Insulin pumps are a choice many with diabetes turn to for their care since they can make blood sugar control much easier!

One of the main reasons why it has been a game changer is that they provide more precise control over insulin dosing. With an insulin pump, you can adjust your insulin delivery based on your body's changing needs throughout the day. 

However, insulin pump sites can sometimes fail or become ineffective, resulting in high blood sugars and frustration. So, when should you yank your insulin pump site early?

Here are a few tips when having trouble with ineffective or failed insulin pump sites.

#1. Correcting twice and no change:

Sometimes, you've corrected your blood sugar twice and it's still not coming down, even if you're doing everything else right.

This could be a sign that your insulin pump site is not working effectively, and waiting too long to address the issue could lead to dangerous blood sugar levels and of course, frustration. If you suspect...

Going out to eat with family and friends is a big part of our busy, modern life!

While eating out can be extremely convenient (not to mention enjoyable), many restaurants serve extremely large portions of high-calorie, high-fat, high-carbohydrate content such as Fondue.

When you need to maintain safe glucose levels, these can be difficult to navigate, as you never know what may happen right after the meal or hours later when it comes to your blood sugars.

Still, you don't have to miss out on the celebrations, events, or even the just-don't-feel-like-cooking dinners that happen every day.

There are ways to enjoy eating out while keeping your blood sugar stable. Try these tips:

Treat this meal like any other meal.

Begin by dividing the meal into different courses. If you have fondue, salad, and protein in the form of steak and chicken, for example, you can treat each course separately. Take your dose for each course and keep track of how many carbs you consume each time you load your...

Traveling, even for a single day, can be an excellent way to broaden your horizons and create lasting memories.

Day trips provide an opportunity to escape the routine of everyday life and experience something new, whether you're walking at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, taking in the natural beauty of a national park, or simply relaxing at the beach.

Having diabetes should not stop you from having fun and visiting new places! It is entirely possible to have fun in the sun while managing your blood sugar in the safest and easy way possible.

Let me share with you some easy ways how to keep your blood sugar in the healthy range while being active on a trip: 

#1. Pay attention to active insulin going in.

Physical activity can lower blood sugar levels, so it may be necessary to adjust insulin dosing or adjust your meal to prevent getting low during or after physical activity. It is important to monitor blood sugar levels before, during, and after physical activity to determine...

What is Afrezza and how could this be a game changer for diabetes?

People have talked for YEARS about the desire to take insulin without injections—and Afrezza is the only FDA-approved form of mealtime insulin that allows for just that. 

It is delivered through an inhaler-type device and is inhaled directly into the lungs. The inhaled insulin is then absorbed into the bloodstream and helps to lower blood sugar levels.

Inhaled insulin may be used instead of, or in addition to, traditional insulin injections.

Here are just a few reasons why Afrezza could be a great addition to your diabetes care regimen:

1. Convenience. 

Inhaled insulin can be used discreetly in public, without the need for needles or syringes. You can use it anytime and anywhere you go - public places, playgrounds, on an airplane, at a busy restaurant, in the gym, or even when you’re head-to-toe in snow pants and a thick winter jacket about to take your dog for a walk (imagine that for a...

Living with diabetes requires a combination of lifestyle changes, medication management, and regular medical checkups to maintain good health and manage symptoms.

As we all know, managing diabetes is a lifelong journey, and it's important to make lifestyle changes and follow treatment plans to stay healthy and prevent complications.

It is certainly challenging and overwhelming, especially when you have high blood sugar that won’t come down! 

Lowering blood sugar is one of the most important things people with diabetes want to overcome, and as a registered dietitian who has been living with type 1 diabetes for over 20 years, I have been helping people with diabetes achieve incredible blood sugars while still enjoying great food and helping them become the better version of themselves.

There are several ways to help you lower your blood pressure in no time, but let me share with you these 3 incredible steps that helped me in lowering my blood pressure: (I have been doing...

Do you love your pump? 

I know I do.

I’m grateful for the diabetes technology and all of our insulin pump supplies that are out there.

