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

HERE COMES SUMMER

HOW TO: pump iron while pumping insulin.

Putting on a swimsuit is just not in my cards anytime soon. Now that nice weather is here to stay, I need to put my winter body away. However, this is much easier said than done when you throw diabetes into the mix. I have really been struggling with keeping weight off and also following my daily medical routine. I recently took up running, which I have really enjoyed, but have found that running has repetitively given me high blood sugars. This is extremely frustrating.

With summer approaching I need to find recreational activities that keep my blood sugar consistent. Is this possible?

Here is an interesting web page I found with tips on exercising with T1. 

For the most part, I think that the goodness of staying active and participating in physical activities outweighs the bad of a slight higher or lower blood sugar. It is so important to stay active with diabetes, because we hold on to fat so easily due to our insulin intake.

The trickiest part of dealing with my health during the summer is not wanting to lug all of my medicine and medical supplies around. I feel like I can never go anywhere without a giant bags to cover all of my “what-if” situations. BUT NEVER GO WITHOUT. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Plus, with my luck if I ever tried to go without….that would be the time that I find myself in a compromising situation. AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS wear a medical ID. 

Stay active and enjoy the fresh air and flowers!!!!

xoxo

The DiaBlogger 

Educating Co-Workers

I have always worked in retail, so I have never really been in a work environment that was too strenuous for my health to handle. My managers all know that if I work in the evening I have to take a quick break to shoot up some Lantus and check my BG periodically throughout my work shift.

My biggest concern with Diabetes in a workplace setting is not putting myself in a position where I feel unsafe but actually educating my co-workers on diabetes.

I think it is safe to say that we have all become comfortable with diabetes, we live with it. The problem is that  I think sometimes it is easy to forget to mention crucial things when explaining how to treat diabetes to others. We deal with this stuff ALL the time.

[True story, I had a dream the other night that I was out to dinner and before my meal I counted my carbs...in my dream. Needless to say, I was pretty impressed when I woke up. ]

So who do you educate, when do you tell them, and what do you say?

In my opinion, the most important people to educate are your superior, and the people that you are surrounded by the most. These will be the people who will notice a change in behavior or attitude that can be attributed a low blood sugar.

Depending on the job, I don't necessarily think that your health status needs to be brought up in an interview. However, after landing the job it is important to make your close co-workers aware. I have found that it is the easiest to bring up my struggles with T1 diabetes when I am out to lunch with somebody. It easily explains why I have made certain food choices or why I mysteriously leave for the restroom with a sack full of needles before each of my meals.

When you do talk to your co-workers, they may be overwhelmed if you over-educate them. You want to focus on telling them what a low blood sugar is and what they can do to help you.

Something I always share when educating people on my health is the way I act during a low blood sugar. I am usually stubborn and am adamant that I do not have a low blood sugar.

"I don't need to check my blood sugar, I'm fine"

That is probable when I do need to check my blood sugar. Make the people around of aware of this. I think that people feel like you know what you are talking about and do not want to bother you about your health. However, in situations like blood sugars it is important for them to step in.

xoxo
The DiaBlogger

Gluttony for Gluten

My favorite part of being diagnosed with T1 was sitting with my nutritionist and listening to the long list of fabulous diseases and disorders that I now have a 26% higher, 13% higher, 67% higher or 42% higher chance of getting. 

"Congratulations. You just got T1 Diabetes. Regardless if you take care of your health or not, here is a long list of problems you will probably come in contact with in your far, or not so very far, future."

Am I the only one who feels this way???

The only disorder that struck my attention the most from this looong list was Celiac Disease.  I think it caught my eye simply because gluten-free diseases have been so trendy recently. I am sure you are all aware...but just in case....Celiac Disease is a condition in which you must go on a strict gluten-free diet. 

FUN FACT: 3-8 % of people with type 1 diabetes will have biopsy-confirmed celiac disease. 

So...recently (over the past month or so) I have been experiencing some severe stomach pain after eating. I tried to track exactly what food I was eating that was causing the pain. Unfortunately, many of the meals I had pain after had a combination of dairy and gluten. When I ate dairy or gluten separately, I would have absolutely no stomach pain at all. This led my doctor to believe that my stomach pain was IBS related because it was also occurring during more stressful times for me. 

To make a long story shorter than I am making it....This past week, my stomach pain has evolved into some digestion issues. I will elaborate this way: when I eat gluten, I have about 5 minutes to get to the nearest bathroom. 

According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness:

Celiac disease associated with diabetes is usually silent, showing no symptoms, and may only be found upon screening. Signs and symptoms, such as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, malabsorption, weight loss, and abnormal liver function tests may also be seen and easily confused with poor glucose control of type 1 diabetes or gastroparesis - when the muscles in the wall of the stomach do not function normally.

So tonight, when I was low blood sugar I opted for eating a piece of toast with crunchy peanut butter. YUM. I was getting ready to leave my apartment to get on a 10 hour long Megabus ride home for the weekend. So I figured the toast would raise my blood sugar and the protein in the peanut butter would keep my blood sugar stable. 

CARBS  + PROTEIN= GOOD DECISION

TOAST= BAD DECISION

 I am not diagnosed with Celiac or gluten intolerance, but my body is speaking LOUDLY, clearly and very brownly [sorry if that was too much information]. 

Well, I am leaving you all there. Please, PLEASE let me know of your experiences with T1 & Celiac. I am new to the business. And wish me luck on my bus ride with my digestive issues..... only 8 more hors to go, right?

xoxoxo

The DiaBlogger

How to make your GPA a 7.0

As we all know, each time we strut into our endocrinologist's office we aim to walk out with a good report. At least a 7.0, correct?

