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70 Things Only Diabetics Recognize
Happy Diabetes Awareness Month!
November is here and with that comes Diabetes Awareness Month mentioned above, as well as World Diabetes Day on the 14th. Don’t forget to put it in your calendar, and let’s raise money for research, party like it’s 1999 and, first and foremost, spread knowledge about diabetes!
To kick this month off, I made a list.
A list of 70 instances or thoughts that any diabetic can easily recognize. This list is by no means exhaustive, nor complete. But it might be a little funny at times.
Let’s go:
- GOOD NEWS at the doctors office
- Having a low blood sugar in public
- The fear of passing out
- Forgetting supplies
- The feeling of a sinking blood sugar
- The feeling of an unexpected blood sugar
- New diabetes related gadgets (it can’t be just me?)
- The feeling of an unexpected A1c level
- The taste of gross glucose tablets
- Over eating for a low blood sugar
- Being a math genius – every day!
- The smell of insulin
- Realizing that your life depends on said supplies
- “Did I bolus for that?”
- Redefining the meaning of a roller coaster
- A needle hitting a nerve
- Being able to finally itch under an itchy site!
- The fountain of blood that can appear after an injection
- Insulin induced weight gain…
- Carrying an arsenal of medical supplies
- The soreness after sleeping on a medical device
- Tasting food or drink and feeling just how loaded it is with sugar!
- The feeling of having bolused EXACTLY the correct amount
- How you feel after a night of wrestling with your diabetes
- The feeling of a high blood sugar
- Saying: “I’m high, I need to shoot up!”
- Not being understood
- 5.0 mmol/l / 100 mg/dl
- Meeting a new doctor, trying to throw out a joke and get crickets back
- The Numbers Game
- Carbohydrate counting like a boss – instantly knowing how many that pumpkin has
- The desert mouth you get from a high blood sugar
- Dropping your test strip on the floor. Outside. In the rain.
- Being proud of yourself
- Balancing an umbrella while checking your blood sugar
- “I’ll just finish this and THEN I’ll check my bg” “LOW”
- Paying for medical supplies
- Painful injections/pump site insertion/finger prick
- “Does this dress hide my pump AND cgm?!”
- Seeing another diabetic when you’re out and assuming you’re friends
- Fear of judgment
- Social stigma
- Getting stupid comments and remarks
- Seeing a diabetes meme and totally being able to relate
- A smooth CGM curve
- Going low during exercise
- Diabetic Jetlag (travelling across multiple time zones with basal changes)
- “Did I have too much wine for dinner or am I low?”
- The Sweaty Shakes
- Feeling strong
- “Am I high or just thirsty?”
- Not giving up, even when it would be darn nice to
- Feeling like a Negative Nancy, although you really don’t mean to
- Ugly meter cases
- Treating a hypo just right
- The Disappointment when you’ve done everything according to the “books” and nothing is like it should be
- Feeling insufficient
- Getting advice that would help, but you’re just not ready to hear them yet
- Having to be a constant worry for the ones closest to you
- “Is it hot in here or am I low?”
- Assembling your care team
- Developing a fighter mentality
- The Diabetic Online Community
- Keeping blood sugar logs
- Not being like everybody else
- Constantly making changes
- Sleep, sleep, sleep
- Theory vs Practice
- Letting go of expectations
- (+1) The hope of a cure, even if it is distant in the future
What did I miss? Is there anything you think should be added to my list? Please let me know in the comments below!
Paleo Restaurant, What’s on the Menu?
The most difficult part when you want to eat healthily are restaurants.
But what if there is an option to keep eating healthy whilst eating at a restaurant?
About two weeks ago, my husband and I had something a little special to celebrate.
And although we’re not dogs, we decided to treat ourselves to some really good food. I had heard about this Paleo restaurant close to Zürich, and as we had an occasion to celebrate, we went there. And, only for you, I took pictures of every single dish we had. And there were many…
The restaurant is stylish and modern, despite its ancestral menu. And the service was great, couldn’t have asked for better and more attentive service staff.
Anyway, as we’re not here to lollygag, we’re here to party, on to the FOOD:
Restaurant Feinwerk
Elegant and stylish menu, filled with good, healthy courses. At this restaurant, you can freely choose how many of their seasonal courses you want, 3, 4 or all 5 courses that are on the menu. We thought we should “go big or go home”, so we took the 5 course option. All the courses follow the idea of Paleo eating, wild caught fish, wild meat, seasonal vegetables and all of it, of course, organic. No gluten, dairy or processed foods fit in the Paleo framework either, which is GREAT for someone just like me. 🙂
Paleo bread
At “normal” restaurants you usually get a breadbasket before your meal. So also at the Paleo restaurant, although the bread here was made from things like almond flour and walnuts, spiced with saffron and herbs. Delicious!
