Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode.

In this milestone episode of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast, I'm joined by longtime friend and former co-host Graham Hubbard for Episode 330—and the first-ever live episode of the show.

Graham and I dive into a wide-ranging, honest conversation about whether modern diabetes technology has truly made life easier for people with Type 1 diabetes—or if something important has been lost along the way.

They explore topics including insulin sensitivity, fear of lows, CGMs, fitness, food quality, GLP-1 medications, obesity trends in Type 1 diabetes, and the emotional weight of living with a misunderstood condition. The episode also introduces the new live format, with weekly discussions happening in real time and continuing on YouTube.

This episode sets the tone for what’s coming next: deeper conversations, more nuance, and a stronger focus on the real-life factors that impact diabetes beyond numbers and devices.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Diabetes technology has improved—but management isn’t automatically easier
• Fear of lows can limit insulin decisions and quality of life
• Insulin sensitivity varies dramatically from person to person
• Fitness, sleep, and food quality still matter—maybe more than ever
• GLP-1 medications can be helpful, but context matters
• Type 1 diabetes is not insulin resistance—and shouldn’t be treated as such
• Mental health and self-trust are foundational to good diabetes management

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n
• Watch on Youtube

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabetes management.

Support the show

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode.

In this episode of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast, I sit down with Rachel Faber MS, RD, LDN, CDCES and Nicole Cordoba RN, CDCES, known online as CDE Diabuddies, to explore what diabetes care looks like when providers are also patients—and why pediatric diabetes care often feels worlds apart from adult care.

Rachel and Nicole share their personal diagnosis stories—one diagnosed at age 4, the other at 17—and how those experiences shaped their paths into healthcare as Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES). Together, they walk through what pediatric diabetes education which actually includes: multi-day hospital education, family involvement, hands-on insulin training, mental health screening, and structured follow-ups.

The conversation dives deep into the systemic gaps that appear when patients transition into adult care, including shorter visits, less education, fewer resources, and limited emotional support. Ken and the guests discuss misdiagnosis, insurance barriers, Dexcom-induced anxiety, parental dynamics, and why flexibility—not rigidity—is key to long-term diabetes success.

🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode

• Why pediatric diabetes care includes more education and support
• How early diagnosis shapes confidence and self-trust
• The emotional toll of transitioning from pediatric to adult care
• Why adult diabetes education is often limited or missing
• How flexibility improves long-term diabetes outcomes
• The role parents play in shaping a child’s relationship with diabetes
• Why mental health support is just as important as insulin dosing
• How community, podcasts, and social media fill care gaps
• What a better adult diabetes care model could look like

Nicole & Rachel’s - Instagram Handle: 

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you he

Support the show

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 Danielle, who shares a powerful and vulnerable story about how false low readings from her CGM led to extreme anxiety, an ER visit, and a complete shift in how she now approaches diabetes management.

Danielle walks us through a terrifying day where her CGM repeatedly showed dangerously low glucose readings—despite her body showing no symptoms and fingerstick checks telling a different story. The constant alarms, conflicting data, and uncertainty triggered intense anxiety and ultimately landed her in the hospital, where she was treated as if she were hypoglycemic even though lab results showed otherwise.

🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode

• CGMs are helpful tools—but they are not perfect
• False low readings can trigger real fear and anxiety
• Fingerstick checks are still the gold standard in critical moments
• Treating numbers without symptoms can lead to overcorrection
• Diabetes technology can contribute to emotional burnout
• Taking a break from devices is sometimes necessary and healthy
• Your body’s signals matter just as much as the data
• Anxiety and diabetes are deeply connected—and often overlooked

🧠 Topics We Cover

• CGM inaccuracies and false lows
• Abbott Libre sensor issues and recalls
• Interstitial glucose vs. fingerstick readings
• ER protocols for hypoglycemia
• Diabetes-related anxiety and panic
• PTSD after severe diabetes events
• Technology burnout
• Trusting physical symptoms
• Taking breaks from CGMs
• Long-term diabetes self-awareness

Danielle's Instagram:

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabete

Support the show

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 Sara Lerner, Director of Community Engagement at Blue Circle Health, to talk about what it really takes to live well with Type 1 Diabetes—and why the current healthcare system often falls short.

Sara shares her personal journey of being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) as an adult at age 25, including the fear, missteps, and challenges that come with adult-onset diagnosis. Drawing from both her lived experience and her professional background as a social worker, Sara explains how access, education, mental health support, insurance navigation, and community all play critical roles in diabetes success.

The conversation dives deep into why so many adults are misdiagnosed, why “compliance” is the wrong word in diabetes care, and how Blue Circle Health was created to close the massive gaps between what people with T1D need and what they can actually access.

