How many times have you heard: There will be a cure in 5 years...In the next 20 years nobody will have diabetes anymore...They are so close to finding an answer!
I have heard this way too many times. After awhile I think I just began to zone it out. At my first endocrinologist appointment after a rough hospital stay (read my diagnosis story) I was shaking and crying as my nurse tried to check my blood sugar. It was too painful to get my finger pricked and I was not afraid to be defiant. Looking back at that image of myself makes me laugh and think "wow, you have no idea what is coming." The nurse tried to console me and started the well-rehearsed soothing lines... It is really okay. There will be a cure for diabetes in the next 10 years. It will be in your lifetime, you are going to be fine.
That was the first thing that made me perk up since being diagnosed. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad after all. Now, after living with diabetes for over 5 years it really just makes me laugh when I hear someone say that. You could say I have a negative outlook, but I think I am just realistic to a fault.
We have seen data on pancreas transplants, the bionic pancreas, different diets, etc. and things look promising, but not all that great. I was surprised this week when I read an article about these scientists at Harvard that are mass-producing new fully functioning beta cells. Check it out here. Beta cells are what produce insulin. Auto-immnune disease attacks these cells, and then we are left with manually injecting insulin into our bodies. Here is my favorite blunt quote from the article:
“A lot of the complications associated with manual insulin monitoring can lead to a lower quality of life.” Jeffrey Millman, a doctor in this research study
Spot on, Jeffrey.
My biggest fear has always been that I will live for the discovery of how to stop T1 diabetes, but not be here for the day doctors learn to cure people already diagnosed with it. This research is exciting because the scientists were already able to rapidly cure one mouse in the experiment with their new cells. It is also exciting because I am an auto-immune cocktail recipe for disaster.
This is a huge breakthrough for the T1 community and for health research in general. If it is a potential cure, it will be years before we can get our hands on it. However, I am keeping my fingers crossed.
The DiaBlogger
Showing posts with label Artificial Pancreas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Artificial Pancreas. Show all posts
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
HELLO 2014 WORLD
Hi Everyone!
Sorry I have been MIA. My New Years resolution is to keep up in the blogosphere and not fall behind as much as I did in 2013---I fell about 6 months behind. oops. In my defense, I went to South America for a few weeks so cut my some slack!
I have made A LOT of New Years resolutions actually….so I feel like I need to narrow them down. Each year, I try to dedicate at least ONE resolution to my health. Because T1 is treatable and not curable (yet)…I think that there is always room for improvement with my diet and exercise regimen. I have learned that when I try to make a whole bunch of changes to my regimen, I just fail miserably. However, when I focus on one thing it is easier to make a habit out of it.
In 2013, I focused on cutting red meat out of my diet. In february, I will have successfully not had one meat in one year! I am a little reluctant to cut out all meat just because it is pure protein…and we all know that pure protein= no insulin.
Lately, I have been researching a lot about dairy products. I am curious as to what you guys think about this. Since cheese is also a protein that does not require insulin, I do not want to cut that out completely either. There has been a huge uprising against dairy products in the past year and I want to look more into it. If you are interested, check out this article. I think it shows great perspective to both sides of the argument.
xoxo
The DiaBlogger
Sorry I have been MIA. My New Years resolution is to keep up in the blogosphere and not fall behind as much as I did in 2013---I fell about 6 months behind. oops. In my defense, I went to South America for a few weeks so cut my some slack!
I have made A LOT of New Years resolutions actually….so I feel like I need to narrow them down. Each year, I try to dedicate at least ONE resolution to my health. Because T1 is treatable and not curable (yet)…I think that there is always room for improvement with my diet and exercise regimen. I have learned that when I try to make a whole bunch of changes to my regimen, I just fail miserably. However, when I focus on one thing it is easier to make a habit out of it.
In 2013, I focused on cutting red meat out of my diet. In february, I will have successfully not had one meat in one year! I am a little reluctant to cut out all meat just because it is pure protein…and we all know that pure protein= no insulin.
Lately, I have been researching a lot about dairy products. I am curious as to what you guys think about this. Since cheese is also a protein that does not require insulin, I do not want to cut that out completely either. There has been a huge uprising against dairy products in the past year and I want to look more into it. If you are interested, check out this article. I think it shows great perspective to both sides of the argument.
xoxo
The DiaBlogger
Monday, June 3, 2013
Snacky Snax
One of the hardest things for me to face with diabetes is snacking. Isn't that something we should all stop doing?
Easy things to snack on for me have been crackers, turkey, cheese sticks, an apple, or a clementine. However, recently with my new gluten-intolerance and the summer heat, I have been looking for gluten free snacks that are low-carb and will not perish in the summer heat.
