Past Events

February 22nd 7-8:30pm - Diabetes in the Digital Age: Websites, and Blogs, and Apps, oh my!

Diabetes is a very complex condition. Technology and social media can be excellent sources for ideas, information and support.  Join us to find out what is trending in the digital age of diabetes management, and how you can use these resources to improve your health and connect with others.

Our guest this month is Teresa Martin, RD, CDE, MS. She is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with over 27 years of experience. Her focus has been on helping individuals gain skills in self-care. She has also provided healthcare professionals with guidance and resources on advances in diabetes care.  She was awarded the 2017 Oregon Diabetes Educator of the Year.

January 18th 7-8:30pm - A Body Trust® Approach to Food, Weight & Health

When most people, regardless of size, feel discontent about their weight, it is time for a new conversation about health, one that nourishes and celebrates who we are and who we can become...regardless of size, shape or age. In January’s workshop, we’ll look at factors that impact our relationship with food and body, talk about the difference between letting go and giving up, and explore key elements of a Body Trust® Approach to Food, Weight and Health. Leave with ideas for starting the New Year with acceptance instead of resolution.

 Dana Sturtevant, MS, RD, who will be leading this gathering, is a trainer, mentor, yoga teacher, and dietitian specializing in Health at Every Size® and Intuitive Eating. She is the co-founder of Be Nourished, and co-creator of Body Trust®, a radical healing paradigm that encourages movement toward a compassionate model of dynamic self-care to heal body shame and patterns of chronic dieting and disordered eating. For more info about Dana, visit benourished.org.

Thursday, December 14th 7-8:30pm - Healthy Holiday Habits

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Food is central to the festivities, which can be challenging for people who watch their blood sugars. Normal schedules and daily routines also get altered around the celebration seasons. This can make it even harder to stick to health-promoting habits.

Are the holidays challenging for you?

Join us for some realistic tips and tools on how to enjoy the holiday season and still keep your health in balance.

Thursday, November 16th 7-8:30pm - Blood Sugar Testing: How to Test, When to Test, What the Numbers Mean

Join us in November as we discuss how and why to check your blood sugar. Learn to interpret the results and incorporate your readings into your lifestyle decisions. This includes what to do when the numbers are very high or very low.  In addition, we will discuss the importance of removing the value judgment from the numbers; you are not “bad” if your numbers are high.

Bring your meter and strips if you have them. If not, we can check your blood sugar during the session free of charge.

This group will be led by Julia Hanfling, host of the Hawthorne Diabetes Group

Thursday, September 17th - Managing Diabetes: It's an art & a science

Your feet serve you well each day, so let’s take a moment and return the favor! Properly caring for your feet is vital for overall well-being. With the connection between diabetes and foot complications, paying close attention to your feet is even more important.

Join us for an informative discussion on steps you can take to protect your feet. We’ll also address possible solutions in case problems do develop. Please bring your questions and experiences.

Please welcome our special guest, Maureen Weise, Certified Pedorthist and owner of Foot Solutions in Happy Valley. She is an expert in all aspects of foot care, with a special interest in diabetic foot health.

Thursday, July 20th - How to Build a Power Salad

July is the heart of salad season.
Our gardens and markets are overflowing with fresh produce. Salads can have a bad rap as being boring and not filling. However, a “power salad” meal can be delicious, nutritious, and satisfying.

Melissa Olson, MS in Nutrition, joins us to demonstrate how to make customized power salads using greens, beans, grains, and more. We’ll also discuss various salad dressing recipes as well as purchasing and storing techniques. This is an evening of hands-on learning and tasty samples you won’t want to miss.

Let’s raise the “salad bar”!

Handouts: How to Build a Power Salad  *  Power Salad Combinations * Salad Dressing Recipes * 4 Delicious Summer Salad Recipes * Vegetable Storage Cheat Sheet * Portland Farmer's Markets, 2017         

Thursday, June 15th - Taking a Vacation with Diabetes & from Diabetes

Ahhh…Vacation time…

Taking a break from the daily routine keeps us feeling fresh. But what does time away mean for your diabetes care?  How can you take a vacation with and from diabetes? Is that even possible? Join us for the June gathering to discuss practical ways you can take a diabetes vacation. Sunshine awaits!

Handouts: Take a Diabetes Vacation * Personal Rewards

Thursday, May 11th - Breaking Free from Diabetic Pain

Does pain limit your movement?
How does this impact your life?

For the month of May, we welcome Jonathan Blatt, MD, anesthesiologist for a discussion on diabetic foot pain, joint pain, and more. Dr. Blatt will offer guidelines to reduce pain through food, sleep/ lifestyle, movement, and medication.

Dr. Blatt is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Management with 25 years’ experience. He has an overall holistic approach to acute and chronic pain management.

Handouts: Breaking Free from Diabetic Pain

Thursday, April 20th 

Physical Activity for Better Blood Sugars: Practical steps to move safely

The weather is improving, which means more opportunities to get outside and get moving. We will explore basic stretches to do before you get out of bed, how to use the “log roll technique,” the importance of checking your feet daily, as well as tips and motivation tools for exercise.

Join us as we welcome Hannah Schonau Taylor, physical therapist, as we explore realistic ways to add movement into your busy life.

Handouts: 10 Exercise Tip for People with Diabetes

Thursday, March 16th - "I'd take better care of my diabetes if..."

Please join us in welcoming Mike Fulop, clinical psychologist, for a discussion on what holds us back from being fully engaged in our diabetes care. Taking a strength-oriented approach, Mike will offer tools to overcome self-limiting actions using awareness, motivation, and confidence.

