Sugar, Spice, & More Things Nice

My Latest Article

2011-12-02T20:03:00.001-08:00

Yes, I'm still here. I'm pouring so much energy into teaching (it is the last week of the semester), taking care of my girls, and writing for magazines that this blog tends to get left behind at times.

Here's my latest article.

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

My A1C.....

2011-10-19T09:41:00.001-07:00

I have always tried to not put too much focus on my a1c, mostly because diabetes is about moment to moment and day to day, not a single number.

However, I am so happy that my current a1c is 6.8. I'm doing something right. I'm figuring this disease out a little more.

And I'm going to rejoice in this small but significant victory.

Engaging New Diabetes Book + I'm Still Here!

2011-10-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

I'm loving Sugar Nation by Jeff O'Connell. Check it out!

And yes, I'm still here! I returned to work in late August, so my energies are being poured into work, my girls, and, as always, my diabetes. You can follow my more updated blog, White Sugar, Brown Sugar, if you'd like to learn more.

A Pictorial Tour of Diabetes

2011-07-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

A 40-something blood sugar. Can you tell I got a little hot?

I recently had a minor, outpatient surgery. I did not want to be disturbed post-surgery---as my husband captured here. My biggest concern was managing my blood sugars pre, during, and post-surgery. It all went really well because I was prepared!

Underneath my shirt....my pump, my CGM, and a bandage over a bad CGM transmitter insert. I look like I should be in a sci-fi movie or maybe a James Bond flick? Move over ladies, there's a new hottie in town! :)

The temps in our area have been INSANE. The heat index every day has been 115. I've had a heck of a time controlling my blood sugars. I had two sleepless nights of testing and injecting every two hours. I finally called my CDNE who told me the heat is incredibly hard on some diabetics. I'm to stay indoors as much as possible (no prob) and drink tons of water. I REALLY wish it were fall already!!!! :(

Oh yes, and with many high sugars come many ketone test strips. Good times.....

What's up with you my D-friends?

SOOOO Excited, ya'll!

2011-07-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

The book I was interviewed for is going up for sale VERY soon. It's a book for women with diabetes---and how to be smart about it!! You can view the book's website and order it from Amazon.

CGM---Love or Hate?

2011-07-03T13:32:00.001-07:00

Newest Article on Pumping

2011-06-29T18:48:00.001-07:00

It got mixed reviews---all interesting! Happy reading!

Great Interview on Type I

2011-06-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this video clip!

The Latest From Me

2011-06-15T13:34:00.001-07:00

Hi, Readers!

I'm busy blogging over at White Sugar, Brown Sugar about adoption, but I sure haven't forgotten about my d-friends.

My latest article on Diabetes Health is about the beginning of my journey with diabetes, including learning to use syringes.

My latest a1c was...

7.0!

I'm quite pleased.

But, like many diabetics, I'm dealing with seasons of roller coaster sugars that are incredibly frustrating.

I hope each of you are well.

Being a Woman and the Big D

2011-04-15T11:36:00.001-07:00

Be Thankful---and Do Something About It!

2011-04-11T13:37:00.001-07:00

5 Years: Thoughts & Photos

2011-03-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

Medication on top of natural medication (fresh produce---yum!)

Triple threat: Bleeding out three ways.

Time for a pump set change.

Hooked up to my CGM and my insulin pump. It's not pretty, but it's my life.

I LOVE seeing a 100 on my meter. It's like a little present.

On March 24, my D-Day (diagnosis day), will mark five years with this disease. What a roller coaster ride it's been so far. I'm not a veteran, but I'm not a newbie.

Diabetes has given me so much, but it's also taken away a lot. I face the D giant every day, not sure if my day will be successful or considered a failure.

Diabetes has spurred my writing career. It's opened me up to a world of learning about nutrition, exercise, the workings of my body, other diseases, going green, and motherhood. I've spoken at diabetes conferences, volunteered at a hospital in the diabetes center, and encouraged diabetics one-on-one.

Diabetes has taken away my free-spirit. I can't naively prance through life without a care in the world. Not even for a second. Diabetes is with me 24/7. It dictates what I do and when and how. Experiences like dates with my husband can become nightmares with the discovery of a dangerously high blood sugar. I can't plan everything, even though I desperately want to. I've had to be "in control" all the time, yet even when I do everything right, the response by my body is so often wrong.

Balance. Peaks. Valleys. Joys. Heartaches. Depression. Pleasant surprises. Blood. Numbers. Needles. Appointments. Sugar. Sleep. Feet. Vision. Hope. Defeat. Future. Past.

Diabetes something I'll never fully understand. But as a Believer, I look forward to the day when my body is made whole again and I can sit with Jesus on a cloud and devour white flour pancakes. :)

