Key Ingredients: A Story of Diabetes and Determination
BCMH Patient Story: Chantelle Mumma
Chantelle Mumma made a goal for herself when she learned she had Type 2 diabetes in August of 2021: to keep her blood glucose levels (or sugars) in check. She has achieved that goal, and as an added benefit, she has lost weight and gained more energy and self-confidence. It wasn’t easy, but with her family history, she was highly motivated to get control of the disease.
Chantelle sought the help of her health care team at High Street Family Care Clinic right away. With the help of her nurse practitioner, Lori King, and other BCMH services and providers, Chantelle felt she was given the key ingredients that put her on a path to better health.
Nutrition Counseling
In the early days of any diagnosis, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, and with diabetes in particular, there is a lot of information to digest. One of Chantelle’s first steps, on Lori King’s recommendation, was to get nutrition counseling, which she was able to schedule at BCMH with Jennifer Lindquist, RDN/LDN. Even with just one consultation, Chantelle felt she learned so much. One tip in particular laid the groundwork for her: count the carbs and the calories will fall into place.
“I went in thinking; I don’t know how I’m going to do this. And when I left, I was like wait a minute, I think I can do this,” Chantelle said.
“I think prior to coming to see me, there’s a lot of fear about being put on a restrictive diet,” said Jennifer. “I’m always upfront that we’re going to take a non-diet approach to this, they just need to look at food differently. The real hero in this is Chantelle. I provided the tools, and she figured out how to make it sustainable for her lifestyle, and that’s the key.”
Free Foods
One of these tools was a list of free foods that sparked an “aha” moment for Chantelle. Jennifer told her all foods are okay in moderation, but free foods have very low/no carbs or calories, which allows you to eat enough to feel full.
“The fun part is creating new recipes by using my free foods,” Chantelle said. “It became a challenge to see what I could cook and how low-carb I could get it.”
Cauliflower became a favorite free food, as it readily picks up flavors in a recipe. One winning combination was a potato salad using cooked cauliflower instead of potatoes and a carbohydrate-free mayonnaise. This recipe, among many others, has been a hit with friends and family.
Making it All Work Together
Chantelle’s focus was to follow her provider’s and dietitian’s guidelines, including testing her blood glucose levels twice a day, every day, and staying within recommended carb counts per meal. Within three months of keeping her sugars in check, Chantelle realized she was losing weight and had more energy. When she started walking, she noticed that exercise helped decrease her sugar levels, compared to days she didn’t exercise but ate the same foods.
“I wasn’t focused on weight loss, but it’s been a silver lining for keeping my sugars where they need to be,” she said. “When you see it all work together, it’s easier to stay motivated.”
Motivation
Chantelle’s dedication to improving her health has been notable.
“Chantelle was determined right from the beginning and I was so proud of her for what she has accomplished,” said Lori King. “As a provider I know it takes discipline, drive, and perseverance to accomplish the goals Chantelle has obtained, and I am so proud of her for taking such great care of her health.”
Chantelle says her motivation has little to do with willpower. She points to the death of her mother, who passed away in 2020 due to complications of diabetes.
“If I hadn’t watched my mom struggle so much, I don’t know if I would have been as motivated,” she said. “It’s that nagging picture of what my mom went through – amputations, dialysis, a triple bypass – and I just don’t feel like I have a choice. It’s either do this, or end up like my mother did. If giving up something now means I’m going to give up dialysis later, then it’s worth it.
“It’s not easy, but it’s doable,” Chantelle added. “I have had the best support system, and that makes a difference, too.”
BCMH offers outpatient services for people living with diabetes, including a free nutrition class, Eat Well to Live Well, offered every first and third Tuesday of the month from 11 am to 12 pm. The class is led by our Registered Dietitian, Jennifer Lindquist.