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When Miles City’s Rhonda Shumway found she was easily fatigued and couldn’t keep up with her grandchildren, her primary care provider encouraged her to try the Holy Rosary Healthcare Diabetes Prevention Program called Healthy Lifestyles as a solution to her high blood pressure and joint pain. She was amazed that the common-sense approach, educational information, and activities really worked.

“My favorite tool was the little blue book we used to record daily food and activity,” she said. “It worked and the pounds started sliding off.”

She was able to discontinue blood pressure meds and her LDL and HDL cholesterol numbers improved dramatically and she maintained her weight loss for several months. Then the weight started to creep back on. “I knew I was in serious trouble when my provider restarted my blood pressure meds and added a pre-diabetes medication,” she said. “He also gently suggested I return to the Healthy Lifestyles program.”

After she got past the idea that she was ‘a failure’ she found that many of her new class friends were also ‘repeaters.’ As she traveled down the habit change path the second time, she was able to gradually lose weight again and, to date, she has lost a total of 93 pounds from when she first started the program. Best of all, this time she has been able to keep it off.

“It takes commitment to lose weight and it takes time,” she said. “If I slip, I get back on track. I stop and think about what I eat and check my emotions when I reach for something high in fat and calories. I’ve learned new cooking techniques that are keeping my cholesterol and blood pressure numbers in line. It is easier for me to walk and play with my grandchildren. Healthy Lifestyles very likely lengthened my life.”

Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney attended a 10-year anniversary celebration to celebrate the success of Healthy Lifestyles on Tuesday, July 24. “Prevention is the key and this program has been successful by connecting Montanans to the information and tools they need to improve their health,” Cooney said. “The program has also been adapted to work for rural Montana as well. I congratulate all those who have made the last 10 years so successful, and look forward to what can be accomplished in the next decade.”

Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) State Medical Officer Greg Holzman said it’s important for Montanans, especially as they age, to assess their current eating habits and develop a regular exercise routine which can include walking, biking, low impact yoga, hiking and more. “In Montana, the outdoor opportunities to exercise are endless,” Holzman said. “My advice is to find a routine that works, and then stick to it. This program is a great place to start for those seeking lifestyle change guidance.”

Holy Rosary is one of over 30 Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) sites in Montana that receives funding from DPHHS. This includes programs that offer the DPP on-site, through telehealth or serve as a satellite location. The program helps persons at high risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, such as stroke and heart attack.

The Holy Rosary program is also one of four sites that launched in 2008. The other three original sites are Community Medical Center (Missoula), St. Vincent Healthcare (Billings) and St. Peter’s Health (Helena).

The DPP is an intensive lifestyle change program. Trained lifestyle coaches use a curriculum focused on sustainable nutrition, physical activity and behavior change. The average participant age is 54 years old.

More than 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, up from the previous estimate of 26 million in 2010, according to a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.