uanita Butac, 74, arrived from the Philippines two years ago with a blood glucose level of 255 milligrams per deciliter and has ended up changing the eating habits of her entire household.

"She's doing excellent," said Anne Leake, family nurse practitioner at Kalihi-Palama Health Center.

Butac used to have to test her glucose levels at least twice a day. But, with a healthier diet and regular exercise, she now only has to test herself every three weeks, and her appointments at Kalihi-Palama are stretching further and further apart.

"Cutting out rice was the hardest," said her son, Marvin Butac, who was interpreting for his mother. "You know Asians. They love their rice."

Juanita now takes two 30-minute walks a day with her friend, and no longer drinks soda or eats desserts.

After dinner, Marvin said, she'll look at something sweet being offered and "she'll say, 'I want to eat that, but I can't.' She used to eat ice cream but cannot anymore."

She lives with Marvin, his wife and two sons in Kalihi, where soda is no longer allowed. And now the family is substituting fresh fruit for sweets and brown rice for white rice.

"My mother's been a good influence on all of us," Marvin said.