Studies have shown that insulin pumps have overall improved the quality of life in patients who use them. 

But, sometimes?

They drive me BANANAS.

For example: your site goes bad and you didn’t know the site went bad.

Or maybe the site was never good to begin with and now you’re chasing a ‘mysterious’ high.

Or your tubing kinks, or gets caught on the doorknob, or ______ fill in the blank.

Maybe the constant site changes are what drive you crazy the most.

You and I could probably make a whole list of things I love my pump, but sometimes I look at it like ‘cmon man!’

Who’s with me?

If you live with diabetes you can definitely relate to this….

Where you’re initial insulin source fails, and you’re going to scrounge up the backup pen that is hopefully is with you:

hopefully is...

You may be going on vacation, but your diabetes is indeed going to come along for the adventure.

Do yourself a favor and be prepared for your trip-I guarantee you will enjoy yourself a whole lot more.

This is the stuff you need to remember when it comes to traveling with diabetes:

1. Bring 2-3 times the amount of pump supplies you think you need in case a site goes bad, you accidentally snag your tubbing on the restaurant door, or you accidentally knock your site off your body. 

2. Bring an insulin pen and cartridge in case you use all of your pump sites. Bonus tip: wrap your pen in bubble wrap to keep it secure.

3. Blood sugar meter In case your CGM breaks. I know, this isn’t an idea situation. We are indeed slightly spoiled by the lack of finger sticks these days. But I don’t know about you, I wouldn’t want to go swimming with sharks or snorkeling with the turtles without knowing what my blood sugar was. You?

4. Backup insulin in case your current bottle...

An all too familiar story….

You’ve got normal school or work, family gatherings, parties, work events, if you have 

kids, their events, your workouts, your date nights, social time with your friends. 

To be honest, I’m overwhelmed writing that list. 

Now, throw in diabetes on top of it. 

You’re working to accomplish everything you want in your normal life WHILE managing a disease that doesn't let you take a break. 

Ever. 24/7/365. There is no vacation.

Simply managing your Type 1 diabetes can result in diabetes burnout.

Unlike many things in the diabetes world that aren’t discussed enough, this is one topic that is….because it happens so frequently. 

Neglect your blood sugars for a few hours and it will come back in full force to remind you that it is there. 

It may come back in the form of a 350 blood sugar, zapping you of  your energy, motivation, and your free will to do ANYTHING other than curl in a...

Myth: Sugar-free foods won’t affect my diabetes.

You’ve been warned!  

Just eat the real thing.

I know that this may be an unpopular opinion.

However, devouring TONS of sugar-free foods normally means consuming a ton of sugar alcohols, which can lead to being on the porcelain throne for who knows how long.  

Why?

Most sugar-free foods cause MASSIVE indigestion, and wreck your stomach and cause massive diarrhea.

They also taste pretty odd with significant aftertastes, so why eat them?

Those sugar alcohols also wipe out your good gut bacteria, and this can be detrimental to your immune system.

Gut bacteria is huge in the diabetes and auto-immune world, so it’s definitely not in your best interest to have the good ones wiped out. 

It is also important to remember that some sugar-free foods actually do also contain carbs.

The phrase “sugar-free” is often misunderstood as a “free” pass.

Labeling a food sugar-free does...

The phrase diabetes and exercise either sounds like a match made in heaven or a nightmare.

Exercise can seem SUPER daunting for people living with diabetes.

However, it is important to remember that exercising is one of the best ways to keep your body healthy.

Sometimes you may feel as though you so much as LOOK at a treadmill and experience low blood sugars. 

You start to get into the zone with a warm-up and then ‘your blood sugar tanks.

Now what? 

You are consuming calories you don’t want to be eating when you’re supposed to be burning them!  

You’re frustrated while wasting time, effort, and energy. 

One way to avoid that is to avoid having insulin on board before your workout.

This can mean using a temporary basal or suspending your pump.

The less insulin on board you have, the less likely there is to be blood sugar volatility in advance.

This can be absolutely critical if applied the right way to your diabetes.

Another way to...