My Journey with Type 1 Diabetes & 5 Must-Knows

By Vanessa Messenger

November 19, 2021

As a Type 1 Diabetic, my pregnancy was considered high risk. Throughout each trimester, my blood sugars dramatically wavered due to fluctuating hormone levels. Although I had been administering daily insulin shots for the past 13 years, my body’s response to them had become unpredictable.

It’s not uncommon in your first few months of pregnancy to experience frequent low blood sugars. I was instructed to aim for blood sugar levels within a very narrow target range. Given the small margin for error, I constantly found myself afraid to eat because I couldn’t figure out how much insulin to give myself with every meal. Even without eating, my blood sugar would spike or drop depending on my level of physical activity, stress, and hormones.

During a particularly memorable hypoglycemic episode, I asked a clerk to hold my bags and gestured to my belly to indicate I was pregnant and needed to sit down. I was too out of it (and quite frankly, embarrassed) to even explain that I was a Type 1 Diabetic. I sat in between the set of automatic sliding doors on my winter coat and wiped the sweat off my forehead as I shakingly finished a bottle of Coke. Looking back, it was odd that nobody checked to make sure I was ok. But at that moment, I was relieved to be spared the uncomfortable interaction as I eventually made it back onto my feet.

Coping throughout the Pregnancy

As frustrating as the situation seemed, I was fortunate to be benefitting from some recent technological advances that empowered me to optimize my blood sugars. Having a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) allowed me to track my blood sugar readings on my phone 24/7 in real-time. This constant awareness of my sugars caused as much anxiety as it did assurance. When my glucose levels were outside of my target, my monitor would beep and buzz at all hours of the day and night. Under the direction of the high-risk obstetrics team, I also kept a manual journal of my sugars and insulin dosages which they reviewed weekly. During this time in my life, I checked my sugar level, took insulin, checked my sugar level, repeat.

On top of the bi-weekly clinic check-ins, I had monthly ultrasounds and eventually went in to have non-stress tests (NSTs) twice a week. The non-stress test was the opposite of how it sounds: very stressful. During the tests, a cluster of monitors was placed on my belly to assess the baby’s heart rate and responsiveness. On one of the last NSTs before delivery, the doctor came into the room to unhook me from the monitors. This usually meant the test was over and I could return home…but this time was different. I was instructed to leave the outpatient clinic and head directly to the main hospital.

The baby’s activity level was below normal, so further testing was required. Just before leaving, the doctor informed me there was a chance I’d be admitted for delivery. In a panic, I drove myself to the hospital and found the triage area on the labor and delivery floor. I was met by a team of nurses and doctors who were already briefed on the situation and ready to apply a new set of monitors. Although everyone reassured me that this trip to the hospital was precautionary, I became increasingly concerned as each hour passed by. I nervously took bites out of a protein bar to maintain my sugar levels while frantically texting my husband. Finally, after 3 hours of assessments, the baby’s activity level and heart rate normalized; there was no need for intervention, and I was able to go home.

That following Tuesday, I was back on the Labor and Delivery floor being induced. I was in labor for 3 days and had so many wires, tubes, and devices hanging off me, I felt like a marionette. Although my family wasn’t allowed to come to the hospital due to COVID protocols, I called them with Facetime endlessly over those few days which kept my spirits up. Memorably, one of my video chats with my niece and nephews resulted in me laughing so hard that my water spontaneously broke while we were waiting for the doctor to rupture it manually.

At lucky 11:11 am, my daughter Monroe was placed on my chest. It was all worth it, and it prepared me for the pregnancy of my son, Miles, a short 15 months later.

Having the Tough Conversation

One day, I know I will talk to my children about how they came into this world, and how hard I fought for them to be healthy while inside my womb. From a mom who knows firsthand how challenging it can be to explain Type 1 Diabetes, here are some tips for starting the conversation with your kids or loved ones:

1. Explain diabetes in simple, but uplifting terms. That it’s a manageable condition and those with diabetes can lead long, healthy and happy lives by making good choices.

2. Emphasize that when someone has type 1 diabetes, it’s not their fault and they didn’t cause it in any way. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that prevents the body from creating insulin. It isn’t caused by poor diet or lack of physical activity.

3. Openly educate and inspire ways to develop a healthy relationship with food and exercise. Make it a fun routine in which the whole family participates. After all, everyone needs to make healthy choices, not just diabetics.

