Your Diabetes Insider Podcast

In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, I'm breaking down how I personally handle Memorial Day BBQs and cookouts without my blood sugars going completely off the rails. From grazing on appetizers, hidden carbs in "simple" foods, and delayed fat spikes, to figuring out insulin timing, pre-bolusing, and using activity to boost insulin sensitivity before you even show up - this is every...

In this Q&A episode of Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, I'm Ben Tzeel and I'm answering real questions you've sent in about living with Type 1 Diabetes - including CGM placement, insulin dosing, insulin pumps, food choices like "healthier" cereals (Magic Spoon, Catalina Crunch), walking for blood sugars, and what to do when things don't go perfectly. I also cover gestational diabetes, exercise, and...

Warmer weather isn't just about summer vibes - it can seriously impact your blood sugar. In this episode, Ben Tzeel breaks down why heat makes insulin work faster, increases insulin sensitivity, and leads to more unexpected low blood sugars. From changes in blood flow to being more active without realizing it, there's a lot happening in your body that can throw off your usual patterns. If you've b...

Ever looked at your CGM arrows and thought… "okay but what does this actually mean?" In this episode, I'm breaking it all down in a simple, real-life way so you can stop guessing and start using your data with confidence. We'll go through flat, single, and double arrows - what they say about your blood sugar trends, how fast things are changing, and when you should (and shouldn't) react. I'll also...

Not all high blood sugars are the same and treating them like they are is exactly what keeps you stuck on the rollercoaster. In this episode, I'm breaking down the 3 main types of highs: the fast spike, the slow creep, and the stubborn high that just won't come down. We'll talk about what's actually causing each one (timing, food, stress, insulin, all of it) and how to handle them the right way so...

If your blood sugars look great Monday through Friday… but the weekend completely throws everything off, you're not imagining it. In this episode, I break down why weekends can quietly wreck your average, spike your A1C, and leave you feeling frustrated - even if you're "doing everything right" during the week! We're talking real-life stuff: less structure, different meal timing, social events, al...

Ever had a day where your blood sugars just don't make sense no matter what you do? In this episode, I'm breaking down the "day before effect" - how your sleep, activity, stress, and even late-night snacks from yesterday can impact your blood sugars today. This is one of the most overlooked pieces of diabetes management, and once you understand it, everything starts to click. We'll talk real-life...

If your blood sugar won't come down no matter what you do… this episode is for you. I'm breaking down how stress secretly spikes your blood sugar (even when your food, insulin, and routine are on point), what's actually happening in your body with cortisol, and why this can leave you feeling stuck and frustrated. More importantly, I'll walk you through simple, realistic ways to manage stress in th...

Think your A1C means you're doing great? Not so fast. In this episode, I break down why a "good" A1C can actually be misleading - especially if your blood sugars are constantly bouncing up and down. We're talking CGM data, time in range, and why blood sugar variability matters way more than most people realize. If you've ever felt exhausted despite "good numbers," this one's going to hit. Want the...

In this episode of Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, I'm answering real questions from the community - everything from why you might smell ketones even when levels are low, to how to handle carb counting when traveling, injection site confusion, and whether you actually need carbs to gain weight. We're keeping it real, practical, and straight to the point so you can better understand your blood sugar...

What does March Madness have to do with your blood sugar? Honestly… more than you might think. In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, Ben breaks down a surprisingly helpful comparison between the chaos of March Madness and the way blood sugars behave when you're living with diabetes. Just like the NCAA tournament usually comes down to the top seeds, most blood sugar swings come from...

If your blood sugars suddenly feel weird or harder to control this week, you're not imagining things. In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, I'm talking about something that almost nobody warns people with diabetes about… Daylight Savings Time. That one-hour time change might seem small, but it can actually throw off your sleep, hormones, circadian rhythm, and blood sugar levels. If...

What's the real difference between being diagnosed with diabetes as a kid… versus as an adult? In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, I'm diving into something I've honestly never talked about before - and it's a BIG one. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 7 years old. I've now worked with thousands of people living with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes - kids, teens, adults, ev...

