Antonio can trace his quest to eat healthier food to a disturbing checkup last year.
“A doctor at the Neighborhood Health Clinic said I was prediabetic,” he remembers.
He began researching ways to steer himself away from increased risk of diabetes and learned about VeggieRx, a program operated by Parkview Health.
That program is free to people eligible for Medicaid with one or more chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity. There are four class sessions. Participants learn about food handling, nutrition, finding foods best suited to their health needs, and preparing recipes. People who complete the program receive a six-month voucher that gives them $50 per month to spend on fruits and vegetables at participating grocery stores and farmers’ markets. To learn more about VeggieRx, go to www.parkview.com/health-resources/veggierx.
As he explores ways to improve his diet, Antonio has help from Easterseals Arc. The agency helps him manage his finances, which has enabled him to maintain the same apartment in downtown Fort Wayne for almost 10 years.
About every two weeks, Kelly Corbin of Easterseals picks him up at his apartment and takes him grocery shopping. She’s there to offer advice on purchases if he asks. As he fills his shopping cart, Corbin tallies the cost to help him stay in budget.
Antonio said he was impressed by what he learned about how eating a wider variety of plants could help him.
“Some fruits and vegetables could actually help facilitate getting me out of the danger zone of prediabetes,” he added. He also said increasing fruits and vegetables in his diet can give him more energy, make his exercise more efficient, and improve his digestion.
Before the VeggieRx program, “I wasn’t all that mindful, and that’s probably how I ended up where I am,” he said.
Over the last couple of months, he said, “I started eating a variety of fruits and vegetables about every day, and some nuts and pistachios in between meals. I also throw nuts and raisins on my salads, which I also top with baby spinach as a supplementary green.”
He’s started buying some new foods, too, such as blackberries, green grapes, and red onions. “I did try raspberries once. Unfortunately, they were a little too tart for my taste,” he said.
“Also, I supplemented those dietary changes with bike rides and trips to the YMCA near where I live,” Antonio said.
Antonio won’t know whether he’s moved out of the prediabetic range until his next visit to the doctor, but he thinks he’s improving his health.
“I feel like I’m actually eating something of substance, being able to eat a little less because I feel fuller,” he said. “And I feel like I can push myself a little further with the exercise, while still taking the necessary precautions, like taking a bottle of water along.”