Diabetes and Nutrition

Improve your self-management skills through diabetes classes or one-on-one sessions with a registered nurse diabetes educator or registered dietitian. A physician referral is required and an initial one-on-one session with the registered nurse diabetes educator will take place before all group class sessions. 

Our classes cover a wide range of topics including:

• The disease process
• The role of physical activity
• Diabetes medications
• Blood sugar monitoring
• Reducing risks
• Treatment and prevention of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia
• How and when to use insulin and other injectable medications (one-on-one only)
• The relationship between food and blood sugar control
• Principles of healthy eating
• How to read a nutrition label 
• And more

YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program

LincolnHealth has partnered with the Central Lincoln County YMCA and Boothbay Region YMCA to offer a Diabetes Prevention Program which helps adults at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes reduce their risk. For more information about this program, please visit the Central Lincoln County YMCA’s website. 

Medical Nutrition Therapy is an outpatient program that provides individual nutrition therapy and counseling for medical conditions. Eating healthier can help you feel and look better. While good nutrition means eating a variety of foods, it doesn't mean giving up the foods you love. By working with a registered dietitian, you will learn how easy it is to make healthy choices and still love what you eat.

Therapy may include:

• An assessment by your dietitian of your nutritional needs.
• A plan for you, designed with lots of your input to help you meet the goals that are most important to you.
• Label reading, meal planning and other support.
• Follow-up to make sure your plan is working and you are satisfied with your progress.

A Continuous Glucose Monitor System is a tiny sensor inserted under the skin that records glucose measurements over 24 hours for seven days. The readings help the patient, diabetes educators and registered dietitians better understand the blood sugar fluctuations so they can create a plan to help avoid complications. 

LincolnHealth’s gestational diabetes program helps pregnant women control their high blood sugar to protect themselves and their baby. The program includes two one-hour sessions with a diabetes nurse educator and a registered dietician. 

Content covered includes: 

• Disease process, treatment options and goals
• Self-monitoring blood sugar
• Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Individualized meal plans

The LincolnHealth Diabetes Support Group allows participants to share experiences and helps ensure they know that they do not need to deal with diabetes alone. The group meets every other month on the fourth Thursday from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. in the Diabetes Education Room on the third floor of the LincolnHealth - Miles Campus in Damariscotta.

There is no cost for this support group. For more information, please call 207-563-4518.