This is the final episode in the series, Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: A Complete Guide for Women — Preconception to Postpartum.

In part three, Jennifer Smith and Tavia Vital talk about Labor, Delivery, and the Postpartum Journey for women with type 1 diabetes.

They cover building a written labor and delivery plan to share with your care team, deciding whether to self-manage insulin during delivery or hand it over to the hospital protocol, and preparing a partner as a backup safety net. They break down how IV insulin differs from pump or injection insulin, and how induction, spontaneous labor, and C-sections each affect blood sugar differently.

The conversation moves into newborn blood sugar basics, the importance of switching to a new postpartum insulin plan within about an hour of delivering the placenta, and how breastfeeding — especially in the first two weeks — can cause significant glucose drops. Jenny and Tavia also highlight two often-overlooked postpartum risks--thyroid dysfunction (which affects roughly 1 in 4 women with type 1 diabetes) and the difference between normal "baby blues" and postpartum depression, encouraging women not to navigate any of it alone.

Jennifer Smith, RD, LD, CDCES is the Director of Lifestyle and Nutrition for Integrated Diabetes Services. She is renowned for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes education, and athletic performance. Having lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood, Jennifer offers unique insight into day-to-day diabetes management, pregnancy, sports nutrition, and technology integration.

Tavia Vital BSN, BA, RN, CDCES is the Director of Intensive Diabetes Management for Integrated Diabetes Services. Tavia is a Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and Certified Trainer on most makes/models of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems. Having lived with type one diabetes for over 40 years, she understands that each person’s experiences and needs are unique.

✔️ It is important to have a plan created for labour and delivery that includes the role of your birthing partner. It is equally important to remember that you can change that plan once you are experiencing labour.

✔️ Cutting carbs in the final 2–4 weeks of pregnancy can help "train" baby's pancreas not to overproduce insulin, reducing the risk of newborn hypoglycemia after delivery.

✔️ About 1 in 4 women with type 1 diabetes develop postpartum hyperthyroidism, sometimes with no prior thyroid history — watch for hair loss, jitteriness, elevated resting heart rate, and frequent bowel movements.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

02:41 Building Your Labor and Delivery Plan with Your Care Team

09:05 Sharing Your Glucose During Delivery

10:33 Planning Your Insulin Protocol for Delivery

14:41 Educating Your Birthing Partner on Your Diabetes Management

20:17 Understanding IV Insulin vs Infused/Injected Insulin

23:27 Planning for Spontaneous Birth vs Induction vs C-Section

26:37 Post Delivery Insulin Needs for Baby

32:24 Post-Partum Insulin Plan

36:21 Curveballs: Preeclampsia and Steroids During Delivery

38:17 Glucose Needs While Breastfeeding

45:08 The Return of the Menstrual Cycle

46:36 Increased Risk of Thyroid Problems Post-Partum

52:51 Post-Partum Depression vs Baby Blues

57:31 Carrying Your Learning Forward

Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: Preconception Planning  for a Healthy Pregnancy

  https://youtu.be/o9LM3veYmiY

Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: Changes through the Trimesters

  https://youtu.be/_5sWX-lJ8s4

Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes: Your Month-to-Month Guide to Blood Sugar Management

Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes--The Book and The Authors

  https://youtu.be/g2arb-bHSPg?si=Rk6gUmMdW5aOxDvl

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

In part two of our three-part series, Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: Changes Through the Trimesters, Jennifer Smith and Tavia Vital share what to expect after conception.

They debunk common misconceptions and offer an honest look at what to expect now that you are expecting.

From the value of continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data to changing insulin needs, nausea, hypoglycemia, and DKA, Jenny and Tavia share their clinical and personal experiences with the adjustments needed for diabetes management throughout pregnancy.

Jennifer Smith, RD, LD, CDCES is the Director of Lifestyle and Nutrition for Integrated Diabetes Services. She is renowned for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes education, and athletic performance. Having lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood, Jennifer offers unique insight into day-to-day diabetes management, pregnancy, sports nutrition, and technology integration.

Tavia Vital BSN, BA, RN, CDCES is the Director of Intensive Diabetes Management for Integrated Diabetes Services. Tavia is a Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and Certified Trainer on most makes/models of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems. Having lived with type one diabetes for over 40 years, she understands that each person’s experiences and needs are unique.

✔️ Early pregnancy often brings a temporary insulin resistance spike, followed by a drop to as low as 1/3 of pre-pregnancy doses by roughly week 6–8.

✔️Hypoglycemia unawareness becomes more common in pregnancy — glucagon (including micro-dosing) and ketone strips should be on hand, not just "somewhere in a drawer."