Happy 5 Years to me! I'm proud of how hard I've worked. And I pray I have the strength, grace, and determination to continue choosing a healthy, happy life.

~~~~

Old D-Day Posts:

D-Day: My Soundtrack

D-Day Anniversary: A Reflection

Raising Healthy Kids

2011-03-10T14:15:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest article---happy reading!

A Productive Rant

2011-03-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

I don't want to be what this disease says I should be.

I have long struggled with selfishness, determination, self-preservation, driving passion. These things come with being a type A personality. Come hell or high water, I will do what I set my mind to doing.

Example: When my family would arrive home from the grocery store, I often got the job of carrying in the groceries from the car, up the steps, the walkway, and into the house. Being me, I refused to make multiple trips. So I would shove bag after bag up my arms (who cared that they were turning purple and my veins were practically bursting out of my skin?) and lug all the bags in at once. There would be jugs of milk, eggs, produce, meat, cans, boxes.

Now, there is something to be said for a DIY attitude. It has paid of in many ways when it comes to my diabetes.

Diabetes says, in real life, that I should be aged, overweight, tired. I should be carrying around ten bottles of prescriptions that supposedly help my blood sugars, heart, limbs, eyes, lungs, etc. I should be sneaking cans of soda when my husband's back is turned. I should haphazardly take my insulin. Underneath, I should be angry and confused.

But the truth is, I've come to accept that diabetes is what it is, and I'd better get in the game or face the dire consequences.

BUT, and this is a big one, sometimes when one tries to do it all, eggs get dropped and produced gets bruised.

I am not meant to do it all.

I try time and time and time again. But it's a round peg and square hole type of deal.

I am determined to live well with this disease. I am forever trying to figure out how to do that. And though my personality serves me well in some ways, it's detrimental to me in others.

So right now, I'm having a mid-mid-life crisis (whatever that means...) and trying to figure out how to make my personality work for me and when to use that determination to give up some self-preservation and control.

It's not easy.

We all need so much grace.

Driveway Art

2011-03-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

Despite chilly temps, a small break from the cold and a sunny day means I'm headed outside with my girls for some outdoor fun. This morning entailed lots of sidewalk chalk. I go inspired and had a blast!

Random Goodness...Again!

2011-02-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

A few things to share...

I've FINALLY created an Amazon store that features my favorite books, DVDs, and magazines on topics I love including diabetes and good health. You can check it out and order straight from the store. Happy browsing, buying, and reading!

My latest a1c was 7.7. Not horrible, but not great. I've gone back on four weeks of Vitamin D because my levels are consistently low, and low levels of Vitamin D can create fatigue and insulin resistance. My doctor continues to be pleased with my diabetes management, and I'm constantly working to learn and change.

I'm speaking at a diabetes support group meeting at the beginning of May on the topic of diabetes burnout. I'm a "get back up on the horse" kind of girl, and I hope to inspire and support fellow diabetics. If any of you, my dear readers, have any thoughts on tips I can share with beating-burnout, please share with me!

And as you can see in the photo, I'm a busy mom of two baby girls, which you can read more about on my other blog. I posted a few recipes last week if you're interested. I'm still writing for various publications. And, of course, trying to manage this crazy disease.

Book for Diabetic Parents to Share With Kids

2011-02-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

I recently read about this book, Can Mom Have A Piece of My Birthday Cake by Rochelle L. Stern, on Diabetic Parents. I ordered the book (via Amazon) for my two year old. Though it is too mature for her at this time, she enjoys flipping through it.

My daughter observes me giving myself injections, changing my pump set, testing my blood sugar, treating a low, treating a high, etc. I thought a book explaining diabetes would come in handy!

Book Giveaway

2011-02-01T11:11:00.001-08:00

I'm giving away one copy of ECOBEAUTY by Janice and Lauren Cox. Please visit my other blog to enter. Good luck!

Back on the CGM

2011-01-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

I'm back on my CGM. I hate it. It's stuck to me all the time, it leaves tape marks on my skin (ewww---reminder of my diagnosis hospital stay), and it beeps at the most convenient of times (eye roll)...

BUT, my sugar control is so much better with it.

When is someone going to figure out how to implant this stupid thing? :)

Anyway, life with two baby girls is crazy at times, and the CGM helps keep me grounded.

Goals?

2011-01-18T12:35:00.001-08:00

Read more about doing well with your health even after January resolutions fizzle in my latest article in Diabetes Health. Thanks!

2011-01-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon and sugar whole wheat donuts. (Use whole wheat pastry flour---it's lighter than regular whole wheat flour).

Whole wheat chocolate donuts with a dark and white chocolate drizzle.

It's been too long since I posted. I'm crazy-busy with TWO baby girls! You can read more about that here.

But on to diabetes-related adventures....

For Christmas, I got a donut baking pan!!! For anyone out there who loves donuts, you must get a set of these for yourself. You can control the ingredients and flavors and stop worrying about the grease, fat, and sugar that is laden in traditional donuts. Here are a few pics of my creations. Aren't they fab?

My sugars, well, I struggle monthly with my sugars the week before my period. They skyrocket. It's very frustrating. I've created multiple basal patterns (on my pump) to deal with this pending time week in my life, but it hasn't solved the problem. I tried taking more Symlin (I only take it in the morning, but attempted it at lunch and dinner) only to have all the side effects (dizziness and nausea are the worst!) consume me....so I gave up on that. SHRUG. Diabetes is a real pain.

I'm doing the best I can with what I've got---and I don't stress too much about not being the perfect diabetic. Because I know that being perfect is impossible. I gotta live my life, you know?

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-21T20:59:00.001-08:00

Dear Readers,

I hope you have a blessed Christmas! Enjoy good food and drink, exchange gifts, and reflect on all the awesome people in your life.

Love, Rachel

It's a Girl!

2010-12-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world my angel! Check it out on my transracial family living blog.

So long, farewell.....

2010-12-11T12:56:00.000-08:00

I recently read an article in a diabetes magazine that one shouldn't keep a meter too long. Just like anything else, older equipment isn't ideal for accuracy. So, after four and half years, I tossed my first meter. I have GOBS of meters, but I decided to go from my UltraSmart (One Touch) to a slimmer version of the same meter---just to keep things simple.

Then I got eager and cleaned out my medicine cabinet, which for someone with diabetes like me, is a daunting task. I laid out all my supplies on the counter and got to work. I recycled old manuals, tossed outdated medications, and organized what was left. Ahhh! A job well done!

Cleaning and tossing and organizing isn't just something I do for the sake of space. I do it as a way to prepare myself for the coming days with my disease. The disorderly times with diabetes are in the past, and the new me, the one who has grown into a comfortable routine with my disease, is ready to face each day with clarity, understanding, and education. Tossing the old symbolizes my readiness for the new possibilities tomorrow brings.

Yum Yum! Cheeseball!

2010-12-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

I found an easy, diabetes-friendly cheeseball recipe and modified it. Not only does it look festive (red and green), but it tastes amazing!

---goat cheese (as much or as little as you like)

---dried cranberries (to taste)

---pistachios (minus the shells---and again, as much as you want)

---1 block of low-fat cream cheese

Soften the cream cheese and then mix (I used a mixer) with the goat cheese.

Stir in the nuts and cranberries.

Form into a ball.

Stick it in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve with whole wheat crackers.

The protein and fat balance the carbs (in the cranberries) well. Pistachios, I learned, are the lowest calorie nuts---yet they are just as high in protein than their peers.

Enjoy!

AFTER

2010-11-30T11:32:00.000-08:00

I recently finished reading a wonderful book called After the Diagnosis: Transcending Chronic Illness by Julian Seifter, MD. Not only is Seifter a doctor (kidney specialist), but he's also a man with type I diabetes.

A few poignant moments in the book for me:

"There's a concept from the ancient world, revived in the Renaissance, known as serio ludere---"to play seriously." Serio ludere was shorthand for a set of ideas on how to live: Contain opposites. Embrace variety. Hold two thoughts at once. Be rational and informed (serio) but also creative and joyful (ludere)." (pg 4)

"Chronic illness doesn't necessarily diminish life; it can actually enrich life by inviting us to access parts of ourselves that might otherwise lie hidden." (pg. 4)

It's tempting, according to the author, to "give in to the diagnosis, to let yourself be reduced to the thing you have." After all, isn't that how we are made to feel---clothes taken away, cotton gowns, medical bracelets? (p.37)

"Our society is notoriously bad at accepting certain painful facts; that we all live in bodies that are subject to time and chance; that health---good or bad---is not fully within our control; that at some point, our bodies will betray us. Barring accidental or violent death, we all die of something." (p. 46)

"Doctors, however, don't have the time, the economic leeway, or, sometimes, the temperament to make room for the whole patient in all his complexity. They rarely inquire about a person's emotional or spiritual health or help with inner struggles. The office visit tends to be about time management and drug prescriptions, not relationships and the quest for meaning." (p. 87)

"[. . .] the burdens of chronic illness make it tempting to stay put and close the doors, retreating to a safe space where everythings known and predictable. Some people, when they become ill, hunker down; they need sameness, above all. This isn't wrong, and in facet may be quite right for certain temperaments. Not everyone is able to, or wants to, 'transform.'" (p. 130)

"Sickness doesn't have to mean the end of creative living and positive transformation. In any given life, change might manifest [. . .]" (p. 130)

"Unfortunately, our culture is inclined to promote the illusion of invulnerability: we believe we have the right not to be ill, we think we can sidestep again, and we avoid whenever possible the fact that each and every one of us is going to die. Why should we face facts? We have Botox! We have Viagra! We have the best medical advice! If someone is sick, it's obviously his own fault." (p. 165)

"[. . .] as it is for anyone with a chronic illness, has been to walk the line between 'possibility' and 'reality,' and let herself change and grow over time. This task is both hard and necessary; hard, because the temptation, with illness particularly, is to confine oneself to the familiar, becoming increasingly bound by habit and complacency; necessary, because only by opening oneself to what is 'next' can be a person truly live his life." (p. 181)

"Illness represents a hard limit---an unyielding reality that closes off possibility, compromises freedom, undermines desire and hope. At the same time, being sick opens up unexpected opportunities for creativity and growth. By taking away the 'taken-for-granted,' illness invites, even forces, new awareness and new learning. By exploring parts of the self that were once hidden by everyday routine, a sick person can find his way to creative expression, personal transformation, emotional enrichment" (p. 229)

Feeding Our Kiddos

2010-11-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

Vegetarian chili (made with dark red kidney beans, tomatoes, onion, water, and spices) with a few crushed organic corn chips on top and cornbread

Scrambled eggs, sweet potato fries, and mango

Organic grapes and a sandwich made with whole grain bread, hummus, organic cheese, and alfalfa sprouts.

I know many parents who say how impossible it is to get kids to eat healthy, so they give in---again, and again, and again. The problem is that giving up and giving in results in children forming habits that effect them for their entire lives. Why do you think we have so many adults struggling to obtain a healthy weight, body, mind, and spirit?

Eating is complex. No doubt about it. But I believe as parents that we have a big job to do, and if we can do it right or even close-to-right, we are not only saving our kids from a lifetime of being overweight (and all the physical side effects), but from a lifetime of never feeling good enough about oneself.

Above are recent photos of some meals I made for my family. The pictures are taken from above my daughter's high chair tray. Does she always eat everything? Nope! Does she sometimes eat it all? Yep! Does she sometime say BLAHHHHH and let the food fall out of her mouth while asking for a cookie? Yep! The key is to keep trying and to make food healthy, fun, and colorful. And, parents, to decide your child's health means you're going to have to say "no" and "try" instead of caving in to their every whine.

As we approach a long and wonderful holiday season, let's think about the gifts we can give our family year-round. How about a healthy mindset toward food and the foods themselves that feed tummies and minds and self-esteems?

Getting Your Family To Eat Healthy IS Possible!

2010-11-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest article and let me know, via a comment on the article, what you think. You do not have to register any personal info to leave a comment.

Happy Thanksgiving!

And my a1c is....

2010-11-22T06:06:00.001-08:00

7.0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite Things---Thankful

2010-11-19T09:04:00.000-08:00

My daughter's kitchen, broom, and toy food

The sign above the kitchen door

My awesome pie safe-top which houses decor, art projects, and more!

My new soap dish that goes with the bird-theme in my kitchen. Oh yes, and some yummy, homemade soap I got at a Farmer's Market.

This blog started as a diabetes-friendly recipe blog, but it's obviously evolved into much more than that. (And from this blog, I got addicted to blogging, and now have not one, not two, but three blogs! But each subject is so different that an all-in-one wasn't going to work). But I digress....

Taking my blog back to its start---my kitchen---is the focus of this blog post. Above are photos of a few of my favorite things in my kitchen---things I'm thankful for, that make me smile.

I do believe details matter and that beauty is found in small, everyday things and moments.

Make your kitchen a place that inspires you. It doesn't take a lot of money or time---just the thoughtful placement of a favorite thing.

Getting Involved

2010-11-16T11:31:00.001-08:00

Check out my lastest article for Diabetes Health!

1 in 3 Adults Will Get Type 2

2010-11-13T20:24:00.000-08:00

This story breaks my heart.

Diabetes should be a concern of every single person.

It isn't.

And that's the problem.

Diabetes---Would You Choose It?

2010-11-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

So, as most of you know, my husband and I are parents through adoption. We are currently in the process of adopting a second time. One of the homestudy requirements is filling out a checklist that states what we are and are not open to in a child and biological mother. These questions range from drug use/exposure, to mental health, to communication before and after the child's birth, and medical problems.

And on this form was the dreaded D: Diabetes.

Would we be open to a child who has diabetes?

WHOA.

I mean, diabetes is a pretty big freaking deal. Well, sometimes.

I often tell people, you know, I'm actually lucky. I didn't get type I until I was 24 years old. I had all of my teen years to guzzle kiwi-strawberry "juice" drinks and consume gobs of Wendy's fries in "cheese" sauce, Pixie Sticks, Denny's pancakes, and plenty of greasy pizza. I didn't think twice about ordering a Sprite at Taco Bell to compliment my massive order of nachos. If I wanted a Blizzard from DQ, I ordered one.

I also wasn't tied to an insulin pump or had to worry about checking my blood sugar, seeing my doctor regularly (or a slew of specialists), or inspecting my feet.

I didn't fret if my newest pair of shoes pinched my toes a little. I didn't wear a medical ID bracelet. And I sure didn't worry about a lineup of potential side effects of high blood sugars.

I had twenty four years---hopefully a quarter of my life---without the disease. My parents weren't checking my sugar three times a night to make sure I wasn't comatose instead of sleeping. I didn't have to count carbs at age three, inject insulin at age six, or turn down cake at a slumber party at age twelve because my sugar was too high. I was free as a child.

I cannot imagine the stress parents of kids with diabetes are under. My heart breaks for these little ones and their caregivers. Diabetes is a hell of disease and burden.

(Now before you think I'm Mrs. Scrooge, I do believe my diabetes has blessed me in big ways. Without it, we wouldn't have adopted, we wouldn't be as healthy as we are, and we sure wouldn't be working hard to educate others).

I just know how hard my disease can be on my down days. Though these days are few and far between, they are difficult and remind me that I'm not normal.

So why would an adoptive parent willingly choose to adopt a child in a medically fragile situation?

Truly, I do not know.

But starting at that darn checklist and going down the list of potential complications was humbling. When you stop and think about the CHILD behind the checklist and not just the disease or disability, it's overwhelming. Confusing.

I joked to a fellow peer at our adoption training seminar last weekend that I would probably be the best person to care for a child with diabetes. I mean after all, I already have a ton of syringes and other creepy-diabetic things laying around. Haha. Not really funny. But seriously, I get this disease. Yes, it tricks me sometimes, but never for long. I won't allow it to win.

