase 2a study in 129 subjects with T2D. In those clinical studies it markedly lowered HbA1c and insulin levels, and reduced liver injury and MASH – including on top of existing GLP-1 therapy. Preclinical studies also demonstrate increased lean muscle mass and function, together with marked metabolically beneficial shifts in adipose tissue phenotype ("bad fat" to "good fat"), including increased brown adipose tissue ("brown fat"). Selectively targeting MPC – while avoiding PPAR-γ activation – 0602K harnesses the real-world proven efficacy of 1st generation insulin sensitizers, such as pioglitazone, but without their side effect concerns. Directly correcting a major underlying pathophysiology of chronic metabolic disease, 0602K has the potential to become a cornerstone of therapy. Coupling this potent pharmacology with that of the GLP-1s could particularly benefit patients with T2D, obesity/overweight and other diseases. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Cirius Therapeutics