✔️By third trimester, insulin needs can triple compared to pre-pregnancy doses.

✔️Ketone testing is advised any time insulin has been suspended for a while, after a suspected site/pump failure, or when glucose won't come down as expected — DKA can occur at lower glucose levels than the traditional teaching suggests.

00:00 The Role of Technology in Diabetes Management

08:07 Finding the Right Tech Fit

14:44 Navigating the First Trimester

22:32 Dealing with Nausea

24:50 Hypoglycemia Unawareness

29:02 18-21Week Insulin Adjustments…Again.

31:47 The role of Protein in Pregnancy

35:01 The Third Trimester

39:12 Adjunct Pregnancy Therapies

40:38 DKA Risk During Pregnancy

44:11 The Conversations to Have With Your Healthcare Team During Your Pregnancy

Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: Preconception Planning  for a Healthy Pregnancy

  https://youtu.be/o9LM3veYmiY

Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes: Your Month-to-Month Guide to Blood Sugar Management

Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes--The Book and The Authors

  https://youtu.be/g2arb-bHSPg?si=Rk6gUmMdW5aOxDvl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7eimb20zcI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDPHdTAaT4o

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

In part one of the three-part series, Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy: A Complete Guide for Women — Preconception to Postpartum, Jennifer Smith and Tavia Vital focus on preconception. They consider this to be the "missing trimester" that most women aren't coached through.

They cover building a care team, adjusting meds/supplements, tightening glucose targets safely, nutrition, screenings, as well as some of the biggest fears that women bring to this conversation.

Jennifer Smith, RD, LD, CDCES is the Director of Lifestyle and Nutrition for Integrated Diabetes Services. She is renowned for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes education, and athletic performance. Having lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood, Jennifer offers unique insight into day-to-day diabetes management, pregnancy, sports nutrition, and technology integration.

Tavia Vital BSN, BA, RN, CDCES is the Director of Intensive Diabetes Management for Integrated Diabetes Services. Tavia is a Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and Certified Trainer on most makes/models of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems. Having lived with type one diabetes for over 40 years, she understands that each person’s experiences and needs are unique.

✔️ Recommended timeline: start preconception conversations with your care team at least 6 months before trying to conceive.

✔️ Glucose target tightening should be gradual and stepwise, not a sudden jump to pregnancy-range targets.

✔️Folic acid: pregnancy with diabetes often calls for double the folic acid found in a standard prenatal. Please confirm with your healthcare provider.

✔️Having type 1 diabetes does not automatically mean a big baby or an induced/C-section delivery.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Part 1 of Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy

03:45 Setting the Stage for a Healthy Pregnancy

05:34 Tavia’s Preconception Experience

07:18 Planning for Pregnancy Months in Advance

12:50 Gradually Shifting Glucose Targets Before Pregnancy

17:32 Shifting Gears for an Unplanned Pregnancy

22:35 What to Know About Nutrition Before and After Conception

33:52 Pre-conception Screenings

38:37  De-Bunking Common Myths and Misconceptions

42:53 Recommended Resources

46:15 Coming up in Part 2 of the Type 1 Diabetes and Pregnancy Series

Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes: Your Month-to-Month Guide to Blood Sugar Management

The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy

Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes--The Book and The Authors

  https://youtu.be/g2arb-bHSPg?si=Rk6gUmMdW5aOxDvl

What to expect with IVF. Why Standard Diabetes Care Isn't Enough for Fertility

   https://youtu.be/gfceQ_1Q70Y

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

Integrated Diabetes Services supports clients’ physical and mental health with clinicians trained to help you understand your data, fuel your body, and quiet your mind. In this episode of Think Like a Pancreas—The Podcast, Tavia Vital, BSN, BA, RN, CDCES, sits down with Melanie Bacine of Mel B Wellness to discuss how calming the mind can improve diabetes management. You’ll learn how a quiet morning coffee ritual can help you start the day feeling more relaxed, how journaling at night may support better sleep, and how Tavia uses aromatherapy in her own diabetes care.

Tavia Vital BSN, BA, RN, CDCES is the Director of Intensive Diabetes Management for Integrated Diabetes Services. Tavia is a Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and Certified Trainer on most makes/models of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems. Having lived with type one diabetes for over 40 years, she understands that each person’s experiences and needs are unique.

Melanie Bacine is a certified life and wellness coach as well as a medicinal aromatherapist. She has spent twenty-eight years living with three autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes. During that time she came to understand that the mind-body is something to be worked on every day.

✔️Mindfulness and meditation are two different practices. Mindfulness can occur at any moment in time.  

✔️Small changes can create large benefits in our body and do not have to take large chunks of time.  

