0:20

Welcome back to the Healthy Diabetic Podcast

0:23

. Before we get started , please remember that nothing that you

0:25

hear on this podcast or we consider medical advice

0:27

or otherwise . Please always consult

0:29

your medical team before making any changes

0:31

to your diabetes management

0:34

. Also , make sure that you like , subscribe

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review , every five-star review , really

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helps the show grow , and the show is continuing to

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grow every single week . I really appreciate

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all of you for continuing to come on

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every single week and listen

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and engage in these conversations . I really

0:59

hope that you're getting some really good value out

1:01

of all of these conversations , because

1:05

you're why I'm doing this . You're why I'm doing

1:07

this . I started this podcast

1:10

in 2020 , during COVID , as

1:13

something really cool to do , and it's really

1:15

involved , evolved into something special

1:18

for me being able to have a platform

1:20

to talk about diabetes , but also

1:22

, hopefully , for you guys , being able to get a

1:24

lot of value out of my thought processes

1:27

and the thought processes of the guests

1:29

that I'm bringing on . Again , thank you for all

1:31

of you for continuing to listen every

1:33

single week If you know someone

1:36

that you think could

1:38

get value out of these episodes and these conversations

1:40

. Please share the podcast with that

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special person . We

1:45

all could use a positive voice

1:47

in our day , in our

1:49

week , in our month , in our year . All

1:51

of us could use that positive voice and I really hope

1:53

this podcast is that for you and

1:55

someone special to you . Okay

1:58

, let's dive into this , because I'm really

2:00

pumped about this episode

2:02

. If you've been following

2:04

me for the past I don't know three

2:06

, four , five months you know that

2:08

I've been talking a lot about nutrition . You

2:10

know I've been talking a lot about A1C

2:13

and I have not

2:15

made my thought processes and my

2:17

feelings about this A1C number

2:21

secret , and we're going

2:23

to talk a little bit more about this today . I'm

2:25

sure you're intrigued by the title of this episode

2:28

. This is a brand new series and I'm going to get

2:30

started here on the podcast . I'm really pumped for it

2:32

. I got 20-some different topics

2:34

all designated around

2:37

this thought process of diabetes , non-negotiables

2:39

. What are the non-negotiables and diabetes

2:41

that I really focus on ? I'm

2:44

really excited to bring these topics to you Today

2:46

. It's A1C non-negotiable

2:48

. What does that mean for me

2:50

, a1c

2:52

? For me , my non-negotiable with

2:54

A1C is I do

2:57

not allow whatever

2:59

. My A1C number is every three to

3:01

four months when I get it done . I

3:03

do not allow that number to define who

3:05

I am as a diabetic . The reason I say

3:07

that is because you probably , like me

3:09

, are someone who , when you were first

3:11

diagnosed maybe you are first

3:13

diagnosed you probably have been

3:16

in a position where you're

3:18

putting the blame game on yourself

3:20

. You probably have been in a position

3:22

where you have

3:25

been identified or

3:27

felt compelled

3:30

about that A1C

3:32

number . The reality and the truth

3:34

of the matter is too

3:37

many people in

3:39

our community , too

3:41

many diabetics , stay

3:44

so hyper-focused on this A1C number

3:46

that it overwhelms

3:48

everything else . The A1C

3:51

, your A1C , that you get every three to

3:53

four months , all it is

3:55

is a tool . That is what I look

3:57

at with this number . It is a tool because

3:59

it can give me some insight on what has been

4:01

going on . Here

4:04

is the example my previous

4:06

A1C , about six months ago , was

4:08

6.1 . I have been basically 6.1

4:11

for the past year and a half

4:13

, almost two years . This past one

4:15

that I got in November was 6.4

4:17

. Why is that ? That is a great question

4:19

, because when we get these numbers

4:21

whether it is higher than your previous

4:23

one , lower than your previous one , the same

4:26

as your previous one . That number can

4:28

give you insight and clarity on

4:30

what could possibly be going on with

4:33

your blood sugars . For me , that

4:35

is a a difficult

4:37

number to take , but I know

4:39

why that number happened . That

4:42

number happened because I

4:44

had two really big sicknesses

4:46

in that three to four month span GI

4:49

bugs that knocked me down . So my appetite

4:51

was jacked up , my exercise routine was

4:53

jacked up , my food intake was jacked

4:55

up . So all of these things were

4:57

happening . Because

5:00

of these two things

5:02

that happened , these two sicknesses that happened . Also

5:06

, I had multiple way

5:08

more than usual , multiple site

5:11

problems . Insulin

5:13

resistance , probably because of the sicknesses

5:15

. Insulin resistance because

5:17

of bad sites and

5:20

when that happens that

5:22

makes our blood sugars fluctuate and

5:25

it was on me because

5:27

I did not proactively

5:30

change out the sites fast enough

5:32

