baylor scott & white health
Health Care Reimagined
the recipe for better health
The enticing aroma of simmering garlic and onions wafts through the hallways of the Anita N . Martinez Recreation Center .
Apron-clad Onesima Gutierrez laughs heartily and converses in Spanish with her cousin and sister-in-law as they prepare two savory dishes : cauliflower macaroni and cheese , and easy spinach and chicken pasta . They ’ re learning to cook healthy meals in a program sponsored by Baylor Scott & White Health , United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department . Gutierrez ’ s sister-in-law spotted a flier about the program and invited the two to join her .
The initiative , called Healthy Cities , is offered for free at three Dallas recreation centers : Anita N . Martinez , Cummings and Samuell-Grand . Healthy Cities is designed to help North Texans manage pre-diabetes , diabetes and other chronic health conditions through healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices . Classes are offered every three months in English or Spanish , depending on the class members .
Approximately 29 million people in the U . S . have diabetes . About one in 12 Dallas-area adults has been diagnosed with diabetes , and another three have elevated blood sugar levels and are likely to develop it .
Griselda Villarreal , a Baylor Scott & White community health worker ( CHW ), teaches Healthy Cities classes in Spanish . A CHW is a frontline public health worker who helps individuals and communities increase their health knowledge and self-sufficiency . CHWs typically speak the same language and share cultural roots with the people they serve .
Healthy Cities offers public farm stands with fresh produce , plus ingredients for each week ’ s recipes ; collaborates with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department on recreation and physical activity programs ; and texts tips , tools and resources to reinforce class lessons .
Gutierrez ’ s husband has diabetes . Her classmates ’ families are grappling with other health issues such as high blood pressure . After they prepare the new recipes at home , they share photos of the food and give one another tips on how to tweak the ingredients .
Gutierrez has three sons ranging in age from 7 to 22 . They all approve of her new cooking skills . Another measure of success ? Her husband has already lost 10 pounds .
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