Adoption is complicated. And all the choices (and power) an adoptive couple has makes adoption even more complex.

It's funny that the reason we chose adoption for our family was my disease. So, let's put that diabetes behind us, or so I thought. But then the possibility of allowing more diabetes into our family, via a child needing a family, made my heart skip a beat.

If you are wondering, we marked "would consider" on that line.

I don't know what our future holds, and that's probably best. I didn't know I'd end up with diabetes, yet my life is still pretty amazing. Despite needles and blood and co-pays and foot checks, I have a supportive husband, a beautiful daughter, two jobs I'm passionate about, and a happy, cozy home. I'm blessed. I'm blessed despite, or should I say, I'm blessed BECAUSE of my disease.

Funny how some of life's greatest moments and experiences come from the darkest of places.

So cheers to a new adoption process and whatever is in store for our family!

An Invitation Turned Reminder

2010-11-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

So I get an e-mail from a friend who proposes a girls' afternoon----Thai food and pedicures.

The thing is, diabetes doesn't dominate my life like it did when I was first diagnosed or even a few years ago. It has, as my doc promised, become normal.

But moments like these, like a simple invitation, reminds me that I'm not normal. I'm not carefree. I'm not just a busy mom who deserves a break.

I'm also a person with diabetes.

I don't get pedicures. For one, I just don't trust nail salons. I have no clue if they are clean or if the various substances and tools they use will be safe for my feet. You can read more about foot safety for people with diabetes on the ADA's website.

Many of us with diabetes try very hard to normalize our disease because if we are constantly feeling "special" (and not in a good way), we are restrained, jailed by our diabetes. But when diabetes becomes too normal, we risk forgetting that we aren't like everyone else. We have an incurable, demanding disease that requires our constant attention and concern.

Striking the balance between living and being responsible for diabetes is difficult. And I hope that wherever you are with your disease (or your loved one's disease), that you are carefully keeping yourself in the middle of the path---enjoying the sights around you, but staying grounded and focused---because diabetes in unpredictable, but it's also manageable.

Vitamin D

2010-10-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

Mine is low AGAIN.

If you have diabetes, be sure to get your Vitamin D checked often. Studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D decrease insulin sensitivity.

MTV Show---A BUST!

2010-10-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, so at first, I was pretty sad about being cut from the MTV show....

Then I realized that none of the diabetes-related people who were filmed were on it either! (3 others!!!)

SHAME on MTV for taking the focus off the young woman's path toward diabetes! MTV had an opportunity to speak to thousands of young people (the show's viewers) and educate them on the symptoms and prevention of type 2, and they didn't do it.

:( :( :(

MTV SHOW!!!! Will Air On 10/15!!!!!

2010-10-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

Hey, Readers!

Remember when I shared with you that I was filmed for an episode of MTV's show MADE? Well, it's set to air on Friday, October 15th, at 3/4p.m.

Here's a local news story on the topic if you'd like to learn more about the young woman the episode features.

I hope you'll spread the word and set your DVRs for the episode.

Thanks!

"What's for dinner?"

2010-10-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

If you struggle with meal planning, check out my latest article.

What I Eat

2010-09-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Organic cheese, whole wheat crackers, sliced organic tomato (from our garden) with basil

Pasta with homemade, organic spag sauce, grated cheese, and a salad loaded with olives and tomatoes

My go-to easy meal: sweet potato fries, an organic egg, and diced mango (which I buy frozen from Trader Joe's)

My goal is to eat balanced meals----carbs (including fiber), protein, and healthy fats. I honestly don't feel any guilt eating dessert each night because I've done the "right things" all day long. I start my day with a good breakfast and a workout, and then I eat as healthy as possible the entire day. I also try to make my meals colorful. I do not take any vitamins (even being a vegetarian), because I don't have to. Plus, I'm pretty skeptical that vitamins are even what they claim to be. (I'm supposed to take B6 for my feet....and I keep forgetting). I guess I'm always aiming, as many people with diabetes are, that perfect balance. :) I'm not sure any of us will ever get it perfectly right, but the point is to make those right, small choices everyday.

Happy eating!!!

Diabetes Meme

2010-09-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Fall INTO Fall, please visit my friend Kerri's blog to learn more about life with diabetes. Kerri shares her own answers to the Diabetes Meme in one her September 8th entry.

Here's mine:

What type of diabetes do you have: Type 1

When were you diagnosed: March 2006

What's your current blood sugar: IDK but I'm about to eat dessert, so I'll need to test. Homemade apple pie and ice cream, anyone?

What kind of meter do you use: One Touch Ultra

How many times a day do you test your blood sugar: 8-10

What's a "high" number for you: Anything over 200.

What's do you consider "low": Anything under 85.

What's your favorite low blood sugar reaction treater: Glucose tablets work the best, but if I'm really low, think 45, I'll eat cereal, cookies, juice, and the kitchen sink. :)

Describe your dream endo: I have my dream endo---he's supportive, kind, honest, and practical.

What's your biggest diabetes achievement: Claiming and owning my disease as one of the better parts of my life. Without it, I wouldn't have adopted my daughter.

What's your biggest diabetes-related fear: Amputation.

Who's on your support team: My husband and daughter (inspiration), my doctors (oh so many) and their staff, my dietitian (awesome!!!), and my family.

Do you think there will be a cure in your lifetime: Lord, I hope so, but I want it most for the precious young children who have diabetes and their parents who struggle daily to manage. My endo gave me great advice---that I have to do what I can now, because if there's a cure, it won't undo diabetes damage.

What is a "cure" to you: No testing, no carb counting, no injections, no insulin pump---my body, healed, completely.

The most annoying thing people say to you about your diabetes is: Oh, so you can't have sugar?

What is the most common misconception about diabetes: That my diabetes is easy to control. Try controlling an entire system! My diabetes is a 24/7 job that doesn't get a vacation...ever!

If you could say one thing to your pancreas, what would it be: "Thanks for giving me 23 years without diabetes. Maybe we can someday add 23 more years to that number."

FALL!!!!

2010-09-15T10:47:00.001-07:00

I'm so relieved that fall is slowly rolling in. To celebrate and inspire, I wrote an article on fall foods and fun for Diabetes Health. Please check it out and leave a comment!

Something New

2010-09-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

I've gotten into a pretty boring workout rut, mostly because this summer it was 100+ degrees outside for weeks on end, so my only workout option was the gym.

I'm a believer in the benefits of cardio and weight lifting, so I do both. However, I was quickly losing my motivation. I don't want my gym routine to ever become a chore.

So I've resolved to do one new thing during my workout every day. For example, the other day in aerobics class, I used two risers under my step bench instead of one. Today, after it finally stopped raining, I took my daughter for a walk in her stroller. I despise running, but I decided to add four jogging bursts into my walk. My daughter loved it, by the way. Must have been the change of pace and the wind on her cheeks.

I'm also trying to be more mindful of portion sizes. We always serve our food from the stove, not the table, because I've read (and believe it to be true), that people who eat from the table (family style) eat 30% more calories than those who serve their food from the stove. But because I eat so mindlessly and quickly, mostly because I'm always meeting the demands of my toddler, I tend to just toss food onto my plate, eat, and be done. How sad considering I spend a lot of time preparing healthy meals and so little time enjoying them.

I'm not baking nearly as much as I used to, mostly because baking is a recipe for total loss of blood sugar control. I love love love raw cookie dough. Sigh. So when I do bake, I make sure my sugar is under control and that I bake double batches (so I bake less often).

Small changes do make a difference for anyone, but especially those who have diabetes. I encourage you not to wait until January 1 to make better choices. After all, Halloween starts a long and tempting season of eating.

FALL INTO FALL

2010-09-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Bloggers,

It’s hard to believe that the summer season is quickly ending. If you’re anything like me, you’re ready for change.

Fall more in love with reading this fall. Embrace the new season with a refreshed mindset. Learn to open your mind and heart to something and someone new while supporting fellow bloggers.

The goal: Promote your favorite blogs by writing about them on your own blog. Link your readers to the bloggers who inspire and empower you. Interview other bloggers if you wish. Share your favorite posts. Cultivate a season of refreshed minds!

Fall Into Fall begins September 1st and continues until November 15th. Feel free to cut and paste pieces of this message into your blog. And be sure to tell your favorite bloggers that you are sharing their blogs with others. Hopefully, they’ll return the favor!

Happy reading, and let’s get to writing and celebrating!

Rachel

End of Summer Reading

2010-08-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some fantastic fiction reads for my female readers that feature food and make for great end-of-summer reads:

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

End of Summer

2010-08-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

Mr. Stripey tomato and a cucumber from my husband's organic veggie garden

Homemade, organic pasta sauce

A sign in the hotel elevator (when my hubby and I went on a 24 hour getaway together)---it made me laugh.

My daughter and me at the local waterpark.

Summer is quickly wrapping up around here. I've had 3.5 months off work---which has been both a blessing and a challenge. Being home with my daughter has given us plenty of time to partake in numerous activities together. I've been able to enjoy sleeping in, working out every single morning, and reading lots of library books. I wrote several articles for Diabetes Health and volunteered one day a week at a local hospital with the diabetes nurse educator. However, I have missed the more hectic pace of working (part-time) and being a (mostly) stay at home mom. I miss having the interactions with my fellow teachers and my students. I'm ready for fall.

My family is in a season of peace and security. Nothing major is going on. We're just living each day in an ordinary and predictable fashion, though it's rarely boring with a toddler. It's nice to have calmness and comfort.

One bit of good news---my a1c was read to me wrong at the doc office---and wrong in a good way. It's actually 7.2! I'm only .2 away from where I should ideally be! Woo hoo!

Life is simply easy right now. I am a bit worried that something dramatic and upsetting is just around the corner...but I try to live in the present, deal with each day as it comes, and enjoy these seasons of peace and beauty.

I hope that as you continue to read and learn and evolve as a person with diabetes that you take some time to reflect on your blessings. Much love to you!

Dear Mama

2010-08-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

If my daughter could write me a letter about diabetes, here's what I think it might say...or at least what I hope it would say.

Dear Mama,

I like to pretend to check my blood sugar with you while squeezing my finger. You find it so sad that you laugh, and then I laugh.

I don't like when you don't feel good, but you sure do a good job making sure I still have a great life. You play with me, feed me yummy foods (homemade and organic, of course!), and keep me happy and secure.

I don't really know what diabetes is. I guess it will be part of my life, too.

I like going to the gym with you. I get to play in the nursery while you say you are "workin' on my fitness." (Isn't that a Fergie song I heard once on the radio?) It's fun to see so many happy people doing weird things on machines. I get a lot of attention there.

Mama, I don't get diabetes. But you're doing the best you can, I do get that.

Love you.

Baby Girl

----

To learn more about being a mommy with diabetes, please visit my favorite diabetes blog: Six Until Me.

Summer Reading

2010-08-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt. This book is a must-read for those who have lost a loved one. In this case, Roger's daughter, Amy, passed away in her early forties of an undetected heart problem. She left behind her husband and three small children. Roger and his wife move in with Harris and the children, serving as another set of parents---buying groceries, taking the kids to school, helping with homework, and the most beautiful and simple task, one that is reliable in a shaken-family, making toast.

The book attracted me because I am fascinated by the simplicity of the title. Roger's book is written in chapters and then divided into mini-chapters, sometimes just a few sentences long. He remembers his daughter in bits and pieces---through the children, through every day tasks, through photographs. And he honors her simply---by making toast for his young grandson.

Having a disease pushes me to be fascinated with medical tragedies and stories of loss. This book didn't disappoint and was a beautiful memorial to a mother and wife.

Here's what the book spoke to me (p. 157). At the beginning, the author is quoting another author. The second part of the quote is the author speaking:

"If there have been, at various times, trifling misunderstandings in our life, now I see how one was unable to value the passing time." As far as I can tell, this is how to live---to value the passing time.

It's easy for those of us suffering from diabetes to get caught up in the hardships of daily disease management. However, we must stop, focus, get back on the horse and back in the game, otherwise, we miss all the moments that occur in between the best moments. And those passing moments, well, they are valuable. They can be beautiful. And they are gone quickly. Let's treasure each day with purpose, never letting moments escape us even when it's not the best of times.

Two New Articles

2010-08-04T12:09:00.001-07:00

Hey, all!

I have two new articles out:

Making an Ordinary Day Extraordinary

and

Ten Reasons to Test Your Blood Sugar

Please read and leave a comment. You don't have to register to leave your thoughts. :)

Whew! It's Hot!

2010-07-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

Anyone else experience fatigue and low sugars (or at least the feeling of being low) when it's oppressively hot outside?

Endo Visit

2010-07-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

For the most part, I can pretend I don't have diabetes---even though it's a 24/7 disease. What I mean is, my life with diabetes is normal---low blood sugars, high blood sugars, carb counting, exercising, calling the insurance company, changing my pump set, etc.---these are everyday occurrences/activities for me.

Then comes my four month endo appointment, and there's no forgetting. I stroll in, ready to face my truth. Well, sort of ready.

I hand the jovial receptionist my insurance card and co-pay. I sign forms, delight in polite conversation, and then settle into a floral-patterned chair and wait to hear my name. I'm called back to a hallway where I'm weighed. I usually hold my breath (though thinking about it, won't that add weight?). Then I'm escorted back to a patient room where my blood pressure, pulse, and blood sugar are checked, I'm asked questions about medications and symptoms, and then the door closes. And I breathe a moment, collect my thoughts, and wonder what's next. Good or bad, the truth is the truth.

The doctor strolls in, asks me some questions, comments on my new modeling career (haha---a promotional campaign for the local hospital where I'm the new face of diabetes), and then proceeds to read my labs. Gulp.

I've been really tired lately, and my first question was, is my iron or vitamin D level low? The answer to both was no. I do know some people with diabetes (and not) have a hard time with the summer heat. Additionally, I don't drink as much water as I should (I'm busy!---excuse, excuse). And I'm on summer break from teaching, so my days are rather relaxed and unstructured.

My second question, which is really my always-on-my-mind question, is about my a1c. Drum roll....

7.5

My doctor was pleased but said we could up my Symlin to help bring that number down.

I expressed my fear and hate of hypoglycemia. My doc was very supportive, explaining how hypoglycemia has many health risks, just like hyperglycemia.

I remarked that I hear of diabetics with 6 point something a1c numbers, and how it's frustrating for me. He reminded me that type I is much harder to control than type 2. I'm understanding that a lower a1c isn't always better. Sigh of relief.

I'm pleased that I've done so well with my disease, but I have this constant sense of my need to improve.

So it continues...

Love Sugar? Check Out These Books!

2010-07-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's a little sick, but those of us with diabetes, especially the ladies, know how alluring, how tempting, how captivating sugar is: a semi-forbidden pleasure that's devoured by seemingly every other single person besides us. I'm talking about the beautiful display cases full of frosted cakes, moist cookies, and specialty breads. I'm talking about ice cream shops, candy displays, and even commercials for sinfully carb-laden desserts. Sugar is everywhere. It's our enemy and our love.

Recently I checked out two books from my local library that focus on sugar:

I just finished reading Elizabeth Abbott's book Sugar: A Bittersweet History. The book jacket claims that Abbott's book is "richly detailed, impeccably researched and thoroughly compelling." True, true, and true. Abbott talks about how the sugar industry only succeeded because of slave labor, and she carries readers through to today and discusses diabetes. I read this book in about five evenings; I just couldn't put it down!

