Carmella was diagnosed with diabetes about three years ago. She recently attended a six-week Diabetes Self-Management Workshop at the Robert M. Wilkinson Multipurpose Senior Citizen Center in Northridge.

“I’ve found the workshop very informative. It’s given me exactly what I needed to learn, which is about diet. I had a slight knowledge about proteins, carbohydrates and that sort of stuff, but I never knew how to prepare food to any extent, I just never cooked. Being a diabetic, I wanted to learn more about what’s in food, because I’m trying to eat the foods that I know are good for me.

“It’s also given me the incentive to start exercising again. The area where I’m living is not conducive to walking but I force myself, and I’m into my third to fourth week of walking for a half hour at least five days a week. And I’m feeling the effects already. It feels great!

“If people are diabetic and they don’t have this information they should run here, not walk. When you’re diagnosed with diabetes the doctor assigns you an RN – she knew what she was talking about, but a lot of it went over my head. I tell people, if you don’t know what kind of a diet, or what kind of foods you should be eating, you’ll learn it here.