✔️Creating a sustainable wellness routine involves taking deliberate action to look beyond just what we see and explore how the other senses can improve our whole being.

00:00 Meet Melanie Bacine

03:41 Defining Mindfulness

06:55 Practical Mindfulness Tips for Busy Lives

11:48 Grounding Exercises

20:13 Aromatherapy—Separating Facts from Myths

32:50 Sound Therapy & Relaxation

39:45 Creating a Sustainable Wellness Routine

https://melbwellness.com/

https://www.instagram.com/melb.wellness/

https://www.facebook.com/melbacine

https://integrateddiabetesservices.podbean.com/e/fear-of-low-blood-sugars-in-type-1-diabetes/

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

What constitutes a "low-carb" diet?

In episode 95 of Think Like a Pancreas, our hosts Jennifer Smith (RD, CDCES) and Dana Roseman (MPH, CDCES, RDN, LDN) sit down to unpack the broad, and often misunderstood, world of low-carb eating and type 1 diabetes management.

From strict 30-gram-a-day ketogenic plans to the flexible 80/20 lifestyle of a Mediterranean approach, Jenny and Dana explain why a one-size-fits-all diet doesn't exist. They dive into the traps of marketing labels, how metabolic age shifts your results, and why mastering your insulin strategy is ultimately more freeing than completely eliminating your favorite foods.

Dana Roseman, MPH, CDCES, RDN, LDN, is the Director of Technology and Applied Research for Integrated Diabetes Services. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, she has spent nearly 20 years improving diabetes care through technology, research, and patient education—including expertise with insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, and hybrid closed-loop systems.

Jennifer Smith, RD, LD, CDCES is the Director of Lifestyle and Nutrition for Integrated Diabetes Services. She is renowned for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes education, and athletic performance. Having lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood, Jennifer offers unique insight into day-to-day diabetes management, pregnancy, sports nutrition, and technology integration.

✔️Age alters your metabolism, that is why it is much more important to find a sustainable diet over the latest fab diet.

✔️The healthiest way to shop is to spend the bulk of your time in the periphery and find only occasional treats in the middle aisles.

✔️Carbohydrates are not evil. Dietary success lies in eating for health 80% of the time, allowing for flexibility (like a vacation or special treat) 20% of the time, and learning the precise insulin timing strategies to navigate those choices smoothly.

00:00 Welcome and Defining Low Carb Diets

05:10 Lower Carb, Lower Processed Foods Benefits

06:53 Age, Metabolism, and Managing Expectations

08:39 How Many Carbs Are Too Many?

12:28 GLP-1 Medications and Protein Priorities

14:25 The Benefits to Diabetes Management

17:50 The 80/20 Rule of Diabetes Management

The Low Carb Lifestyle

   https://www.type1university.com/the-low-carb-lifestyle/

Beyond Carbs: The effects of fiber, protein, fat & more

  https://www.type1university.com/beyond-carbs-the-effects-of-fat-protein-more/

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

Living with Type 1 Diabetes often makes us focus on what we might lose—but what if we focused on what we can add?

In this episode of Think Like a Pancreas, host Gary Scheiner sits down with longtime colleague, professional motivational speaker, and type 1 athlete Chris Rudin. Together they unpack the physiological and mental benefits of resistance training, debunk the myths around workout failure, and provide actionable strategies for managing blood sugars during training at any age.

Gary Scheiner, MS, CDCES is the owner and Clinical Director of Integrated Diabetes Services. He is an award-winning Certified Diabetes Educator, Masters-level Exercise Physiologist and person with type-1 diabetes since 1985.  Gary is also actively involved with many diabetes related organizations as a volunteer and clinical advisor.

Chris Ruden is a transformational keynote speaker, change management expert, and disability inclusion advocate who engages audiences across the USA and worldwide.  He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at aged 19, is an amputee, world-record powerlifter, and NBC’s Titan Games competitor. Chris leverages his story of overcoming adversity to help organizations build trust and resilience.

✔️Never “should” all over yourself!

✔️Muscle growth promotes general health and metabolism, but it also has mental health benefits that many people don’t realize.

✔️ Total daily intake of protein matters more than the timing of your protein when building muscle or losing fat.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

04:44 Meeting Challenges and Making Adaptations

08:44 The Role of Muscle in Healthy Living

12:55 Program Design for Muscle Building

21:26 The Importance of Muscle Damage in Muscle Building

23:12 Why You Need to be In Range to Build Muscle

24:24 The Ideal Amount of Protein

30:19 Managing Glucose Levels While Building Muscle

36:10  Should You Change Up Your Workouts to Avoid Injury

38:50 Don’t Be Upset at The Skills That You Don’t Have from The Work That You Didn’t Do.