A book that's fun to pick up and skim when you need some humor is Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong by Jen Yates. If you just can't wait for the book, check out the Cake Wrecks website.

New Pump!

2010-07-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

I got my new pump a few weeks ago, and it took my body about two weeks to adjust. Seriously. It was like my body knew there was a new sheriff in town, and it was going to take its sweet time getting acquainted.

Medtronic offered me a variety of pump color options (including hot pink! or a personalized "skin"). I said, "I have a one-and-a-half-year-old. She doesn't need to be tempted by a cool looking toy." I've had to consistently remind my daughter that the pump is "mommy's medicine" and it's a "no touch" item. (She thinks it's cool that I have all this gear---like a meter, and syringes, and a pump. To be so fascinated!)

So I went with boring old clear (a change from my black pump). It arrived with lots of manuals and packaging. I did what my first pump trainer did and tossed all the stuff aside to get to my new pancreas. I had it up and running in less than thirty minutes.

It's exciting to get a new pump. But it was also a sad moment for me. Just the other night I told my husband, while nearly in tears (and I very very rarely cry about diabetes anymore---because what is the point, really?), "I just imagined what it would be like to not wear an insulin pump all the time. I could be just like everyone else. I could be free."

I'm very grateful for my good health. I mean, all things considered, I'm doing well. And I cannot imagine having diabetes twenty, thirty, or longer years ago. Diabetics used to have to boil needles and use their urine to measure their blood sugar. So yeah, the technology I wear is pretty awesome. (I have new sensors for my CGM coming tomorrow).

Yet nothing is as good as being free of diabetes. Nothing. No fancy pump with a cool "skin," no "painless" needles, no "new flavor" glucose tablets, no "pretty" medical bracelets. I have an insulin pump attached to me almost 24/7. I have to carry gobs of supplies. I have to be in control, all the time, of my body. Which is like, um yeah, impossible.

I love some things diabetes has done for me. Without it I wouldn't have my daughter, I wouldn't have my volunteering job (working with diabetes patients at a hospital), my writing career, and many other things. But don't let my positive attitude or my dedication fool you.

I want to be free.

"You Don't Want Your Own?"

2010-06-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

Usually I reserve the subject of adoption for my transracial adoption blog; however, today I want to share with my diabetes-friendly readers how I respond to this question.

Here's how we arrived at the decision to adopt, instead of attempting to have a biological child, in a nutshell: I was lying in my hospital bed two days after being told I had type I diabetes. I was admitted to the hospital in DKA with a blood sugar of 700 and an a1c of 16.9. Impressive numbers, right? My first DNE entered the room and began my very first education session---how and when to check my sugar, insulin storage, what to do if I got sick, how to treat a high, how to treat a low, etc. In the midst of this, she asked me, "Do you want to have children?" I said, "Yes." She said, "You still can."

And immediately, I thought about adoption. I can't tell you why it popped into my mind so quickly, or why it marinated there for over a year until we finally started the process, but it did.

It's really that simple for me.

I get that the decision to adopt and to forgo having biological children is not easy for most people. Many of my girlfriends have gone through years of infertility treatments, finally surrendering to adoption as the way to build their families. My choice to have biological children wasn't stripped from me by my body; our choice to adopt was quite the opposite. It was given to us as an option because of my body.

As we started the mountains of paperwork and finally, started waiting for our child, I was asked numerous times, "You don't want your own children?"

The question was meant to be innocent, but it was in fact very nosy and rude, for several reasons.

1: My daughter is "my own" child. When I get her up each morning, the fact that she is adopted isn't the first thing that crosses my mind. She's my daughter. Yes, she has two moms---me who raises her, another who gave birth to her and loves her---but that doesn't mean my daughter isn't "my own.

2: Having biological children isn't easy for everyone. The question assumes that I can have biological children, with ease, or that I'm willing to risk it all (including my life) to have biological children. Assuming that I should/could take on multiple medical risks to have a biological child is, I know, a lack of diabetes education. (It's horrible to assume that every parent who adopts has a sense of their child not being "their own" or having society tell them that child isn't their "real" child).

3: Adoption is a beautiful way to build a family. It's not a second choice or "next best" for us. It's the best. It's God's plan for our family.

4: Adoption and having biological children is not the same thing; however, the result is that families are built. Each experience is unique, but one isn't better than the other.

You might wonder why I'm posting this now, nineteen months into our first adoption. The answer is that the question hasn't ceased to be asked. People ask me, "Now that you have one child, will you try to have a biological child?" They can't understand why after going with the "second best" we would not proceed to go with what they deem to be the "best" choice.

I always respond calmly and with confidence, which is the only way to educate people.

I tell them that we plan to build our family through adoption in the future. I tell them that many women with diabetes can have safe, healthy, successful pregnancies, but that was simply not what we chose to do. I tell them that I have cared for other people's children for much of my life, and adopting someone else's child is something I did with ease.

I'm not sure anyone will ever "get" my point of view on this. However, I know that my mission isn't to convince anyone that what we did was right. My goal is to educate others on the topics I care about: diabetes and adoption. And if they're willing to listen, I'm going to keep sharing.

What I Said...

2010-06-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Here are the main points I shared with the young woman with pre-diabetes while being filmed for MTV's MADE:

1: Diabetes is a 24/7 job. If you don't take care of it, you will die from it. Diabetes, to me, is a "sink or swim" disease. And I want to swim!

2: High blood sugar is like shards of glass in your bloodstream. Everywhere the "glass" goes, it cuts---so think about your kidneys, your eyes, your heart, your reproductive organs, etc.

3: You have to decide you are worthy of changing. You are worthy!!!

4: You have a choice; I didn't. Please don't choose diabetes.

MADE Into Someone New

2010-06-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hey, all!

I've been crazy busy this past week, and all for very good reasons.

I had been frantically working on my latest Diabetes Health articles, including this one on being "Wholly Healthy," cleaning my house, doing laundry, and packing. We were headed out of town to visit friends and some of my daughter's birth family. Additionally, I had been contacted by my dietitian asking if I would be interested in taking part in the filming of an episode of MTV's show MADE.

The episode being filmed was about a young lady with pre-diabetes. She wants to be "made" into a healthier person. Would I take part? YES!!!

Filming was supposed to occur on Sunday at the hospital, but due to legal issues, I was informed that filming would occur at my house...the very next day! Thankfully my house was sparkling clean in preparation for our upcoming trip (I can't stand coming home to a messy/dirty house).

In a nutshell, the filming was not stressful at all. In fact, it was fun! There were five of us in total---the young woman, her MADE coach (a personal trainer from NY), the camera woman, my dietitian, and myself. We talked about choices, diet, exercise, and the daily life of someone (me!) with diabetes.

The whole goal of the show, as I see it, is to inspire and encourage the featured person and the MTV viewers to make changes for the better. As we all know, diabetes is a horrible disease that is sadly becoming increasingly more prevalent in our society. I applaud MTV for covering diabetes (episode due to air in the fall) for everyone to see and digest.

Being a part of this show was an unexpected blessing, one that is exciting, motivational, and of course, inspiring.

Diabetes, whether we like or not, forces us to become someone new---for better or worse. Hopefully the young woman on the show is motivated to avoid/postpone diabetes---because some of us didn't have a choice. Thankfully, she can make changes now and choose better.

Live A Little!: Book Review

2010-06-15T11:10:00.001-07:00

I love scanning the "new arrival" shelves at my local library. Twice I passed up Live a Little! because the cover first intrigued me but then got on my nerves. The author's boast that readers can and should "Blow Off Your Run" and "Stop Worrying About Your Health." Yeah, right. Stop worrying about my health and skip workouts?

But the author's also proudly claim that we should "Stay Up Late" (check) and "Eat a Brownie" (um, like every single day...).

Finally, I was convinced that I should skim this book, so I checked it out, brought it home, and dove into it right away.

First, I'm totally health-crazy. I currently have about fifteen books checked out from my local library, and most of them are health, going-green, and eco-friendly housecleaning books. I'm adamant that I will never stop learning about and pursuing good health. I thought I was a little too over-the-top, but the authors include these Seventeen magazine (remember those?) type quizzes that help readers discover how balanced they are in relationships, with their eating habits, with exercising, and more. And I am proud to say, I'm balanced in every area! Woo hoo! Ten points for me! Or is it a gold star? Anyway....

I love a few parts of the book that I'll share with you here. Then you can decide if this book is worthy of your time or not:

"What we do know is that the health rules can mislead you into halfway believing that if you eat only the right things, or exercise in the proper way, you can escape not just run-of-the-mill illnesses but death itself. This way of thinking leads to a distorted set of priorities: Instead of trying to be healthy so that you can enjoy life, you squander your happiness in the pursuit of more health. But as Nortin Hadler, a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolin, points out in his book Worried Sick, 'The death rate is one per person.' We can't stop death, not even with oat bran. Bleak news, yes. When you realize, though, that health is not under your total control, a lot of guilt and stress slide off your shoulders. It no longer feels as if your very life depends on how frantically you monitor your nutritional intake, exercise habits, and stress level. Better still, you can trade in your illusion of becoming perfectly healthy for something much more fun: being pretty healthy. Pretty Healthy means, first of all, that your health habits contribute to, not distract from, your enjoyment of life." (page 5)

"In her book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, psychologist Wendy Mongel describes the ancient Jewish belief that God will hold us accountable at the end of our lives fro all the good foods we were offered by chose not to taste. [. . .] We love this principle, though, because it reminds ups that life should be pleasurable [. . .]" (page 140)

"We'd rather look for more opportunities to enjoy good meals than spend precious brain cells keeping a tally of how many portions of fish and vegetables we've eaten each day or week. [. . .] we've seen too many women become so distracted by the hubbub around one single food, or the debate over a particular number of servings, that they lose sight of the big picture. Let's say it again: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, beans, fish, nuts, low-fat dairy, and moderate amounts of wine." (page 149-150)

This particular excerpt focuses on sexual health, but it can be applied (and is throughout the book) to all areas of health: "From now on, feel free to ignore any 'expert' who proclaims you need to have sex X number of times per week or month, and instead focus n the real questions: Are you comfortable with your sex life? Are you having much more or much less sex than you want to?" (page 183)

It's so easy for me to lose focus and become consumed with the rules of diabetes rather than just ease up and enjoy. But I have to strike a very sensitive balance---easing up to enjoy life but also always staying mindful of the big D.

The challenge will never end for me, I believe, but I'm a little more secure having read this book.

Quotes---PWD Will Appreciate

2010-06-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite shows is Parks and Recreation. Recently there were two episodes that had me roaring with laughter.

The first was Telethon which you can watch here. The Parks and Rec crew help host a telethon for diabetes. Leslie (played by the hilarious and talented Amy Poehler) says into the camera (during the telethon), in a serious, low tone: "There are two types of diabetes, but there is only one type of caring."

The second was an episode I cannot recall where Leslie and her boss Ron are conversing about some of the stresses around the office.

Ron: "What do we do when we get this angry?"

Leslie: "We count backwards from one thousand by sevens and think of warm brownies."

Ha!

More like EAT warm brownies.

Anyway, comedy helps me cope with this crazy, unexplainable, complicated, and jacked up disease. I hope you find relief in the little things, like a Thursday night TV show, and aren't afraid to laugh at diabetes.

CONTROL

2010-06-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

***Warning: This is a personal, therapeutic, rambling post. Read at your own risk.***

I know I'm a control freak. And I'm not at all ashamed of the label. In fact, I claim it rather proudly.

Let's see.....in no particular order.

1: I'm a teacher. Teachers have to be leaders, decision-makers, enforcers. Basically, being a teacher is about being in control. There's preparation, execution, and follow-up. Control, control, and more control. (Granted, my student evaluations are 99% positive....so I guess I hide my control freak persona well).

2: I'm a parent. My job is to raise my child, I think, so she becomes independent, determined, cultured, educated, God-minded, etc. And in order to do that, I have to be the one in control right now. Because toddlers are so NOT in control. Though they try to be...via tantrums and other distracting, frustrating, and loud means.

3: I'm a housekeeper. I love to maintain a clean, cozy home. And in order to do that, I must exercise control, mostly self-control, or self-discipline. I have to get a lot of tasks done in a given week: cleaning the bathrooms, the floors, dusting, dishes, laundry, organization, grocery purchasing, etc. These tasks are done over, and over, and over. Week after week after week. And I control whether or not they get done and how well.

4: I'm a wife, one whom I consider modern mixed with a healthy balance of traditional. But with this comes my constant need to control myself---my emotions (I'm a STRONG woman, after all, and can't just let every little thing upset me---it's too distracting), my time (I have so much to do!), my energy (must rest and must work), my thoughts (must make ANOTHER list and keep getting tasks done)...wow, how did my "wife" duties turn into household duties? Ug!

5: MOST OF ALL---I'm a person with diabetes. And the key to a successful, long, and happy life with this disease is, yep, you guessed it, CONTROL. Careful, meticulous, constant control.

"Control freak" has a nasty connotation---so let me put it this way. I like to be disciplined, determined, persistent, and calculated. I can't stand when someone is late. I don't like empty promises. TMI bothers me, because if I know too much about someone else's drama, I want to tell them how to fix it, and I expect them to do as I say. (That's the teacher in me, I guess). (I mean, why the heck tell someone your troubles if you don't want a solution? Why just vent about something?) I don't like surprises. I thrive on routine and careful balance.

So yeah, what that boils down to is control.

I think it's ingrained in me that NOT being in control has dire consequences. This stems from my health (diabetes is a do-or-die disease. Control it or not), my childhood (being the oldest meant I had a lot of power, aka: control), my roles (mother, wife, teacher, housekeeper), and....ultimately, my personality. I feel that I came out of the womb telling the world how it was going to revolve. ;)

The problem with being a control freak is that life isn't controllable. To a certain extent, of course, we do control our own lives. But there's those things which we cannot control. Like my diagnosis, for example. Nothing I did or did not do gave me diabetes. It was something bestowed upon me by life or by God or by someone or something....and I never would have chose it for myself. Not. In. One. Million. Years.

Ug.

But now that I'm happily living a successful life with diabetes, I have begun to realize that with too much control, I miss out on a lot.

For example, tonight I had a ladies' only party at my house. A Princess PJ Party, to be specific. It was a lovely summer evening. There was a pleasantly surprising break in our hot-as-hell weather pattern. My backyard was shaded, rays of sunshine streaking through the weeping willow tree, illuminating the little girls running around the yard in their princess attire. We had just finished our princess yoga session (oh it was fun!), and the girls decided to play outside while the adult ladies talked. Soon my friend's two little girls were pulling at the blow-up pool on the back deck. So I picked it up, plopped it in the yard, and watched with joy as my daughter and my friend's two little girls happily played in the pool (sans any water). Meanwhile, two other little girls (in beautiful princess wear) were gabbing about something important under the branches of the willow tree. There were balls and toys strewn all over the lawn. My friends and I struck up various conversations with one another.

It was peaceful. It was joyous. And guess what? It wasn't planned or controlled by any of us.