If you’ve ever felt unheard, unsupported, overwhelmed by insurance, or unsure where to turn for help with diabetes—this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode

• Why adults are frequently misdiagnosed with Type 1 diabetes
• The emotional and mental health toll of living with T1D
• Why “compliance” is an outdated and harmful term in diabetes care
• How access to education and support directly impacts outcomes
• The role community plays in day-to-day diabetes management
• Why primary care alone often isn’t enough for T1D
• How Blue Circle Health helps bridge gaps in diabetes care
• Why empowerment and advocacy are essential skills for people with diabetes

🌐 Learn more & check eligibility:
https://www.bluecirclehealth.org

Blue Circle Health - Instagram

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The H

Support the show

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 Ty Gibson, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in the 1970s—long before CGMs, insulin pumps, or modern tools existed.

Ty shares an incredibly powerful and honest story that spans decades of living with diabetes, including:

This episode goes far beyond diabetes management. It’s a conversation about resilience, mindset, choice, mental fortitude, and what’s possible on the other side of adversity. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, burnt out, scared of complications, or unsure whether you can truly live a full life with diabetes—this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode

• What managing diabetes looked like before modern technology
• Why perspective matters when we talk about complications
• The reality of kidney and pancreas transplants—and what people don’t talk about
• How mental resilience plays a bigger role than perfection
• Why technology is a tool—not a permission slip for unhealthy habits
• The importance of ownership, choice, and personal responsibility
• How adversity can become purpose when you’re willing to share your story
• Why thriving with diabetes starts in your mindset, not your devices

Ty's Resources:

• Website
• Podcast

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📩 Join my newsletter: Subscribe
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabetes management.

Support the show

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode.

In this today's episode, I sit down with Aurelian, CEO and co-founder of SNAQ, a mobile app designed to make meals less guesswork for people living with Type 1 diabetes.

SNAQ was born out of lived experience. Aurelian’s wife was diagnosed with T1D over a decade ago, and like many people with diabetes, she constantly faced the same daily questions:

• How many carbs are in this meal?
• How heavy is this portion?
• How will this food affect my blood sugar later?

From that frustration came the idea behind SNAQ — an app that allows users to take a photo of their food, estimate carbs and macronutrients, and connect meals directly to CGM, insulin, and activity data to uncover real-world patterns.

• Carb counting and portion estimation are major pain points for people with T1D.
• Taking photos of food can provide a practical starting point — not perfection.
• AI works best when paired with human awareness and lived experience.
• Logging some meals can still provide valuable insights — it doesn’t have to be every meal.
• Connecting meals with CGM and insulin data reveals patterns that numbers alone miss.
• Technology should reduce overwhelm, not create it.
• Expectation management is essential with any AI-based health tool.
• The future of diabetes care likely blends AI support with human connection.

📌 Resources:

• SNAQ's website

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📩 Join my newsletter: Subscribe
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabetes management.

Support the show

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode.

In this powerful and deeply human episode, I sit down with Jillian, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just 7 years old in 1991 — growing up in what many now call the dark ages of diabetes care.

Jillian’s story is layered, emotional, and incredibly insightful. Raised by a mother who also lived with Type 1 diabetes, she navigated childhood, adolescence, eating disorders, evolving technology, and eventually three healthy pregnancies— all while learning what actually works for her body through Dr Richard K. Bernstein's teachings.

• Growing up with T1D shapes your relationship with food, control, and self-trust.
• “Eat whatever you want and dose for it” is incomplete advice for many people.
• Protein and fat do impact blood sugars — often hours later.
• Low-carb works well for some people, but restriction is a fast path to burnout.
• Diabetes management must feel livable, not punishing.
• Pregnancy with Type 1 diabetes is absolutely possible — even multiple times.
• Hormones (puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum) dramatically affect insulin needs.
• Algorithms and automation can help — but they’re tools, not solutions.

• Low-carb & high-protein nutrition strategies
• Protein and fat delayed glucose spikes
• Extended boluses & pump features
• CGM accuracy & algorithm limitations
• Dr. Richard K. Bernstein & The Law of Small Numbers
• Pregnancy & insulin resistance
• Breastfeeding and blood sugar variability
• Diabetic retinopathy treatments
• Self-advocacy in medical settings
• Diabetes stigma around motherhood

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📩 Join my newsletter: Subscribe
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered

Support the show

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 into one of the most important — and most misunderstood — concepts in diabetes management: SUSTAINABILITY.

After reflecting on my own recent challenges with blood sugar fluctuations, stress, sleep, nutrition, and routine, I break down why even people who “know what they’re doing” can fall out of alignment — and why that’s not failure, it’s reality.