40:21 GLP-1s and Protein

41:13 Chris’s Inspiration

New Nutrition Guidelines Explained: What They Mean for Type 1 Diabetes

      https://Integrateddiabetesservices.podbean.com/e/2026-nutrition-guidelines/

The ADA Scientific Sessions Round Up With Gary Scheiner

  https://Integrateddiabetesservices.podbean.com/e/the-ada-scientific-sessions-round-up-with-gary-scheiner/

Chris Ruden – Change Management Keynote Speaker

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

The 2026 ADA Scientific Sessions was marred by a standoff between ADA staff and some highly reputable scientists who were trying to distribute copies of an editorial that was published in an ADA journal without “express written consent”. There were also rumors swirling about the hostile takeover of one of Breakthrough T1D’s major fundraising entities and its own parent company. 

Despite the political skirmishes, this year’s meeting was nothing short of fantastic. Clinical Director and Founder Gary Scheiner learned about the latest in research, technology, and product releases and shares them with you in this special episode. 

Gary Scheiner, MS, CDCES is the owner and Clinical Director of Integrated Diabetes Services. He is an award-winning Certified Diabetes Educator, Masters-level Exercise Physiologist and person with type-1 diabetes since 1985.  Gary is also actively involved with many diabetes related organizations as a volunteer and clinical advisor.

✔️Insulin absorption is slower as pregnancy proceeds.

✔️Tegoprubart offers exciting cure possibilities.

✔️ Continuous ketone monitoring is coming with more benefits than you may think.

00:00 Introduction

01:38 AID Optimization

03:04 Pumps & Pregnancy

08:19 New Product Development

12:05 “Other” Medications

20:00 Ketone (Sensing) Is Coming!

24:05 Exercise Discoveries

30:20 Slowing T1D Progression

33:28 Sleep Matters 

35:30 Last But Not Least

Key Findings From The ADA Scientific Sessions 2026

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

There are lots of “doubles” in the world.  Double Mint, Double Plays and Double Jeopardy, but did you know that you can also be diagnosed with double diabetes?

In Episode 92 of Think Like a Pancreas—The Podcast, host Gary Scheiner talks to Dr. Nick Argento about the odds of becoming insulin resistant as a person with type 1 diabetes. They discuss how it can happen, what treatment options are available, and why it is becoming more common than in previous years.

Gary Scheiner, MS, CDCES is the owner and Clinical Director of Integrated Diabetes Services. He is an award-winning Certified Diabetes Educator, Masters-level Exercise Physiologist and person with type-1 diabetes since 1985.  Gary is also actively involved with many diabetes related organizations as a volunteer and clinical advisor.

Nicholas B. Argento MD FACE is an endocrinologist at Maryland Endocrine in Columbia. He lives with type 1 diabetes himself and has extensive experience in utilizing insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to help patients safely achieve better blood glucose control. He has presented clinical research at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions and other medical meetings, and has spoken to local, national, and international audiences on insulin pumps and the clinical application of CGM technology.

✔️20% of people with type 1 diabetes will develop double diabetes or insulin resistance.

✔️If you require more than .4 units of insulin per kilogram per day, daily management will be a much greater challenge than those who are not insulin resistant.

✔️ Limit, not eliminate carbohydrates if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes.

✔️Having double diabetes is treatable with the right tools and support

00:00 Welcome and Introduction.

02:47 Is it Possible for People with T1 to Also Have T2? 

05:17 What Causes Insulin Resistance?

09:33 Triggers and Hidden Risks for Double Diabetes.

21:57 Type 2 Medications (GLP-1s) for Type 1 Patients.

33:14 Overcoming the Guilt of Developing Insulin Resistance.

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

Fear of low blood sugar is one of the most common — and least talked about — challenges of living with type 1 diabetes.

In episode 91 of Think Like a Pancreas — The Podcast, mental health clinician Anna Sabino sits down with renowned diabetes psychologist Dr. Bill Polonsky, founder of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, to unpack the anxiety that comes with type 1 diabetes and low blood sugars.

Together they explore the difference between healthy caution and pronounced fear of hypoglycemia, and why so many people quietly run their blood sugars high to feel "safe."

Bill also shares practical, hopeful strategies for regaining confidence in your body, rebuilding trust, and getting your life back — because “if you live with diabetes-related anxiety, you're not weak, you're not alone, and there's a lot you can do about it.”

