We were invited in May to participate in an 11-day Leaders' Wellness Workshop at the Diabetic Wellness Centre. We learned through a variety of instruction, games, exercise, cooking, and complete biometric measurements that were conducted by a doctor and nurse.
Through the game shown above and to the right we learned how our cell absorbs food and the interplay between sugar, fat, insulin and other factors. Each of us had to take the part of one element of the cell. Sister Barb Dalton is the one on the right in the cute red mask.
We learned a lot about growing food on the islands. The coral sand and heavy tropical rains cause the soil and nutrients to wash right through our coral reef to the ocean. The Wellness Centre has 5 gardens to grow food for their kitchen and restaurant.
One day they showed us how much fat is contained in some of the foods that the Marshallese people like to eat. Here is Dr. Zach showing that one can of SPAM has the equivalent of 19 grams of fat.
We were expected to walk at least 30 minutes a day and also do 45 minutes of cardio exercise. It was fun. Following our exercise we went back to our classroom to cook our lunch and supper.
This is a picture of our graduation class. There were 33 community leaders. We made many friends in the community and now all of us are expected to go out and teach workshops. We want to reduce the incidence of diabetes.