Having a daughter and being forced to join the ranks of unpredictability has brought me exceeding joy. It has taught me that nothing beautiful is planned by me or any other person. Beautiful moments just happen in their own sweet time.

I'm growing more and more tired of always being in control. It haunts me that diabetes requires me to always, constantly, and forever be controlling. The saying goes that if you don't control your diabetes, your diabetes will control you. Yikes. But I'm trying to figure out and implement in my life that just because my disease is and must be under my control, everything else doesn't have to be.

I don't think I'll ever fully let go. Control seems to be embedded deeply into my personality. I do believe this is God-given, as it has helped me be the successful person with diabetes that I am. However, there's a darker side to my urge to control everything, and I must tame the temptation. I don't want my need to control to control me. I don't want to miss out on precious, beautiful moments because I'm too busy planning, executing, or following up on MY plans and expectations.

I'll keep trying. And living.

It's Time---To Be Pumpin' It Up

2010-06-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hooray! I'm getting a new insulin pump! I've had mine for four years (actually I've had three in four years---all the same model), and it's seen better days. I'm now eligible for an upgrade, and I'm anxiously awaiting insurance approval and the doorbell ringing to let me know it's arrived.

However, one downside is that Medtronic pumps do not have waterproof cases. The other day, a VERY warm day (90 and sunny), I took my baby outside so we could have some fun in the sprinkler. The only thing I could think of to use to protect my $6000 pancreas was a sandwich baggie.

So when the Medtronic rep contacted me, I asked what they could offer me in terms of waterproof cases....thinking surely they've come up with something after four years of waiting. The rep said, "The sandwich baggie is your best option."

It's funny how wonderful the technology is for people with diabetes, yet some simple things still lack. And some not-so-simple things, like a cure, seem decades away.

I remain hopeful that my disease won't win in the end. That better options will continue to come my way, and God-willing, I'll have the strength, conviction, and determination to do the best I can every day with what I've got.

Candy And Me (A Love Story)

2010-05-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

I picked up a copy of Candy and Me (A Love Story), written by Hilary Liftin, at my local library. Chapter by chapter, Hilary explains her love affair with candies and desserts of many types and how the treats got her through the highs and lows of her childhood and young adult life.

I am naturally attracted to books about food. Diabetes doesn't forbid me to enjoy the sugary treats that everyone else shovels in, but diabetes has educated me on what those treats can do to me in excess....which is usually how sweet things are consumed.

I love how blatantly honest Hilary is. For example, in her chapter entitled "Frosting," she says (88-89):

How will I ever know what a life of uninhibited consumption would be like? What if, instead of exercising willpower every single time I enter a grocery store, I just went for it? I never do. Instead, I fil my cart with vegetables that may or may not get consumed, cereal, yogurt, cheese, and often a single indulgence (such as the aforementioned ice cream).

Frosting represents all the temptation I've left to languish on the shelf, day after day, week after week, year after year. If only my body knew about everything I didn't eat. If only I could get credit for it.

[...] I don't want to curb desire. I want to either indulge it or eradicate it.

People with diabetes who live successfully with their diseases do so with a tremendous amount of willpower, of discipline, and of self-respect and self-worth.

We deserve an award for daily facing temptations and saying NO.

And when we do give in, when we do go for the brownie, the ice cream, the take out pizza, or the frosting, people should keep their mouths shut. Instead of telling us what we should and shouldn't eat, we should be handed an award by the general public for winning a health war.

Check out this book. It's engaging, honest, and oh so yummy!

I Won!!!!!

2010-05-24T12:33:00.001-07:00

Check out this diabetes contest from Dreamfields Pasta!

What Am I Doing? Where Am I Going?

2010-05-12T11:20:00.001-07:00

This blog started because my friend Kelly convinced me to post my diabetes-friendly recipes for all to see, make, and share. However, as my readers have noticed, I am on a totally different path now. One, typing and posting photos of recipes was quite time consuming. Additionally, the Web is saturated with diabetes recipes, and honestly, my recipes are just healthy, not necessarily catered to a person watching his or her carbohydrates. So where am I going with this blog?

I don't know. You see, I'm now off work for the summer (woo hoo) and will be concentrating on many things---home projects, spending time with my baby girl, writing for Diabetes Health magazine, blogging, baking, and so much more. So I want to give myself the freedom to take this blog as it wants to go.

So, cheers to the following, my first post of my summer. I hope you'll enjoy meeting Charity, who blogs at Clean and Simple Life!

Who are you?
My name is Charity Lamprecht and I have enjoyed many lifetimes, and I am not even 30 yet! I have ran successful businesses (pet sitting, house cleaning, nannying), numerous jobs held, auto-immune disease diagnosed, skills learned and experiences had. From all of this I have found a unique perspective on life. The need to simplify and clean up our lives (and diets) is of utmost importance and I want to share all that I have learned (and will continue to learn) on this journey with others.

Why blog?
I blog for therapy, inspiration and clarity. I blog about words that will empower, inspire and excite others to create an extraordinary life. A life others will envy and aspire to have. I blog about food sometimes, homemade goods other times and fun all the time!

What issue should be most important to those of us with chronic diseases/conditions? Why?
Those with chronic conditions, like those without them, should be focused on ways to best take care of themselves. Self-love, care and empowerment is the best way to thoroughly enjoy life, be the best you can be for others and the world!

How can a person who is facing regular life stresses PLUS a chronic disease manage to not only survive but to live well?
Seek clarity on the priorities (specific to the individual) and fearlessly pursuing the things that are most important. No excuses. A disease can be seen as a crutch (slows you down, trips you up) or a catapult (gives you the jolt you need to make changes that will ultimately improve the quality, and quantity, of your life). Choose your perspective. Live your choice.

What's your perspective on life with a chronic condition?
I have allowed it to be both a catapult and a crutch. Being diagnosed with MS has certainly pushed me more to be the best person I can be, right now, and to be the best advocate for me I can be. I have chosen to make MS a part of my story, but not my whole story. I choose to dance with my disease, not let it lead/control my life.

On a personal note: Charity (who has been my daughter's nanny for a year, has been my past yoga and weight lifting teacher, and is an inspirational, organizational, crafty, green guru) has provided me with tips and inspiration all while being positive, energetic, and intelligent. She lives what she says. And in fact, a recent reorganization of my pantry (which Charity took care of once--yay!), had me digging out old Splenda bags and tossing them. Like Charity, I love to say bye to the old and embrace the new. Life really is a box of chocolates; you never know what you'll get; but it's how you deal with the hand you are dealt that matters more than the hand itself.

Thanks, Charity! And please visit her blog for bright ideas, inspiration, and easy tips.

Vitamin B6

2010-04-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

My feet straddling my daughter's....on a lovely beach in Alabama

I'm now on vitamin B6 for my feet. Woo hoo.

Apparently the medication Metanx isn't covered by many insurance companies because it's a "supplement" and not a medication. My podiatrist informed me that the main ingredient is vitamin B6. So instead of paying the out-of-pocket cost for Metanx, I'm taking B6. "Every day, for the rest of your life," saith the good doc.

Another component to the drug is B12 and folic acid, but the doc claims they are added in without the same major benefits of B6. Plus, folic acid is more easily obtained through diet than the amounts of B6 I need for my feet.

I'm also supposed to be on the hunt for "breathable fabrics" used to make good-quality shoes. Sigh! I hate shoe shopping and swimsuit shopping because it's rare to find a good fit that flatters and that doesn't cost a fortune.

But I'm going to have to suck it up, hit the shoe department, and start taking better care of my feet. After all, they try to take good care of me.

BLAME

2010-04-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

The new KFC sandwich----no bun. Instead, two chicken slabs.

Cereal, a "super size" bag, at my local Wal-Mart. It's chocolate and marshmallows.

People with diabetes face a lot of blame and as a result, a lot of guilt. We are asked if we gave it to ourselves by eating too much sugar. Yes, too much sugar isn't good for a person with diabetes, but it's also not good for anyone. Nor is the food that most Americans consume.

Take, for example, the two photos above. These are all-American foods----full of fat and sugar. Nothing healthy. In fact, these foods do the complete opposite---they strip away our health.

EVERYONE should be eating better and working out and demanding that healthier food options become available. EVERYONE should stop rolling his or her eyes at the facts. EVERYONE should listen and stop pretending that what we are eating isn't killing us.

Whatever you put in your mouth---someone is watching. A spouse. A friend. A child. A grandchild. A colleague. A fellow committee member. You have the power to set an example for someone while improving your own life.

Please stop blaming the person next to you, because it's highly likely you are on the same path.

Another Article...

2010-04-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

I'm blessed beyond measure to be part of the Diabetes Health team. Enjoy my latest article on "helping" someone who is sick or newly diagnosed.

What's In My Fridge

2010-04-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

I'm totally obsessed with making these. It's a really simple snack/dessert full of vitamins and antioxidants which does all sorts of good things for the body. Plus, oranges and chocolate are two foods that never spike my sugars. Yum Yum!

All you do is melt dark chocolate and drizzle over (peeled) orange slices. Refrigerate on wax paper to harden the chocolate.

It's not ice cream, but it sure is delicious!

New Article...Do You Enjoy Dessert?

2010-04-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy dessert, like I do, check out my latest article for Diabetes Health. I promise it has a deeper meaning beyond my love of ice cream.

Healing

2010-03-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, our pastor preached a sermon on healing.

I was feeling strongly conflicted that day. (Ok, so it was three days before my d-day anniversary, which is always a hard time for me...but this isn't the first time the idea of healing has come up).

First, yes, I 100% believe God can heal someone---whether that healing be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.

I also believe strongly that my life blossomed when I was told I had diabetes. For one, it was an answer to prayer---being sick for a year and a half was horrible and life-altering---and a diagnosis was the beginning of a new lease on life.

For another, all of us bear something heavy in our lives----a physical illness, a rocky childhood, an addiction, a secret. And that thing, whatever it is, makes us who we are. We'll spend our lives fighting it, learning from it, and hopefully, claiming victory over it, even though it's ever-present.

And another, my life-long goal of publishing my writings came true after my diagnosis, which is when I found my current purpose---educating and supporting others with this disease and those who care for us.

And finally, without it, we wouldn't have our beautiful baby girl through domestic infant adoption.

When I was told I had diabetes, my first DNE said I'd go through all the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

She was right.

And though these stages had me miserable for quite some time, reaching acceptance was such a relief. And once I accepted my fate, I began to grow, learn, and thrive, living my life as I believe God wants each of us to: to the fullest.

At the end of the sermon, the pastor had a special time of prayer where congregants could come forward and seek healing or pray for healing for someone they know. Before we reached that point in the sermon, my daughter grew quiet unhappy, and after trying all the tricks (a book, a toy, a snack) without avail, I took her out of the sanctuary.

In all honesty, the idea of going forward and asking God to heal me of diabetes just seems, well, I'll say it, ridiculous.

Because I've accepted the following:

I didn't deserve this disease, but it is what it is. We all have our cross to bear, and this is mine, so I carry on.
I didn't give myself diabetes. There are many theories on what causes type I diabetes, but the fact is, I got it, and no wishing or "what if" thinking will change that...nor is that productive in any way.
That diabetes has made a positive impact on my life. I have my daughter, I am constantly seeking a nutritional education, I'm working out, I'm feeding my family well, and I'm educating and encouraging others with this disease.
If I didn't have diabetes, I'd have something else to deal with. Christian or not, none of us are promised any sort of deal in life. (The pastor did say, we live in a fallen world full of sin and problems---and therefore, many diseases and illnesses exist. One may not have a disease due to sin, though some people do---think lots of sexual partners and STDs).

Again, I do not doubt my God. If He wanted to lift this disease from my body, He could.

But honestly, I do not believe that healing (being "cured" from diabetes) will ever be part of my life.

Some argue with me and say "they'll cure that thing"---I guess trying to give me hope. The truth is, I have hope---it's just not in the fact that I will ever be healed or cured. My hope is in the fact that I can live a good life WITH diabetes. That is my reality, and that is how I deal and accept this disease daily.

From the outside, a healing sure seems fantastic! But the truth is, I feel those who are super gung-ho on me being healed of diabetes are sadly not getting the science of the matter. They don't get what type I is, how I got it, how it is treated, etc. They also don't get me personally and how I deal with diabetes---that I've accepted it. Even though others may have not.

This is MY cross to bear. Some days it's heavy, some days it's light. I have some horrible bouts of highs and lows---and yes, sometimes I get really pissed off and yell at God, my husband, and myself. But for the most part, I am blessed with fantastic medical professionals, outstanding technology (a pump, a CGM, Symlin, etc.), a supportive family, and a constant yearning to keep growing and changing.

No doubt: diabetes sucks. It's one rough disease---a song that NEVER ends.

But if people would stop deciding for me how I should deal with this disease and what I should want from it and focus on how we are all broken in some way, and that is what connects us as humans, we'd all be happier.

D-Day: My Soundtrack

2010-03-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Photo 1: Taken 3 months before my diagnosis. I weighed 100 pounds.

Photo 2: Taken almost exactly four years later. Weight: I'm not telling, but health-wise, I'm living well with diabetes!

Today is my diabetes diagnosis anniversary. Four years and counting!

Woo hoo. (Half-sarcastic, half-sincere).

Here's my diabetes diagnosis anniversary day entry---using lyrics as my guide.

The year and a half I spent undiagnosed was a blur. I was physically drained, emotionally fragile, spiritually bitter, and mentally foggy. The Fray's song "Over My Head" describes that time period in my life:

I never knew
I never knew that everything was falling through
That everyone I knew was waiting on a cue
To turn and run when all I needed was the truth
But that's how it's got to be
It's coming down to nothing more than apathy
I'd rather run the other way than stay and see
The smoke and who's still standing when it clears

Everyone knows I'm in
Over my head
Over my head

As well as the Casting Crowns song "Does Anybody Hear Her?":

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying
But the canyon's ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She's another two years older
And she's three more steps behind

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she's going down today?

The day I left the hospital, armed with diabetes supplies and wearing my too big sweats, this song by Daniel Powter (called, appropriately, "Bad Day") accompanied us home:

Where is the moment we needed the most?
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to grey
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee to go
They tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces every time
And I don't need no carryin' on

'Cause you had a bad day, you're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know, you tell me don't lie
You work on a smile and you go for a ride

You had a bad day, the camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

Even though I was thrilled to finally have an answer, my diagnosis, I was in survival/vulnerable/freaked-out/exhausted/pissed off/relieved mode, and I related to the Rascal Flatts song entitled "Skin":

Sara Beth is scared to death
To hear what the doctor will say
She hasn't been well, since the day that she fell
And the bruise it just won't go away

So she sits and she waits with her mother and dad
And flips through an old magazine
Till the nurse with the smile stands at the door
And says will you please come with me

Sara Beth is scared to death
Cause the doctor just told her the news
Between the red cells and white, something's not right
But we're gonna take care of you

As I gained clarity in confidence in my new life as a person with diabetes, I related to "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall:

Her face is a map of the world
