Writer’s Envy

Posted on May 31, 2018 by rachelzinmanyoga

I don’t think I’ve ever said this but I have writers envy. I know…I know…it’s probably nuts to say this but after spending two days with Australia’s top diabetes bloggers and advocates at the Dx2sydney2018 event hosted by Abbot, it’s hard not to feel awestruck in their presence.

My jaw dropped when Renza Scibilia from Diabetogenic casually mentioned that she knows exactly how long it takes her to write a blog and that it’s all of 7 minutes. When I pointed out how incredible that was because I swear each piece of writing is breathtakingly brilliant and meaningful and something I believe every person with diabetes should read, she insists that because she doesn’t review what she writes or even check it for grammar that surely it’s not.

Each person at the Dx2 event has a strong voice in the diabetes space here in Australia. I read what they write voraciously and they are no less passionate in person. Behind every blog is a person with a message and a mission. I feel grateful to be amongst them even though I do feel like the odd one out. As one of our presenters put it, I’m the yoga lady.

This was my second Dx2event. The last one was in Melbourne and full disclosure: Abbot paid for my accommodation, travel, and food with no expectation that I would write about the event or my experiences. The opinions shared here are my own.

The main purpose of the event is to share conversations about diabetes, diabetes tech, and advocacy. We were also there to trial the freestyle librelink an app which works on both Android and iPhone. You use your phone to scan instead of the reader. I’ll talk more about the app and my experience in a sec.

When Renza asked us to share one thing that we’d received from attending it was hard to know what to say. Having just returned from the US and meeting so many bloggers and advocates who are all doing such great work I couldn’t help reflecting on how different our role as bloggers are here in Australia. We are not fighting for the same things all though we are living with the same condition. Here our medical supplies and insulin is subsidized. We have organizations that lobby for us at the federal level and we also have state organizations that advocate and spread awareness.

The Online Diabetes Community is still relatively new. We are a small band of warriors who aren’t afraid to speak to tech companies and let them know what they could do better. We are willing to go off-label and experiment to have better control and we don’t shy away from expressing frustration and our vulnerability.

And at the same time, we are dealing with health care providers who are slow to adopt technology and organizations that have outdated systems. Everyone is doing their best to upgrade the dinosaur but as Greg Johnson the CEO of Diabetes Australia shared, the main issue is that we don’t have interoperability, the ability of computer systems or software to exchange and make use of information. Put simply, when the devices can’t speak to each other it’s a pain in the bum!

That’s why upgrades like the freestyle librelink are exciting and useful.

As Renza put it in her blog, “ I am all about making diabetes easier. I frequently say that I lament the days when I could run out the door with my phone, keys and wallet and nothing more. Diabetes doesn’t really allow us to do that, thanks to all the paraphernalia we need to carry with is. While we still will need to carry lots of kit, by doubling up our mobile phone as a sensor scanner, we are able to take one thing less with us in our (oversized) diabetes kit bag.”

Yep, making life with diabetes easier is my goal too. It’s why I mentioned the possibility of a pump trial in my previous blog and why I diligently stick to a twice daily yoga practice to keep up my insulin sensitivity. Handy apps and diabetes tech definitely helps too.

As most of you know I am a HUGE fan of the freestyle libre. Definitely, love the Australian version with the one-hour startup and 14-day lifespan. When I first heard about the librelink I was super keen to try it. Now that I have I am totally on board and here’s why;

I love the idea of being able to scan directly from my phone
There’s more info on the app than on the reader like a home screen which has the last reading you took, your glucose graph and estimated Hba1c
You can scroll back over the data in the graph to see what your readings were
It has the same great features as the reader with better color combos.
It has a text sound feature kind of like Siri where you can audibly hear your glucose readings if you’re driving or its night time

Even though I love the app there were also a few hiccups during the 24-hour trial.

