Reclaim Your Rise: Type 1 Diabetes with Lauren Bongiorno

Parenting kids with type 1, especially if you're in the thick of the middle school years, is already a roller coaster for so many reasons. Add a chronic illness like T1D into the mix and the emotional and developmental tension for both parent and child can feel like a lot. As someone who is going through this stage of T1D parenting right now, Abby is taking over today’s episode, to lead a conversation for parents of kids with type 1 diabetes in the middle school years. To join us in this deep dive, we have Jody Passanisi, who has spent 15 of her 20 years in education working with middle schoolers and supporting families through the most challenging and growth-filled stages of childhood. Regardless of what stage of childhood your family is in, this conversation is one all T1D caretakers need to hear. 

Quick Takeaways:

• Navigating middle school challenges with type 1 diabetes 
• The shift from parent-led to child-led management 
• Dealing with the loss of control as a parent 
• Advice for motivating your child to ‘care’ about their T1D 
• Separating your identity from your child’s diabetes  

What to do now: 

📲Follow Jody on Instagram

 📚More T1D parenting support:
- What I Wish Someone Told Me When My Child Was Diagnosed with T1D
- 5 Simple Blood Sugar Hacks to Stabilize Your Child’s Blood Sugars
- Our guide made specifically for new T1D parents 

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 

🫂Stay connected with us:   

• IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth 
• TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
• YT: Reclaim Your Rise 
• 📩Send us a message: DM us your takeaways, questions about the episode and/or ideas for our next recording via direct message on IG to either account linked above. (Or send email to [email protected]) 

Today’s episode was inspired by a powerful conversation…. What I’m talking about today is something everyone with T1D or if you have a child with T1D can benefit from hearing. Even those who may have heard it before, will benefit from being reminded again, too.  

Quick Takeaways:

• Learning your patterns: Where to spend more of your time vs where you’re wasting your time 
• The truth about how I bolus for restaurant meals and more 
• The challenge of being able to predict your blood sugars & how to gain the skill 

What to do now: 

📲Stay connected: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.

📩Send us a DM: Share your takeaways, questions about the episode and/or ideas for our next recording via direct message on IG to either account linked above. 

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Carly Piehl, a 35-year-old mom and wife who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in late 2024 while in DKA, with no family history and no warning signs. Carley opens up about what those first overwhelming months were really like, from being sent home from the ER with a 13 A1C to navigating both the emotional and blood sugar rollercoaster. Despite early progress, she still felt stuck and frustrated until she found our signature group coaching program and discovered a new way to live with T1D. We talk about what it looks like to build confidence with food, technology, and mindset, especially while managing the daily demands of motherhood and marriage + the secret to her FIVE POINT A1C DROP. This episode is dedicated to anyone out there who has ever thought: Will I ever make peace with T1D? 

Quick Takeaways:

•  The #1 thing that helped Carley make this transformation of lowering A1C from 13 to below 8.0 
• How to build confidence with food, technology, and mindset–especially while managing the daily demands of motherhood and marriage 
• Advice AND treatment everyone should receive at diagnosis
• “That's when I realized, I was going to need to find other people who had diabetes to learn…”

📲Stay connected: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 

🎧Hear more stories from the graduates of our signature group coaching program: 

• https://www.riselyhealth.com/podcast/147-emily-hawkinson-on-overcoming-diabetes-trauma-if-i-don-t-choose-myself-right-now-i-m-not-sure-if-i-ever-will 
• https://www.riselyhealth.com/podcast/169-can-you-eat-that-untangling-food-freedom-after-a-lifetime-of-diet-culture-and-t1d 
• https://www.riselyhealth.com/podcast/86-asking-for-help-as-a-t1d-man-with-jesse-hoyt 

Today I’m joined by Dr. Juan Domínguez-Bendala, someone I know we’ll all be hearing a lot more about in the T1D world. He’s the Director of the Pancreatic Regeneration and Stem Cell Laboratory at the Diabetes Research Institute in Miami. His team just made headlines with a huge breakthrough: using a small peptide called THR-123 to regenerate insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This could be an entirely new approach to treating, and even potentially reversing, type 1 diabetes. We know how emotional and complex the topic of a cure can be, and sometimes disheartening when updates are few and far between. That’s why sharing research-focused conversations like this matters so much– so our community can stay informed, feel seen, and keep hope alive for what’s happening behind the scenes. If this episode resonates with you, please share it so it can reach every person living with or impacted by T1D.