4. Reassure them that finger pricks and injections might seem intimidating, but they come with many benefits and aren’t scary.

5. Instill confidence that the condition isn’t something that needs to be hidden. There is a large community of diabetics along with celebrities and influencers, like Nick Jonas, Robin Arzón, and Jay Cutler, who speak openly about Type 1 Diabetes.

—Vanessa Messenger

Vanessa Messenger is a mom, a Product Lead at Google, and considering she’s been a Type 1 Diabetic since 2010…she’s also a full-time pancreas! She is the author of the award-winning book, Teddy Talks: A Paws-itive Story About Type 1 Diabetes.

Vanessa Messenger

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

The Secret to Eternal Youth Is Hotter Than You Think

by Karly WoodNovember 13, 2020

Researchers may have found a way for people to live longer and the answer lies with chili pepper! A new study will be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2020 that could demonstrate a significantly reduced risk of dying from cancer or cardiovascular disease when people consume chili pepper.

After analyzing 570,000 individuals in the United States, Italy, China and Iran and combing through 4,729 studies, researchers produced four unique studies on the power of chili peppers. So what did they discover?

photo: Timothy Brock via Unsplash

Science has long known the power of capsaicin (what gives peppers their spice) and the capabilities it has in regarding to being an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, anticancer and a possessing a blood-glucose regulating effect. Researchers took it one step further by comparing records of those who regularly consumed chili peppers with those who rarely or never did.

Those who did eat chili pepper had a 26% relative reduction in cardiovascular mortality, a 23% relative reduction in cancer mortality and a 25% relative reduction in all-cause mortality.

“We were surprised to find that in these previously published studies, regular consumption of chili pepper was associated with an overall risk-reduction of all cause, CVD and cancer mortality,” said senior author Bo Xu, M.D., cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute in Cleveland, Ohio.

“The exact reasons and mechanisms that might explain our findings, though, are currently unknown. Therefore, it is impossible to conclusively say that eating more chili pepper can prolong life and reduce deaths, especially from cardiovascular factors or cancer. More research, especially evidence from randomized controlled studies, is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.”

While there are still plenty of unknowns, tossing in a little extra chili pepper couldn’t hurt and it will definitely spice up your dinner.

––Karly Wood

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Good News You Can Use: FedEx Driver Sanitizes Package for Girl with Autoimmune Disorder

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 19, 2020

In the wake of the current coronavirus pandemic, people are concerned about bringing packages into their homes. Households that have someone who is immunocompromised or has underlying health conditions are on alert. A FedEx driver deserves all the recognition he is getting after disinfecting a package he delivered to the home of a little girl with an autoimmune disorder.

Carrie Blasi’s 11-year-old daughter, Emma was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was a little over 2-years-old. Her glucose levels are kept under control thanks to her continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump, so that lowers her risks if she were to contract COVID-19. Blasi and her husband also worry who would take care of Emma if either of them became ill.

“We have a sign on our door for packages/mail as our 11 year old daughter is a type 1 diabetic,” Blasi tweeted.

From the pictures, you can clearly see that the package had clearly been wiped down since you could see where the liquid stained the scanner sticker. The driver jotted a quick note on the top of the box to let the family know he had disinfected the package.

The driver’s good deed was also caught on Blasi’s security camera, which she has since shared to YouTube.

The Blasi family was able to virtually meet Justin, the Fed Ex driver, and his family to thank him for what he did for them. Blasi said, “They are our new friends, for life. The world needs to be more like Justin.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Carrie Blasi

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Science Says 50 Is the New 40 (When It Comes to Safely Having Babies, That Is)

by Erica LoopJanuary 19, 2020

Fifty is the new 40 when it comes to advanced maternal age. At least, that’s what recent research from Ben-Gurion University (BGU) and Soroka University Medical Center may have found.

Women over 40 are having babies in greater numbers than ever before. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the birth rate for women 40 to 44 has risen since 1982. Jut look at recent celeb pregnancies and it’s clear that pregnancy isn’t just for 20-somethings. Actress Brigitte Nielsen had her fifth child at age 54, Rachel Weisz got pregnant at 48 and Janet Jackson had her first child at 50.

photo: Suhyeon Choi via Unsplash

Even though the data shows an upwards trend of women waiting to get pregnant, that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks associated with being of “advanced maternal age.”

