Health

Diabetes affects 20.8 million children and adults in the United States; that is 7% of the nation's population. With obesity on the rise in the United States, that number is growing every year. There are some simple lifestyle changes that can help keep a person's diabetes under control such as dietary changes and a regular fitness routine.

 

Don Drake, a member of the Gold's Gym in Pasadena, has learned that a proper diet, regular exercise and a great attitude can make all the difference when living with diabetes.

 

Drake is 85 years old and has been living with type II diabetes for over 20 years. When first diagnosed, he was given a strict diet to follow as well as medication to help control his diabetes.

 

In 2000, Drake received a pamphlet from the Pasadena Gold's Gym with a list of Silver Sneakers fitness classes, group fitness classes specifically designed for seniors, prompting him to give it a try. He visited the gym, tried a class and signed up for a gym membership on the spot. He has been an active member of the Pasadena Gold's Gym ever since.

 

There have been some setbacks over the past 20 years, including having to have four toes amputated, but with regular exercise, Drake has been able to strengthen his body and protect himself from future injury.

 

"I have arthritis in my knees due to diabetes and my doctor told me I would need to use a wheelchair, but through the fitness classes at the gym I have been able to strengthen my muscles, allowing me to avoid using a wheelchair," said Drake. "The more I exercise the better and the younger I feel."

 

Drake and other members of the Silver Sneakers program at Gold's Gym in Pasadena can often be seen at lunch after fitness classes, catching up on each other's lives and resting after the day's exercises. Don Drake has found a social community at Gold's Gym as well as a way to control his diabetes, enriching his life even more. Explains Drake, "These exercise classes are the best thing that ever happened to me."