NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) –
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and the Noxubee County NAACP is giving residents better access to healthier food choices.
The group held a free health and wellness food distribution at the Sandyland Community Center.
They were providing fresh produce, whole grains, and turkeys, because turkey is low in carbs, high in protein,and a good option for people with diabetes.
Along with the food, residents also received free blood pressure checks to help residents spot possible issues with hypertension and maybe get ahead of any problems.
Noxubee County NAACP President Deloria Stewart says events like this are important, because many of the county residents have trouble accessing regular healthcare.
“When you live in a rural area, you have limited access to hospitals, we have one hospital here, and you have limited access to healthcare, and our rural citizens can’t afford some of the healthcare, and they can’t afford to get to the places they need to be, and therefore we’re trying to find these people that have hypertension, so they can call their providers and let them know that we’ve been doing blood pressure checks, and we’ve been finding out that some have blood pressure that is elevated, and we want to make sure that we’re giving them the proper care that they need.”
The local chapter received a grant from the national NAACP to provide the food and blood pressure checks.