It only runs on an iPhone 7 or higher or an android phone. I don’t have an iPhone 7( I’m still happy with my 5s) so not sure I’d want to purchase a cheap android as then I’d still be stuck with an extra device in my bag.
On the iPhone you have to make sure the app is open and you have to push a “ check glucose” button. You can’t just wave the phone over the reader with the phone on screensaver. This is not ideal for overnight so you would still need to use the reader.
The phone has to be placed in a certain spot to scan the sensor. Even a few millimeters out and it misses it. Which means sometimes you’re doing a lot of waving around with your phone which could look anything but discreet.
I kept getting an error message telling me the sensor was already linked to a different device. I usually had to wait a few seconds for it to pass but it wasn’t an instant reading.

You can definitely use the reader and the phone at the same time as long as you scan the sensor with the reader first and then scan the phone within the 60 minute start-up period. I like this option because it means you can use the phone when out and about and the reader at night for the convenience of an instant scan.

The phone like the reader doesn’t have alarms, something blogger Matt Bendall ardently argued for during the event. So even with the librelink app, it’s still a flash glucose monitoring system. Something we discussed too was the subject of data overwhelm and how the freestyle libre offers an alternative to that. Having never used a Dexcom or Medtronic myself I can’t comment or compare. Personally, I like the scan option which means I test when I want to. I definitely get an adrenaline rush when I see a trending arrow that goes straight down or up so I couldn’t imagine how much panic would ensue if I had alarms. But that’s me. I tend to overreact to everything and why I do yoga!

So what do I think? I’m giving it the Two Thumbs UP. The app is launching June 5^th here in Australia and I’ll be linking up as soon as I upgrade my phone. Now I have an incentive.

I am so grateful that Abbot hosts these Dx2events, not just because we get to try out new gadgets but because I get to spend two days learning more about what it means to live with diabetes. There is nothing more precious than peer support, friendship and being able to laugh about things that no one else would understand.

As someone shared on the last day it’s these sorts of events that fill up our cups. Right now mines’s full to overflowing.

If you’d like to check out my brilliant blogger buddies here in Australia click the links below

Renza of Diabetogenic

Frank of Type 1 Writes

Drew of Drew’s Daily Dose

Melinda of Twice Diabetes

Tanya of The Leveled Life

David of Bionic Wookiee

Jenna from Typeonevibes

Ashley from Bitter Sweet Diagnosis

Matt Bendall

Kim Henshaw

Diabetes All Stars

Posted on March 30, 2018 by rachelzinmanyoga

Bump! I’ve landed in Australia after an action-packed book tour in the USA. Whilst there I was fortunate to spend time with and learn from some of the most inspiring diabetes advocates out there. These people are not just living with diabetes, they are thriving and giving back in whatever way they can to the DOC and beyond. Whether heading out together for a walk, meeting at a conference, sharing and teaching together, or supporting each other online each person touched me in a unique way. To me these guys are legends and DIABETES ALL STARS!

This week’s blog is all about the work they share out in the world and some of the sweet things they have shared with me about, Yoga for Diabetes, How to Manage your Health with Yoga and Ayurveda. To really give these guys a proper introduction I highly recommend listening to this track as you read.

Cynthia Zuber was my first online diabuddy. I reached out to her when I found her on YouTube speaking about Yoga and Diabetes at a yoga conference. Cynthia runs a facebook page and blog. She has had Type 1 for 31 years and also lives with other chronic autoimmune conditions. Her strength of spirit and willingness to share her ups and downs through her facebook page and blog are an inspiration to her followers. It was truly special to finally meet Cynthia in person. We went for a mammoth walk around one of the oldest malls in the country and talked non-stop.

“Rachel’s book is filled with artistry and beauty. My body was instantly filled with goosebumps as I perused the pages, full of so much wonder and practical information that is easy to assimilate into my life. Her writing is engaging, like chatting with a close friend that shares just enough information to help you feel intimate and connected. Here I am reading about the power of thoughts! Ready to upgrade my health and life through Rachel’s teachings. I’m so grateful for her passion and wisdom.

