Diabetes Education and Nutrition Services
Managing diabetes or improving your health through nutrition can raise a lot of questions about food, blood sugar, medications, and everyday habits. Personalized education and counseling can help you understand what matters most for your health, and make changes that fit your life.
At Glacial Ridge Health System in Glenwood, our registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist provides individualized support for people with diabetes, prediabetes, and other health conditions affected by nutrition. Our Living with Diabetes program, accredited by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists, provides the information, skills, and tools you need to understand and take care of your diabetes day by day.
Meet Our Diabetes and Nutrition Specialist
Karen provides diabetes education, nutrition counseling, and medical nutrition therapy at Glacial Ridge Health System. She helps patients understand how food choices, health conditions, medications, and activity affect their health, and works with each person to develop practical strategies based on their needs, lifestyle, and goals.
Conditions a Dietitian and Diabetes Educator Can Help With
Whether you are newly diagnosed, have lived with diabetes for years, or simply want to manage a health condition through better nutrition, education and counseling are available for:
- Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Prediabetes and gestational diabetes
- Insulin pump therapy and continuous glucose monitors
- High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart health
- Digestive conditions, food allergies, and intolerances
- Kidney disease
- Nutrition changes related to medications or appetite—including medications used for weight management
- Meal planning, carbohydrate education, and healthy eating
What to Expect
Visits are one-on-one and tailored to you. Karen takes time to understand your health history, daily routine, and goals, then helps you build skills you can use right away—like understanding your blood sugar results, learning how your medications work, planning realistic meals and snacks, and problem-solving high or low blood sugars. You’ll also learn how activity, stress, and illness affect blood sugar, and how to reduce your risk of diabetes-related complications.
There is no one-size-fits-all plan. The focus is on practical changes that fit your life, with follow-up visits to adjust as your health, medications, or goals change.
When Should You Schedule an Appointment?
Good times to schedule include when you are newly diagnosed, when a medication changes, when your A1c is above the target your provider recommends, or when it has been a year or more since your last diabetes education visit. Anytime you feel unsure about managing your diabetes or nutrition, a visit can help you get back on track.
Schedule Diabetes Education or Nutrition Counseling
Talk with your healthcare provider about a referral for diabetes education or nutrition counseling at Glacial Ridge Health System. Call 320.634.4521 for more information.