diabetesdietitian

Coverage for continuous glucose monitors: we can do better

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have limited government coverage for people with diabetes across the spectrum – that needs to change! CGMs have been a game changer for managing type-1 diabetes. But did you know that they could also be a game changer for managing type-2 diabetes as well. It makes sense, doesn’t it.  The benefits of CGM for diabetes care in T1D As people with type-1, let’s consider how continuous glucose monitors have changed our management practices:  We now have continuous, 24-hour data of what our blood sugars are doing. We know if they’re going low overnight, and we know if they’re trending up or down, and generally if they’re going up or down fast. Which means: We. Can. Take. Action. We can reduce insulin ahead of time based on blood sugar patterns. We can eat smaller amounts of simple sugars when blood sugars are decreasing to prevent or reduce […]

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Automated insulin delivery: to tube or not

Who here is already on an automated insulin delivery (AID) system?  I’m not, but I am actively curious 😀  Exploring AID I’ve spent the last six months researching Tandem T-Slim Connect IQ and Omnipod 5. In Canada, we currently only have Tandem and Medtronic for automated insulin delivery systems, but we’ve been heavily teased that Omnipod 5 will soon be coming. UPDATE: Omnipod 5 released in Canada today!! Friends, I am struggling. Medtronic isn’t an option for me for various reasons, so I won’t even talk about that here – sorry Medt friends. Currently I’m on the old-school Omnipod Eros system. I like the tube-free style it promotes, which is making it very challenging for me to even consider Tandem.  AID: to tube or not – the challenges Once upon a time, some of you may recall, I was on Animas (tubes and all) and, for the most part, I

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Travel with T1D – exploring food markets

Hello! Bonjour from Paris The husband and I set off on a quick trip to the City of Light two weeks ago while our son went off on a class trip to Quebec City and Montreal. What can I say, our family loves all things Français 😀  Travel with T1D is not always easy, especially on the food and insulin dosing front. But, food markets can help make our T1D struggles a bit easier. Exploring food markets with T1D One of my favourite things as a traveller, food lover, and person with T1D is visiting the food markets – especially in Europe!  I love the vibrancy of these markets, the liveliness, the cultures, the chatter and movements all around. I also love exploring all the foods. Markets are a great opportunity to try new foods, but they’re also a fantastic way to find foods that most of us are fairly

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Stop the labels: food is not good or bad

Food: can we label it as good or bad?  In my practice, I hear a lot of expressions of foods being good or bad, and often a lot of guilt attached to those statements as well. And, I’ll be honest, I’ve fallen prey to some of those same thoughts at various times in my life too. But is it true? Food is more than just food Are foods actually black and white? In some respects, that’s not an easy question to answer. For sure, there are foods that are definitely going to be better for overall health, including whole foods, high fibre foods, more plant-based foods, foods from the ground, etc., etc.. But, as a person with type-1 diabetes, who grew up in the 1980s when diabetes management was all about food restriction… and as a person with T1D who has personally gone through the detriments of diet culture… and

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Alcohol and T1D: what’s the deal

Alcohol and T1D, it’s a challenge. Hi friends! The holiday season has officially begun, and for many (myself included) that means more social engagements, and potentially an increase in social drinking too.   For people like me and you with T1D, alcohol is not the easiest thing to do.       Katie the RD, CDE, T1D enjoying a glass of chardonnay at a wine bar with her parents last holiday season           What makes alcohol and T1D so challenging – part 1 Okay, before I proceed, I need to be clear: This post is NOT meant to dissuade you from all alcohol. If you enjoy a drink or two with friends, by all means. My intent here is to share a few facts, but also a few tips to help make your social engagement a bit safer overall. So, here goes 😉 Generally speaking, it’s

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