When researchers looked at data from 242,711 deliveries at Soroka University Medical Center, they found something that most of us probably didn’t expect. While over 96 percent of the pregnancies in the study were in the under-40 set, complications between the 40- and 50-something mamas were fairly equal. That doesn’t mean the complication numbers were on par with their younger counterparts. Instead, the number of complications didn’t rise from 40-plus to 50-plus.

So what does this mean for you? If you’re nearing 50, it’s possible that you won’t experience an increased risk for complications in comparison to a woman who is 40. But there’s still risks associated with conceiving over ager 40. The researchers note that every pregnant woman over age 40 is high-risk and needs preventative medical treatment that comes along with it, from earlier blood glucose testing to blood pressure monitoring.

—Erica Loop

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Can Nutritious School Lunches Lead to Improved Academic Outcomes?

By Kim Newell Green, MD

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

December 17, 2019

As a pediatrician, I know that one of the most powerful tools for ensuring the health of my patients and of all our nation’s children is nutritious food. As such, school lunch, in particular, is vital not only to their health but also their learning capacity.

The Trump administration has recently proposed changes to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nearly a million students may lose automatic eligibility for free school lunches under the administration’s proposal. If this proposal goes into effect, these children—many of whom depend on school meals for daily nutrition—will be hungry at home and in school and therefore unlikely to reach their greatest potential.

For millions of Americans, particularly those in lower-income communities, access to healthy foods remains a challenge. Across the nation, many families rely on the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to nourish their children. Without access to high-quality, healthy foods and nutrition education, children within these communities are not only unable to perform their best in the classroom but are also at high risk for preventable diseases, like diabetes and obesity.  

Recent studies confirm what I see in my practice: nutritious school meals lead to improved health and academic outcomes. Access to nutrition that incorporates protein, carbohydrates, and glucose has been shown to improve students’ cognition, concentration and energy levels. And according to a recent paper published by UC Berkeley, students at schools that contract with a healthier school-lunch provider perform better on tests. Additionally, a new impact study by KKS Advisors, commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, found schools that serve Revolution Foods saw an improvement of 13.1% in English Language Arts (ELA) test results. The bottom line is students who have access to healthier food at school perform better. Luckily, companies like Revolution Foods, which serve freshly prepared, healthy meals to students in schools nationwide including right here in the Bay Area, and other mission-driven organizations across the U.S. are empowering students to make smart food and lifestyle choices.

A colleague of mine recently saw a teenage patient who just immigrated and was severely underweight. She just didn’t have access to enough food. She couldn’t eat breakfast before coming to school because she had to take care of her younger brother and get him to daycare. Without her school breakfast and lunch programs, she would have eaten only one meal each day. With the support of these incredible meal programs, she was able to attain a normal weight. When it was time to apply to high schools, she was accepted into one of the best in the city.

As a pediatrician, I cannot do all of the work required to ensure the health of our children. Most of the building blocks for health and academic success are put in place outside of my office. Sadly though, in this wealthiest of nations, many families are unable to provide the healthy food that our children need to succeed. This combined with recent government rollbacks on school nutrition standards that have already affected the quality of meals served in schools threatens the wellbeing of our youth. If the proposed changes to SNAP are enacted, it could further jeopardize the health and success of our children and our nation.

With healthy meal programs at a crossroads, it’s crucial for lawmakers and parents to recognize the great strides we are making as a culture by providing greater access to healthy foods, such as enlisting the support of healthy school and community meal providers. After all, growing healthy minds begins with fueling healthy bodies. We can build a brighter future for our nation’s youth and families by challenging our government when they take away food supports and water down nutritional guidelines, and by impelling schools to ensure that the school lunches they do provide are as nutritious as possible.

Kim Newell Green, MD

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm a pediatrician, the President of the San Francisco Marin Medical Society, and Associate Clinical Professor at University of California San Francisco.

If Wellness Is Important to You & Your Fam, Here’s Where You Should Live

by Erica LoopMarch 8, 2019

What does living well mean to you? If healthy lifestyle, high life expectancy, low obesity, low risk for depression and government spending on healthcare are important to you, check out what LetterOne’s Global Wellness Index found.