I met Karen Rose Tank during the crowdfunding campaign for the book. We instantly hit it off and I insisted on interviewing her. She is one of the most supportive people I have ever met and can help anyone living with any type of diabetes to thrive. Karen is the best! You can find her at RoseHealthCoaching.com or her FB page

“Here I am in my home office where I coach people near and far on finding the foods and lifestyle practices to help them achieve their weight, diabetes, and blood sugar goals…. lovingly and compassionately from my 22 years of my own life with type 1 diabetes… plus certifications and trainings in Integrative Nutrition, health coaching, chronic disease and diabetes peer group coaching, low-carb, hands-on cooking groups, and yes… several yoga teacher trainings. I’m reading the chapter on “setting up a home practice”… as I struggle with a home practice and use classes to keep me in the flow. Luckily I belong to a Fitness and Wellness Center where I can take unlimited classes with fabulous instructors. Over the years I’ve had a home practice, but then something shifts, and I have a hard time settling in a personal spot. Thanks, Rachel for writing about this important step!”

What can I say about Asha Brown the founder of We Are Diabetes. She is an action-packed powerful bundle of energy with a mission to support people in the diabetes space who live with eating disorders. Before I met Asha in person I followed her work closely. Having spent years as a dancer and having all sorts of issues with body image I feel her work is not only important it’s life-changing. As I’ve listened to her talks and met her in person she’s inspired me to reflect on my own disordered eating while trying to manage my diabetes. We are Diabetes is a nonprofit charity. I urge you to support her truly healing mission

“There are so many things I love about Rachel Zinman’s Yoga For Diabetes. Her suggestions on how to compliment and balance the Vata, Pitta and Kapha energies through specific sequences is definitely one of the highlights for me!”

Marina Tsaplina, one of my all-time heroines, touched me deeply during an interview with Daniele Hargenrader where she spoke about the fragility of living with diabetes. Usually, we are told that we can do anything with diabetes. Marina talked about restrictions. and how we have a sensitivity that makes us unique. As an artist, puppeteer and scholar who brings the issue of mental health to the diabetes space Marina has been reaching out through her organization thebetes to physicians, caregivers, families, and people living with diabetes with a puppet show that addresses the “elephant in the room” Marina and I had the chance to meet and hang out in person in New York City. Her work is profound and moving and made me realize how important it is to feel all my emotions when it comes to living with diabetes.

” Chronic illness pierces our bodies: it pierces us on the level of body, breath, and bone. We must give extra attention to the shape and effects of our embodiments. And here is the great truth that is kept hidden from too many of us: The practice of breath and body contemplation is what it means to heal while living with chronic illness. This is my cure. I am alive today. I breathe today. I am in this body today. My life is today, and it is made of what I practice. Thank you, Rachel, for the wisdom you have gifted to the diabetes community through your book. ”

I was lucky enough to Skype with Dr. Jody Stanislaw after reaching out to her to her about how to manage insulin with exercise. Having lived with diabetes since a young age and being passionate about alternative approaches to management we had an immediate sympatico. Not only does she have a wealth of knowledge from her own experience of living with T1D she is a trained naturopathic doctor, type 1 diabetes specialist, CDE and yogi. I can’t think of a better guide if you’re newly diagnosed or wanting to improve your A1c. Sign up for a free consult here.

“The photos are so bright and beautiful! I equally love the great info but especially the simple and practical poses with the benefits and variations included as well. Such a stunning and unique book…yoga for diabetes! Thank you, Rachel!

My next diabetes all-star is the truly motivational Christel Oerum from Diabetes Strong. I met Christel and her partner Tobias when they asked me to create a yoga sequence for their online challenge. We connected in person at the Diabetes Sisters Conference. Christel knows a ton about diabetes and exercise. In fact, I just reviewed her new fit with diabetes ebook in my previous blog. Christel has motivated me to do all sorts of things like hang out in karaoke bars, inject in new places and walk straight up a hill on a hike in Malibu. If you’d like to work with Christel as a personal trainer go here.

“I was actually looking at the dosha questionnaire again. I wanted to see if it has changed from when I did it the first time after your presentation. I think it’s hard to objectively do it for myself but I think it’s shifted a bit.”

