The Healthy Diabetic

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Sara Jacklin , a mom whose son Mitchell was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at nine years old. Sara shares the family’s incredible journey — from early signs and diagnosis during the holidays, to balancing sports, school, and diabetes manageme...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In this episode, I sit down once again with returning guest and college athlete Jaci Carpenter for an honest conversation about the realities of navigating diabetes care as a young adult. From frustrating endocrinology visits and inflated medical costs to learning how to advocate for...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I talk about the importance of mental health on blood sugar stability. Every person living with diabetes has dealt with challenges within their mental health. But do you know how to navigate these complex feelings and emotions? That's what I hope to share...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I sit down with Jax & his mother Ashley , who share their candid and heartfelt journey of living with type 1 diabetes. Jax & Ashley open up about the mental, emotional, and physical challenges of managing T1D, the importance of authenticity, and how se...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. Exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for managing blood sugar—but it can also be one of the most frustrating. In this solo episode, Coach Ken continues the 42 Factors That Affect Blood Sugar series with Part 6: External Triggers. In today's episode, I break down the...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I sit down with Erika Buenaflor. Erika is a speech pathologist and group fitness instructor who was misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2018 and properly diagnosed with type 1 in 2021. She’s been adapting to her diagnosis ever since. Driven to build represent...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. Exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for managing blood sugar—but it can also be one of the most frustrating. In this solo episode, Coach Ken continues the 42 Factors That Affect Blood Sugar series with Part 5: Biological Factors. In today's episode, I break down th...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In this episode I sit down with Emma & Sam , who shares their story of having a young type 1 diabetic while navigating the joys and challenges of motherhood. Emma opens up about their son's diagnosis, the impact of T1D on pregnancy and postpartum life, and the ways she’s lear...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In this episode, I sits down with Renee Puleo , who shares her powerful story of living with type 1 diabetes. Diagnosed at a young age, Renee has faced the highs, lows, and daily challenges of T1D while also carving her own path toward resilience and strength. Renee opens up about the...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In this solo episode,I dive deep into one of the most debated topics in diabetes care: A1C versus Time in Range —and why both still fall short without focusing on what I call Diabetes Stability . I shares my perspective on why A1C alone doesn’t tell the whole story, how time in range...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In this episode, I sit down with Jenna Smith , who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 26. Jenna shares her powerful story of living with T1D for nearly two decades, navigating the challenges of motherhood, divorce, intimacy, and dating, while also facing a breast cancer...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. Exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for managing blood sugar—but it can also be one of the most frustrating. In this solo episode, Coach Ken continues the 42 Factors That Affect Blood Sugar series with Part 4: Fitness & Activity . In today's episode, I break do...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I sit down with Jeffery Miglicco (CEO), Omar Almidani and (Co-Founder), and from PureWay , a company leading the charge in safe sharps disposal and recycling solutions. Together, we explore: Why proper disposal of syringes, pens, and lancets is critical for sa...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In this inspiring episode, I sit down with twin sisters Lisa and Lindsay Rusch , both living with type 1 diabetes, alongside their older brother who also has T1D. Beyond their personal diabetes journeys, the sisters are co-owners of Brekkie Shack , a health-focused restaurant in Colum...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I sit down with Mark Brezzel T1D author and clinician who shares his powerful story of diagnosis, the mental and physical challenges he faced, and how his faith and passion for fitness shaped his outlook. We discuss strategies for navigating burnout, building...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. Cecily Lopez is a wellness advocate, visual storyteller, and the founder of Trinity Grace Photography, LLC . She has been living with Type 1 diabetes for nearly nine years, and a few years into that journey was also diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Facing both conditions taught her how...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. What’s it like to be newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as an adult? In this episode, I talk with Jessica Barber , who was diagnosed in February 2024. Jessica opens up about what the first year of life with T1D has been like, how she’s learning to understand her body in new ways, an...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. You may have heard of Adam Brown’s popular article from Diatribe, “42 Factors That Affect Blood Glucose” —a game-changing guide for anyone living with Diabetes. But how do those 42 factors show up in real life? And are there other variables we should be paying attention to? In part 3,...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. What does it look like to fully own your story with Type 1 diabetes and stop letting the condition define you? In this episode, I sit down with Rob Howe —former professional basketball player, creator of Diabetics Doing Things , and passionate advocate for the T1D community. Rob share...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. What does it take to climb some of the world’s tallest peaks while managing Type 1 diabetes? In this episode, I sit down with mountaineer and T1D veteran Luis Freitas , who has lived with diabetes since the age of two. Luis shares the highs, lows, and lessons from 28 years of managing...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I welcome back Andrew Thomas. Andrew is a firefighter in the great state of Indiana and also lives with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). In his first appearance on the show (#271), we discussed his experiences living with diabetes and how he has managed to overcome the...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I sit back down with my good friend and Diabuddy Graham Hubbard. Wow, the last two episode with Graham have been FIRE!  In today's episode we talk about... The 42 Factors that Affect Glucose Why Dexcom is the best Diabetes technology on the market Close L...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In the last episode with Ross, we discussed Ross's journey with T1D and how he's been able to overcome a wide range of challenges without much support from his medical team. In this episode, we took a different direction and talked about how he has been able to manage his Di...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I sit down with Ross Mallen. Ross is a T1D and advocate cyclist. We discussed Ross's usual diagnosis story which lasted 6 months. We also discussed the challenges he's been able to overcome and the lessons he's learned living with T1D.  Ross&apo...

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode. In today's episode, I sit down with Debra Anderson. Debra is a Type 1 diabetic, podcaster, and singer. This conversation was extra special for me because it again shows me how far we've come as a Diabetes community. Debra has had Diabetes since she was 6 years old (almost 50...