. I have a whole protocol , whole series

5:35

of things I've talked about before , about

5:37

if I've got fluctuating

5:39

or sticky sticky blood sugars . I

5:42

got a whole six to seven

5:44

step process that I go through

5:46

. That helps

5:48

to get past that very

5:50

quickly , get past those tricky

5:53

blood sugars or sticky blood sugars very

5:55

, very quickly . And I wasn't

5:57

following that because I was sick , because

5:59

things were going on in my life that happens

6:01

. So , now that I understand

6:04

what happened in the past , now I

6:06

know what needs to change in the future

6:08

. If I don't ask myself

6:11

any of these questions , if

6:13

, from when I went from a 6.1

6:15

for almost a year and a half , two years , to

6:17

a 6.4 when the span of three

6:19

to four months , if I don't ask myself those questions

6:22

in that timeframe and try to figure out what

6:24

happened , then what's

6:26

to say ? The next one isn't going to be the same result

6:28

, be the result that

6:30

I don't actually want , because

6:33

I think that's the other thing that we have to think

6:35

about here . What is the A1C result

6:37

that we actually want ? And you

6:39

have to figure that out for yourself , because

6:42

it can't be what

6:44

the doctor says , it can't be what I

6:46

say , it has to be what you

6:48

feel comfortable at . And if

6:50

you're killing yourself , getting down to 6.0

6:53

, 6.2 , or even

6:55

below , if you're killing yourself , and it's a challenge

6:58

and it's just you can't , you're constantly

7:00

going low , or you can't

7:02

figure out how to stay steady

7:04

in range in a good , healthy , healthy

7:06

range , because , depending

7:09

on what your in range is , if

7:11

that's healthy for you , right and

7:13

this is why I say this , because I don't agree

7:16

I will take a stand

7:18

and live and die by this sword

7:20

and every person is different . I

7:22

do not agree with the

7:25

standard in range

7:27

variation

7:29

, not variation , but the standard

7:31

in range numbers , the low

7:33

and the high . The standard in range number

7:35

that the medical system goes by is 80

7:37

to 180 . Well , I'll tell

7:40

you what if you're constantly

7:42

in and that's your in range right . So the

7:44

other thing that irritates me with this in range and with

7:46

our A1C is I'll see post

7:48

all the time . 99% in

7:50

range okay , that's awesome , great

7:52

, great for you . 100% in range

7:55

for seven days , 90%

7:57

in range for seven days or longer , whatever

7:59

it is , that's awesome . But what is

8:01

your in range number ? What's your low number

8:03

? What's your high number ? Because I'll tell you what my

8:06

in range is typically on

8:08

. On really really good days , where

8:10

my insulin sensitivity is super heightened

8:12

, everything's doing really well . My

8:14

exercise is on point , my eating is on

8:16

point , my sleep is on point , my hydration is

8:18

on point , everything is going well . Typically

8:21

, I'm between 80 and

8:23

85% because

8:25

my low number is 80 and

8:27

my high number is 150 . So if I

8:29

go to 151 , I'm out of range because

8:33

I want to be really tight . I want to be

8:35

really tight in my control . I

8:37

don't want to go to 160 , I don't want to

8:39

go to 170 , I don't want to go to 200

8:41

plus . I don't want to do that . So

8:44

that , for me

8:46

, is how I define what my A1C is

8:48

and what my in range number is , and you have to figure out

8:50

what that's going to be for you where you feel the most comfortable

8:52

. So let's go back into this A1C thought

8:54

process . So when

8:57

we think about A1C , you really need to think about

8:59

what your A1C , what you actually

9:01

want your A1C to be , and then you work backwards from

9:03

there of everything else that kind of works

9:05

within that actual

9:07

number and saying

9:10

that I want . I just want to

9:12

reiterate that that number

9:14

shouldn't define every single decision that

9:17

you make . I'm not going to make my decision on my

9:19

diabetes management just because , oh

9:21

, this is actually

9:23

going to impact my A1C . That's

9:26

great . But again , we're

9:28

splitting hairs here on how

9:30

are we going to define and what you actually want

9:32

to look at with the A1C , it's just an

9:34

average number , it's all it is

9:36

, and us being so hyper

9:38

focused on that number and having every

9:40

single little decision that we make based off of that

9:42

number isn't I

9:44

don't believe that's that sustainable

9:47

emotionally ? I know for me it's not . If

9:49

I'm hyper focused on that number and every decision I'm

9:51

making is based off of that number , I'm

9:53

just . It just drives me crazy and

9:56

I get too caught up in that

9:58

number . Now , what

10:00

I do focus on

10:02

doing is I'm making decisions

10:05

based off of what my blood sugar is right

10:07

now , in this , in this second

10:09

. That's what I'm making decisions off of

10:12

. If I'm going to a restaurant and I want to eat

10:14

a burger and some fries , I'm asking

10:16

myself two questions . I'm asking myself

10:18

what is my blood sugar now and how is

10:20

my blood sugar has been ? Have I been insulin resistant

10:23

? Have I been insulin sensitive

10:25

? Have my blood sugar has been in range over

10:28

the past couple days ? Because that's

10:30

going to allow me to say to myself

10:32

okay , well , my blood

10:34

sugar have been in range and

10:36

