It’s been a wonderful week.  I had the privilege of traveling to the Hawaiian island of Oahu for this past week and loved every minute of it.  Living in Washington, everyone talks about going to Hawaii like people in my home state of Ohio talk about going to Florida:  everyone’s been there.  ”This is your first time going to Hawaii?” people would say to me.  I wanted to reply, “How many times do you guys go?  Is this like a trip to the tanning booth for you people?!”  Cheap tickets out of...

As I packed my backpack before the long, hard hike I took yesterday, I found myself downplaying my needs.  I should preface that statement by saying that I really didn’t know it was going to be a long, hard hike.  I do go hiking sometimes and I certainly grew up going hiking at least once a month or so with my family back home, so I have plenty of experience doing the physical sport of hiking.  People up here in the Pacific Northwest, though–they don’t mess around.  If you’re going to hike around here,...

As I go about my diabetes-infused world, I keep coming back to this idea that I lack good ways for explaining the severity of Type I to people who don’t have Type I.  Keep in mind that I am being genuine and do not aim to exclude; there are loved ones out there who have invested in our lives enough to know the ins and outs of the situation.  I can remember writing that “update email” to my entire group of friends and family to describe how my diagnosis (and prognosis and osmosis and neurosis) had affected me after...

To diabetics, B.S. stands for blood sugar.  We all know the other meaning of B.S.  And when it comes to talk of blood sugar there’s a lot of bullshit going around – the most annoying of which, I believe, is the phrase “stabilize your blood sugar.” For example: A few weeks ago I bought a seemingly healthful granola cereal for my kids, Fruit’X.  Being Texan at my core with a soft spot for cowboy boots, and as someone who in the back of her mind thinks Pioneer Woman’s Chili is a sound breakfast,...

In case you didn’t see the little comment post I made after I finished the race last weekend, here’s the news:  I finished the race! A few of the crew from the JDRF NW Tri Club… with medals! I fulfilled all of my goals of finishing, never stopping, and having fun.  I also fulfilled the bonus goal I had to keep my blood sugar levels in safe ranges at all times.  And I fulfilled the extra-bonus goal of meeting new people and bonding over the fact that we were about to jump into a freezing cold lake together! ...

This morning marks two weeks until the Black Diamond Multi-Sport Weekend here in the Seattle area.  I decided to participate in this sprint triathlon about two months ago, after attending the Sports and Diabetes Group Northwest summer workshop.  I was so inspired by the people I met that evening and so determined to overcome my own feelings of fear that I jumped on my computer and found the infamous Course Description page.  After reading and rereading the paragraphs of euphonious terminology describing the planned course, I was...

For me, the studying aspect of college was fairly easy. I have always been a good student. I never really struggled with classes except for a few subjects like Calculus.  But I had a much bigger issue looming in the college scene- chronic health conditions. My health matters were, and still are, a constant job in themselves. Even beyond the daily management of diabetes, which is a full-time job, I have issues with insurance payments, finding the right doctor, keeping up with prescriptions, and all those extras that come with diabetes...

Adrian Kiger is a writer who grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia.  She’s had type 1 diabetes since she was eleven. After years of struggling with weight issues and blood sugar levels, she found a diet that works for her – vegan.  Adrian, who has written a children’s book “Veronica, the Vegetarian Diabetic,” talked to ASweetLife about her path to veganism and how it’s helped her improve her health. You’ve been a type 1 diabetic  for 25 years.   Did you (or your parents) change your diet when you...

Don’t hate me for saying this, but eating the same thing over and over again has its benefits for diabetics.  If you know the carbohydrate content of your food, how your body responds to it and how much insulin you need to cover it, chances are you won’t have a postprandial surprise. This doesn’t mean that eating has to be boring.  You can mix and match your meals, just like you do your shirts and pants.  Have oatmeal for breakfast sometimes, other times have it for dinner.   The idea here is finding things...

Yes. Yes. Yes. Finally a good race. Well sort of a good race. I ran the Tel Aviv half marathon this morning. I did things right this time.  Last night before the race, I had a light dinner of eggs, salad and a couple slices of whole wheat bread and got to bed at a decent hour. I took 19 units of Lantus insulin (1 less than usual) before going to sleep. I woke up at 4:00 am checked my BS and saw I was 158, not great for a regular day but good for race day. The race started at 6:30 am.  I had a plan that was supposed to bring me to...