Mindful Eating: How Slowing Down Can Lower Stress and Reset Your Relationship with Food
Mindful eating gets dismissed as soft, but the mechanism is anything but. Cortisol, leptin timing, parasympathetic shift, post-meal glucose curves — here's how slowing down at one meal a day can lower stress, stabilize blood sugar, and quietly rebuild your relationship with food.
The Fourth Pillar: How Mindfulness and Meditation Calm Diabetes-Related Stress (and Your Blood Sugar Along With It)
Stress isn't just a feeling — it's a metabolic event that raises blood sugar through cortisol and insulin resistance. In this fourth installment of my four-pillar approach to thriving with diabetes, I unpack the neuroscience of why mindfulness works, share a five-minute starter practice, and show how to use your CGM and wearable HRV data to watch meditation lower your numbers in real time.
Cruise Control for Your Blood Sugar — And Why I Keep Mine in "Sleep Mode" 24/7
Your insulin pump finally has a co-pilot. A plain-English guide to Control-IQ+, Omnipod 5, the 780G, and the iLet — how automated insulin delivery actually differs from injections, and the contrarian reason I keep mine in Sleep mode around the clock.
Why Your CGM Goes Rogue in the Shower (And What to Do About It)
You step out of a hot shower feeling refreshed, glance at your CGM, and your blood sugar reads 240 mg/dL. Panic mode activated. Except… you feel completely fine. No symptoms. Nothing off. What on earth just happened? Welcome to one of the most underappreciated quirks of living with diabetes: CGMs and temperature are not friends. Let's break it down — because knowledge is the ultimate superpower when you're managing this condition.
Just Walk: Why 10,000 Steps a Day Deserves a Spot in Your Diabetes Toolkit
Let's be honest: "10,000 steps a day" doesn't exactly get the blood pumping the way a HIIT protocol or a new CGM firmware update does. There's no dramatic transformation montage, no impressive weight room PR to post online. It's just... walking. And yet, if you're managing diabetes, that deceptively simple number might be one of the most powerful tools in your entire management stack. Here's why — backed by science, not hustle culture.
The Dawn Phenomenon: Why Your Blood Sugar Wakes Up Before You Do (And What to Do About It)
The Dawn Phenomenon is one of diabetes management's most reliable plot twists — and one of the most manageable. Read more about the reasons for the phenomenon and how you can best manage it.
Why Going Low-Carb Might Be the Best Decision You Make for Your Diabetes
After many years of managing diabetes, one dietary change made more difference than almost anything else: going low-carb. In this post, I break down the five biggest science-backed advantages of low-carb eating for people with diabetes — from stabilizing blood glucose and improving A1c to boosting energy and simplifying medication management. Plus, three quick and genuinely delicious recipe ideas to get you started tonight. No deprivation required.
From Expensive Daydreaming to Aligned Action: Applying Visualization to Diabetes Management
I'm a CFO with a PhD. I speak five languages, but "woo-woo" isn't one of them. When people started talking about meditation and visualization for health, my internal BS detector went into overdrive. But I'm also a scientist at heart, which means I'm willing to test hypotheses I find ridiculous. So, when I kept encountering the same names—Dr. Joe Dispenza, the Silva Method—I made a decision: I'd run the experiment. Spoiler alert: There was actual mechanism beyond the mysticism. And it completely changed my diabetes management.
The Paradox in Your Glass: Alcohol and Diabetes
Can you drink alcohol with diabetes? The answer isn't what you think. Red wine isn't medicine. Beer isn't off-limits. And that "one glass" might be setting you up for dangerous blood sugar drops at 3 AM. Learn why alcohol and diabetes create a unique metabolic challenge—and the science-backed strategies for making informed choices. From the delayed hypoglycemia risk your doctor might not have explained to why portion sizes are destroying your best intentions, here's what 40+ years of diabetes management has taught me about alcohol's real impact on blood glucose.
What Should My Blood Sugar Actually Be? A Real-Talk Guide for the Newly Diagnosed
Is 145 'bad'? Should you panic when you wake up at 160? If you've been comparing your numbers to strangers on Facebook at 2 am, this one's for you. Let's talk about what your blood sugar should actually be—and why you're probably doing better than you think.
