Belly Dancing & Preliminary 2013 Outcomes!

Belly Dancing is a Western name for a traditional West Asian/Middle Eastern form of dance. Though the name of the dance refers to the abdominal area, hips sway, shoulders shake, and arms and hands move about in a fluid motion. This low-impact cardiovascular dance is a great way for everyone to strengthen muscles throughout the body!

Join us at the African American Art & Culture Complex located at 762 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 (Muni access & free parking).

No need to register. Just show up! You get $277 value health screening and if you dance, collect $10 in carrot cash to spend at participating farmers' markets (for kids with diabetes and all adults who participate). Health screening optional, but needed to get the carrot cash reward. We suggest a $10 donation at the door to keep this going, if you can afford.

Please arrive promptly at 1 p.m. for check-in (or 1:15 p.m. if you are not doing the health screening). Bring water, a snack if you need it, and comfortable shoes. Have a question? Call Theresa at 1-877-765-4386 or email her at tgarnero@danceoutdiabetes.org.

Not in San Francisco? Join us virtually via live stream at 1:30 p.m. by clicking here.

2014 Press Release Reaches Hundreds of Thousands

Our press release went out to all kinds of media including newspapers, business journals, blogs, bulletins, broadcast media and more. Hundreds of thousands of viewers have the opportunity to see what Dance Out Diabetes is all about! We have reached viewers not only across the U.S. but also across the globe. We'll have the whole world dancing in no time!

Learn about what Dance Out Diabetes has in store for 2014 by reading the new press release!

California Health Advocates

HICAP (the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program) provides free and objective information and counseling about Medicare. Volunteer counselors can help you understand your specific rights and health care options. HICAP also offers free educational presentations to groups of Medicare beneficiaries, their families and/or providers on a variety of Medicare and other health insurance related topics.

Come meet with Shibin Tharayil, the Community Outreach Coordinator for HICAP (and DOD volunteer!) at this Saturday's dance.

Can You Bring Water & Snacks to Share?

It is important to stay hydrated while having fun on the dance floor. Dance Out Diabetes is looking for volunteers to donate and bring water bottles and healthy snacks for participants at the dance. If you can bring to share, great! Otherwise, the water fountain is 3 floors down, so please bring water for yourself. Thanks!

Theresa's Message

2013 Preliminary Outcomes Data!

I've been analyzing the shielded participant data from 2013. This means, I don't know who it is, just how they did. In my sleep deprived, insulin-resistant state, I am VERY excited to report early data looking at two of our groups that returned for:

2 to 5 dances (nicknamed "Interested group"), and
6 to 12 dances (referred to as "Dedicated group").

Interesting comparisons which show benefit for both groups.

For example, let's take A1C (3-month glucose average) which most hang their hat on. Both groups had ideal average post-program A1C values (a 3-month glucose average) at their last dance attended.

The Interested Group enjoyed a 5.7% average!

The Dedicated Group had a 6% average. Fantastic!
(Less than 7% is often ideal).

The Dedicated Group had more people with diabetes and all lowered A1C less than 7% (except for one and that participant lowered A1C by 1.5%). Of the 12 participants that returned at least 6 times, 10 were women and 2 were men (probably still are). Even though most of our dancers are women, guess who scored perfect attendance? Two men! Go men of DOD!

[Important side note to inspire this kind of dedication.

This year, for those with perfect attendance, we will offer a private one-on-one session with one of our certified diabetes educators (value $400) and enter the names of all who attend at least 10 dances into a raffle for one of three $100 cash prizes at December's dance! More reason to get out those dancing shoes.]

This Interested Group had slightly lower A1C average at program's end, but also had more at-risk for diabetes, or friend of people with diabetes in the group than did the Dedicated Group which were mainly comprised of people with prediabetes and diabetes.

This emerging data is clearly worthy of scientific publication (I've barely grazed the surface). We are working on it. But first, some sleep. Then a break away from the American Diabetes Association Post Graduate conference in San Francisco this weekend to go Belly Dancing with some educator friends and interested and dedicated friends!

Instructor Kae Montgomery is a delight. She makes it so easy. So come and experience the joy first hand, or tune in virtually if you can't hit the dance floor with our friendly, fun and health-conscious community of non-dancers.

Warmly,

Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE

Founder and Volunteer Executive Director

Want to do the right thing for your body or support someone with prediabetes or diabetes (all types)? Feel like smiling while being active and not mess up your hair? Then come join the caring community of non-dancers having fun moving to music. Stay connected with us on Facebook (you don't have to have a Facebook account to read our updates).