Instead of rating riches, retail or anything else that comes with an economic edge, LetterOne’s Indigo Wellbeing Index—a global wellness ranking of over 150 countries—looked at 10 health-related metrics: blood pressure, blood glucose, obesity, depression, happiness, alcohol use, tobacco use, exercise, healthy life expectancy and government spending on healthcare. What they found was pretty surprising, especially when it comes to which countries come out on top.

If you want to live well, move to Canada, this new “wellness index” says pic.twitter.com/SSKHMq3Yw6

— Bloomberg Originals (@bbgoriginals) March 4, 2019

Using data from the World Health Organization, the World Happiness Report and other public health experts and reports, the index creators ranked which countries are the healthiest. Despite our economic size and influence, the United States isn’t at the top of the list. So which country did take top honors?

According to the index, our neighbor to the north—Canada—is the big winner, followed by Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. If you’re wondering where we stand, the United States didn’t even break into the top 25, instead ranking as number 37 out of over 150 countries ranked.

While the Indigo Wellbeing Index is certainly a comprehensive look at global health, it isn’t the only stat-based ranking. Earlier this year, Bloomberg released a similar list, naming Spain as the world’s healthiest country.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Daria Shevstova via Pexels

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What Parents Should Look for in Kid-Friendly Protein Bars

By Robin Williams

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

February 20, 2018

When looking for protein bars for kids, seek out protein bars that use whole food ingredients instead of refined sugars and supplemental protein powders such as soy. Keep an eye out for unhealthy ingredients such as hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and keep in mind that these bars shouldn’t exceed 150 calories per serving.

Check the list of ingredients to be on the look out for chemicals and added sugars like corn syrup, glucose, cane sugar and malt syrup.

The best protein bars for kids should provide a healthy balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates, vitamin-and mineral-fortified as well as be both soy-free and low in sugar, providing at least 2.5 grams of dietary fiber. Interestingly, the best protein bars for kids are not designed for kids at all, as those are generally too high in sugar and low in fiber.

It is recommended that you give your kid half a protein bar to avoid having them fill up before a proper meal. This will be enough to satiate them until dinner.

Protein Bars for Kids: Pros & Cons

While protein bars won’t replace a well-balanced meal, they can be a much healthier alternative than fast food and food in vending machines. Although protein bars can be a quick and easy option, there can be some drawbacks to offering protein bars to kids.

A protein bar can come in handy when kids need a quick energy boost after school or during sports practice. It is far better to have kids eat a protein bar than skip a meal entirely.

Although some protein bars may provide a rich supply of nutrients, other bars’ nutritional content may be closer to that of a candy bar, giving kids a quick sugar boost without the important vitamins and minerals necessary to be considered kid friendly protein bars.

Protein Bars vs. Whole Foods

Kids can just as easily meet their daily vitamin and mineral intake by having quick and easy foods that contain whole grains, fruit, vegetables and lean protein.

Most kids would actually benefit more from eating protein-rich foods like lean meats, low-fat dairy, eggs, apples and bananas with peanut butter, whole grain crackers with cheese, homemade trail mix with dried fruit with nuts and seeds and whole grain cereal. Parents should focus on providing their kid with a healthy balance of carbs, protein, fat and greens. An ideal lunch at school may be a salad, a source of protein, milk and a piece of fruit.

Having a diet based around whole foods is important for everyone but especially for growing kids, since they’re learning and establishing patterns that they’ll have to follow or break for the rest of their lives.

Homemade Protein Bars

With a few handy ingredients, you can make your very own batch of homemade low sugar protein bars for kids containing 6 grams of protein per serving. Try using a food processor or blender and stick with healthy ingredients such as creamy nut butters, natural sweeteners, crunchy nuts and dried fruit.

Featured Photo Courtesy: Brendan C via Flickr

Robin Williams

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Robin is a freelance writer and blogger for health, education, entertainment, home, and family niches. Robin lives in Los Angeles, CA and is the proud Father of one beautiful girl and husband to a wonderful Wife.

My Gestational Diabetes Ignorance

By Laurie Sage

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

December 1, 2016

Photo: Jessica Merz via Flickr Creative Commons

I’m one of those people who associate diabetes with being unhealthy, so never did I imagine that I, a vegetarian and a runner, could be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. My ignorance got the best of me when I failed my glucose tests.

