It wasn’t easy, but after many email exchanges, document compilations, and meetings, the UMass Amherst chapter of the College Diabetes Network was officially established. I was elated!
It is extremely important to talk about drinking with diabetes – particularly with teens and college students who might not be aware of how diabetes is affected by alcohol.
The College Diabetes Network (CDN) started here at UMass five years ago. It was created by Christina Roth who has Type 1 diabetes, and was then a UMass student searching for peer support. Her first meeting was attended by just a few people, but she understood how great the need was for diabetes peer support in college. She turned CDN from a little group on one campus into a national program.
you’re in a lecture hall with 100+ people, taking a final exam. Not a sound can be heard except for pencils scratching on paper, the occasional cough, and BEEPBEEPBEEP or BUZZ! BUZZ! from your CGM or pump. It’s absolutely mortifying! Not only do you have to deal with subsequent stares and glares from your neighbors, but you also have to figure out which diabetes problem is causing the device disturbance in the first place – all while taking an exam that you spent the past week studying for. Can it get more overwhelming?
That’s why when I heard about Casey Steffen’s HbA1c teaching model, I was instantly intrigued. It is a scientific model of a HbA1c protein that is tangible so people with diabetes and health care professionals can see what protein glycation looks like. This description made me want to learn more, so I spoke with Steffen, who demonstrated a great deal of passion in launching this diabetes education crowdfunding initiative.
TypeOneNation’s goal is to support, engage and educate people living with type one diabetes, as well as their families and friends. This online community is a place to get answers to questions, join the conversation and connect with others not only in the United States, but around the world.
Broccoli can be eaten raw, steamed, grilled, cooked on its own, or with other foods. And did you know that it’s also a great food choice for people with diabetes? Here’s a list of reasons why...
Looking back now with the eyes of someone who attended the Friends for Life conference I can say that I regret - to a certain degree - not attending camps when I was younger. Being around others with diabetes has given me greater awareness of what it means to live with diabetes.
I understood Vieira’s main point, that it’s essential for me to remind myself that I’m in control of what I eat. She summarizes her chapters with mantras that are meant to emphasize that I have the power over the food, not the other way around. She concludes the book with a plan for success that includes some guidelines to create a healthy relationship with food.