Is a map of the world
You can see she's a beautiful girl
She's a beautiful girl
And everything around her is a silver pool of light
The people who surround her feel the benefit of it
It makes you calm
She holds you captivated in her palm

Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see)
This is what I wanna be
Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see)
Why the hell it means so much to me

And "Mountain of God" by Third Day:

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

Thankfully, I have a wonderful spouse who was supportive, even when I was (and can still be---but not so much now) bitter, angry, confused, high, low, etc. I love Rob Thomas' song "Her Diamonds" where he talks about his wife's medical struggles. You can watch the music video on YouTube:

Oh what the hell she says
I just can't win for losing
And she lays back down
Man there's so many times
I don't know what I'm doin
Like I don't know now

By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Says it's funny how the night
Can make you blind
I can just imagine
And I don't know what I'm supposed to do
But if she feels bad then i do too
So I let her be

And she says oooh
I can't take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cuz I can't help her now
She's down in it
She tried her best and now she can't win it
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

My soundtrack will continue to evolve and grow as I do.

I leave you with the partial lyrics of "Free To Be Me" by Francesca Battistelli:

At twenty years of age I'm still looking for a dream
A war's already waged for my destiny
But You've already won the battle
And You've got great plans for me
Though I can’t always see

‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I'm so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me

And "Trading My Sorrows"---a popular praise-and-worship song:

I'm trading my sorrow
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength

This disease started out being the worst thing that ever happened to me, but from it came an education (nutrition, exercise, disease, and human relations), a beautiful baby girl through domestic adoption, a more confident self, a writing career, a stronger faith in God, and a purpose. So I guess my "worst" turned into my best. And I praise God for that.

The STING of the South

2010-03-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

NEVER have I seen a "sharps" deposit in a public bathroom until I went to an outlet mall in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

I can only think of one reason there is a sharps box in a mall bathroom, and that's because I was in the South, where diabetes is rampant. According to the CDC, in 2008 31% of Alabama's residents were obese, and of course, obesity is a major trigger for type 2 diabetes.

Also stated:

Wide sections of the Southeast, Appalachia, and some tribal lands in the West and Northern Plains have the nation's highest rates of obesity and diabetes. In many counties in those regions, rates of diagnosed diabetes exceed 10 percent and obesity prevalence is more than 30 percent.

Eighty-one percent of counties in the Appalachian region that includes Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia have high rates of diabetes and obesity. So do three-quarters of counties in the southern region that includes Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

The sharps container spoke volumes to me. I admit I was a bit jaded the rest of the shopping trip (although the splurge at BCBG and a bookstore sure helped). I guess I could have made like many and headed to the food court for a giant cinnamon roll and a side of Chinese food....

I am sickened by how acceptable it is to overeat, under exercise, and pretend that everything is ok. Most people know, without any nutrition classes or health seminars or glossy brochures, that a bag of chips, or a box of Twinkies, or a "value" meal from a fast food restaurant isn't healthy. I mean, look what happens when it's consumed. Weight is gained, and thus, one sweats more when doing something simple, like walking, one's knees start to ache, one sleeps poorly, feels tired, can't focus, and craves more of the bad stuff.

But as Americans, we feel entitled to eat what we want, when we want it, and as much as we want. And then we expect that when it gets bad enough, there will be a band aid (a pretend fix): a pill or two or ten.

I'm sad that people choose my disease. I'm scared of what these choices are doing to everyone: our government, our health care workers, our insurance companies, our farmers, our stock market, our family members, our friends, and mostly, ourselves.

This is serious folks.

It starts with us, invidually. We have a poor attitude toward out health in general. We smoke, we go to tanning beds, we drive while talking on our cell phones, we clean with harsh chemicals, rub toxic lotions into our skin, and then we just attempt to fix fix fix QUICK fix all of our mistakes. It's cover up, upon cover up, upon cover up.

If you are making bad choices, your chances will run out. You can run, but you can't hide.

Feet + New Doc + Appreciation

2010-03-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken on our recent family vacation to Gulf Shores, Alabama.

What it symbolizes is freedom and health. My feet are ok. They have good coloring, great function, and, according to my new podiatrist, excellent circulation.

In fact, I recently met my new podiatrist. He was running about thirty minutes behind schedule; however, he services patients at several facilities (including nursing homes), so I had to give him some grace for taking care of elderly, cranky, demanding, and diabetes-laden patients all over our area. I'd be cranky and demanding too if my feet were completely numb and covered in sores.

Anyway, when I finally got in to see the doc, he took my bare feet, one at a time, into his hands and then gazed into the distance as if his Princess Charming was coming over a hill and he was seeing her beauty for the first time. He then said, with a completely straight face, BOM BOM BOM BOM to the BEAT of my pulse.

I was cracking up on the inside and ready to burst out laughing, except this guy was totally serious, and I thought if I laughed I would break his concentration....

so I gazed around the room to find that on his desk (his office was IN the patient room...hmmmm....) was an old school medicine bag, very warn, and full of sterling silver tools and some sort of brown cushy stuff for feet.

This guy is a total character, I thought, and I like him.

My last experience with a podiatrist wasn't so good, and judging from the comments I received based on that article, I know I'm not alone.

A good doc is hard to find.

So friends, when you find one, cling to him or her with all your might. And respect what they do. Their work is not easy, and I'm sure with all the complications and hardships diabetic patients face, their work is rarely rewarding. But somehow they believe in us, and they press on. Thank God for them.

Celery

2010-03-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

Love how food prep can result in lovely surprises!

Vitamin D

2010-03-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hey, friends!

Did you know that a vitamin D deficiency can increase insulin resistance? I just learned that this week when I found out my vitamin D level is low.

Have your doctor check your vitamin D level, especially during these winter months when we are getting less sun than usual. If you are low, you can get a prescription for a strong dose of D to get your levels back up.

You can get some vitamin D from food, but it's difficult, according to my dietitian, to get enough. Even though I don't take any supplements right now and believe getting "the good stuff" through diet and exercise and all that is most important, I want to do everything I can to immediately improve my blood sugar control.

Rules...rules....rules

2010-03-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

When a person is told he or she has diabetes, that person is immediately dunked into a pool of rules. There are medication rules, exercise rules, and of course, food rules. There are so many misconceptions and confusing tidbits of information out there, and how is the average Joe or Jill supposed to make sense of it all?

For the record, I'm not a fan of diet fads or diet books. If they worked, why are there new diets coming out every single day? It sickens me when someone claims to have the answers.

I'm a strong believer in people (diabetes or not) eating real foods, enjoying food, and balancing the enjoyment of food with exercise. I have some sub-beliefs, like eating organic, avoiding too much meat (or for me, no meat), etc....but what I have learned from nearly four years with diabetes is this: eating healthy is simple, when you really get down to it.

For weeks I've been anticipating the call from my library, the one that would tell me that FINALLY Michael Pollan's book Food Rules was waiting for me. The day I got the call, I was at the library. I was giddy with excitement, ready to hear more from the guy who took part in my current favorite documentary, Food Inc.

I adore this book for many reasons:

It's only $11.00---so affordable.
It's small and lightweight. This is no textbook.
The cover is as clean and simple as the "rules."
The tips are clever, practical, and sometimes even funny.

Some of my favorite rules include:

"Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce."
"Avoid food products that make health claims." (Because it means they are hiding something naughty by printing something appealing on the packaging).
"Eat only foods that will eventually rot." (Think what a non-rotting food does in your body---eeeeeekkkkk!)
"Don't ingest foods made in places where everyone is required to wear a surgical cap."
"It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car." (But oh how I love Chick-Fil-A!)
"Eat your colors."
"Sweeten and salt food yourself." (Love this tip!)
"Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of your milk." (MY FAVORITE TIP---because as a mom, advertisers are begging me to buy Lucky Charms....and even "season" the deal with added fiber...but I SHALL NOT BE MOVED!)
"Eat slowly." (I REALLY need to work on this.....)
"Don't get your fuel at the same place your car does." (Funny)
The last tip in the book is, "Break the rules once in a while."

Pollan's advice is realistic, if you are willing to change instead of surrendering to advertisers who want nothing more than for you to become addicted to bad foods so you'll buy more bad foods and feed your family bad foods.

Another article....

2010-03-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

on diabetes and spirituality. Enjoy!

New Article

2010-02-28T11:50:00.000-08:00

Hey, readers!

Please check out my latest article and leave a comment. The topic: my d-day anniversary!

What's On My Nightstand...

2010-02-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

I'm an endless consumer of books. Rarely do I read something cover-to-cover. Instead, I flip here and there (when I have a spare moment), and flag various pages and chapters with sticky notes.

I'm currently reading The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler, MD. Kessler talks about the "purple cow" concept (chapter 26): the idea that the food industry tries to create the most creative, delicious, "sense-sational" foods to lure consumers. He talks about how our brains work, our addiction to the fat-sugar combination that leads to more consumption of fat-sugar foods, portions, and do much more. The beginning of chapter 40 says, "The nation's weight problem is evidence, in part, that we have gotten a lot of bad advice."

Great point! If we are so "advanced" in our nutritional knowledge as a culture and have the best science on our side, why are we getting fatter and fatter, unhealthier and unhealthier? Why will 1 in 3 white kids and 1 in 2 black and Hispanic kids (all born after the year 2000) get type 2 in their lifetime? How has the South Beach, and banning single ingredients like trans fats or HFCS, or going low-carb, or drinking concoctions of lemon juice and maple syrup, or guzzling protein shakes, etc. done anything for us a a nation?

I don't believe one book has all the answers that will magically solve our nation's obesity and diabetes crisis. The problem is complex, and I think involves much more than food. We have factors like farming, the environment, exercise, medicine, technology, and much much more to consider. However, this doesn't mean we throw our hands up in the air, shake our heads in confusion, and then stuff in a thickburger. I think we all have a responsibility to ourselves and our families to constantly learn and ask questions about health so that we can take steps in our lives to make better choices and hopefully avoid some of the fates that our fellow people are facing. And once you learn something, educate others!

D-Day---How To Celebrate?

2010-02-23T18:37:00.001-08:00

Any suggestions on how to "celebrate" my diagnosis anniversary?

I was thinking of eating a massively unhealthy meal...but that goes against what I truly believe in. But sheesh---I thought celebrations were about food. Shrug.

I also thought about a special trip somewhere. Anything out of the ordinary to mark the day as special.

Or just a "me" day. A massage, lots of reading, a glass of wine.

My A1C....

2010-02-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

is 7.3.

And I'm thrilled.

I'm down from 7.6. And even though the difference is small, it's a major victory for this PWD.

Sugar, Small Goals, Spread the Love, and Reward

2010-02-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

Sugar.

It's a word that saturates my vocabulary. Blood sugar, sugar substitutes, sugar doesn't cause diabetes, yes I can eat sugar, I need some sugar! (when I'm hypo), and "sugar booger" (to my baby, which, when typed, sounds kind of gross).

To be honest, sugar is my weakness when it comes to managing my disease. I've got the exercise routine down pat (every morning around 8:30 a.m.), the meal prep (eat homemade, eat organic, eat whole foods), the sleep (I get eight hours a night, sometimes more), and the medications (my pump and Symlin). I sometimes remember to check my feet, and I always have a diabetes-related appointment on the calendar to stay on top of my disease. I read books about diabetes. I read blogs. I write articles.

BUT, when it comes to dessert, which I have every night, I'm simply weak.

My love of sugar started long before my diagnosis. I used to consume Pop Tarts, Little Debbies, and Pixie Stix by the truck load at every youth group event. (Speaking of Little Debbies, I saw the Little Debbie rep at my local grocery store this week and seriously contemplated asking him if he felt any bit of guilt for providing American with diabetes in a box....but I held back). I made cookies for years, nearly every other weekend, with my best friend in high school. French fries and pancakes (often together at Denny's with my friends) were one of my favorite combinations.

But then my childhood ended, diabetes made its debut, and sugar wasn't just sugar anymore. It became an enemy that had to be controlled. I hate that word---control. Mostly because every other person I meet asks if my diabetes is "under control." As I used to say in the 90s, and it makes no sense, BARF ON A STICK. People with diabetes have to control everything...but those who don't have it (or do and don't know it), pass judgement, constantly, with just that single question. I mentally sigh, quite dramatically, every time I'm asked about my blood sugar control. Controlling blood sugars is sometimes as likely as controlling the weather.

Anyway, Nanny C, my daughter's child care provider and fitness extraordinaire, and I once had a conversation about sugar. She was talking about how generally, it doesn't make us feel good (diabetes or not), but we continue to consume it anyway.

It's a really simple truth. Over consumption of sugar (and for those who don't know, "sugar" is carbs---so chips, or homemade banana bread, or three oranges, or a large potato, or raw cookie dough all count) simply makes us crave more sugar. It's a never-ending cycle. Or is it?

I'm all about small goals. That's another thing Nanny C is really good at. (If you're interested, check out her "word of the week" on her blog). I love focusing on just one thing, though it's hard for this multi-tasking mama, teacher, and wife to do. But when it comes to diabetes, a small change can make a dramatic impact.

Each night, my husband and I flop down on the couch together at 8:30 p.m. The baby is sound asleep, her toys are picked up, and the dishwasher is humming gently in the kitchen. I usually say something like, "Can I get you something?" And he usually responds, "Like what?"

It's a funny game we play, because our nightly dessert consists of _____ + ice cream. The ____ is usually some sort of homemade fruit crisp, a brownie, a cookie, or something along those lines. The ice cream is either vanilla, rocky road, or cookie dough (my fav but it's so hard to control myself!!!).

I get up, get out two small glass bowls, and begin the traditional and satisfying process of making our parfaits. Sometimes I'll add a little something extra like a drizzle of organic chocolate syrup (no HFCS!) or a sprinkle of walnuts. I then test my sugar, calculate my carbs, and bolus.

I'll bring the bowls to the living room, and we'll either talk or watch one of our tv shows while relishing in gooey, rich, dense, cool + warm goodness.

It's heavenly. And I know all the health experts say food shouldn't be a reward, but mine nightly dessert is. It's a reward for working out that morning, for grading a stack of student essays, for cleaning the house, for making a healthy dinner, for dealing with the demands of parenthood, to completing an article. My dessert is like the one thing that says I'm normal, even though I know there is nothing normal about diabetes.

So back to small goals. Mine is to continue to enjoy dessert every night, but to enjoy smaller portions of it. I already use the small glass bowls; however, I can heap one of those to the point where the ice cream is threatening to fall over (and has before).

I know sugar is so attractive because despite what our diabetes educators tell us, sugar is almost never consumed in moderation, especially when it's this forbidden pleasure in the diabetes community. Well, technically it's not forbidden. We're encouraged to consume it---but in artificial form. All I can say to that is ewwwww. Fake sugars are nasty. Period. I've been there, done that, and plan to never go back. And I apologize to my body for the diet sodas, Splenda, "sugar free" cookies, Glucerna, etc. that I consumed. I know better now.

I hope that my d-friends can:

enjoy semi-healthy desserts or healthy desserts in moderation
enjoy real desserts
enjoy rewarding themselves with something sweet, every day
