Deborah Kanter

Deborah Kanter teaches Latin American History at Albion College in Michigan. At age 48, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She credits her successful diabetes management to a love for many types of fitness and many types of vegetables. Deborah counts public health as among her hobbies. She has volunteered in local public health agencies that serve Latino/a immigrants and she would like to act as a diabetes peer educator with Spanish-speakers.

Swimming Through a Diabetes Diagnosis

I had only managed to swim a mile once in my pool and my health seemed off that summer. I still pushed myself, despite the nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right. I completed the swim, but I did so slowly. It felt like I was swimming in oatmeal. At age 48 I wondered, was I getting too old for such exertion?

From Carbs to Greens: The Dreams of a Type 2 Diabetic

Recently I dreamed someone who knew a thing or two about good eating led me to an Italian deli/lunch counter in some cosmopolitan city. The display case featured many dishes. Double-decker focaccia sandwiches caught my eye, but I wistfully passed them up because I knew they were too carby for someone with type 2 diabetes.

Arugula and Me: A First Year With Diabetes

As I learned more about ways I would need to change my eating habits, I envisioned perpetual hunger....