Trader Joe's has been a life saver for me. It is hard for me to find snacks that fit my requirements and are not overly expensive. Here are some of my favorites that can all be found at your local Trader Joe's:
Un-Sweetened Dried Fruit:
Dried fruit is a great way to get in your nutrients without worrying about eating them in a timely matter. My favorite dried fruits are apricots, prunes, and cranberries. Dates apricots and prunes are great choices for a diabetic in particluar because they are high in fiber. Unfortunately, they can also be high in carbs but the fiber helps maintain and stabalize your blood sugar. These are great for road trips or to throw in a backpack if you are going to be out for a day. My other favorites are cranberries and cherries. These have more of a sweet and tart taste. They taste much more like a desert than a healthy snack.
LARABAR:
I have had a lot of trouble finding granola bars that are gluten-free, low-carb, low-sugar, and high in fiber. I think LARABAR takes the win. The bars have no sugar added, are high in fiber, and only use minimal ingredients of nuts, fruits, and spices. One of my favorites is Cashew Cookie. This bar only contains cashews and dates. It has 23g of carbs, 6g of protein, and 3g of fiber.
Skinny Pop:
Skinny Pop or any air-popped popcorn is a perfect snack that does not go stale and will stay fresh even in hot weather. I like Skinny Pop because it does not have any added salts or butter. It is simply air popped. If you buy other sir-popped popcorn, make sure that you check the ingredients listed, and also the amount of sodium listed on the package.
That's It Bar:
This bar is one of my favorites. There are a variety of different flavors, but essentially this bar is an apple and another fruit in a bar. The listed ingredients on the package of this bar is: Apple, Cherries. That's it! This is another great solution to taking fruit on-the-go with you. The bars do not perish easily and are nicer than dried fruit because you do not have to worry about resealing.
Nut Based Trail Mix:
Trail mix is a hard one to find. Unfortunately, any trail mixes are high in carbohydrates and in gluten. However, at Trader Joe's I have been able to find many assorted nut and fruit based trail mixes. Stay away from mixes that include pretzels, chocolate, or mini-breadsticks.
Do any of you have other favorite snacks that easy to take on-the-go??
I could use some other recommendations!
Stay cool, we are definitely still chillin' out here in Chicago...don't worry!!
xoxo
The DiaBlogger
Easy things to snack on for me have been crackers, turkey, cheese sticks, an apple, or a clementine. However, recently with my new gluten-intolerance and the summer heat, I have been looking for gluten free snacks that are low-carb and will not perish in the summer heat.
Trader Joe's has been a life saver for me. It is hard for me to find snacks that fit my requirements and are not overly expensive. Here are some of my favorites that can all be found at your local Trader Joe's:
Un-Sweetened Dried Fruit:
Dried fruit is a great way to get in your nutrients without worrying about eating them in a timely matter. My favorite dried fruits are apricots, prunes, and cranberries. Dates apricots and prunes are great choices for a diabetic in particluar because they are high in fiber. Unfortunately, they can also be high in carbs but the fiber helps maintain and stabalize your blood sugar. These are great for road trips or to throw in a backpack if you are going to be out for a day. My other favorites are cranberries and cherries. These have more of a sweet and tart taste. They taste much more like a desert than a healthy snack.
LARABAR:
I have had a lot of trouble finding granola bars that are gluten-free, low-carb, low-sugar, and high in fiber. I think LARABAR takes the win. The bars have no sugar added, are high in fiber, and only use minimal ingredients of nuts, fruits, and spices. One of my favorites is Cashew Cookie. This bar only contains cashews and dates. It has 23g of carbs, 6g of protein, and 3g of fiber.
Skinny Pop:
Skinny Pop or any air-popped popcorn is a perfect snack that does not go stale and will stay fresh even in hot weather. I like Skinny Pop because it does not have any added salts or butter. It is simply air popped. If you buy other sir-popped popcorn, make sure that you check the ingredients listed, and also the amount of sodium listed on the package.
That's It Bar:
This bar is one of my favorites. There are a variety of different flavors, but essentially this bar is an apple and another fruit in a bar. The listed ingredients on the package of this bar is: Apple, Cherries. That's it! This is another great solution to taking fruit on-the-go with you. The bars do not perish easily and are nicer than dried fruit because you do not have to worry about resealing.
Nut Based Trail Mix:
Trail mix is a hard one to find. Unfortunately, any trail mixes are high in carbohydrates and in gluten. However, at Trader Joe's I have been able to find many assorted nut and fruit based trail mixes. Stay away from mixes that include pretzels, chocolate, or mini-breadsticks.
Do any of you have other favorite snacks that easy to take on-the-go??
I could use some other recommendations!
Stay cool, we are definitely still chillin' out here in Chicago...don't worry!!
xoxo
The DiaBlogger
Friday, March 8, 2013
Our Future as DiaRobots
I just read this fabulous article about Diabetes research going on in Israel!
Please read and share with all of your dia-friends...maybe we have something to look forward to in the near future!
Check it out here!
I hope you are having a consistent sugar kind of day,
The DiaBlogger
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)