Diabetes Dos & How Tos

Type 1 and LADA
1

My friend, Riva Greenberg, is preparing her third book. She has been type 1 for 40 years and is a wonderful author. Did you read her other books? Her book on diabetes myths is fantastic!!! Here is Riva's amazon page:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_6?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=riva+greenberg&sprefix=Riva+G%2Cstripbooks%2C352

Riva is collecting diabetes stories for her third book, and needs your help. If you respond to Riva's request, I will copy and paste into an email and send it to her.

"I'm writing my third book - “Diabetes Dos & How Tos" and need your help. I'd like to feature a dozen people with just a line or two about something you do that helps you stay healthy living with diabetes.
The book has a number of Dos (steps) to take care of your diabetes, and several recommended ways (How Tos) how to do that.

There are 4 sections: Food Dos, Medical Dos, Fitness Dos and Attitude Dos and at the end of each section I’d like to feature a "How To" from a few people - what you do to manage one of these aspects.

Can you share in just a sentence or two with some detail what you do:

1. To manage to eat healthy? e.g. "I always bring my own food to the airport because that way I can ensure I'm going to eat something healthy."

2. To take care of your diabetes – it can be anything from how you organize your medicines, to reading up on new advances, to preventing or treating hypoglycemia - anything you do that is at all medical related to caring for your diabetes. e.g. "I keep glucose tabs in all my purses and pockets so if I have a low I'm ready for it"

3. To manage to stay fit, or get exercise? e.g., "I work out at Curves three times a week. Being around other people and the inspiring music keeps me going."

4. To keep your stress under control e.g., "I go to a yoga class in my neighborhood once a week, and twice if I can find the time."

You can answer all or any of the 4 questions above. Can you also let me know:
Your name?
What type of diabetes you have?
How long you have had diabetes?
How old you are?

Thank you so much,

riva"

2

I'll try to answer the questions.

1. I always try to incorporate raisins, cranberries, almonds and carrot sticks into my snacks every day to keep a healthy diet.

2. I plan out my activities during the day so I know how much insulin I'll need, and that helps my glucose levels.

3. I'm part of a fencing group and it really helps me burn a lot of calories so I stay fit. Learning a new sport motivates me to take care of myself.

I can't really answer number 4 because I don't receive any stress from this disease.

Name: Candy G (I don't want to include my last name, if that's alright)
Type: I have Type 1 Diabetes
Duration: 13 and a half years so far
Age: 15 and a half

3

Thanks, Candy! I will send this to Riva. You might appear in her book.

4

Here are my answers:

1. Since being on this site, I have started carrying Skittles in my purse at all times.
2. I find that the CareLink uploads from my pump provide a lot of information, tell me things I may not realize and help my control. I have shelf in the linen closet that is all my gear: pump, CGM, test strips. Also,, I have an emergency kit that I can grab if I have to flee! (I do live about 5 minutes from the Pentagon....)
3. Brutal honesty here: not much of anything. I walk some, but have no real exercise routine.
4. The only thing that really streses me is high glucose. I just let it stress me. Daily stresses, I try to just let go and usually it works well.

Not sure how I feel about disclosing all this on the message board, so if you really need my name, I will invite you to be a friend and provide in a more private manner.

The rest:
Type 1
50.5 years
60

5

Thanks, Spock. If Riva uses your info, and wants your name, I will let you know.