Opening Up

I don’t have diabetes, but it has played a major role throughout my life. My dad had Type 1 diabetes and had it before I was born. Some of my earliest memories are of him playfully spraying alcohol across the room before he would fill his glass syringe with insulin. That was 20 plus years before disposable syringes, blood glucose meters, and insulin pumps. Those days were also long before anyone was focused on their feelings about diabetes, so like everyone else in my family, I stayed silent. Read More “Opening Up”

Everything I Knew About Diabetes, I Learned From My Grandmother

My name is Jan and I have Type 2 diabetes. Sounds like something you’d say in front of a 12-step group, huh?

Since I got the news on January 2, 1986, I’ve known I have diabetes. I just haven’t always known about diabetes. Perhaps it’s a good thing the other genes I inherited are good, or I’d be in deep trouble, because my control in the early years was nonexistent, and it isn’t always perfect now. Read More “Everything I Knew About Diabetes, I Learned From My Grandmother”

Meal Planning 101

As a dietitian and diabetes educator, some of the  comments I’ve repeatedly heard from many people with diabetes over the years are "I need a diabetic diet" and "I can’t figure out those exchanges. Just tell me what to eat." It’s true that meal planning can be challenging when you have diabetes. The good news, though, is that meal planning has changed quite a bit over the years. In fact, there’s no such thing as a "diabetic diet" anymore. The best "diet" for you is one that is flexible enough to fit in with your lifestyle and help you control your blood glucose levels. In fact, there are many different ways to help you eat and manage your diabetes at the same time. This week, we’ll explore a couple of different meal planning methods that are available.  Next week, we’ll look at some more. Read More “Meal Planning 101”

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