Why I Choose LISS Over HIIT for Diabetes Management (And Why Your Blood Sugar Will Thank You)
I thought HIIT was the answer to better diabetes management. Then came the post-workout blood sugar crash that left me shaking and raiding the fridge like I hadn't eaten in days. Here's why steady, 'boring' walks crush intense intervals for blood sugar control—and the science that explains the difference.
The Glucose-Anxiety Feedback Loop: Why Your Blood Sugar Thinks Your Netflix Queue is Life-or-Death
You're doing it right now—holding your breath while scrolling, shoulders tensed, stuck between Netflix options like it's a matter of life and death. Your ancient stress response can't tell the difference between a real emergency and decision fatigue, so it dumps glucose into your bloodstream... for absolutely nothing. Discover why your body thinks your evening "relaxation time" is actually a survival situation, and learn the surprisingly simple techniques that can break the glucose-anxiety spiral before it hijacks your blood sugar (and your sanity). No meditation retreat required.
World Diabetes Day 2025: More Than Just Numbers—Let's Talk About Thriving
Happy World Diabetes Day! Yes, "happy" might seem like an odd word choice when we're about to dive into some statistics that could make your pancreas nervous just reading them. But stick with me here—because if there's one thing our community knows how to do, it's rewrite the narrative from "just surviving" to genuinely thriving.
DASH Diet for Diabetes: How to Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Naturally
Ready to take control of your blood pressure, cholesterol, and energy—all through your plate? If you’re living with diabetes, the DASH diet isn’t just helpful—it’s a game-changer. Discover how this heart-smart, flavor-packed eating plan can boost insulin sensitivity, lower LDL cholesterol, and help you thrive with every bite. No gimmicks. Just real food, real results, and a whole lot of empowerment. Dive into the full post and start DASHing toward better health today.
How I Manage Type 1 Diabetes with a 5.5 A1C—No Magic, It's My Method
What if your A1C said you didn’t have diabetes—even though you’ve had type 1 for over 40 years? That’s exactly what happened to me. But this isn’t a story about miracles or magic. It’s about my method. In this post, I share the four pillars that helped me achieve an A1C of 5.5%: smart tech, slow movement, mindful calm, and Mediterranean meals. If you’re ready to rethink what thriving with diabetes looks like, this one’s for you.
The Great Paella Rebellion: How I Ditched the Rice and Kept the Soul
What happens when you commit "culinary treason" against one of Spain's most beloved dishes? I ditched the rice in paella and discovered something amazing: the soul of this iconic dish was never about the carbs anyway. Join me on a deliciously rebellious journey where saffron-scented dreams meet blood sugar reality, and discover how three simple swaps transformed my kitchen into a low-carb Spanish paradise. Spoiler alert: even my Spanish friend asked for seconds. Read on to learn the art of the perfect paella fake-out.
The Great Diabetes Juggling Act: How to Keep All the Balls in the Air (Without Losing Your Mind)
Managing diabetes sometimes feels like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle. But what if I told you that you don't have to do it alone anymore? Discover how modern tech, smart eating, and gentle movement can turn the overwhelming daily grind into a manageable rhythm—without losing your sanity in the process.
My Tandem t:slim X2 Game Plan
Think your insulin pump's standard mode is the only way to go? Think again. After decades of diabetes management – from single-use syringes and urine tests to today's cutting-edge technology – I share my approach to the Tandem t:slim X2. Find out why tighter targets, strategic thinking, and understanding your CGM's quirks could revolutionize your diabetes control. Sometimes the best path forward isn't the one in the manual.
The End of Finger Pricks: How CGMs Revolutionized Diabetes Management
Injections or pump? After decades with insulin pens, I switched to pump therapy six years ago. Here's the honest breakdown of both options – from smart pens that sync with your phone to pumps that auto-adjust with your CGM. Because choosing your diabetes management style shouldn't feel like rocket science (even when the technology kind of is).
The Great Diabetes Therapy Face-Off: Pumps vs. Pens (And Why Your Pancreas Doesn't Get a Vote)
Injections or pump? After decades with insulin pens, I switched to pump therapy six years ago. Here's the honest breakdown of both options – from smart pens that sync with your phone to pumps that auto-adjust with your CGM. Because choosing your diabetes management style shouldn't feel like rocket science (even when the technology kind of is).