Mike Fulop provides services to children, adolescents, and families with diabetes in the Portland area. He has trained physicians and many other health care providers on how to communicate with people about living with their diabetes. Mike has been living with Type 1 diabetes since 1982.

Handouts: Overcoming Negative Thoughts about Diabetes * Diabetes Etiquette for People Who Don't Have Diabetes * "I'd take better care of my diabetes if..." (powerpoint presentation)

Thursday, February 16th - Your Heart's Highs and Lows: Balancing blood pressure & blood sugars

How’s your blood pressure?

What happens when someone has both hypertension and diabetes?

High blood pressure is the most common chronic condition in the US. In addition, blood sugar and blood pressure are closely linked. Since both are usually silent and can’t be felt, it is important to take regular action to keep your heart healthy.

Join us for this gathering as we explore ways to lower blood pressure to protect your heart using foods, movement, stress, self-compassion and more.

Handouts: High Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar

Thursday, January 19th  Practical Supplements for Healthy Blood Sugars

Nutritional supplements can be an important tool in diabetes management. Dr. Heidi Peterson will present the top 10 cost-effective supplements that improve blood sugar levels. In addition, she will discuss using supplements to minimize diabetes-related damage to the heart, kidneys, nerves, and other systems. Join us!

Dr. Peterson has been in practice for over 16 years. She has a master’s degree in biochemistry and is a faculty member at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM). As a naturopathic primary care physician and natural medicine specialist, she considers patient education a central part of her practice.

Handouts: Supplements for Diabetes Care

Thursday, November 17th - Building a Healthy Relationship with your Doctor Around Diabetes

How can you build a strong partnership with you doctor? How can you make the most of your appointments?

Join us as we welcome Dr. Elizabeth Stephens, endocrinologist, for our November gathering. We will explore ways to team up with your health care provider, learn how to prepare for your appointments, and how to build an open, strong relationship with your doctor to keep you healthy between visits.

Handouts:  10 Steps to Improve your Relationship with your Doctor * 12 Questions to ask your Doctor about Diabetes

Thursday, October 20th - Meal Time Tools & Techniques: How to maximize kitchen equipment to simplify meal preparation

If cooking were easier, would you make your own meals more often? Come explore ideas for doing more prep with less time, effort and money. We will outline essential tools and simple steps to streamline your time in the kitchen.

Tasty samples will be provided!

Handout link:    15 Tools to Make Meal Preparation More Manageable

Thursday, September 15th - Preventing Diabetes & its Complications

Pre-diabetes doesn’t mean that diabetes is inevitable.

What steps can you take now to keep you blood sugars in a healthy range?

If you have diabetes, what can you do to prevent or minimize complications?

Join us for this gathering to talk about what you can do to stay healthy and vibrant, even with the presence of diabetes.

Thursday, August 11th - Thirst Quenchers & Blood Sugars “Summer drinks that support healthy blood sugars"

Drinking water is like taking a shower under your skin: water literally washes you on the inside.

In addition to water, there are other great ways to stay hydrated during the heat of summer!  Some beverages lower blood sugars and some raise them. Do you know which do what?

Come to the August Hawthorne Diabetes Group to sample a variety of diabetes-friendly drinks and take home recipes for the ones you like.

Handouts: 

  Thirst Quenchers & Blood Sugars

Thursday, July 17th - Want to Live Well to 100? How to add more life to your years, not just years to your life.

What is the maximum human lifespan? What keeps us from getting there? What are the qualities of people who live long, happy, and healthy lives?

Healthy blood sugars is one part of living well into old age. The recommendations for diabetes strengthen the steps to keep you healthy for decades to come. Come explore what lasting health is all about. $10 donation requested. No one will be turned away. 

Thursday, June 16th - Sleep & Stress: How Hormones Help or Hinder Health

Larissa Ienna, FNP, CDE, will join us for a discussion on making sense of how sleep and stress affect blood sugars and overall health.

Larissa Lenna, Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Diabetes Educator, guides individuals and families to manage their health concerns. She provides personalized care and medication management along with lifestyle and behavioral changes. She has a special interest in reducing the impact that stress has on diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other health problems.

Handouts:    Sleep & Stress: How Hormones Help or Hinder Health

Thursday, May 12th - 5 Steps to Repair the Gut & Improve Blood Sugar Metabolism

Thursday, April 21th - Oriental Medicine for Diabetes

Join us for special guest Julie M. Goss L.Ac., MAc.OM., owner of Ageless-Acupuncture, LLC. She is a licensed acupuncturist and specialist in diabetes care, with a Master’s thesis in treating peripheral neuropathy using Oriental Medicine. Originally from New England, Julie worked at Duke University Medical Center’s Cardiac Transplant Department and the Center for Human Genetics.

Julie is fully trained in Oriental Medicine, including Chinese herbs and food therapies for diabetes. She developed a series of recipes which are outstanding for glucose regulation.

The practice of using acupuncture needles and Chinese herbs for treating diabetes has been developed and refined over centuries.

Learn how these ancient methods address diabetes in relationship to whole body health. Explore ways that you might benefit from Oriental medicine!

Handouts:   Oriental Medicine for Diabetes

Thursday, March 17th - "Get Growing"

People with diabetes who raise a garden have 20% fewer health complications across the board. But growing food can feel overwhelming. Where do you start?

During this gathering, we will explore growing your own veggies. No ground necessary – all you need is a pot and sunshine! There will be something for all levels of gardening skills. Which herbs and veggies improve your blood sugar?

Let’s get outside and talk to worms between blood sugar checks!

Handouts:   Grow Your Own Vegetables Anywhere - Container Gardening * Container Gardening Plant Varieties