I read Lauren Bongiorno’s post on Beyond Type 1 and I knew I wanted her to be part of the all-star team because this woman is the real deal. She is a Diabetic Health Coach, Author, Yoga Instructor, and Wellness Speaker. Lauren’s motto? “through challenge we find our strength. It is up to us to Decide + Conquer.” Her latest and most exciting venture is ” The Diabetic Health Journal” an easy to use, action-oriented, mindful approach to improving diabetes management mind, body, and soul. If you’d like to connect and work with Lauren go here.

“What I love most about Rachel’s book is that it ties in the Ayurvedic constitutions. All yoga poses have the potential to benefit people with diabetes but Rachel takes it a step further by making it even more specific to each individual. My favorite part of Yoga for Diabetes specifically is the chapter including the Pitta sequence. As someone with a higher pitta dosha, I can be very intense and goal oriented, which can sometimes stress me out and lead me to burn out, making me more prone to erratic blood sugar numbers. I naturally gravitate towards more heated yoga flows + circuit training and have the hardest time slowing down. For the past few years, I’ve Ayurvedically manipulated my diet to help cool off my pitta nature, but can fine tune it through yoga. In her book, Rachel provides a soothing, calming, and surrender focused sequence that I will for sure be adding to my home practice weekly!!”

So that’s it! Now you know how many all-stars are out there to support you on your journey with diabetes. And there are a ton more. People all over the world, writing, sharing, loving and living well with this condition and helping others.

As I was sharing with my CDE and Endo just a few days ago without Peer Support I would not be doing as well as I am.. That and YOGA!

With great respect…

Rachel

P.S if you’d like to attend an in-person event with me in Australia go here and if you’d like to work with me one on one I am offering online yoga sessions here

Fit with Diabetes: An e-book review

Posted on March 13, 2018March 13, 2018 by rachelzinmanyoga

I’ll never forget how it felt to step on my yoga mat to practice the day after I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2008. I was distraught, afraid and disillusioned. The tears flowed like a river and I couldn’t imagine the road ahead. My doctor had armed me with some pamphlets and told me to google diabetes. Back then I wasn’t on insulin and still had quite a bit of my beta cell function so worrying about insulin and exercise wasn’t an issue. My practice that day took me on a journey. With every pose, I felt myself calming down. The more I followed my breath the less my mind freaked out. By the end, I felt restored and ready. Ready to confront what lay ahead.

At diagnosis, I thought I had to tackle diabetes on my own, I didn’t know there was a thriving community of people supporting each other with diabetes and I hadn’t met Christel Oerum the founder of Diabetes Strong.

Christel is a powerhouse who hasn’t let diabetes stop her. She’s tall, strong and looks like a warrior goddess. After meeting her in person, I can attest to the fact that she’s a motivator of note. We met at the Diabetes Sisters Conference in October. I was in charge of leading the yoga classes and she was leading the morning fitness workout. Our approaches couldn’t be more different but our message is the same. Working with the body is a total buzz.

Recently Christel asked me to check out her new e-book, Fit with Diabetes which is all about how to incorporate exercise and healthy eating into your daily life with diabetes.

Having started fast-acting insulin just 7 weeks ago I am now much more concerned about how exercise impacts my blood sugar levels. Being someone who loves to walk, swim, dance and do yoga I’ve been concerned about having too much insulin on board. Christel’s book and her message couldn’t have come at a better time.

The book begins with Christel’s personal story, not so much about her diagnosis but her discovery of how to work with insulin and exercise. She looked everywhere in the traditional medical and diabetes community for answers and no one could give her a precise formula so she decided to create her own.

What I love about Christel’s writing style and the format of this book is that everything is in easy to digest bytes. The first chapter sets the scene for assessing our goals and motivation for getting fit with diabetes.

As she states clearly, “in order to start any new fitness regime you need, clear and realistic goals for what you want to achieve and the (positive) motivation that will allow you to work towards your goals on a daily basis”

She then heads into some real-life examples of how she’s helped her clients to set measurable goals. Throughout the book, she either refers to her own life experience or the experiences of others. As the reader it makes me feel like I can make the necessary changes to be fitter and healthier.