This episode challenges the obsession with A1C and Time in Range as the main metrics of success and instead how reframing the conversation around blood sugar stability, mental health, flexibility, leads to longer diabetes stability. 

• Sustainability matters more than perfection in diabetes management.
• A “good” A1C or Time in Range doesn’t automatically mean your diabetes is going well.
• Blood sugar stability is a better long-term goal than chasing numbers.
• You need a specific target blood sugar, not just a target range.
• Most blood sugar issues start with basal insulin, not food.
• Restrictive eating and over-exercising may work short-term but often fail long-term.
• Mental health, nutrition quality, sleep, movement, and dosing strategy all work together.
• Burnout often comes from rigidity, fear, and unrealistic expectations.
• The Five Pillars provide a simple framework to troubleshoot any diabetes issue.
• You’re allowed to experiment, adjust, and change your approach over time.

1. Mental Health
2. Strategic Dosing
3. Consistency & Routine
4. Nutrition Quality
5. Physical Well-Being (Sleep, Hydration, Movement)

Every diabetes challenge fits into one (or more) of these pillars.

About the Host

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📩 Join my newsletter: Subscribe
📞 Sign Up for a Free Call: Book Now
👕 Apparel Store: Shop Here

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabetes management.

Support the show

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 Ashley Sparks, who was diagnosed with T1D at just 14 years old—during the first days of her freshman year of high school. What should have been a straightforward diagnosis quickly turned into a traumatic experience when doctors dismissed her symptoms and wrongly accused her of being pregnant instead of running basic diagnostic tests.

Ashley shares her powerful journey from misdiagnosis and dismissal to becoming a confident self-advocate in her diabetes care. She opens up about navigating high school as the only student with T1D, being denied basic accommodations, and learning—often the hard way—how to speak up for herself in medical settings.

• Misdiagnosis and dismissal—especially for young women with diabetes—still happen far too often.
• You are allowed to question doctors, change providers, and advocate for yourself.
• Living with diabetes every day gives you insight no textbook can teach.
• Insurance barriers can directly impact health outcomes and emotional well-being.
• Movement, routine, and mental health support can dramatically improve diabetes stability.
• There is no “perfect diabetic”—and chasing perfection often leads to burnout.
• Eat the cookie. Bolus for it. Live your life.
• Community connection can be one of the most powerful tools for mental health with T1D.

Ashley's Instagram:

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📩 Join my newsletter: Subscribe
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabetes management.

Support the show

Hey Diabuddy thank you for listening to show, send me some positive vibes with your favorite part of this episode.

In this episode, I sat down with Carrie Neher, who has been living with Type 1 diabetes since 1981 — long before CGMs, pumps, carb ratios, or even finger-stick meters were available. Diagnosed at 14 and hospitalized for two weeks, Carrie learned to manage diabetes in what she calls “the dark ages.”

She shares what it was really like growing up using urine testing tablets, one daily shot of mixed insulin, and zero real-time glucose feedback — and the emotional weight that came with high A1Cs despite doing everything “right.

• Diabetes management before CGMs and meters required intuition, resilience, and guesswork.
• Shame and confusion were common because the tools simply didn’t exist to understand blood sugar.
• Exercise dramatically improves circulation, insulin sensitivity, and long-term health.
• Fear of lows is often rooted in one traumatic low event — and can be reframed with a plan.
• Gradually lowering your comfort range (ex: 150 → 130 → 110) is a powerful way to rebuild trust.
• Modern T1Ds often underestimate how life-changing today’s tools truly are.
• Community, encouragement, and support matter just as much as insulin and devices.
• “Bloom where you are planted.” Your circumstances don’t define your potential.

Carrie's Instagram:

I’m Coach Ken Kniss, founder of Simplifying Life With Diabetes and host of The Healthy Diabetic Podcast. I help people living with T1D cut through the overwhelm, confusion, fear, and distrust in their daily decisions, so they can feel confident and live without consistently worrying about lows, their body image, or long term complications.

🌐 Website: SimplifyingDiabetes.com
📚 The Diabetes Nutrition Master Course: Start Learning
💪 Work with me: More Than A1C - 1on1 Coaching
📩 Join my newsletter: Subscribe
📞 Schedule a Free Call: Book Now
🎙 Donate to the Podcast: Contribute Here

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps more people living with diabetes discover the podcast. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement and a reminder that they’re not alone in their diabetes journey.

Ways to Support the Show

• Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Share this episode with a diabuddy
• Follow me on Instagram: @TheHealthyDiabeticPod | @CoachK3n

Podcast Disclaimer: Nothing that you hear on The Healthy Diabetic Podcast should be considered medical advice or otherwise; please always consult your medical TEAM before making any changes to your Diabetes management.

Support the show