enjoy life, because diabetes or not, we only get one life.

Let's live. And live well.

Now if you will excuse me....it's time for my dessert.

Spread the Love + My Diabetes Kick

2010-02-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

I am the type who gets on a kick, gets really into whatever it is, and then wraps it up and moves on to the next project/thing/kick. I do this with seemingly everything: meals (the egg phase, the quesadilla phase, the potato soup phase), crafts (bracelets, card stamping, sewing, hair bows), home projects (the nursery, the kitchen, the laundry room), writing (a book---which didn't happen, articles, essays), and so forth. I get crazy-passionate about something, do it, and move on. Mostly. A few things I have stuck with: writing articles, blogging, cooking, consistently cleaning my house, etc.

Right now I'm on a diabetes kick, which has it's advantages. I just had a meeting with my DNE, my endo appointment is scheduled for early March, I've been stocking my fridge with fruits and veggies (and, oh yeah, becoming a vegetarian!), writing tons of diabetes-related articles for Diabetes Health, and getting back on my CGM (from which I took a break due to mental health concerns from all the BEEEEEEPPPPPing).

After a quick self-analysis, I realize my diabetes kick comes about this time every year---about a month before my diagnosis anniversary. It's ingrained in me, I guess. There's something about that date in March that sends me into a whirl of emotions----some victorious, some depressing, some simply perplexing.

I don't think about diabetes all the time, yet it's with me, yep, all the time. I have been criticized before for being obsessed with my disease---of course, this comes from people who don't have type I. They have no idea what this disease is like. But my readers, I know you get it...either because you have it, or because you are married to someone who has it, or you are caring for a child, or multiple children (see Meri's blog) with it.

So as my anniversary approaches, I'm throwing myself into the D-world with all new vigor. I'm reading Diabetes Rising, reading diabetes blogs, and considering if I have time to venture into participating in online diabetes communities (I have accounts, but I'm not very active right now).

The thing is, I think I got diabetes. I have type I. It has a definition. I came down with a stomach virus in November of 2004, was sick for a year and a half, and was diagnosed in March of 2006. I had a six month long honeymoon period (check----I know what that means), went on Symlin, a pump, and last year, a CGM. I have learned about insurance companies, how to deal with doctors who don't get it (find a new one!), and how to cope. I'm daily picking myself up by my bootstraps and putting on, as my friend Joy (80 years old and very healthy, by the way) says, my "big girl panties." I know about how fiber can be subtracted from the carb count of a food, what the dawn phenomenon is, and that my blood sugars can fluctuate based on the weather, my menstrual cycle, my stress level, how much sleep I am (or am not) getting, my diet, my workout routine, communion, and more. Nothing is the same. And yet, in some ways, everything, with diabetes, is somehow better in some sick, weird, twisted way.

But there's so so so much I really don't get, and after reading parts of Diabetes Rising (which, unfortunately, is now one day overdue and will be returned to my local library tomorrow for fear of even more fines---yeah, I do everything on time except return library books) I'm realizing that there's so much about diabetes I just don't get---and guess what? Neither does the medical community! This disease is a complete mystery with possible cures but no easy answers or quick fixes.

This paragraph (p 63), in particular, explains in part my frustration with this disease:

Whatever the exact rate of increase in the incidence of type I may be,
this much is clear: it's rising, and no amount of test strips, insulin
pumps, sensors, or islet-cell transplants will do anything to stop the
rise. Rather than plugging the leak in the boat, we have been bailing out
with teaspoons, all the while sinking deeper.

I do not, by any means, live for a cure. I hope there's one, but I'm not sitting around praying for one. I did, however, allow a few pent-up tears slide down my face the other night as I told my husband, "I'm tired of having diabetes. I don't want it anymore." Then I sniffed and moved on.

I am so frustrated when I hear stories of people who know they are at risk. Or at the minimum know that chips and soda are not good choices to eat...yet they do it anyway, taking on the teenager's mentality of "it can't happen to me." Dan Hurley, the book's author, conducted an interview with a nurse-practitioner/dietitian who said (83):

If diabetes just hurt, that person would be in my office within hours.
If it just caused them the discomfort of a cold, they'd come.
The general public doesn't get diabetes because they don't think they have it or are headed to it, and if they do know, they don't care. It's not like a broken bone. It doesn't hurt badly enough for someone to say, you know, I should do something about this.

I've only made it to page 117 of Hurley's book, and I've had enough of it. It's a great read, but each page has me questioning everything I thought I understood about diabetes. I scanned the table of contents to find there's an entire section devoted to "the reasons" for the dramatic rise in diabetes. Is it weight gain? Cow's milk? "Persistent Organic Pollutants"? Lack of vitamin D? Hygiene?

My guess is yes---all of the above. My diagnosis came when I was twenty-four years old. I was living in a new place (environment?), it was winter (lack of vitamin D), and I had a virus (which some say the rota virus is one of the four that can trigger type I). Maybe I had some sort of genetic disposition that got switched on by one or all of these three? Oh, and my mom didn't breast feed me long, so maybe it was that cow's milk? A real head-scratcher....

Part III of the book promises to talk about the artificial pancreas, bariatric surgery, a pill that cures type I (huh?), and prevention. I just can't stomach it anymore. I guess I figure that I have this damn thing, you know? It's not going away. Time to move on.

Recently, Dr. Oz was on Oprah's show talking about diabetes. Granted the episode did people with type I little justice, he explained how excessive sugar in the blood is like glass, scraping away at a person's insides. Wow.

There's so much I don't get. I can't even pronounce all the nerve damage problems----one for the eyes, one for the feet, one for the stomach. Oh the list goes on and on.

And here's the kicker: Blood sugar control doesn't mean one with diabetes will avoid complications. It just means the risk is probably lower. Probably.

I guess I'll just keep doing what I know how to do. I exercise every morning. I eat healthy. I get eight hours of shut-eye each night. I know when to take a down day and really just chill. I know what my limits are, and I rarely push them. I ask God to give me wisdom when my numbers are jacked. I encourage others. I just keep on trucking, wearing my big girl panties, and hoping to avoid complications for as long as possible.

God promises that He knows the number of hairs on my head. He knows my coming, my going, my thoughts, my fears (which I rarely talk about), and my hopes. I can do all I want to control my diabetes, but really, who in this world has any control over the big picture? On one hand, I believe we choose our own path...and make our own destiny. But I also know there's a God who can work everything out according to His will and purpose, despite our silly human ways.

I just don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, next week, next year. I don't know what this next year will hold as I learn more about my disease. But I will keep trying, keep learning, and also keep choosing to shut out what's not necessary, even if it is a good book.

Veggies Veggies Everywhere

2010-02-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

As a new vegetarian, I'm motivated to see how many veggie servings I can cram into a meal.

My recent birthday dinner at a local Houlihan's inspired me to create my own version of their veggie sandwich. It's super simple!

Ingredients:

sprouts (take your pick)

a whole grain bun, English muffin, pita, etc.

a slice or organic tomato

some good, organic cheese (your choice)

a little balsamic vinaigrette

hummus (I like roasted red pepper or chipotle, but plain works just as well)

Directions:

Layer and eat.

I have found that vegetarian options at restaurants are often laden with too much cheese and grains. So creating your own versions at home will save you calories.

Spread the Love: A Diabetic Princess' Prayer

2010-02-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

This is my first "spread the love" post. Please join me in celebrating other bloggers.

I urge you to read this simple prayer spoken by Jada, a sweet little girl with type I diabetes:

Dear God,

I don't like to poke my fingers. It really hurts sometimes. And why do I have to have diabetes? I mean, it's really like the pottiest thing ever. Some time I just want to wake up and not be diabetic ANY MORE!

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Spread the Love!

2010-02-04T11:15:00.001-08:00

All of February, I'm committing to promote other blogs so that my readers can enjoy some of my favorites. Let's spread the love!

Please cut and past this idea into your own blog. Let's have fun!

Bake Wisely!

2010-01-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

My latest article is on the Diabetes Health website. Please check it out and leave a comment!

It Breaks My Heart...

2010-01-25T15:53:00.000-08:00

every single time I hear of someone, young or old, being diagnosed with diabetes.

One of my friends told me today that someone she knows has a two year old granddaughter who was diagnosed three months ago with type I. I cannot imagine. A two year old can't say, "Mommy, my blood sugar is low." A two year old can't give herself injections and dose insulin. A two year old has a whole life ahead of her full of slumber parties (pizza), birthday celebrations (cake and ice cream), picnics (potato salad), and more.

Older folks often don't get that the years of inactivity, of consuming greasy meals, and of thinking that doctors are for wimps lead to their type 2 diabetes. And now, many of them refuse to change. Some of my own relatives believe that their type 2 diabetes diagnosis was a "mistake" (huh?) or that the doctor is giving them pills they don't need. One takes his diabetes medication a few times a month, sporadically. :(

What infuriates me and disappoints me is when the people who know me and who can somewhat understand my struggles with type I still choose to pretend that this disease, type 2, isn't tapping on their shoulders. And one day that tapping is going to turn into a diagnosis.

Some like to blame it on genetics. They believe that if they have a parent or other relative with type 2, they can say upon diagnosis day, oh, yes, well of course I have it. There's a complete lack of personal responsibility. But the ADA tells us (see link "genetics") that type 2 occurs mainly in Western places, like the US. Um, can we say poor diet and lack of exercise?

No matter how the person arrives at the disease, each story breaks my heart.

The CDC predicts that every black or Hispanic child born after the year 2000 will have a 5o% (+) chance of developing type 2. Every white child has a 33% chance.

I know we are fed a lot of statistics....but take a moment to really grasp these massive numbers.

In our nation, nearly 24,000,000 people have diabetes, though nearly 6,000,000 don't know they have the disease. Another 57,000,000 have a condition called "pre-diabetes"---which means they have elevated blood sugar readings (a WARNING sign of diabetes-to-come). Read more here.

I hate that Americans who can prevent this disease in their own bodies instead choose to embrace it. Bring on the unhealthy foods and lack of exercise. Bring on the avoidance, denial, and ignorance.

I hate that children with type I are facing a life-altering diagnosis that will leave them like me, without many scientific answers. We're told it might be a virus, or cow's milk, or the environment, or maybe some genetics. Shrug. I know researchers are working hard to cure us. We wait. And wait. And wait.

I hate that babies are born to women with diabetes when the women do not take care of themselves. These babies are prone to complications and then later, to type 2 diabetes themselves.

I hate that diabetes doesn't get more media focus. Our numbers are growing while cancer rates are down! I have nothing against cancer research, awareness, and fundraising. But I think we need to bring some attention to the disease that causes so many other health problems (see "complications").

There is so much about diabetes that I hate. But I wonder if we are reaping what we, as a nation, have sown. Our choices do not go unpunished.

I am sometimes scoffed at for my determination to feed my family whole foods, organic foods, healthy foods. What a pushover I am! A health nut! Sigh. If only everyone else would wake up and get it.

But I know better. And many others do, too. They just don't want to change. It's easier to eat crappy foods and not exercise. It's easier to blame genes, or poverty, or ethnicity, or the doctors.

The truth is the truth. And at the end of the day, when you hear "you have diabetes," no matter what you've told yourself, no matter what lies you've fed your own mind, no matter how many times you've tried to reverse your years of bad habits, the fact is, you've got it. You're another statistic.

And it breaks my heart.

Greek Spag

2010-01-19T19:34:00.000-08:00

I generally don't like pasta.

There. I said it.

I know it's weird or abnormal or even unAmerican. But pasta just doesn't do it for me like a huge hunk of bread with real butter or a brownie under gobs of ice cream or fruit salad.

However, I gathered a few torn-out recipes and created a pasta dish I'm pretty proud of.

Rachel's Greek Style Pasta

Ingredients:

whole wheat pasta (any shape, but I like angel hair spaghetti)

organic pasta sauce (horray for Trader Joe's!)

green olives

black olives

crumbled feta

baked chicken, cut into pieces (but not for me!)

Directions:

Prepare pasta as directed and drain.

In the warmed pot, add the pasta, olives, and sauce. Stir and heat until warm.

Serve with feta (and chicken if you desire) sprinkled over the top.

What makes this recipe great:

Easy
Fairly inexpensive
Healthy
Quick to prepare
Vegetarian or not, your choice!
Flavorful.

How an Essay Saved a Life

2010-01-14T06:50:00.000-08:00

My husband sent me this fabulous story yesterday. I hope we can all now realize how important it is to write good essays (yes, coming from me, the composition teacher) on topics we care about!

What's warm, soothing, and has no carbs or calories?

2010-01-07T09:08:00.001-08:00

Tea!

I love decaf, herbal teas. I'm a huge fan of the Tazo brand which you can purchase from some Target stores and Starbucks. Lately every day I've been sipping two to three cups of chai, orange, and passion teas. Yum!

I used to stir in some Splenda or Truvia....but I'm learning to like these teas without any additives.

I buy decaf because I'm not a believer in using caffeine. I prefer to get my energy from enough sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet. Yeah, it's not always possible, but I'm pretty consistent.

I hope you find a comforting, healthy indulgence this winter.

Happy New Year---Are Your Resolving?

2010-01-01T11:12:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest article entitled "Resolutions vs. Changes: Making 2010 Count" on the Diabetes Health website.

THROW IT OUT!

2009-12-29T15:05:00.000-08:00

Some post-Christmas advice....

THROW IT OUT!

"It" is referring to all the unhealthy leftovers that your mom sent home with you, the cookies covered in sugar, and the candy.

Our culture has trained us to clean our plates and not be wasteful. The excuse of starving African children is old news. You not consuming all the empty calories and risking elevated blood sugars has nothing to do with starving children.

Just do it, as Nike says.

You enjoyed the holidays for what they were---fun, carefree, and wonderful. But now, just throw it out. Do it. Do it.

Did you do it yet?

Is it time?

2009-12-28T17:32:00.000-08:00

Is it time...for me to become a vegetarian, officially?

The more I don't eat meat, the more I don't miss it. There's nothing appealing about it's texture, it's flavor, or it's appearance. Sure, occasionally I like an Italian beef sandwich or some really unhealthy salami or pepperoni on a massive slice of cheese-laden, white crust pizza.

But becoming a vegetarian doesn't come completely naturally to me (maybe it's innate or society or something else?) and for sure not without some concerns.

Will I lack enough iron? Are there other nutrients I'll miss out on.
Will I replace lean meats with too much cheese?
Is being a vegetarian truly healthy?
What will it do to my diabetes?
Tofu---controversy. Estrogen/cancer link? Yes? No?
How do I please my meat-loving husband, my one year old daughter who doesn't know what she does and doesn't like from day to day, and myself?
If you eat eggs and salmon, are you really a vegetarian? A flexitarian? Or just a phony?
How will I eat at other people's houses?
Will I spend the next fifty years carting around cheese sticks and nuts?
Is this really what I want?

I think I want to do this. I don't like meat. It's not really healthy unless it's organic and lean. And the cost of organic meat just isn't worth it to me considering I don't like meat to start with.

I need some information on how this will work. Maybe I'll ease into it...like try it for a whole week, and then two, and then three. Anyone want to enlighten me?

New Article: On Holiday Fun

2009-12-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest article called Joy and Jolly on the Diabetes Health website.

Vegetarian Week

2009-12-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

Baked potatoes

Brown rice and tofu pilaf

Brown rice and veggie pilaf

It's the week before Christmas, and all through our house.....

we are eating vegetarian!

I have long hated meat. In high school my best friend and I swore off meat and traded pork, hamburger, chicken nuggets, and more for healthier fare. Well, not really. We ate French fries, Little Debbies, and "fruit" drinks. Yum.

Then I learned I had hypoglyecmia in which I was told that my lack of protein consumption was screwing up my blood sugars, so I slowly and painfully re-introduced meat into my diet. Then, about six years later, on comes type I diabetes and a lot, I mean A LOT, of nutritional education.