Quick Takeaways:

• The biggest breakthrough for a T1D cure that has been made in awhile: THR-123 
• Milestones in diabetes research over the last two decades 
• How this could shape the future of regenerative treatment for T1D
• Role of AI in diabetes research 
• How to support diabetes research and stay informed 

🔍Keep up with the Diabetes Research Institute 's cure-focused research & progress towards a cure by subscribing to their newsletter HERE.

📲Stay connected: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.

📩Send us a DM: Share your takeaways, questions about the episode and/or ideas for our next recording via direct message on IG to either account linked above. 

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 

📖Learn more about today’s topic. 

In this episode of Reclaim Your Rise, I’m joined by Risely’s Director of Coaching and fellow T1D parent, Abby Cooper, for a conversation we’ve both been looking forward to. We’re unpacking fresh insights from two major events: the NYU Coaching and Technology Summit and the American Diabetes Association Conference. Like so many of you, I’ve been deep in learning mode with AI this year–asking questions, listening, and exploring how it can help us support people with type 1 diabetes even more intentionally. Abby and I share what we believe is coming next, from smarter insulin tech and personalized insights to more empowered food and dosing decisions. While we’re just at the beginning of this AI evolution, we hope that this episode gives you clarity, curiosity, and a sense of what’s possible moving forward.

Quick Takeaways:

• The integration of AI and diabetes care: How to prepare for what’s coming 
• Exploring the limitations and understanding what to be aware of 
• Three areas that we see potentially being impacted the most for diabetes care 
• Smarter adaptive insulin systems: The pros + cons 
• Navigating trust issues with tech: AI hallucinations  

📲Stay connected: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.

📩Send us a DM: Share your takeaways, questions about the episode and/or ideas for our next recording via direct message on IG to either account linked above. 

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 

📚Learn more about today’s topic: 

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11193174/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 
• https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/21/what-the-data-says-about-americans-views-of-artificial-intelligence/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/software-medical-device-samd/artificial-intelligence-software-medical-device#:~:text=On%20January%206%2C%202025%2C%20the,Content%20current%20as%20of 

In today’s episode, I’m joined by our incredible lead coach, Jehan, who has guided hundreds of women through deep transformation in our signature group coaching program. Together, we unpack the most common patterns we see in women with type 1 diabetes, from fear of lows and all-or-nothing food habits to feeling overwhelmed by the daily unpredictability of blood sugars. Jehan shares her personal story and some of the exact tools we use in our group coaching program, like the “5 Whys” and belief-replacement work, to help women move from stuck to empowered. We talk about what’s really at the root of these challenges, and how real change doesn’t come from just adjusting insulin… it comes from shifting your mindset and rebuilding trust in yourself. If you’ve ever thought you’re the only one going through this, this episode is your reminder that you’re not alone and that transformation is possible.

Quick Takeaways:

• The importance of asking for help 
• Reframing negative thoughts and limiting beliefs + building confidence in your T1D management 
• The power of coaching, community, and getting the support you deserve 

Timestamps:

• [01:49] Coach Jehan is back: “That’s 456 lives that you have impacted and touched”
• [02:19] “It can be really hard asking for help and getting help”
• [03:38] Jehan’s personal coaching journey & her #1 transformation
• [08:17] Understanding diabetes distress 
• [12:44] Root block #1: Your numbers 
• [16:55] “It’s possible. You just haven't figured out how to do it for your body yet.”
• [20:53] “You need somebody else to help you create a system for it.”
• [22:51] Root block #2: The weekend reset cycle 
• [24:00] Breaking the all-or-nothing mindset 
• [29:17] Root block #3: Feeling stuck 
• [35:37] The power of community and coaching 

