Jokes about being scared of needles and poking fingers quickly made their way into the chatter last Wednesday night in the basement of the Tamarack Clinic.

The conversation quieted as Chryse Foster, chairperson of the Diabetes Committee, informed those in attendance that she wouldn’t be taking any blood.

The event on Wednesday night was an informative meeting with Dr. Patrick Tufts, who also sits on the committee, as many of the audience members were those who are affected by diabetes. The committee, which kicked off in May, hopes to bring people together who live with diabetes and form a support group.

“The whole goal is to get us together as a community so we can help and support each other,” Foster said.

This was the first informative session that was held and Foster said the goal is to start holding a meeting every three months in addition to the weekly walking. The group gathers at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at the high school to walk, as exercise and physical activity helps to lower blood sugar. The group is going to be making arrangements so they have somewhere to walk when it gets cold.

“We’re not going to be quitting when it gets cold,” Foster announced to the group on Wednesday. “We’re going to find some warm places to go.”

The group also wants to start holding an afternoon walk so those who can’t make it in the evenings have another option. Foster said the walks on Mondays have been going well for those involved.

“When we first started, some could barely do a lap, but now they’re doing three or four,” Foster said. “You have that motivation in a group and support.”

Door prizes are awarded monthly to those who come regularly. Prizes are centered on diabetes and past prizes have included test strips, membership to the gym and grocery shopping with Tufts. Food was also the topic during Wednesday night’s lecture and the role that diet plays in controlling blood sugar levels.

“Diet is the most important factor in controlling blood sugar,” Tufts said. “After that, exercise and medicine. As you change your eating habits, and your blood sugar improves that carries over into other areas.”

Tufts said similarly when a person with diabetes is actively writing down blood sugar and actively poking their finger, it’s a recommitment to themselves to get “serious about diabetes and that carries over.”

For many diabetics, certain foods can “blow sugar levels to the moon,” according to Tufts. While diabetics have to be careful about the amounts of sugar they eat, another important factor to be aware of is the amount of carbohydrates. Sugar and starches have similar effects.

It’s important that carbohydrate intake is consistent from day to day especially if a person is receiving insulin as levels should be adjusted with the different amounts of carbohydrates at a meal.

Tufts walked the group through several more things, including the effects that fats, fiber and protein can have on blood glucose levels. He said that his goal for the group was when they were done, they would be able to glance at a plate of food and be able to know what’s in it, how much of the plate they should actually eat and how it will affect their levels.

“When you have your diabetes totally under control, you’ll be able to look at a plate of food and say how many carbs are on it like my sister can,” Tufts said. “If you check your blood sugar two hours after you take the first bite of a meal, you’ll know how it affects your blood sugar. I’m going to be giving you learning tools during this session and over the next few, and each time you’ll be adding knowledge so that you’ll be able to look at food and decide what’s good and what’s bad.”

Following the lecture, which spanned the length of an hour, Tufts brought in food labels and walked the group through how they can be misleading and how sometimes what looks like it’d be better for you is actually not. He said the more you manage your diabetes now, the fewer problems you’re likely to have down the road.