Category: Diabetes

Sick day rules

I have the flu. Or at least something similar that left me in bed with splitting headaches and fever for the past four days. I’m not sure how I managed, considering the lock-down where I don’t see anyone and my only social outings are trips to the supermarket. But then anything is possible. After two…
Read more

What causes type 1 diabetes?

There’s been a global rise in type 1 diabetes for the past decades, and we don’t know why. The increase is exponential at 3% per year worldwide. On a country-to-country basis, the incidence is higher in northern Europe and Canada than in South America and Asia. We find the highest rates in Finland followed by…
Read more

The end of the honeymoon

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. For reasons unknown, your immune system launches an attack on the insulin-producing beta-cells of the pancreas. After the initial diagnosis, many diabetics still produce some insulin in what we call the honeymoon period. It’s diagnosed with a c-peptide test and works a bit like a speed boost in…
Read more

Diabetes loves routine

For someone who writes a food-centric blog, my eating habits are pretty boring. I eat a lot of pork chops and salad. The reason? It makes it easier to manage diabetes. Well, that and I’m a lazy cook. I used to be a shift worker, so my eating and sleeping habits were all over the…
Read more

How hypoglycemia feels

I was mid-game when suddenly the track started fading in and out. That familiar tingling in my mouth. My position in the race went from first to eighth. One second I was in one place, and the next somewhere different without any idea of how I got from point a to b. I was jumping…
Read more

What is feet on the floor syndrome?

Hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day in all of us. In the morning, the body’s full of wake-me-up hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These drive blood sugar up, which is a problem for many diabetics. You might need to inject insulin just for waking up. Feet on the floor is what it sounds like. The…
Read more

Carbs as consumed

Sometimes I feel like labels are out to sabotage you. They list carbohydrates and calories per 25 grams, per serving, per 100 grams. Just drop it. You and I both know that I’m going to eat the whole bag, so you might as well tell me how many calories are in it. I’m already committed.…
Read more

Count your vegetables

While many of us aren’t aware, there are quite a few carbs in vegetables. At least if you’re on a low-carb diet. When I was first sent home with an insulin kit and the quick guide to diabetes, no one told me to count the carbs in vegetables. Well, unless it was carrot, onion, beetroot…
Read more

A pint of coke later

What can you expect if you don’t produce insulin and have a lot of sugar without injecting? I found out last time I went to the cinema. There was a long line, and the girl at the popcorn counter looked damp and stressed. I asked for a large diet coke while the bear had regular…
Read more

Like living with an uncaged tiger

Do you know what the worst thing about living with type 1 diabetes is? You never get a day off. Diabetes doesn’t go on holiday. Every day the numbers game starts over. Diabetics obsess with numbers. It’s hard not to because diabetes is just a numbers game. The first question I ask myself as I…
Read more