Amuse bouche: quail egg on root vegetables
A small greeting from the kitchen, with a fried quail egg on root vegetable chips.
Starter: cedar graved lake trout and crayfish on beetroot
The first starter was lake trout that had been graved with cedar wood and crayfish that had been slightly sweetened with honey on top of beetroot. Crayfish and beetroot was a new and fantastic combination for me!
2nd Starter: artichoke and herb soup with rabbit
The second starter was an artichoke and herb soup with a meatball of rabbit. The tastes combined amazingly well, and just look at the decoration!
Main: forest dove with wild asparagus
Onto the main courses: first up was dove from the forest with wild asparagus and beechnut. A lot of new flavours and tastes were presented to me during this dinner, and this is one of them – I had never had dove before. The combination of flavours were, again, knocked out of the park.
2nd Main: fallow deer with roots, nuts and mushrooms
With the second main dish, we got locally caught fallow deer with roots, nuts and mushrooms. As you can see, the main focus is on the meat and not the roots, bringing the carbohydrate count down, making it easier for diabetics like myself to calculate dosages.
Dessert: chocolate tart with forest berries and herb jus
This feast was finished off with a yummy, rich chocolate tart with berries from the forest and herb jus. For a chocolate lover like myself, this dark chocolate tart was the perfect end to a beyond amazing dinner.
The taste combinations that were on these plates were definitely out of this world! For me, it was so nice not to have to change the ingredients in any of the courses, as well.
And, more importantly, had we had this many courses in any other restaurants, we would have felt too full to get home. Sure, we were full and very satisfied after this meal too, but it was really not as bad as perhaps expected. It should probably be noted that eating a fully packed menu like this is nothing my husband and I do often.
The whole experience was a true delight, and I can definitely recommend Restaurant Feinwerk if you’re in or ever around Zürich!
How is it where you live? Do you have truly healthy restaurants, and not just those that try to disguise bread and sugar as healthy? Share your recommendation in the comments below!
(NOTE: I’m by no means affiliated with Restaurant Feinwerk, and we paid for the dinner ourselves. These opinions are completely my own.)
My 6 Bad Diabetes Habits
Everyone has bad habits.
Whether they’re diabetes related or not, I bet you have your bad habits too.
Just as I have mine.
Just because I do what I do, helping people with diabetes to feel healthier and more confident in their own care, it certainly doesn’t mean I’m perfect when it comes to my own care. Not even by a long shot.
But I didn’t lure you here to complain about bad blood glucose readings; I don’t mean that kind of perfect (mainly because I think that’s a complete myth – you can’t be a perfect diabetic.) I mean habits that could be improved, that I’ve always been told I “need” to do, but, for some reason, don’t.
Note: I’m not talking about not taking insulin or not measuring my blood glucose; those are givens in order to have an ok level of your self care.
I’ve thought of 5+1 bad diabetes habits I have, and only higher powers above know I have plenty more non-d-related, too.
1) Never changing my lancet
I’m fairly certain this is something pretty much e v e r y person with diabetes is guilty of.
I just never change the lancet in my finger-pricking device.
Why? Because I’m lazy? Probably. But also because I just never think of it. There are so many other things I keep track of every day, and changing a lancet is just not on that list.
2) Throwing away test strips
When I’ve checked my blood glucose, I put the used test strip into my meter case (I use a small pouch instead of the supplied cases, I think they’re painfully ugly, and diabetes is sometimes ugly enough without having to be reminded every time I check my sugars, am-I-right?), to just forget about them.
When I finally DO empty my case, it’s because things don’t fit into the case anymore. Here is a video of me emptying my case, it’s almost like snowfall at Christmas!
Again, why? Good question. Secret hoarder? Saving up for winter? Hiding something? Your guess is as good as mine.
3) Suspending pump for hypos
When my blood sugar goes low, unless it’s superlow, I simply suspend the insulin delivery on my pump rather than eating something and just put on a minimal basal dosage until I’m ok again.
So far I have never forgotten it off, perhaps because she (Doris, my insulin pump) reminds me angrily when I do?
4) Mistakes in carb counting
I have to confess I don’t always count every single carbohydrate in a meal. (Unless I write how many carbs it is on Instagram, then there might be some severe googling behind it…)
This has gotten me into BG-trouble in the past, but a lot less so after I started eating low carb meals.
Sometimes I just didn’t want to see, realize or recognize just how many carbs I was eating in a meal, which is another problem solved with eating low carb meals.
