Growing a treatment for diabetes right in your own neighborhood.
Francine Jones: "I think I've picked most of the bush beans out."
Picked and eaten -- Francine Jones has shed 50 pounds and one diabetes medication.
Francine Jones: "My numbers have gone down tremendously."
Down is good when it comes to diabetes. And the healthy trend is growing in Lake County, where the doors for good health seemed locked.
Sara Smith, Northshore University Health System, Director of Be Well Lake County: "Currently, there's no major grocery store in the city of North Chicago so that's a very significant challenge to patients who are trying to maintain a nutritious diet and manage their diabetes."
The stores in the neighborhood are shuddered -- but you don't need shelves. Picking items here right from the ground gives patients a chance to lift their health.
Cheryl Bell, Dietician, Be Well Lake County Diabetes Program: "The goal is to have at least half of your plate covered with vegetables. So if that's the message we are promoting to patients, we want to help support that and this garden is a perfect way to do that."
A collaboration between Northshore University Health System and the Lake County Health Department -- master growers taught patients the basics. They adopted the baskets and the rest is not history but future.
Francine Jones: "This is my first and only garden. Once we started, I found out it was really exciting. I love it and we're going to do it again. We just planted radishes and snow peas. These are delicious if you slice them open, take the seeds out and put them on the grill."
Sara Smith: "The garden provides a hands-on education experience to help them learn from each other in a fun group environment about raising fresh vegetables and incorporating them into their daily diet."
There are 11 gardener diabetics in the Be Well program right now. But with 52,000 diabetics in Lake County currently -- the goal is for that to grow.
Cheryl Bell: "Our hope is that more patients will say 'Hey, I want to be a part of this.'"
If you live in Lake County and want to join the growers in the diabetes garden, check out www.northshore.org/community-events/community/garden.
Francine Jones: "I think I've picked most of the bush beans out."
Francine Jones: "My numbers have gone down tremendously."
Down is good when it comes to diabetes. And the healthy trend is growing in Lake County, where the doors for good health seemed locked.
Sara Smith, Northshore University Health System, Director of Be Well Lake County: "Currently, there's no major grocery store in the city of North Chicago so that's a very significant challenge to patients who are trying to maintain a nutritious diet and manage their diabetes."
The stores in the neighborhood are shuddered -- but you don't need shelves. Picking items here right from the ground gives patients a chance to lift their health.
Cheryl Bell, Dietician, Be Well Lake County Diabetes Program: "The goal is to have at least half of your plate covered with vegetables. So if that's the message we are promoting to patients, we want to help support that and this garden is a perfect way to do that."
A collaboration between Northshore University Health System and the Lake County Health Department -- master growers taught patients the basics. They adopted the baskets and the rest is not history but future.
Francine Jones: "This is my first and only garden. Once we started, I found out it was really exciting. I love it and we're going to do it again. We just planted radishes and snow peas. These are delicious if you slice them open, take the seeds out and put them on the grill."
Sara Smith: "The garden provides a hands-on education experience to help them learn from each other in a fun group environment about raising fresh vegetables and incorporating them into their daily diet."
There are 11 gardener diabetics in the Be Well program right now. But with 52,000 diabetics in Lake County currently -- the goal is for that to grow.
Cheryl Bell: "Our hope is that more patients will say 'Hey, I want to be a part of this.'"
If you live in Lake County and want to join the growers in the diabetes garden, check out www.northshore.org/community-events/community/garden.