So now I'm back to where I was in high school. Well, sort of. I'm not longer interested in Little Debbies (my homemade desserts are SO much healthier and tastier) and sugary fruit drinks (my beverages of choice: water, unsweetened tea, and the occasional glass of wine). But I am on track to becoming a vegetarian.

Right now, my family is considered flexitarian, a term that means we sometimes eat meat, and sometimes don't.

My husband doesn't share my love of vegetarian dishes, which are often packed with veggies, grains he's never heard of, and proteins like eggs and tofu. (By the way, I have yet to perfect making tofu. The stuff is so darn temperamental---as am I---so it's a bad combo).

I have tried to explain to him that we can eat healthier (more veggies, less saturated fat, extra fiber, etc.) and more cheaply (meat is very pricey, organic meat is even more, and eggs, even organic, cost only 33 cents each). He explained to me, well more like said in one sentence, that he likes meat. Period.

(Furthermore, Americans eat way too much meat (which means wayyyyy too much saturated fat which leads to weight gain and heart problems and diabetes...and, and, and). Check out who helps sponsor our government......yeah, those who rule the meat industries, and this is reflected in the "too much meat" section of our food pyramid. Tricky.)

But, being the good sport my husband is, we have committed this week to eating vegetarian. Now, our specific form of chosen vegetarianism allows eggs (organic!), cheese, and fish. So on our menu:

Salmon patties, organic veggie mix, homemade whole wheat and oat bread

Rush-hour chili with homemade corn bread

A pilaf consisting of almonds, carrots, celery, whole grain brown rice, cranberries

Eggs with organic hash browns and organic spinach (an easy, great, inexpensive meal)

Taco dip (red beans, cream cheese, sour cream, organic salsa, taco seasoning) with organic tortilla chips

Thanksgiving leftover soup (mashed potatoes, broth, carrots, celery, and more)

Last week during our typical flexitarian time we had ...

organic baked potatoes topped with cheese, sour cream, organic broccoli, chives, and whatever else sounded good (ok and a FEW bacon bits....)

a whole grain brown rice pilaf with tofu, pineapple tidbits, and organic sweet peas (additionally with what I thought was leftover green onion but turned out to be jalapeno---oops!)

Why this week? Well, with the approaching holiday (plenty of food---most of which is not at all healthy) and an evaluation of our budget (actually, we don't have a budget....but we're working on that).

I hope this week is successful. I know the recipes are good, because we have had them many times before.

My motto, when it comes to meal planning and preparation, is easy, healthy, and quick. I teach two college composition courses part-time at a university, do freelance writing for health magazines, raise a baby, and take care of a house. I'm busy; however, I'm committed to making sure that our health doesn't suffer. It's easy for people to just let it go or think healthy eating is no big deal. They won't be saying that in the ER when they're having their first heart attack or when they learn that their blood sugar indicates they have type 2 diabetes. Then they'll think, if even only for a moment, maybe I should have done something. Maybe I should have paid attention. Maybe I should have respected this glorious body God gave me, which is a gift.

I hope that as this year draws to a close that you find the inspiration, motivation, and conviction to do the right thing for you and your family. You are worth the efforts, and so are those who love you and whom you care for! Just do it!

Diabetes Conference

2009-12-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

My dietitian (right) and me (left) after both of our talks.

Speaking...

A packed house!

250+ people, plenty of diabetes education, free tests/checks, and hopefully some self-discovery and change.

Diabetes conferences are powerful forces. And I'm blessed beyond words to have had the honor of speaking from the patient's perspective at a local, recent conference.

I look forward to more opportunities in the future to share my experience and to learn from others. Diabetes may not be going away any time soon or ever...but we can fight it. We can learn. We can grow. We can be healthy.

And above all: we CAN inspire others!

Inteview & Book Release

2009-12-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

Photo: Danielle and her family.

Dear Readers,

I am honored to share with you a new book about diabetes entiteld Diabetes: Overcome Your Fears, written by my friend Danielle Londrigan, whom I met on an online adoption message board. She recently granted me an interview and, lucky you, her contact information!

First, here's the book description taken from Amazon:
Being diagnosed with diabetes can be a frightening and lonely experience. Long-time diabetic and author Danielle Londrigan explains how you can overcome your fears and take control of the disease. Each motivational chapter describes crucial aspects of being diabetic. Written in clear and simplistic terms, it is a welcome relief to diabetics and their loved ones who are overwhelmed with medical terminology and grim statistics. She offers her personal story as a Type 1 diabetic for over 25 years and an active wife and mother of four children, which is sure to encourage and inspire any diabetic. Each section is full of proven advice and tips for managing the disease and preventing complications. She details what a diabetic should do to take control of the disease, find a good doctor, make necessary diet and lifestyle changes, prepare for pregnancy, communicate with others about diabetes, learn to cope, determine whether an insuling pump, continuous glucose monitor, or service dog can benefit you, and so much more.

And the interview:

1: What has encouraged or inspired you the most in your life with diabetes?
Two things have really been trivial to my inspiration to take control of and not fear my diabetes. First, I have become aware of several people over the years who have been long-time diabetics with either no complications or who formerly had complications that healed with tightened control of the disease. Secondly, When I got pregnant for the first time, the whole experience of preparing for the pregnancy, being pregnant, and then managing the disease after pregnancy taught me that I could do this! I didn't have to have a doctor holding my hand, or someone looking over my shoulder all the time. I was perfectly capable. Not only that, but I realized that tight control is not impossible to achieve. It is doable with enough dedication and effort.

2: What is your advice to someone like me who has only had diabetes for a few years?
First, I would recommend that you educate yourself as much as possible! Read everything you can get your hands on that is related to diabetes. Ask your doctor questions. Talk to other diabetics about their experience. Don't limit your education to just diabetes though. Also educate yourself on the inner-workings of basic physiology of the body. You have to learn how to put these concepts together in order to achieve tighter control. You can't do it until you have an understanding regarding how the body works as a whole. My book is an excellent starting point for that information.

3: What is your advice to diabetes veterans, people who have had diabetes for as long as you have or longer?
My advice to veteran diabetics is almost the same, actually. Never stop learning. Once you have mastered understanding the basics of diabetes and your body, then began learning the more detailed aspects. When you are comfortable with how your blood sugars are affected by different circumstances, don't be afraid to experiment (within safe reason) to learn more about maintaining control in all situations. You can always improve your level of control!

4: Why did you write and publish the book?
As I wrote in the introduction of the book, several things contributed. Most of all, though, I was frustrated with the grim and depressing statistics out there that made complications sound inevitable. That is just not true! Additionally, my experiences with doctors, as well as learning what other new diabetics were experiencing, made me realize that many doctors were not educating diabetic patients properly. They were often times simply signing a prescription and sending them on their way. It was almost overwhelming how many newly diagnosed diabetics I encountered who didn't know where to start. I desired to change that. I wanted to provide an easy resource that would fill in the gaps left my the limited education a diabetic received, give them a direction, offer tips and advice that had made my life much easier, and help them develop a plan of action. I also wanted to give them hope and encouragement that they had not been given a death sentence, rather, diabetes could be simply viewed as an inconvience.

5: How/where can my readers obtain a copy of your book?
My book just went to print last month, so sales outlets are still growing. At this point, it is available on Amazon.com and at a few diabetes supply, pharmacy, and other outlets around the nation. They can also get a signed copy directly from me for $10, plus tax and shipping. They would just have to contact me through the book's blog.

You may read more about Danielle and contact her via her blog: Red Gate Farm.

Simple Cookies

2009-12-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I discovered a baking treasure: whole wheat pastry flour. It's lighter than regular whole wheat flour, and the few recipes I have tried (off the packaging) have never failed me. (The Flaky Whole Wheat Pie Crust is FAB!!!)

Since you'll surely be attending many parties and celebrations over the month, why not make up a big batch of these, keep them in the freezer until needed, and then wow your audience?

I appreciate these cookies because they offer protein, carbs, and healthy fat---a perfect snack for someone trying to keep his or her sugars stable while also enjoying a sweet (but not too sweet) treat.

WOW Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Rachel's version. Originally published on the Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Bag)

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter (I use organic)

1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 cups of sugar (I use raw organic)

2/3 cup of soymilk (or regular milk)

2 t vanilla

2 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/4 cups of oats (I use old fashioned)

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 cup walnuts (or more---I just dump them in)

plenty of chocolate chips---I use a mix of semi-sweet, dark, and milk

Directions:

Using a mixture, combine the (softened) butter, applesauce, sugar, milk, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until it's well combined and creamy.

Hand stir in the flour and oats. After these are well combined, stir in the nuts and chocolate.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes per batch. This recipe makes 2 dozen cookies (not too many), so I usually double it.

I think these cookies taste best fresh out of the freezer. If you plan to take them places, you can bake and freeze in advance. I suggest freezing 1 dozen cookies on a red, (thick) paper plate and store in a gallon baggie. GRAB AND GO!

For more recipes and products, please visit Bob's Red Mill.

Bake Wisely

2009-11-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

Here are a few baking tips as you prepare for more holiday fun!

Reduce the sugar amount in a recipe by 1/4. You'll cut carbs, and trust me, the taste isn't noticeably different.
Use agave nectar instead of sugar. Because of it's new found popularity, agave nectar isn't a rare sweetener that one can only find in speciality stores. My local Wal-Mart started carrying it, and I picked up large bottles of organic agave nectar at a Cosco stores while on vacation.
Use unsweetened applesauce in place of oil. Though oil isn't necessarily unhealthy (think canola---heart healthy!) it does increase the fat and calorie count of baked goods.
Throw in walnuts, flax seed, and/or wheat germ to increase the healthy fats in your baked goods and to add protein.
Try using whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, oats, and even flaky cereals in place of traditional white flour. Just keep in mind the type of food you are baking and which substitution would be appropriate.
Do not use margarine instead of butter. Butter has an important place in baking. Cut the fat in other ways---like egg substitute instead of eggs. But don't cut the butter. (Many places sell organic butter, in case you are interested).
You can sometimes use soymilk or vanilla soymilk in place of regular milk.
Buy chocolate chips that are free of fillers like hydrogenated oils. I am a big fan of Ghirardelli chocolate chips.
It's fine to use a mix for baking---just be sure to purchase items made with whole grains and are free of trans fats and hydrogenated oils. I suggest checking out products by Hodgson Mill, Naturally Nora, and Bob's Red Mill. Also search your local Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. These mixes are often more expensive than buying the ingredients in larger quantities and using them throughout the holiday season; however, if you wish to save time and energy, a mix might be your best option.

Happy baking!

Have a Plan!

2009-11-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

Ok, Thanksgiving is about to happen. What's your plan?

You might say you plan on just enjoying the day and taking a break from your diabetes. BAD MOVE, friends. I have learned that one "free day" can equal residual bad sugars for hours, days, weeks, or even months. It's easy to let things slide...all the way until Valentine's Day!

Here's my plan to keep my sugars in control over Thanksgiving:

Exercise every morning, as usual. I will automatically have a better day.
Check out the food buffet first, determine what I REALLY want to eat, and then take portions of those foods, saving room for dessert, of course! I LOVE pumpkin pie!
Take healthier foods for everyone to enjoy. I'm making an organic pumpkin cake, homemade cornbread (made with healthy ingredients including non-fat yogurt, organic corn, and whole wheat flour), and spinach dip with whole wheat crackers. If you take a dish you know is "safe"---you can enjoy that food along with others.
Don't graze all day long. Do something else. Play with the kids. Look at photo albums. Play a game. Anything but eat all day long.
Check my sugars, as usual, even when I don't feel like it. If you're like me, a high results in a low which results in a high, and so forth, resulting in poor blood sugar control. I will test. I will test. I will test. And I will respond accordingly and wisely.

I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving full of family, friends, and good food!

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edited to add: Check out my latest article on the Diabetes Health website---it's all about portion control!

Interview with a Motivator

2009-11-23T13:43:00.000-08:00

I am honored to share with my readers a new website created by a friend of mine, Nick. She is one of the most motivated women I know, and I had the opportunity to interview her recently about her new website called Flesh 2 Flesh. I hope you find her website useful as you manage your diabetes.

Tell me about yourself (personally):
I am an outgoing individual who loves to be around my family, if I can’t involve my family someway or somehow in my day to day activities then it’s really not worth me doing it. My husband and children inspire me to be the person that I am today. I have a passion for people and their well being. It motivates me to see that I have had some part in making a person smile. From being very young I have liked to make people laugh, I believe that laughter is what gives a person the light in their soul. I like to have fun, but I also know that when it comes to the seriousness of life I know how to get the job done. My philosophy in life is you only have one life, and each day that passes is a day you will never get back, what will I do with the days ahead to make the days that pass count.

Tell me about yourself (professionally):
My Journey in fitness really started as me being a professional dancer. I went to performing arts college in London and from there travelled the world doing productions and theatre work, working on television shows and teaching dance. After I met and married my husband 19 years ago all I could do with dance was teach as I did not want to travel anymore as it would take me away from my family. I quickly transitioned into fitness, I loved it. I knew it was my second calling in life and I did everything I could to educate myself on whatever I could to make me the best trainer and aerobics instructor I could be. I was very fortunate to have a great mentor in my life that I met at the beginning of my fitness career. My husband also is a Master Fitness trainer so we work together whenever we can. I love what I do; I am very passionate about the health and well being of all my clients. I will continue on in my fitness journey learning all that I can, probably till I retire as this industry is always evolving and researching new concepts and ideas to make us a more productive, healthy and longer living society.

Tell me about why you developed your website:
The main reason for developing my website is to have information readily available for people to view and a constant source of information for present and future clients. I have been training for many years now and I get asked questions about fitness from all over the world from people that I have met over the years. Having the website is so much easier and less time consuming for me as I can just direct them straight to the site and be about the business at hand, that being fitness & wellness coaching.

What can your website offer to people with Diabetes?
My website can offer answers to your questions, nutritional information, exercise information and motivational tools. The site usually gets updated once a week and if you do not see the information that can answer your particular question that week I am only an email away.

Why is diabetes important to you?
I have an uncle, My Uncle Tom and he is like a second father to me, I remember when he was diagnosed with Diabetes. It had been a while since I had seen him as all my family is living in England and I don’t get to go home as often as I would like to, I remember he just did not look well. I did not know much about the disease then but I made it a point from that day to go back home and learn all I could about how exercise could affect and help this process he was going through. My Uncle Tom is why Diabetes is important to me.

What is your website URL, and how can readers contact you?
My website is www.flesh2fresh.com all of my contact information is on the website. I can be contacted either by email, telephone or if you become a fan of the facebook site, through there too.