Beyond Type 1

Parents of children and teens living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, your daily routine is about to get a lot easier. Afrezza, the first inhaled and only needle-free mealtime insulin, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in children aged 6 and older living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This is a remarkable change for people and children living with diabetes.

Travel season is quickly approaching, and a lot of people will be racking up frequent flyer miles in the coming months. Air travel can seem miraculous: you wake up in your regular bed, in your regular town and can go to sleep across the country or even the world, just a few hours later. But like with any kind of travel, flying doesn’t come without hiccups. Delayed and canceled flights, bad weather, mechanical issues, and missed connections can leave travelers stuck this summer.

You’ve probably been there before: you’re stuck at work, your blood sugar is running high, and it just won’t budge. Maybe you’ve already taken extra insulin, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Before you give yourself a “rage bolus”—taking too much correction insulin out of frustration, only to crash low later. Consider another option: movement.

Trying to take better care of yourself when you live with diabetes can sometimes feel overwhelming. Between managing blood sugars, medications, exercise, appointments and everything else life throws your way, adding another task can feel like a lot. But improving circulation and muscle health doesn’t have to mean long workouts, expensive gym memberships or complicated routines. Sometimes it can be as simple as spending five to 10 minutes with a foam roller in the comfort of your own home.

If you’ve lived with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for more than five minutes, you surely have heard the phrase, “a cure is only five years away!” from well-meaning family, friends and even healthcare providers. It’s a common line that has haunted people with T1D for decades; one filled all at once with hope and heartbreak.

Editor’s Note: This article discusses medical trauma and DKA, which some readers may find distressing. If you’re one of the 46% of people with type 1 diabetes who were in DKA at the time of your diagnosis, you likely woke up to a whole new way of life.

If you’ve ever left a diabetes appointment more confused than when you arrived, it’s not you—it’s the system. When we talk about language barriers in diabetes care, we usually mean the literal kind: you speak one language, your provider speaks another. That’s real. But there are at least five “languages” that can lock you out of your own care and most of them have nothing to do with what tongue you speak. These languages are jargon, insurance, clinical data and cultural assumptions.

A trip to Disneyland is a dream vacation for many: the magic of Walt Disney for kids and adults alike can pull at the heartstrings and create memories that last a lifetime. But when you live with diabetes, the logistics of a day at the theme park can quickly blow the magic away like pixie dust—unless you’re prepared. This guide will tell you everything you need to know for a successful (and fun!) trip to Disneyland. Disney days start early.

Starting a new job? When you live with type 1 diabetes (T1D), that can come with a mix of excitement, ambition and worry. You may be asking yourself, “How will I protect my health while I build my career?” A new job should be about proving your skills, not hiding your health. Diabetes management is not a weakness; it’s a daily demonstration of resilience, data analysis, crisis management, and discipline—the skills we use to manage our blood sugars are the very skills we bring to the workplace.

Stages of T1D Related Resources Share With Friends The 3 Stages of Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that develops through predictable stages. Understanding them can lead to earlier detection and better outcomes, as T1D cannot currently be prevented or cured. Presence of 2 or more islet autoantibodies. These proteins, created by the immune system, target the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas.