Rant: #RealLifeDiabetes

I'm going to rant. So, deep breath.

Guest Post: Aaron & His Pump

I obviously want to write about all aspects of diabetes as much as I can. But sometimes it's difficult as my experience only goes so far! Especially when it comes to the insulin pump.

At the moment I use injections around 6-8 times a day depending on what I'm doing. I have zero experience with the pump and I really wanted to get someone's perspective on it so those of you who have it or are thinking about getting one can use it with your journey.

So, meet Aaron! Aaron and I have been chatting a fair bit via Twitter having first got in contact when I posted my Diabetes and Me post and I asked him this week to produce something on his experience with the pump! I'm delighted to say he's come up with something brilliant and I'm extremely grateful for his words. Please give him a follow on Twitter @AaronT1D.

So, without further ado...

Recipe: Awesome Double-Chocolate Proats

I do love carbs.

"Oh no a diabetic eating carbs.....!" Yeah, amazingly we can do that!

I like to workout first thing in the morning which means I need to fuel up before I do so! I have around 75 minutes from when I crawl out of bed to when I'm loading up the barbell with the first weighted plate.

Fruit, Fructose & Diabetes

I'm a big advocate of good, single ingredient eating as much as possible. Every good nutritional coach, book or article I've ever read on the matter agrees that eating real food is far more beneficial for you than anything processed. I've never been a fan of meal replacement shakes or anything similar - I don't believe it provides the same nutritional qualities as actual food.

And it makes sense really? Surely something grown out of the ground, plucked from a tree or has flown, ran or swam is better for our health than something created from a test tube.

Source: www.blogpyramid.com

Recipe: Mid-Summer Spicy Salsa

As we're currently in the midst of summer I thought it would be great to share this little recipe that I've adapted from Thug Kitchen.

It's full of amazing flavour and perfect little snack to have! You can either mix everything to leave it chunky or throw it all together in a food processor and get it to your preferred consistency!

Guest Post: Diabetes in the Workplace

Living with diabetes in the real world is something that doesn't get a lot of media attention I've found. There are plenty of statistics and figures, lots of doom and gloom, plenty of "this might cure diabetes" talk but not a lot on what it's actually like to live with day in day out. Especially when it comes our careers and trying to manage it at the same time.

Now I've never actually had any negative response when it comes to my diabetes in the workplace. I've always been very honest and open with my employer and my HR department right from the off. I've explained to them the condition, what I have to do and what needs to be done if there is an emergency and more often than not I have found people want to learn and help.

However, this isn't the same for everyone.

Source: myglu.org

Diabetes & Strength Training

When I was first diagnosed, one of the first things that sprung into my mind was "I need to get to the gym".

I've always tried my best to stay fit. Whether it's playing football, hiking around Dartmoor in Devon as a teenager, water-sports, running around - I've continuously wanted to have some form of physical activity in my life.

I first started going to the gym in my late teens and didn't really take it massively seriously. I didn't understand the health benefits, I wasn't really interested in all of that, I just wanted to build muscle and look like the guys on the front of Men's Health.

However, since being diagnosed in November 2011 I wanted to understand what was the best form of exercise, or if there was one at all, that could improve my diabetes management. One of the biggest concerns for me, and still is, is the lack of information and education provided to new and continuing patients on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including the need for routine exercise.

WheyHey Ice-cream

Being diabetic is sometimes (read always) very annoying - purely for the fact that we aren't "supposed" to have treats - although let's be honest, we all do - what's a bit more insulin eh?

I'm always being asked by Type 0's (non-diabetics) what treats I can and cannot have. To be perfectly honest, I haven't got a massively sweet tooth. I like to indulge every now and again but nothing overly major.

But I do LOVE ice-cream. I've got a real soft spot for it. They often say that if it's too good to be true - it usually is - but in WheyHey's case - they've cracked it. Especially for us diabetics.

Recipe: Chicken Curry

Apologies for not being around much this last week! I've been away up north enjoying a very long awaited break spending my time on the beach, taking coastal walks and eating great food!

Speaking of - I thought I'd introduce you guys to a wonderful chicken curry recipe which I've altered and edited over the years to make a great bowl of spicy, rich, tomatoey goodness with plenty of veg in there!

Hypos.

Hypos (or if I'm using the correct term: hypoglycaemia) - they're the worst.

They're every diabetics worst nightmare. The bane of our existence. There is just no way I can put a positive spin on them whatsoever. I've yet to meet a diabetic who hasn't experienced one.

It's when our blood sugar gets too low. Usually caused by when we haven't eaten enough or taken on board too much insulin for any given period.

Source: www.richthediabetic.co.uk