At least once a week, I’d see posts from various Facebook friends expressing nerves about an upcoming glucose test, celebrating a passed glucose test, or sharing devastation about failing. I never understood the hoopla, and walked into my test thinking there was absolutely no way I could have it. Pre-pregnancy I hovered around the 110 mark, continued exercising during pregnancy, gained the right amount of weight, and ate fairly well. I was totally in the clear, right?

Wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong. When my doctor called me to tell me I failed the one-hour test and needed to set up a three-hour-test I was shocked. I was more shocked when my results for the three-hour-test came back positive.

I went directly into Google mode. Gestational diabetes doesn’t discriminate, though you have a higher chance of getting it if you’re 25 or older, have had it with a previous pregnancy, given birth previously to a baby more than nine pounds, have family members with type 2 diabetes, are obese, have a history of prediabetes, or part of specific ethnic groups. Besides the additional risk factors, women, even the fittest of women, can develop it because pregnancy hormones can block your insulin production, which you need to break down sugar.

Following my diagnosis, my doctor set me up with two classes at the hospital: a nutrition class and a blood test class.

At the nutrition class we were given handouts of what foods are carbs, the amount of carbs we should have at each meal, how to pair proteins and good fats with carbs, and that we should be eating well balanced meals five times a day – three meals and two snacks. We filled out sheets as to what we can eat daily, and were quizzed on how many servings pre-packaged food actually contained.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. I walked out in tears: In addition to feeling overwhelmed by my new diet that I thought was unattainable, it hit me that I had already failed at being a mother and I haven’t even given birth. Gestational diabetes puts your unborn child at risk of injuries during birth because GD babies tend to be larger, low blood sugar and mineral levels at birth, jaundice, preterm birth, breathing issues, and still-birth.

My husband is extremely health conscious and helped me with a meal plan right away. Adjusting to the diet ended up being the easy part of the diagnosis. I already was eating the right foods, I just needed to portion and pair them correctly. My day now consisted of the following:

Breakfast:

– Oatmeal with flaxseeds and skim milk

Mid-morning snack:

– Non-fat Greek yogurt with strawberries

Lunch:

– Tofurkey and cheese sandwich

Afternoon snack:

– Orange and string cheese

Dinner:

– Egg white sandwich

I still regularly took spin classes and yoga, so I would add in an extra snack, which would consist of either carrots and hummus, or a serving of walnuts. I’d “indulge” with a Yasso Greek frozen yogurt bar, as well.

The blood test class was the following week. Though I’ve long gotten over my fear of needles, the finger prick was always the most painful in my opinion. I was pretty nervous to do this to myself. In this class we were given the kit that our insurance covered, then went around the room and one at a time, tested our blood. It took me a few tries because I was so scared! I wasn’t pressing it close enough to my finger to actually draw blood, but when I did, it wasn’t painful at all, which is good because I’d be doing it four times a day until baby arrived!

Like I said, the new diet was the easy part, scheduling the blood tests gave me anxiety regularly. I tested my blood first thing in the morning, then an hour after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Before I’d leave for work in the morning I had already pricked my finger twice. I had to time my breakfast so that I would still be home to test my blood in an hour and then leave for work and still get there on time. Between that, and my almost hour-long NYC commute in the warm weather while in my third trimester, by the time I got to work I was already stressed out.

The diagnosis taught me so much about food (I haven’t eaten ketchup since!) and how to eat a balanced meal. I tracked my carb intake and my blood sugar with the miser Logbook app, and because I stuck to my strict plan, my numbers were always perfect! I was so proud that I was able to keep my GD in check and keep baby healthy!

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Laurie Sage

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm a preemie mommy trying my best to navigate my new life as a working mom. I miss sleep, spin class, and trashy reality television, but wouldn't trade it for the world!

You’ll Flipper For This Seal Sanctuary

by Sylvie GreilJanuary 13, 2016

If you’re looking for something new to see by the sea, we’ve got a place you can bring the kids to meet some of the cutest critters around, and learn something while you’re at it. The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro is a hospital with a very different kind of patient: the inhabitants here are mostly baby seals who have lost their moms and cannot feed themselves, along with other sick or injured sea mammals. Your own pups will learn how these pinnipeds* are cared for and how helpers here prepare to return them to the wild.