Why? D-Nial. Not just a river, peeps.
5) Not being open enough about diabetes
Having shared a picture of myself in a bikini and revealing the names of my medical gear, have been huge steps for me.
I used to hide every aspect of my medical condition(s).
I’m getting better at this though, and am starting to enjoy sharing more and more of my d-experience with you and my clients.
Yet, every time someone else is hiding something that is such a big part of their lives, I almost get offended. If we’re ever going to get a bigger public understanding of chronic conditions, like diabetes, it’s up to us to share how it is to actually live with it.
+1) Not eating 60% carbs with every meal
Simply because I don’t feel well when I do so. But I was told for 26 years that this was an absolute necessity to diabetes management.
Well, turns out it isn’t.
These may seem pretty harmless to you, and whilst you’re probably right, they are things I want to get better at in my self-care. If I don’t take the outmost care of myself, no one else is going to either.
Sometimes it’s the smallest thing that throws the whole thing over. This probably wont be an unchanged lancet or not emptying the used test strips out, but it could be letting a hypo go too low or miscalculating the carbs in a meal.
What are your bad habits? Even if they’re not diabetes related, share them below!
Grain Free Breakfast Recipes x 11
Recently, there’s been one burning question I’ve gotten from you.
“Hanna, I understand and can feel the benefits of going gluten and grain free, but what on Earth do I do when it comes to breakfast? I have no ideas, and it preferably has to be done within 3 seconds. Thanks!”
Well, I’m not sure I can help you with the 3-second rule, but I do have tons of yummy and (relatively) quick breakfast options in mind.
The key, as always, to keeping your healthy routine going, is to P R E P A R E. Prepare and be prepared for those 3 second breakfasts.
All these 11 breakfast recipes are gluten- grain-, soy- and yeast free. I’ve included the carb count for my fellow diabetic out there, so you know how much insulin to take.
Coconut Porridge
2 eggs
1 tbsp coconut flour (I use desiccated coconut, works just as well)
1 dl coconut cream (or coconut milk or almond milk)
vanilla powder
(Apparently you can make this without the eggs too, adding some coconut oil instead)
Whisk in a pot on low heat until there is a porridge like consistency.
Carbs: 6.7 grams
Baked Avocado
Halve an avocado and put one half per serving in an oven form. Crack an egg into where the pit was, and bake it in the oven for ca 10 minutes at 175 degrees (or until the egg is cooked).
Carbs: 9 grams
True GREEN Smoothie
2 fistfuls of kale, spinach, or other leafy green
1 apple
1 cucumber
0.5 tbsp coconut oil
fresh lemon juice to taste
fresh ginger, grated
Put all ingredients in a blender, blend, drink, feel amazing.
Carbs: 25 grams
Ham Rolls
This is a super quick one, you can even eat it on the run (although I really don’t recommend eating while on the run)
Take sandwich ham, roll a piece of cheese and some vegetable (cucumber, bell pepper, avocado) in it to make a roll.
Carbs: barely 2 grams per roll
Apple & Almond Butter
Slice up an apple. Spread almond butter on it. Enjoy.
Carbs: 20 grams
Greek Yoghurt with Homemade Muesli
You can find the muesli recipe in my recipe book you can sign up for below.
Carbs: Yoghurt 5 grams, muesli depending on what you put in it.
Chia Pudding
2,5 dl coconut or almond milk
0.5 dl chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla powder
A pinch of salt
This can be endlessly varied with a few berries, cinnamon, cocoa powder, some nuts (pistachios, perhaps?), some lemon juice,
Mix this in a bowl, and let it stand in the fridge over night. Ready for breakfast the day after!
Carbs: 20 grams for the whole thing, but it’s enough for about 3 or 4 servings, at least, making it 5 grams of carbohydrate per serving.
Energyballs
Click here to get my Energyball recipe!
Carbs: 55 grams for all of them, so if you make it into 10 balls, it’s 5,5 grams of carbs each.
EGGS
Eggs have endless uses: Scrambled Eggs with smoked salmon or bacon and vegetables, Omelet, or
Bacon Egg Muffins
Line your muffin form with one or two slices of bacon. Either crack in the eggs whole or whisk them together as for scrambled. Put the muffin forms into the oven at 175 degrees until it’s all cooked (ca 10 mins)
Carbs: eggs only have trace carbs, but 13 g of protein each. Remember that if you find you need to bolus for gluconeogenesis.
The Grainbrain Bread
Carbs: 35 grams for the whole thing. Depending on thickness, about 2 grams per slice.
BPC
If you’re anyways going to chug some coffee in the morning, why not make it a Bullet Proof Coffee?
