Category Blog Posts

In this episode of BDI Briefs, I talk with Dr. Bill Polonsky and Dr. Susan Guzman about a new study revealing some exciting news for those of us living with type 1 diabetes.

In this episode of BDI Briefs, I talk with Dr. Bill Polonsky and Dr. Susan Guzman about assessing diabetes distress. They share some history and evolution of the recommended assessment tools for different segments of people with diabetes. We also discussed the Diabetes Distress Assessment & Resource Center, a free and confidential website built to help people with diabetes and clinicians learn more about diabetes distress and provide access to validated scales and measures to assess diabetes distress.

I had the extraordinary opportunity to chat with Stefany Shaheen, the Chief Strategy Officer of Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) and BioFab USA, about the transformative potential of cell therapies for individuals living with diabetes. Stefany shared her remarkable journey, insights on cell therapies' current status, approval challenges, and how the diabetes community can contribute to advancing research in this field.

Sharing an AWESOME opportunity for teens with diabetes near Chandler, AZ on Saturday, March 2! The professionals at Radford Racing School are helping JDNL host the upcoming Check B4U Drive - 2024 session - a safe driving clinic for teens with diabetes!

This episode of BDI Briefs explores the emotional side of type 2 diabetes diagnosis with Dr. Polonsky and Dr. Guzman. It is a critical moment that can reverberate for years and set the tone for diabetes management. We emphasize the need for healthcare providers to address the strong negative emotions patients face, encourage hope, and provide resources like the "Don't Freak Out Booklet" to hopefully create a better diagnosis experience for people with diabetes.

Andy Bell, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 14, shares his story of resilience, navigating life beyond diabetes to become a personal trainer, JDRF employee, law enforcement officer, black belt in jiu-jitsu, yoga instructor, father, and more. Recently diagnosed with another autoimmune disease, Addison's, Andy continues to embody determination and hope. Join me to learn more about his fascinating story.

I am thrilled to share a thought-provoking panel discussion about diabetes stigma.

The panel discussion aimed to shed light on the misconceptions and challenges faced by people living with diabetes. Our goal was to create a safe space to come together and discuss ongoing efforts and strategies to combat the stigma associated with diabetes.

In this episode of BDI Briefs, I had the privilege of discussing diabetes distress versus depression with Dr. Bill Polonsky and Dr. Susan Guzman. In our conversation, we explored the misconception that people with diabetes are automatically at an increased risk of depression, highlighting that diabetes distress is a more prevalent issue.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Ginger Vieira, an incredible individual living with type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and fibromyalgia. We discussed her new book, Exercise with Type 1 Diabetes, and the challenges people with diabetes face when exercising. Ginger's ability to break down complex topics into digestible information is truly a gift. Her book provides practical strategies for managing blood sugar levels during exercise. With Ginger's guidance, you can learn to exercise more confidently with diabetes.

I sat down with Mari Ruddy, a tireless advocate, successful author, and my personal hero.

Mari uses her experience to empower others facing similar challenges. In our discussion, we explore Mari's journey from discovering her love for distance cycling to writing her brilliant book, 'Extreme Healing'.

Listen in as she shares the highs, the lows, her strategies for dealing with chronic illness, and her passion for endurance sports. You’ll also hear her personal challenges of conquering cancer and living with diabetes. But most importantly, you'll hear about the resilience, the courage, and the unyielding spirit that has made her a beacon of hope for many.

In this episode of BDI Briefs, we dive into causes, symptoms, and strategies for managing fear of hypoglycemia for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Learn about the Be Safe and Feel Safe strategies, the importance of diabetes technology, and how to regain confidence in blood sugar management.

Welcome to another episode of BDI Briefs! Our aim with BDI Briefs is to take a brief look at important issues about the emotional side of diabetes. In this short discussion, Scott, Bill, and Susan ask whether striving for better-than-standards diabetes management is really worthwhile? Or could it have unintended consequences?

Welcome to another episode of BDI Briefs! Our aim with BDI Briefs is to take a brief look at important issues about the emotional side of diabetes. In this short discussion, Scott, Bill, and Susan have a thought-provoking discussion exploring a groundbreaking study titled "Is insulin right for me?", which delves into the challenges of encouraging people with type two diabetes to consider insulin as a treatment option. The study involved a web-based intervention, and the results were surprising in ways that challenge conventional thinking.

Welcome to another episode of BDI Briefs! Our aim with BDI Briefs is to take a brief look at important issues about the emotional side of diabetes.

In this short discussion, Scott, Bill, and Susan explore problematic medication taking and what you can do about it. You may be surprised by some insights – I know I was! 

I understand backup plans are a necessary part of living with diabetes. Whether you realize it or not, every time you do something, you think about the worst-case scenario with your diabetes and have a handful of solutions ready. It becomes automatic. Almost subconscious even. But don't beat yourself up if you don't know horses.

One of our favorite subjects at BDI is evidence-based hope! We meet people with diabetes every day who are discouraged and beaten down because they feel hopeless that diabetes will cause terrible things to happen to them. We don't think that has to be true. Instead, we like to talk about what we call evidence-based hope.

April marked my 43rd year with type 1 diabetes. I do think of it as a time to celebrate in a way. I don’t throw a party, or even do anything outside of my normal routine - but I do take a little bit of time to pat myself on the back and acknowledge a job mostly well done.

Welcome to episode 3 of BDI Briefs! Our aim with BDI Briefs is to take a brief look at important issues about the emotional side of diabetes. In this short discussion, Scott, Bill, and Susan discuss some good news about the fear of hypoglycemia.

Diabetes is a thing surrounded by numbers. Everything is a number or is used in a calculation. We have blood sugars, units of insulin, and grams of carbohydrates. Then we take those numbers and stick them into more numbers. There is the insulin-to-carb ratio, the duration of insulin action, our correction factor, and more.

I had tomato soup with crackers for dinner recently. While cooking, I grew increasingly frustrated with counting the carbs until I finally fell apart. It went something like this.