Ever feel like you're doing everything right with your diabetes - carb counting, pre-bolusing, measuring your food, working out, AND your blood sugars still won't cooperate?! It's one of the most frustrating parts of living with Type 1 diabetes. You're putting in the effort. You're checking all the boxes. And yet the numbers just aren't reflecting it. In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider P...

In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, we're talking about something people think about… but don't always say out loud: care team horror stories. I'm not here to bash doctors. I'm not here to call anyone out. But if you've ever left an endocrinologist appointment feeling anxious, rushed, judged, or straight-up defeated… we need to talk. Because your diabetes care team is supposed to...

If you're on an insulin pump and feel like your sites just randomly stop working, this episode is for you. We're talking about one of the most frustrating (and under-discussed) parts of diabetes: pump site issues, scar tissue, inflammation, and failed infusion sets - and why they seem to get worse the longer you've had diabetes! This isn't meant to scare you off pump therapy - it's meant to help y...

We're answering real diabetes questions straight from social media in this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast - and yeah… some of them are insightful, some are wildly confusing, and a few left me absolutely speechless! We're talking net carbs vs total carbs, whether caffeine actually spikes blood sugar, what happens if your phone controls your insulin pump (and you lose it 😬), insulin a...

Carbs and diabetes. 🥴Probably the most talked-about, misunderstood, and fear-filled topic in the diabetes world. In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, I break down carbs at the 30,000-foot level - no scare tactics, no outdated rules of 15, and no "never eat this food" nonsense. I also call out the lazy diabetes fear-mongering online (you know the videos) and explain why carbs aren...

If you've already blown your New Year's goals… good. This episode is for you. Everyone starts the year talking about weight loss, better blood sugars, keto, fasting, vegan, carnivore, and most of it lasts about five days. Instead of doing another "New Year, new me" reset, I decided to actually test something I've talked about for years but never committed to. I went gluten-free and dairy-free - no...

Diabetes doesn't care about your routine because honestly, there is no routine. In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, I break down exactly how I manage my blood sugars when life throws curveballs. I'm talking long days of competitive sports, messed-up eating schedules, adrenaline spikes, a jammed and bruised thumb, and even a surprise pump site failure… all in the same week! This i...

Trying to lose weight with diabetes in 2026 and hoping this is finally the year it works? You're not alone. Every January, weight loss goals come roaring back - new diets, gym memberships, fresh motivation and then… by mid-January, it all falls apart. If you're living with diabetes, it can feel even harder. In this episode of the Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, we talk honestly about why weight los...

Wow, 2025 has felt like a decade, right? In this final episode of the year on Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, we're recapping all the highs, lows, and lessons from the past 12 months. I share my personal struggles with stress, sleep, and tech (Dexcom mishaps anyone?), and why self-care isn't just a buzzword - it's a blood sugar lifesaver! If this year tested you, you made it - and there's a lot to...

Christmas is right around the corner, and if you live with diabetes, this holiday comes with a few extra curveballs! Different foods, weird schedules, closed gyms, late nights, and a lot of temptation. In this episode, I walk you through how to actually prepare for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day without stressing or wrecking your blood sugars. We talk workouts when the gym is closed, why movement...

In this episode of Your Diabetes Insider Podcast, we're diving into a super important question: Can you actually trust your CGM right now? With recent headlines about the Freestyle Libre 3 recall - including reports of inaccurate readings, injuries, and even deaths PLUS ongoing Dexcom G7 issues like failed alerts, sensor errors, and big accuracy swings, it's no wonder people with type 1 and type 2...

If you've ever wished someone would just answer your diabetes questions in a real, straightforward way, this episode is for you. Today I'm going through a bunch of questions I got from social media - everything from low blood sugar panic moments to how to pick the right bread when you have type 2 diabetes! We talk about what number is actually considered a low, why you might feel shaky at 78, and...