And, it’s really simple: you add coconut oil and butter to your coffee. Stir or make it frothy in a blender, however you like it, you’ll be full. I guarantee it.
Carbs: Zero, or extremely close to it.
I hope this helps inspire you a little for the highly coordinated morning rumble.
Did I miss anything on my list? Is there a breakfast food you’re wondering about? Let me know in the comments below!
Omnipod: Pros and Cons (or Happy Birthday Doris!)
Today it’s time for a little look back in the mirror.
To a huge step, at least for me.
Because, exactly one year ago today, I got my first insulin pump.
I had been considering it for YEARS, and various endocrinologists had been trying to throw one at me for about as long.
It was never really a though choice of which insulin pump to get for me, although there are many other excellent brands out there on the market.
My diabetes nurse and I both quickly agreed on the Omnipod being the best fit. Why? I simply don’t like the tubing of other pumps. Tubing makes me feel more sick than I actually am, more attached, and diabetes becomes more visible. Something I’m generally really OK with, but sometimes it’s nice not to be the center of attention.
I was also able to continue with the insulin I was already using (Novorapid/Novolog), so we knew that wasn’t going to be an issue.
And I could finally say the long-awaited good bye to Lantus. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that insulin was not good for me. For example, I had a lump (muscle knot) in my shoulder that my poor husband tried for months to get out through spending every night massaging my shoulders. To no avail. Not until I could stop taking Lantus, I noticed three days later that the lump was gone. This isn’t scientifically proven, of course, but it is my empirical observation.
So, exactly one year ago, I was scared.
Scared of the unknown. Scared of having something attached to me all the time, scared of feeling trapped. Scared of people’s comments, because injections aren’t visible on the outside. Scared of that the insertion would hurt. Scared of effing everything up. Scared of “failing” and having to go back on injections. I was basically just being a general scaredy cat.
Oh, how wrong I was going to be proven!
My life truly changed that day, exactly one year ago. And it did so for the better.
This is my pros and cons list for the Omnipod insulin pump:
Pros:
- No tubing
I’ll say this again and again, but I’m so happy there’s no tubing involved!
- Lifestyle improvement
For me, being on a pump means more freedom. Not in terms of eating-whatever-and-just-inject, but more like being able to correct a high while out on the run. Or being able to temporarily change the basal rate, avoiding an impending hyper/hypo.
- Stick on and forget
Fill it, inject it, and forget it. For 3 whole days.
- Easy to fill
Filling the pods could not be easier. It primes itself, and you don’t have to do anything.
- Easy to apply
At first, I was so scared of the auto-injector (naturally I had consumed ridiculous amounts of youtube videos on how the insertion etc worked). But now it’s almost my favorite part of it.
- Waterproof
It’s waterproof, so there’s no need (or chance) to disconnect it for showers or going swimming. It also doesn’t matter if you’re caught in a huge downpour.
- Lasts exactly 3 days (+8 h)
Until it shuts off, which means no infections and you’re sure to change your site on time.
- Incorporated blood sugar meter
Less junk to carry around with me – yay!
Cons:
- Bad batches
Some batches of pods are just bad with many failures, and increased pod changes. But Insulet are amazing at replacing these, it’s just to report and wait for a new pod in the mail.
- Insulin waste
If you haven’t used all the insulin you filled the pod with within the 3 day period, you lose much of it. Even if you try to withdraw it from the old pod.
- Placement
A badly placed pump = uncomfortable sleep and irritation for 3 days.
- Wasteful
Because you remove the entire pod when it’s time to change, it creates a lot of waste. Although Insulet does have a recycling program where you send back the old pods to get recycled. Great initiative!
- Plaster
The plaster might not hold for the entire 3 days, especially when it’s warmer outside. Medical tape can, and should be, one of your BFF’s. (not just for pods, but things like cuts, CGMs and blisters, too.)
Granted, I don’t have any insulin pumps to compare the Omnipod to. But generally I’m so happy with my choice of insulin pump, and wouldn’t want it any other way. And I definitely do not want to go back to injections.
As you may or may not know, I’ve (of course) given my pump a name. She’s called Doris.
Doris, my Omnipod
On her first birthday, I’d like to take the opportunity to THANK Doris for being my closest friend, always being there for me, knowing everything about me, for helping me calculate dosages, see trends and help me be a healthier diabetic.
Without you, Doris, I would never be able to get 24 hour graphs like this one:
The past 24 hours on my CGM – thank you insulin pump!
You’re a true star, Doris, and I’m not sure I could live without you!
Happy, happy birthday, sorry I couldn’t give you the day off.
Do you have an insulin pump? If so, which one? If not, why not?