Anna Sabino MSW, CDCES is a Mental Health Specialist who has been living with T1D for over 30 years and proudly offers expert emotional health counseling for children, adults, and families with T1D.  Her areas of expertise include family dynamics, crisis management, anxiety, depression, burnout, and post-traumatic stress.

Bill (William) Polonsky, PhD, CDCES  is President and Founder of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, the world's first organization wholly dedicated to studying and addressing the unmet psychological needs of people with diabetes. He is also Associate Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, a licensed clinical psychologist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, and an active researcher in the field of behavioral diabetes.

✔️There can be a genetic risk of profound fear of low blood sugars.

✔️This fear is rooted in people losing confidence in their bodies.

✔️ The use of “be safe” and “feel safe strategies” help to alleviate fears.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

03:39 Everyone Should be Concerned About Lows

07:02 When Your Fear of Lows Impacts Your Daily Life

13:54 Rebuilding Confidence in Your Body and Your Tools

30:11 Is Severe Hypoglycemia a Valid Fear?

33:57 Key Tips to Break Your Own Cycle of Fear

36:23 Where to Find Help

39:00  Final Thoughts from Dr. Polonsky

Breaking down the fear of blood sugar lows

Behavioral Diabetes Institute

ADA mental health registry

The Hypoglycemic Fear Syndrome: Understanding and Addressing This Common Clinical Problem in Adults With Diabetes

Is Your Diabetes Tech Helping or Hurting? Mental Health and T1D Innovation

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.

Diabetes burnout is not a character flaw. It is a predictable response to a relentless, non-negotiable condition that never gives you a break — and yet it isn't discussed nearly enough.

In this special episode of Think Like a Pancreas — The Podcast, we revisit our most important conversations about the emotional weight of living with type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Paula Diab's patient, James van der Meulen, shares his experience of burnout during law school, and how he gets back on track.

Mental health specialist Anna Sabino offers practical ways to navigate burnout and explains what it can be hiding underneath.

And mental health professional Kristi Paguio joins Dr. Paula Diab to examine the challenges of advocating for yourself — and how to build a support team to help you run a race that never ends.

Anna Sabino MSW, CDCES is a Mental Health Specialist who has been living with T1D for over 30 years and proudly offers expert emotional health counseling for children, adults, and families with T1D.  Her areas of expertise include family dynamics, crisis management, anxiety, depression, burnout, and post-traumatic stress.

Dr Paula Diab MBChB, MFamMed, PhD, CDCES is the Director of Weight Management at Integrated Diabetes Services. She is a Family Physician and Diabetologist who runs a multi-disciplinary practice specializing in the management of chronic diseases, particularly diabetes and obesity in South Africa. Her approach is to walk the journey with her patients and to allow them to manage their disease rather than allow the disease to define who they are.

Kristi Paguio LMSW, LCSW, CDCES is a Mental Health Specialist. She has been working in the field of diabetes since 2007 as a licensed clinical social worker, diabetes care and education specialist, and certified specialist in obesity and weight management. Kristi has had the privilege of working with people across the lifespan who are impacted by diabetes.  She has experience working with adults, children, athletes, pregnancy, and weight management.

Kristi was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2000 and has specialized in the mental and emotional aspects of diabetes since that time. 

James van der Meulen has been living with type 1 diabetes since he was four years old. He has successfully managed his diabetes through university and law school. He is now a successful corporate lawyer in South Africa.

✔️Diabetes burnout is inevitable and NOT a personal failure.

✔️Like your diabetes, your burnout may vary.

✔️ On your worst days, simply perform the basics.

00:00 The Elephant in the Room

04:09 The Invisible Burden of Type 1 Diabetes

08:21 The Importance Building Our Support Team

11:40 If You are Living with Type 1 Diabetes, Never Forget That You ARE Incredible!

16:24 Tips for Navigating Burnout

https://Integrateddiabetesservices.podbean.com/e/coping-with-burnout-in-diabetes-management/

https://Integrateddiabetesservices.podbean.com/e/diabetes-is-the-ultimate-ultramarathon/

https://Integrateddiabetesservices.podbean.com/e/diabetes-and-self-advocacy/

🔵Website: integrateddiabetes.com

🔵 Follow on Social Media: @integrated_diabetes_services and @ integrateddiabetesservices on Facebook

🔵To work with the Integrated Diabetes Services Team , visit https://integrateddiabetes.com/appointments/   or email [email protected]

If the podcast has helped you to live better with diabetes, please tell someone else how to find it! If you have a question, take a moment and ask! We reply to everyone. And then be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you never miss an episode!

Disclaimer

The information contained in this program is based on the experience and opinions of the Integrated Diabetes Services clinical team. Please discuss any changes to your treatment plan with your personal healthcare provider before implementing.