The chapters that follow are about the different types of exercise and how diabetes might impact your blood sugar management. Topics like diabetes and cardio, diabetes and resistance training include relevant information like; how to manage each type of workout with a pump or MDI (multiple daily injections). She also covers how to reduce the risk of low blood sugar during and after exercise.

Her explanations are clear and supportive. She even provides a chapter on how to find your unique formula to take the mystery out of the math I feel I have to do every time I set out to exercise. If you’re still not sure about diving into the different types of workouts there are more case studies and real-life examples to relate to.

After you’ve found your individual formula she moves on to describe how to design your own home or gym work out. Throughout the book, you’ll find inspiring photos of Christel doing various workouts including a series of workouts you can implement straight away.

One of my favorite chapters is the one on nutrition and exercise and why it’s so important to have a healthy diet. As food is such a minefield in the diabetes world I like how she emphasizes that her approach to eating has to do with fuelling her workouts. In my opinion, she has a great attitude. We need a certain number of calories and carbs to approach different types of workouts and it’s not one size fits all. This chapter is all about working out your daily calorie and carb intake and includes some nutritious meal plans and how to create your own meal plans. The photos of Christel’s meals are mouth-watering!

Finally, there is a chapter on diabetes and losing weight. As she says, “weight management with diabetes can be done. It’s not impossible and it’s not out of reach”

This chapter is all about understanding the relationship between weight, insulin and calorie intake and what to do about it. I know for myself one of my concerns with starting a full insulin regime was that I’d gain weight. Understanding the mechanics of what actually causes weight gain helped me to reframe my thinking.

I have been learning on my journey with diabetes that what I need to nourish myself, how I respond to insulin and how exercise affects me is unique. Experimenting, try new things and finding peer support are all ways I stay balanced and well with diabetes.

So what do I think of this book? A huge thumbs up!!! I’ll be referring to this informative, inspiring and motivating book, again and again, to find confidence and support as I continue to navigate my life with diabetes. Thanks Christel for creating this incredible resource!

Go here to find out more about the Fit with Diabetes e-book by Christel Oerum and get your own copy

with great respect…

Christel and me on a walk in the Malibu hills just last week 🙂

I’m Possible

Posted on January 22, 2018 by rachelzinmanyoga

What I love most about the Diabetes Online Community is the beauty that flourishes through sharing our stories. Today I wanted to share a guest post by Doris Hobbs the founder of Rich in Love. Doris reached out to me just after my crowdfunding campaign and shared her story with me. Type 1 diabetes runs in her close family. Her courage in accepting her eventual diagnosis and how she met it with glamour and determination is the subject of her blog. In her guest post, she shares how attitude and mindset help her to manage her disease with grace. Take it away Doris!

I was diagnosed with diabetes at 33, I would have never imagined that just 3 years later I’d see this auto-immune disease as a gift rather than a curse.

10 months before my diagnosis I lived in uncrated fear, unwilling to admit I could be a diabetic. With each passing month, my life slipped from underneath me. I began to lose weight rapidly, a feeling of fatigue followed each action, endless thirst and blurred vision with momentary blindness; I was fighting to stay alive and ironically knew the solution and chose to ignore it.

The night I was hospitalized I was near death later discovering my A1C was 11.2%. If I hadn’t sought medical attention I would have eventually slipped into a coma during the night. While the doctor shared my laboratory results, I clearly remember staring at the cold white walls of the emergency room, a number of IV’s stationary in my veins and saying to myself with determination, “I will find a cure, this is not my ending”. From that moment, I’ve gone on an empowering life journey as a type 1 diabetic seeking a cure. For what others say is impossible I see as possible as I know I’m possible.

Diabetes has allowed me to view the world I want to create, not the world I currently live in.

I am proud to share I currently have an A1C of 5.9% pre-diabetic, with the goal of 5.6% in the next year ahead (approx. 6/2018). How did I reach this astonishing result? Through the daily practice of leading a health-conscious mindset that is fed by a BE-DO-HAVE Paradigm Shift, in addition to clean eating, the knowledge of our bodies biochemistry and a daily fitness routine.

When I was diagnosed I didn’t want to wear a pump or go on an impractical diet plan, instead, my desire was to create a new lifestyle, something of substance which in return would only enrich my life positively.