When first diagnosed, my AIC was always around a 6.3, which my doctors were extremely impressed with. However about a year ago, I was sitting at about an 8.6 which was not favorable.

A few weeks ago, I tested at a 6.4 I think. My doctors were excited until they saw all of my consistently low blood sugars. Clearly my AIC was not reflective of good control but rather many miscalculations.

My goal for the spring is to incorporate new habits into my everyday life that will help me consistently stay in the 70-40 BG range.


1. Always have access to glucose tablets.
-A glucose tablet has a set amount of carbs in it that you can control. It is better than just popping in a piece of candy because it will always have the same amount of carbs. This allows you to have better control. Instead of reaching for the first piece of food you see when you have a low blood sugar, try to reach for glucose tablets that you have made easily available.

2. Count and eliminate carbs.
-Counting carbs is always important. No doctor would recommend completely eliminating carbs from a diet because carbohydrates are essential to the body. However, eliminating heavy carbs can alleviate spikes in blood sugars. Consuming calories through other sources such as whole fruits and vegetables can help maintain a constant blood sugar level.

3. Eat at regularly scheduled times.
-You should schedule your meals at about the same time each day. This is extremely difficult for me to do. Skipping a meal can lead to high spikes in blood sugars. Another reason why breakfast is SO SO important.

4. Limit snacking.
-Snacking is the biggest trouble with diabetes. It is a terrible habit of mine that is taking a long while to kill off. Snacking is problematic because it occurs in between meals. When you bolus, insulin takes about four complete hours to be fully activated. After two hours, your insulin is about 50% activated, or has reached about 50% of its potential. If you take insulin for a snack two hours after a meal and notice your blood sugar is high, you may choose to add extra insulin for a correction. This could cause you do go low later during the day because the other 50% of your insulin from your earlier meal has still not hit you yet.


There is many other things I could add into my diabetic life, but I think this is a good start to achieving great health.


What kinds of things do you do to maintain appropriate blood sugars?

I will keep you posted on my success,
The DiaBlogger

CGM

After moving to Chicago, I was forced to find all new doctors. Starting with an Endocrinologist. Lucky for me, I found a doctor I love at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago.

I was able to have my first appointment in February, but I left wary because she explained to me that in order to be a part of her practice it was mandatory that I submit my body for a full week of observation. Meaning, I had to come in and get a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) placed under my skin and wear it for a week.

Anyone who knows me well or has read about my feelings about wearing diabetic devices knows how uncomfortable this makes me feel. Yet, here I am in the endocrinology clinic now getting ready to receive my CGM.

From my research, I don't think that wearing it for a week will be that big of a deal. I am on spring break this week, so a lot of my friends are not at school. That eliminates my fear and insecurity of having to respond to "What is that?!"

However, my biggest concern is that I will be running a 10K on Sunday and I don't want it to like....fall out it something. Can that happen? I'm so nervous!

I would love to get feedback from anyone with experience with a CGM. I have NO idea what to expect.

Wish me luck!!
The DiaBlogger

DON'T FORGET THE INSULIN!!

All of us have our own special ways to keep our diabetes supplies organized and accessible at all times...some of our ways are much better than others. I would hope that all of your organization tools are better than mine.

MY WAY: a gallon ziploc bag containing multiple humalog and lantus pens, handfuls of needles and alcohol swabs, a glucose monitor, extra testing strips, a glucagon pen, glucose tablets, and a tube of frosting.

It's quite a site watching me pull it out at sleepovers, restaurants, and in airports. I would love to know what goes through people's minds while they watch me pull out a ziploc bag full of frosting and needles. However, it is what works best for me.

The bad part is when I forget the bag....I forget everything. SO- I am definitely taking notes if anyone has suggestions on how I can better keep track of my supplies. I also am known to overpack (see picture above). So once I finally get my suitcase zipped, it is extremely depressing to see that I have packed everything I don't need and not the one thing I do need, my diabetes supplies.

When it comes to traveling, diabetes supplies are ALWAYS at the top of my travel list (right next to blankie and cell phone charger, obviously). Even though I always try to remember, I have been put in multiple situations where I did leave my bag and was left to venture on an insulin-less vacation...sounds great right?? But an insulin-less vacation is anything from fun as I am sure you have all experienced.

Here are my tips for you:

1. I know I feel too old to be reminded things, but there is NO shame in having a designated person to remind you while you are packing your things to pack your supplies. 
2. Write it at the TOP of your packing list. 
3. Pack supplies in your main suitcase as well as in your carry on. That way if you forget to throw the supplies in your carry on bag, at least you will have something to fall back on when you open your main suitcase. 
4. Switch your prescription over to a drugstore. I like to keep my prescriptions at a grocery store, however, having access to your medications at places such as CVS or Walgreens will come in handy when you are some place that your grocery store is not located. 

By the way, I have always wondered how needles are allowed through security? I am sure it is very common for the TSA to see needles in security, but I have never been stopped or questioned. Are they trained to look for certain needles? I have always been curious and would love to know. 

I'll being flying out to Pennsylvania next Thursday to see my grandparents for Easter. So maybe I will cross my fingers that the TSA stops me...just so I can ask them a few questions myself!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and Spring Break. and please, please DON'T FORGET YOUR INSULIN. 

safe travels, 

The DiaBlogger