Beyond Type 1

For some families, type 1 diabetes (T1D) doesn’t arrive quietly—it shows up in an emergency: a sudden illness, a rushed trip to the ER, sleepless nights filled with questions. Even in families already impacted by T1D, a new diagnosis may often come as a shock. But what’s more surprising is that many of those same families may not realize they’re at risk in the first place.

According to the T1D Index, 9.5 million people around the world are living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). In the United States (U.S.), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 2.1 million people live with T1D—1.8 million adults over the age of 20 and 314,000 children under the age of 20. The CDC also states that 27.6% of Americans are living with undiagnosed diabetes, which encompasses all forms.

Have you ever gone to bed with a stable blood sugar level, only to wake up with much higher blood sugar than you expected? As frustrating as this may be, it is more than likely explained by the dawn phenomenon or the Somogyi effect. Everyone has an internal body clock that helps them wake up in the morning and sleep at night. As the sun rises, your body releases special chemicals (hormones) to help you wake up and get ready for the day.

For years, people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have experienced insulin resistance, burnout, frustrating high blood sugar levels, weight gain and food cravings without much response from the medical community. When someone is diagnosed with T1D, there is significant beta cell loss, blood sugars are dangerously high and symptoms are present.

Summer means a lot of things: no school, longer days, more sunshine and warmer weather. But if you live with type 1 diabetes (T1D), it can also mean more preparation for the heat, humidity, and the sticky, sweltering days that can make T1D more difficult. Besides making managing blood sugars harder, for those tethered to insulin pumps or continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), the daily dance of “will my adhesive stick today?” can turn simple summertime into more of a headache than you planned for.

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.

Monk fruit, also known as lo han guo, has become one of the most popular low-calorie sweeteners for people managing blood sugar. Sweeteners are substances that add a sweet taste to food and beverages without significantly affecting blood glucose levels—making them a healthier sugar alternative for people living with type 1 diabetes (T2D).

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.