#56: Carri Hicks, T1D Parent & OK State Senator | The Race Is On

Oklahoma is thankful to have an upcoming state senate candidate who in not only a second generation educator, but the parent of a child recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. In this episode we touch on her son’s diagnosis, insulin affordability & accessibility, and Carri’s day to day life on the campaign trail with three kids. Please note – this is not a political plug, but just an opportunity to have someone in her shoes share life with managing the real world and a child with Type 1 diabetes. (more…)



#55: Ryan Fightmaster | Ryan’s Fondest Farewell And Cheers

It’s funny how the thing you set out to do ends up being done to you. We had one goal when launching Diabetes Daily Grind back in 2014–give real support for the diabetes life (it was once ‘diabetic life’, but we got with the times, thanks to Kelly McKeever). I had it all figured out, the whole living with diabetes thing. I’d write articles for the website about how to run marathons or how to go vegan, dispelling all this great wisdom to help others, and it would be a fun, creative outlet. Turns out, I didn’t even know what real support was, because I’d been missing it all along: community. Turns out I needed the real support. (more…)



#54: Trish Winters, T1D Parent & Advocate | Times Are A Changing!

As promised, the Diabetes Daily Grind is happy to share what’s on the horizon for the blog and the Real Life Diabetes podcast while catching up with one of our favorite guests. Over a few glasses of wine, Amber has a heartfelt discussion with Trish, T1D parenting badass to two sons with T1D whose fighting the good fight on Capitol Hill as a diabetes advocate. 

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#53: Mark Carter | The 670G Sleep Solution

For all of us, this was a new season. In the time away from each other (less than a year), Mark has moved back to Northwest Arkansas, started a new job with Medtronic, and committed to a diabetes life with the new 670G insulin pump. And, as expected, the conversation went off the rails from the anticipated agenda and into even realer subjects: sex, sleep, and Chick-Fil-A.
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#52: Tonya Cameron, RN | Our Favorite Wellness Warrior Refreshes Resolutions

In life, we meet people who leave us feeling lighter and rejuvenated–Tonya’s one of those people. Every word she speaks is embodied in her own life. She’s curious and open-minded, a professional student in healthy living. As a nurse at Wellness and Longevity (a functional medicine clinic in Oklahoma City), she works with patients daily on optimizing their foundations for health. In her second episode (refresh with episode 10), we focus on the foundations of a vital life and how to reengage with meaningful resolutions. Diabetes can be a reflection of how we’re eating, moving, sleeping, and managing the mind. Tonya helps us get back to those basics, letting diabetes management reflect back out.

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#51: Daniele Hargenrader, Diabetes Dominator | A Path Out of the Darker Places

Enthusiasm and authenticity are contagious. In just an hour of speaking with Daniele, we caught the wave of passion toward bettering our own diabetes management. Her own transformation–a completely authentic one driven by her own T1D experience–gives her a platform to coach from the heart. She gets the pitfalls. She understands the road to success. She has a balanced approach based upon a Nutritional Science degree, Personal Training certification, and 1000 hours of psychology training.  A conversation centered on how to craft an optimal attitude toward new habits, this podcast serves as the perfect launch into 2018. And, as no surprise to anyone, moments of ridiculousness and laughter are plentiful.

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#50: Miss America, Nicole Johnson | A Life Of Advocacy After Wearing Diabetes On-Stage

An hour before her emcee duties at the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center’s Connect+Cure Gala in OKC, Nicole Johnson joined us and shared her perspectives since winning Miss America in 1999. From the surprising career trajectory afterward, to dating and diabetes scenarios, we embraced the whole journey. Per the usual flow of the show, many laughs were had, and we all got to know each other.  (more…)



#49: Amber & Ryan | Who Are We Again, #3? (Honesty Shines Through)

With such busy lives these days it has been almost two months since team DDG crafted time to catch up. As everyone in the diabetes community knows, we all need our T1D bestie time chatting about life with the disease SO… after a long day at work we penciled in this episode to review life, recap breaking diabetes news, and discuss listener questions. We talk allergies, food choices, fight or flight response, T2D compassion, defense mechanisms, T1D anxiety and an honest conversation about how our diabetes management is constantly changing.

If you’re one for free-flowing conversation, sit on back with a beverage of choice (if not driving) and enjoy.

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#48: Christina Crowder, Pediatric Dietician | Honesty and the Power of an Open Mind

Honesty and perspective–two traits people with diabetes cherish from those who give us advice about food. Christina has both. Having served with Ryan at Camp Blue Hawk on the medical staff, he was ready to pick her brain about her thoughts on paleo vs vegan, parenting pitfalls in diet, and how she found dietetics. The result? A conversation that stays open-minded and focuses on the big picture: steady blood sugars without compromise to long-term longevity. Oh, and as a show first, Amber arrived midway through the conversation by surprise. (more…)



#47: Scott Johnson | Strive For Progress, Not Perfection

Finally,  the most welcoming force in all of the Diabetes Online Community joined the show: Scott Johnson. If you’ve ever composed an article about diabetes, odds are, Scott has given you praise. As one of the founding members of the diabetes blogging world, Scott has watched the DOC bloom into a world that hosts 1000s of posts per year, and he couldn’t be more proud. He’s honest, approachable, and has done a lot of diabetes introspection over the years. Amber labeled him the “most huggable” person of the DOC. You’ll soon understand after listening. (more…)