Have you ever wondered what was on the other side of life for you? It’s quite simple to know because, what you want, wants you. We forget that our actions, daily behavior, and spoken words carry enormous weight in creating our reality.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue,” King Solomon once said. Whether we realize it or not, we are shaping our future by the words we use every day.

Change is inevitable. Nothing stays still. Life is in constant motion shifting you through positivity and setbacks, but if you take a closer look at those hardships you’ll find a hint of glamour, I did with the mindset to not allow my diagnosis to define my existence. Now, with a footing in what my true purpose in life is I awake each morning with gratitude for another day to inspire others with glamour, a story, authenticity, and an unbinding courage to never give up despite what my day or diabetes may bring.

Try and remember that each day; you become what you think of most. Rather than registering difficult thoughts, look around you and make note of what you appreciate most in life. There is hidden treasure filled with fortune if you do.

Since my diagnosis I’ve brought a message of positivity through worldwide media exposure for several prestigious diabetes organizations: Beyond Type 1, JDRF, American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Alive, and T1D Exposed. I’ve also been featured on Hawaii News Now, 101.7 KKIQ, 92.1 KKDV, Healtheo360, Diabetes Connections, East Bay Times, Diabetes Power show, T1D Exposed Nude Calendar Advocacy Project, Bay Area Focus, and Diabetes Late Nite for my advocate efforts.

At the end, exploring your health and evaluating the areas that are in need of change will enable you to develop constructive behavior. By being proactive you are bringing freedom and new meaning to not only your life but to those who cross your path.

Live in love, find your inner peace and abundance will follow.

A San Francisco based Luxury Liaison, Doris Hobbs bridges the world of MEDIA with unmistakable elegance through both written Storytelling & Visual Imagery. Known as the Creative Visionary of Rich in Love, an accomplished Media Maven and Fashion Doyenne she has partnered with some of today’s Leading Publications and Television Networks. Named by Diablo Magazine as “Best of the East Bay”, featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, InStyle Magazine, Hawaii News Now, CBS13/CW31 and KPIX-TV CBS television networks. Doris continues to breathe new life into her sought-after glamour persona & profitable branding campaigns while maintaining a voice as a Diabetes Awareness Advocate.

Twitter: doris_hobbs
IG: richinlovefashion
FB: doris.hobbs
Web: richinlovefashion.com

Why prick when your can scan?

Posted on August 11, 2017 by rachelzinmanyoga

Disclosure: I’ve just returned from the two-day #dx2Melbourne blogging event hosted by Abbot, the makers of the Freestyle libre, a flash glucose monitoring technology which has the tag line, “Why prick when you can scan?” I was sponsored by Abbott to participate in the program. They paid for my flight to Melbourne, put me up in a hotel, gave me two free sensors, a reader, and a goodie bag. I am in no way obligated to write about my experience at the event and the opinions and views expressed here are my own.

I was first introduced to the freestyle libre flash glucose monitoring system last year by my CDE and Endo. They thought, that being a LADA and still producing some insulin, that it would be interesting to see what sort of data they could glean from seeing my levels plotted on a graph over time. They were also curious to see how my yoga practice and low carb diet would affect things.

The two-week trial went like a dream. My levels stayed in range, I hardly knew the sensor was there and for the first time since being diagnosed I slept through the night. When I went back for the evaluation they asked why I thought my levels had been so good? (because truly they’ve NEVER been that good)

All I could think of was that my fear of going low had been taken out of the equation. Overall I was less stressed and more confident.

After going through quite a few sensors and having a range of experiences, both great and not so great since the initial trial, I was excited to attend the #dx2Melbourne event and hear more about the product. I was also very curious to meet other bloggers who live with type 1 diabetes. In fact, I was so excited that I felt like one of those kids who are about to meet their pen pals for the first time at camp.

I think I might need to devote a whole other blog to what it felt like to meet some of my diabetes heroes for the first time but in a nut shell… it was inspiring, intense, reassuring and heartfelt. Each person manages their life with diabetes in a unique way. Our discussions were robust (a word that everyone used to describe our passionate feelings) and there was definitely a lot of strong opinions. What I loved most was that none of us shied away from expressing different viewpoints on any given topic.