What to do now: 

1. Join the PEP (Parents Empowering Parents) Squad, a Facebook group created by the Diabetes Research Institute. This is a place where caregivers of kids with T1D can share stories, ask questions, and learn more about how to get involved with research, advocacy, and fundraising through DRI. 
2. Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.
3. Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 

Today’s episode is going to be a bit of a deep dive into something that comes up so often in coaching conversations, in my DMs, and honestly in my own personal T1D journey—and that is: all the sneaky little things that might be sabotaging your Time in Range…without you even realizing it. If you’ve been working really hard on your diabetes management but your CGM is still looking like a rollercoaster…or you just feel stuck and frustrated…this one’s for you. So grab your coffee, your CGM graph, your notebook, whatever you need, and let’s rise. 

Quick Takeaways:

• Understanding insulin: Dosing beyond carbs, adjusting ratios, and the importance of timing 
• How to take ownership of your T1D and get off the BG roller coaster 
• The unexpected and most influential factors sabotaging your TIR: Mindset, sleep + recognizing your patters 

Timestamps:

• [02:02] Understanding insulin dosing beyond carbs 
• [05:06] Importance of adjusting your rates + ratios  
• [07:05] Micro decisions and their ripple effects
• [12:50] “All roads lead back to mindset”
• [13:13] Taking ownership of your T1D management 
• [15:13] Insulin timing (a game changer) 
• [18:33] Addressing insulin resistance 
• [20:46] How sleep impacts blood sugar stability 
• [21:36] Recognizing your patterns 

What to do now: 

1. Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.
2. Our signature Decide and Conquer Group Coaching Program is officially expanding to include 12 months of support for the first time ever!
   That’s 3 months of transformation + 9 months of continued coaching, growth, and community.
   Doors for the September round are open now, and early bird pricing runs through July 31st.
   👉 Learn more and apply here

In this week’s episode, Lauren is joined by Debbie Lehr, a recent graduate of the DCB coaching program and a type 1 diabetic of 30 years. Though Debbie had always felt in control of her diabetes, a cross-country move and the onset of menopause left her feeling stuck, isolated, and overwhelmed- resulting in her highest A1C ever. After hearing about Risely through her daughter’s best friend, Debbie took a leap and joined the program, seeking both support and a fresh start. What followed was a powerful transformation: within three months, Debbie lowered her A1C, stabilized her blood sugars, and found renewed confidence in her management. In this candid conversation, she shares how community, structure, and learning her own patterns helped her go from frustrated to empowered. This episode is a reminder that even after decades with T1D, it’s never too late to ask for help and that real change begins with connection.

Quick Takeaways:

• Knowing when it’s time to ask for more help (and it’s never too late) 
• Overcoming fear and gaining confidence with your diabetes 
• The powerful role mindset AND community plays in T1D management 

Timestamps:

• [04:03] The moment Debbie felt like she truly reclaimed her life with T1D 
• [09:21] “I really felt defeated before I went to Risley”
• [13:17] Debbie’s biggest wake up call: “I've learned my body and I thought I knew it before but I didn't.”
• [14:42] T1D + relationship to food 
• [18:26] Navigating overwhelm and taking control 
• [18:57] Finding AND understanding your patterns 
• [21:39] The power of not having to struggle alone 
• [24:58] Debbie’s A1C journey & past endo experiences 
• [31:00] Overcoming fear with T1D management (giving ‘too much’ insulin / going low) 
• [37:21] The importance of mindset and how to reframe it 
• [37:47] What Debbie credits for her transformation
• [38:56] Dissecting the process of coaching 
• [40:07] ‘80% mental and then 20% of doing all the steps’

What to do now: 

1. Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.
2. Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 
3. Hear Debbie’s story on IG: HERE!

