The Weekend Workout — Hit The Trail and Run!

By Ryan Fightmaster on Aug 29, 2015

The air is cooler. The foliage has a tinge of yellow. You can still feel a little bit of summer, but you know what’s coming–autumn. In my mind, there’s no better introduction to the season than blazing a trail on a run. No matter where you live, even here in the barren flats of Oklahoma City, trails are everywhere.

If you hit the trail this weekend, give this tutorial a quick watch to avoid any common trail running mistakes.

In my experience, trail running tends to produce more work on the body, thus leading to more demands on the blood sugar. Here’s a few tips to stay in range:

1) Pack more than one snack. I tend to use a few that have different macronutrient ratios. I’ll bring a Gu and a Clif Bar.
2) Remember that it’s always easier going out than it is coming back, especially if you started running downhill.
3) Lots of water. It’s still hot out.

#9: Amber, John & Ryan | Ask Us Anything #1, Low BGs, Roommate Talk and Exercise

By The Grind on Aug 27, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (64.4MB)

For those who are familiar with how our website operates, this will come as no surprise–we held nothing back. Today’s show is all about sharing the diabetes journey. Every so often, it’s just nice to know that you aren’t the only one digging the trench. That’s sometimes the metaphor we use when thinking about diabetes on a daily basis. We’re not experts, just people living a real diabetes life and talking about it. Thanks to all who dropped in a question.

We went deep into endurance exercise with John Brandenburg and how to prevent a low blood sugar during. Having that conversation with roommates can be tough. We talked about how, why, and when to bring it up. Ever had an issue with medical supplies? Oh yeah, we have. Amber still, yes still, prefers shots over the pump. She gave us her rational and made stellar points. (more…)

Can One Hotel’s “Superfood” Campaign Be Legitimately Healthy? My Blood Sugar Says So.

By Amber Clour on Aug 25, 2015

A monumental girl’s weekend was being planned and while on hold with The Westin Stonebriar Hotel & Golf Club, the recording boasted superfood options. It made me think – is this just another marketing ploy? After traveling extensively over the past couple of months, I’ve picked up a few buzz-words hotels and resorts are using to lure guests.

I dropped my bags at the door and couldn’t wait to do a little investigating. What were they offering and how were they marketing it to the general public? Low and behold, the first page of the In-Dining Menu options read, “Maintain a healthy lifestyle on the road with our nutrient-rich and delicious SuperFoodsRx™ dishes. The following page actually listed 25+ super foods with a brief description.

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Clean Out Your Fridge Veggie Curry

By Amber Clour on Aug 22, 2015

This recipe couldn’t be any easier so open up the fridge and start pulling out veggies. I’ve been traveling a lot lately and can’t stand it when fresh veggies go bad so I decided to try something new. I gathered what was in the fridge and whipped together a fabulous meal for friends with plenty of leftovers to freeze for when I return from vacation.

Dice whatever you have scrounged together. I used broccoli, shrooms, cauliflower, squash and a yellow onion.

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The Story Of How We Built Our Strongest Character Trait

By Ryan Fightmaster on Aug 20, 2015

We devote much attention to the downside of situations in our life first, even when the positives are notably greater. This is no secret.

How often do you sit around and ponder your strengths driven by diabetes? Me, I’ll give it some thought; going as far to mention it in a job interview, scholarship essay, or speech. Do I think about it daily? Not usually, with the bulk of my thinking consumed with highs, lows, and the in-between.

Today I argue that our strongest character trait, something we have to acknowledge, has developed naturally, over many years, over many days, over the smallest of moments–that being professionalism. (more…)

Recapping The T1D “Back To School” Mindset & Coping Mechanisms

By Amber Clour on Aug 18, 2015

Going back to school can be a bummer for everyone, but adding a “disability” to the mix throws in an additional layer of stress and anxiety. Today, I recap different stages in my life where diabetes reared it’s head and how I dealt with the highs and lows during this treacherous time of insecurity and adolescence. I’m breaking it down and sharing a few coping mechanisms I only realized as an adult.

Elementary School – My homies and fellow Girl Scouts knew what was going on. That didn’t make it any easier per say, but at least the cat was out of the bag.

I allowed adults to help out. I busted my first bottle of insulin during this particular Girl Scout camp. I was mortified, but everyone rallied and we scored another bottle so I could be a part of the camping on a concrete platform experience.
I kept snacks in my desk and have shared how to handle bullying in Cheez-It Trauma.
I took my lunch… I was even “particular” at an early age. This allowed me to have healthier options while not feeling weird about not consuming the hamburger, fries, fruit cup and milk option. (What were they thinking???)

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One Parallel Between Golf and Diabetes We Must Take To Heart

By Ryan Fightmaster on Aug 13, 2015

Golf is a game of life. Diabetes is a game of life. For those who have held a club, struck the small white ball off the tee, and tallied shots, you will understand today’s analogy, just in time for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. For those who have not, you too will appreciate the talk. Golf is merely the vehicle for a mightier conversation—diabetes happens to share the same fairways and greens.

Suffering seems to be an inherent aspect of both golf and diabetes. Again, for those who have swung an iron, seen the ball skyrocket off the clubface into knee high thicket out of bounds, after having just driven the ball dead down the middle of the fairway, this can be a tortuous place to reside within the mind. In my experience, this feels pretty much the same as waking up with a blood sugar of 105, eating your standard breakfast, taking your experience-driven insulin dosage, and two hours later, discovering blood sugar of 263. Both results do not meet expectations—expectations we feel we own. (more…)

#8: Amber & Ryan from Maui | How to Travel, Surf, and be an Islander

By The Grind on Aug 12, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (57.9MB)

All in all, Amber and Ryan were pumped to cross paths on the island of Maui and share their traveling journeys to date. How do each of them deal with airport security? What do they eat in airports? Snacks? You know they both had snacks. At the time, Ryan had been on Maui for a month, mainly combing beaches and pretending to be a surfer. Amber focused on socializing in every happy hour across the island for two weeks. She breaks down the Hawaiian culture and cuisine, while he gives us insight into managing blood sugar while surfing. (more…)

To Dog Or Not To Dog? That Is The Question.

By Melissa Passarelli on Aug 10, 2015

For the past two months, I have been debating this very question: should I invest in a diabetes service dog? Until two months ago, I didn’t even know this was a thing. In my defense, it’s quite recent- although service dogs have been used for years, diabetic assistance dogs only started popping up in the past few years, after anecdotal evidence suggested that dogs could sense blood sugars. Diabetes service dogs are trained to smell your scent when your blood sugars go low or high, and both alert you (by nudging, pawing, laying on you, etc.) and assist you (by bringing you testing supplies, glucose, insulin, or even getting help). For a Type 1 diabetic that lives alone, the latter part is really appealing.

Since moving into my own place a few months ago I have had at least 3 true blood sugar crashes that made me fearful of what could happen. One morning I woke up and the site of my insulin pump had become detached, resulting in sky-high blood sugar. (more…)

The Single Understanding To Stay Sane With Diabetes

By Ryan Fightmaster on Aug 6, 2015

You know that place–the simple longing for normalcy after a long bout with high and low blood sugars. All you want is to feel like yourself again; balanced, centered, in control. In the midst of the roller coaster ride, it’s difficult to remember that you will eventually make it back. You always do.

Before making it back to that normal zone of self-awareness, we’re different–not ourselves but not entirely not ourselves. I think that was a triple negative but you get the point, ultimately the one understanding to sane with diabetes: (more…)