Resources

Resources for people living with diabetes - Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES) If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and are looking for support, education, or programs to make living with diabetes more manageable, the Association of  Diabetes Care and  Education Specialists (ADCES) offers tip sheets, resources, and more.

Healthy Living | American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is here for you—whether you’re newly diagnosed, caring for someone with diabetes, a health care provider trying to help your patients thrive, or someone who doesn’t know the first thing about diabetes: the ADA is a great resource.

US CDC Diabetes Home The CDC’s homepage for diabetes resources has anything you may be looking for: yearly report cards, diabetes basics and data, research and resources, local, state, and federal programs, and much more.

US CDC Diabetes Kickstart  These 7 animated videos will show you the self-care steps you need to get started managing diabetes. Watch them in any order—they all include tips and strategies you can use right now.

College Diabetes Network If you’re a college student or parent of a student looking for support around diabetes management, College Diabetes Network provides a community of peers to lean on while in school.

Diabetes and your feet | CDC  Nerve damage in your feet may not be the first, second, or even eighth, concern that comes to mind when managing diabetes. Yet checking your feet daily and knowing what can increase your risk for foot problems is important. Visit the CDC for answers to any questions you may have surrounding diabetes and your feet.

Diabetes and your Kidneys | CDC Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has Chronic Kidney Disease. This resource from the CDC provides tips and information for how to have healthier kidneys while managing diabetes.

Diabetes and Vision loss | CDC  Eye diseases that can affect people with diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, macular edema (which usually develops along with diabetic retinopathy), cataracts, and glaucoma. The good news is managing your diabetes and getting regular eye exams can help prevent vision problems and stop them from getting worse. Learn more with this resource from the CDC.

Maine Optometric Association Diabetes can damage your eyes over time and cause vision loss, even blindness. Maine Optometric Association allows you to locate a doctor nearest you to help manage your eye care.

Diabetes and Oral Health Dental care for those diagnosed with diabetes is essential. The National Institute of Health has compiled a fact sheet with dental tips, best practices, and information on how to stay on top of your dental and oral health.

Maine Walking Trails & Trail Maps
Find top rated walking trails in Maine, including easy walks, short/longer trails, trail descriptions, maps, photos, reviews, and more.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 
What we eat and drink is important at every stage of life, and it is never too early or too late to learn how to eat healthy. USDA and HHS maintain Dietary Guidelines for Americans with advice on what to eat and drink to build a healthy diet that can promote growth and development, help prevent diet-related chronic disease, and meet nutrient needs.

USDA’s MyPlate
MyPlate offers healthy recipes with nutritional breakdowns, resources to support building healthy and budget-friendly meals, a personal cookbook builder, and a MyPlate quiz with results that offer personalized advice to building a balanced diet. Make every bite count!

American Heart Association
One of the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organizations, the AHA is a not-for-profit dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke through fundraising and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease research.  People with prediabetes or diabetes are at higher risk for heart disease and stroke.

Quit Smoking | Quit Vaping |The QuitLink
Quitlink offers a virtual Quit Coach, online support, individualized services, and more for those looking to quit smoking, vaping, and other tobacco use.

Drinking too much alcohol can harm your health. Learn the facts - CDC
Facts and resources to understanding how alcohol affects your health, from binge drinking to exploring short- and long-term health risks.

How You Can Prevent Chronic Diseases - CDC
By making healthy behaviors part of your daily life, you can prevent conditions such as high blood pressure or obesity, which raise your risk of developing the most common and serious chronic diseases. Learn more about healthy actions you and your loved ones can take.

Adding Physical Activity to Your Life | Physical Activity - CDC
Making physical activity a part of your life, your child’s life, or a loved one’s life can be tricky to stick to. The CDC offers tips and best practices for incorporating physical activity and exercise into your everyday routine.

Healthy Living | American Diabetes Association
Find everything you need for healthy living with a diabetes diagnosis here. From nutrition and recipes, weight loss, mental health resources, and more, the ADA offers support and information on how to lead a healthy life.

ADA Recipes & Nutrition
"What can I eat?" is one of the top questions asked by people with diabetes when they are diagnosed—and our goal is to help answer that question.  This website provides information about meal planning (no diabetes diet here!) and lots of diabetes-friendly recipes to help you get started.  For more recipes, try the ADA Diabetes Food Hub.

The DASH Diet - Cleveland Clinic
DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is an eating plan designed to lower the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), lose excess weight, and reduce your risk for certain health problems.

Mediterranean Diet - Cleveland Clinic
The Mediterranean diet is a plant-based diet that can be used as a long term dietary option or eating plan. It has been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other diseases. Learn key components of a Mediterranean Diet here.

Healthy Living for ME™

Healthy Living for ME (HL4ME) is Maine’s statewide network of local organizations, health systems, and volunteers who work together to empower individuals to take charge of their health. Through tailored services, we provide free and low-cost options that are personalized to focus on the whole individual rather than a single condition to improve overall quality of life. If you are coping with high blood pressure, heart disease, COPD, arthritis, diabetes, pain, or other chronic conditions, HL4ME can support your efforts to live life as fully and independently as possible.

For more information or to register for a workshop, visit healthylivingforme.org, email info@healthylivingforme.org, or call 1-800-620-6036.

2-1-1-Maine
For Mainers seeking local services and resources or looking for someone to talk to, 211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people of all ages across Maine to local services.

211 Maine is based in Maine and available by phone or online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.