Being new to the discussion (most of the bloggers were at the #dx2Sydney event when the freestyle libre launched last year) I found myself stepping back, taking a breath and pondering.

One thing that stood out strongly was that because we are bloggers in the diabetes space we have to be aware of what’s happening with diabetes not only in Australia but globally.

That awareness inspires advocacy.

Most people living with diabetes aren’t going beyond what doctors are telling them or seeking out communities and or more information. It certainly didn’t occur to me when I was first diagnosed. In fact, I remember one doctor telling me NOT to google diabetes and that I could live normally as long as I took insulin, ate well and exercised.

When Greg Johnson the CEO of Diabetes Australia spoke during the event he disclosed that the issues at the founding of the organization in 1957 are the issues we are still dealing with today, “Insulin does NOT solve the problem.”

That’s why gatherings, support groups and events like these are so important. I can’t begin to express what it feels like to sit at lunch with people who casually check their blood sugar, and then take their shot. No one judges or questions because what we do to manage our diabetes is part of our every day lives.

So besides making lots of new dia-buddies and normalizing my life with diabetes, this event did have great takeaways that I’d love to share.

First up was Mahmood Kazemi, senior director of Abbott global medical & scientific affairs. I’m not really a statistics gal but I was impressed when he shared that after gathering unidentifiable data from over 55,343 readers (the device you scan over the sensor to find out your BG level) an average of 16.3 scans a day affords better glucose control and lower A1c’s.

He also mentioned that things like ingesting large amounts of vitamin C, exposing the sensor to sunlight, or fast changes in environment like going from a dark to light space can throw off sensor readings. Abbott takes sensor faults seriously and sometimes they even reverse engineer a faulty sensor.

There were some questions from the group about scar tissue build up around the sensors, allergic reactions and whether Abbot will be recommending other sites, besides the backs of the arms. Apparently, they haven’t tested accuracy “officially” beyond the arm sites but anecdotal evidence suggests that the accuracy remains consistent wherever you put it.

One of our Bloggers, Matt was keen to know when the sensor would have an alarm Mahmood reminded us that the device is not designed to be CGM, it’s a different technology with a different purpose.

As a group we discussed the pro’s and cons of blogging…and later we talked more with guest speaker Isabelle Skinner about online personas and how the digital community can bring people together to create change. We had another robust discussion about the difference between coercion and saying things like, “this worked for me to help me manage my diabetes.” And what it means to be a trustworthy genuine source of information online.

A highlight of the event was heading into the Melbourne CBD to learn how to create great images for our blogs as was the live webcast on the emotional side of living with diabetes with Lisa Robins who specializes in diabetes clinical psychology.

The big question?

Did we think it would be useful to have professional psychological support on diagnosis (YES!) and what are ways that we stay positive with diabetes.

Something I shared was how gratitude had really helped me. Focusing on what’s working rather than what’s not and giving myself a break…

Which included not being offended when the planned yoga for diabetes class with the group early Sunday morning was canceled. I didn’t get a chance to ask but am curious to know why no one wanted to attend the free class. The lack of attendance has sparked a determination in me to address the issue of ignorance around this word YOGA and what people feel it represents.

More food for that in blogs to come….

In the meantime, I would highly recommend checking out what my fellow bloggers had to say about their experience of the event.

Renza of Diabetogenic

Frank of Type 1 Writes

Matt of Afrezza Down Under

Drew of Drew’s Daily Dose

Georgie of Lazy Pancreas

Kim of 1 Type 1 and Oz Diabetes Online Community

Melinda of Twice Diabetes

Tanya of The Leveled Life

Helen of Diabetes Can’t Stop Me

Alana of The Enlightened Diabetic

With great respect… Rachel

P.S. What if there was an easy way to feel better, have extra confidence and be more relaxed about managing your diabetes?