We're diving into a topic that’s generating a lot of buzz in the T1D community: GLP-1s. To break down what these medications actually do, what the research says, and how they might benefit people with type 1 diabetes, we're joined by pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Justin Gregory. We explore what GLP-1s are, how they work in the body, and why they’re attracting so much attention in T1D care. Dr. Gregory shares insights on their effects on blood sugar, insulin needs, and insulin sensitivity (and whether those benefits are purely tied to weight loss or something more direct). Whether you've only seen GLP-1s mentioned on social media or you've already started a conversation with your healthcare team, this episode brings clarity to the hype and the hope. Don't miss this conversation - we’re answering all the questions the T1D community has been waiting for.

Quick Takeaways:

• Everything you need to know about GLP-1s: What they are, who they are meant for & why they are getting so much hype
• The impact these medications have on T1D: Blood sugar, insulin needs, insulin sensitivity, and more 
• Breaking down the risks: Direct impact on T1D (blood sugars, insulin needs, etc.) and side effects of long-term use 
• How GLP-1s are being prescribed off-label to type 1s and the important conversations people with T1D should have with their provider before starting them 

Timestamps:

• [03:13] Dr. Gregory’s journey into Endocrinology 
• [03:37] “Diagnosed with T1D and I was told, your Air Force career is over…”
• [05:21] “My research says, what is the cost of putting too much insulin in the wrong place?”
• [09:43] One of the most underappreciated aspects of T1D: Insulin sensitivity  
• [XX:XX] “Insulin sensitivity is 30 to 50% lower in type 1 diabetes compared to mass control.”
• [12:34] How to determine your insulin sensitivity (and increase it)
• [21:13] The breakdown of GLP-1s 
• [23:25] Understanding GLP-1s efficacy in T1D 
• [27:09] Who will benefit from these medications vs. who might hurt 
• [30:41] Insulin resistance with a healthy BMI: How is it possible?
• [34:42] Prescribing these medications to children 
• [38:34] How GLP-1s could be used for the newly diagnosed T1D population
• [39:00] Dr. Gregory’s expectations for the future and evolution of these medications 
• [41:06] Pregnancy + GLP-1s
• [46:24] “When you come off of it, if you're not staying on it forever, what happens?”

What to do now: 

1. Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.
2. Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 
3.  Join the PEP (Parents Empowering Parents) Squad, a Facebook group created by the Diabetes Research Institute. This is a place where caregivers of kids with T1D can share stories, ask questions, and learn more about how to get involved with research, advocacy, and fundraising through DRI. 

Six months postpartum, I’m finally starting to feel like myself again, and in this episode, I’m opening up about what it took to get here. This season has been full of challenges, healing, and unexpected lessons. I’m sharing the honest truth about what I’ve learned, what I wish I had known, and how I’ve been navigating this transition. I’ll also walk you through the top five things I believe every new mom and her support team should know during those early months. My hope is that this conversation helps you feel more supported, more prepared, and a little less alone. You are not meant to figure this all out on your own, and you are doing better than you think. 

Quick Takeaways:

• The unexpected emotional and physical toll of postpartum, even with strong support
• How breastfeeding affects insulin needs and blood sugar patterns
• The shift in diabetes motivation 
• What managing type 1 diabetes REALLY looks like in the newborn trenches
• Why reclaiming time for yourself isn't a luxury but a necessity 

Timestamps:

• [02:48] My general experience so far as a new mom: the good, the bad, and the ugly…
• [05:40] The ‘newborn bubble’
• [06:34] What made things hard for me 
• [6:45] Reality of breastfeeding 
• [08:25] Postpartum anxiety + the mental load of becoming a mom 
• [14:33] Going back to work 
• [18:55] The 5 things I wish I knew before 

What to do now: 

1. To simplify your supply ordering process, learn more about Byram Health HERE or contact them at: 866-884-0857  
2. Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.
3. Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. 
4. Want to hear more from Lauren’s pregnancy journey? Catch up on these episodes: 
   • 162. Giving birth with T1D: What I didn’t expect and no one warned me about 
   • 153. How I'm advocating for my T1D birth plan as a high risk patient