Yoga absolutely helped me and I’m convinced it can help you too

Join me on September 1, 2017 for my free yoga challenge

“Better Diabetes Management in 7 steps with Yoga”

The wonder and magic of a life with diabetes

Posted on May 15, 2017May 15, 2017 by rachelzinmanyoga

Woohoo! It’s here! Diabetes Blog Week!

For the next 5 days I’ll be writing on a specific topic along with other diabetes bloggers, sharing how I navigate the world of diabetes. Below is the first topic and my corresponding thoughts.

Tell us about some good things diabetes has brought into your life that you never could have expected?

The nervous system is a delicate thing, tiny fibers that crisscross the body and send signals from your brain to different key areas, telling it to move, breath, digest, feel etc. For some reason nine years ago, mine started to go haywire. Being a long time yogi I consulted my yoga books to see what the problem might be. After months of research, I reached my conclusion.

I was in the middle of a spiritual crisis.

Thinking that I was on the fast track to enlightenment wasn’t necessarily the best approach. For starters, it kept me from questioning my physical symptoms or seeking medical answers. If I had known that diabetes isn’t something you get from poor diet and lifestyle, or that it doesn’t just affect children, I would have dug deeper.

Back then there wasn’t much awareness about the signs and symptoms of diabetes. Even now when I tell people I have Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults ( LADA) they scratch their heads and look at me funny.

Finding out that there was a reason for the strange jittery sensations, erratic digestion, food sensitivities, a constant sugary taste on my tongue and the feelings of exhaustion was a total relief. It’s not that I was happy to have diabetes, it’s just that my search for answers caused so much internal havoc, that having an actual diagnosis released the pressure valve.

I cried a lot those first few weeks after diagnosis. It felt so good to let go.

It’s been quite a journey since then and aside from those initial feelings of relief, I spent years trying everything I could to conquer the beast. What I’ve learned though is that you can’t ‘conquer’ diabetes. It’s not a country you can invade and call home.

Am I the proud owner of a life with diabetes? hmmm….it’s hard to put that answer into words…

What I can say is that diabetes has changed me for the better. It’s made me raw, honest and put my feet on the ground. It’s also motivated me to open up and share through my writing more about what it means to live with chronic illness and spread awareness about the disease.

Diabetes has also inspired me to be deeply grateful. I used to take life for granted. I’d wake up every morning, dive into the day and never stop and think. Wow! I’m alive.

Now, I make a concerted effort to stop, look around me, drink in the beauty of this life and remember…

Life is precious. It’s not a given.

If you’d like to find out more about how yoga can help you manage your diabetes each and every day check out the rest of my blog and if you’d like to get the first chapter of my book for free go here

With great respect…Rachel

Diabetes Blog week Day 7 Rachel Zinman Yoga for diabetes blog

Continuing Connections

Posted on May 17, 2015 by rachelzinmanyoga

It’s been a big week! I’ve taught Yoga in Italy and Switzerland and managed to keep up my commitment to blog for Diabetes Blog Week for 7 days. A first for me as I lead such an active life that it’s hard to commit to doing something, other then my work, consistently and to a topic. So first, a big THANK YOU to Karen Graffeo for spearheading this truly uplifting project.

I have read as many blogs as I could and have learned a lot. The main thing has been to realise that I’m not alone in all this. This was truly brought home last night when during my nightly injection half the insulin didn’t seem to go in. I’d read about it in my LADA support group but didn’t actually understand what it meant until it happened to me. I was completely freaked out when I pulled out the needle and the Insulin squirted all over the bathroom counter. I immediately went online and asked for advice and within minutes people responded. I went to sleep feeling relaxed and reassured. I reckon the diabetes online community is full of super heroes!

There are two bloggers whom I really connected with this week one was Frank from Type 1 writes . His honest story telling is real and meaningful. I also fell in love with Coffee and Insulin’s writing style and her ability to take us on a journey to different countries while making us laugh! Both these blogs had so many great posts during the week I can’t share just one.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to read my blog and for commenting and will continue to share my journey with Yoga and Diabetes and to stay on track with regular blogging.

It’s early Sunday morning here in Italy and the last day of our yoga immersion so I better get off the computer and prepare my food for the day…I think I’ll make….Bliss balls just for a change!