they've been really good , so I'm going to

10:38

treat myself . Or my

10:40

blood sugar hasn't been in range , I've been sick

10:42

, I've been . What's ? Whatever is going on , I'm insulin

10:45

resistant . I know I am , because my blood sugars are sticky

10:47

and they're running high or

10:49

they're fluctuating . I'm going

10:51

to make a different food choice . That's

10:53

the way my brain works . You gotta figure out how your

10:55

brain works , but just these simple thought

10:57

processes that can ultimately help the

11:00

A1C , but not allow us , not

11:02

make us be hyper focused on that A1C

11:04

, because all the other decisions

11:06

that you make will ultimately , yes , affect

11:08

your A1C . So if you're making these really

11:10

good decisions for yourself , based

11:13

off of your blood sugar , where it is now

11:15

, where it has been in the past and

11:18

what possibly it could be in the future , based off of

11:20

am I going to practice ? Am I going to

11:22

exercise in the next couple

11:25

hours ? Am I ? What type of meal

11:27

am I eating right now ? Is that a little bit higher glycemic

11:30

meal , because I need some more carbohydrates ? We're

11:33

getting deep into this , but

11:36

all these things go into your

11:38

A1C and we're not

11:40

. We shouldn't be making decisions based off of your

11:42

A1C number . We should be making

11:44

decisions based off of how

11:46

you want to live your life and

11:48

you should be making decisions based off of what your blood

11:50

sugar is right this second . Now , those

11:53

of you who are not on a CGM

11:55

, that strategy becomes a little

11:57

bit harder . 100% , 100%

12:00

. That strategy becomes a little bit harder because now you're

12:02

literally having to prick all the time , which

12:05

I think that we should be doing that anyway

12:07

, if you're not on a CGM , you

12:09

should be pricking at least six , seven

12:11

, eight , maybe even 12 times a day , because

12:14

you should be pricking before you consume

12:16

food . You should be pricking an

12:19

hour or so after you consume

12:21

food , which that's standard , that's what your doctor's going

12:23

to tell you , but then you also need to be

12:25

pricking throughout the whole entire day

12:28

. If you're exercising , you should be pricking

12:30

yourself and testing your blood sugar before

12:32

exercise , because you need to know if

12:34

you need to ramp up your insulin , maybe

12:36

turn up a tent basil , or

12:39

you need to know if you need to suspend

12:41

some insulin if you're on a pump , or

12:43

if you need to give yourself some type

12:45

of micro-bolus if you're on MDI or

12:48

if you don't need to give yourself a

12:51

micro-bolus . So

12:53

many things go into this

12:55

thought process of

12:58

diabetes management . So many things

13:00

. The one thing

13:02

that I have become very

13:04

successful with my blood sugars is

13:06

not being hyper-focused on all of those little

13:08

things , only being hyper-focused on the things

13:11

that one

13:13

I have put

13:15

into my management system and my management plan , but

13:18

also being hyper-focused on the things that

13:20

I want to be hyper-focused on . I don't

13:22

want to be focused on a thousand what

13:25

is it 100 plus decisions that we make every day

13:27

. That's going to make anybody crazy

13:29

. So you take the

13:31

trends of the decisions that you make right

13:33

. So , typically , on a daily

13:36

basis , you probably make somewhere

13:38

between 12 to 20

13:40

different decisions every single day

13:42

and I'm looking

13:44

at those decisions , taking

13:46

those decisions into

13:50

my thought process and

13:53

then I'm hyper-focused on those

13:55

specific decisions . If I make

13:57

20 decisions every single day , I might be

13:59

hyper-focused on 10 to 12 of them , maybe

14:02

13 of them , because those decisions

14:04

are decisions that happen every single

14:07

day . If it's

14:09

the same 20 decisions every single

14:11

day , great , then you need to be hyper-focused on 20 decisions

14:13

. So

14:15

the things that are happening in

14:18

our life with diabetes , those

14:21

things should be part of

14:23

our management style in terms of how

14:26

we think about the day to day . And

14:29

the other thing that's really helped me rationalize

14:33

and clarify a lot of that for me is

14:35

routines and consistency . The

14:37

more consistent I am with a routine

14:39

, the better my blood sugars are

14:41

, because I don't have to think so

14:43

much . It doesn't become

14:46

this humongous jigsaw

14:48

puzzle . Even though I love the jigsaw puzzle , I

14:51

love figuring out the why , the

14:53

why something happened . I love that as

14:56

me being a coach and me being

14:58

the person I am . I love that . I love

15:00

the jigsaw puzzle , but it also is

15:02

daunting . It's a daunting thing

15:05

to think about the jigsaw puzzle every single

15:07

freaking day 100% . It is

15:09

so the easier that

15:11

we can make that jigsaw puzzle by

15:14

looking at the trends of the things that

15:16

happen every single day , the better

15:18

off your blood sugars will be and , ultimately

15:20

, the better your A1C will ultimately be

15:22

. This is going to be a really fun

15:25

continued conversation on

15:27

the things that I believe . For me

15:29

, my diabetes non-negotiable

15:32

my diabetes non-negotiable

15:35

with the A1C is . It does not define

15:37

who I am . It is a tool that

15:39

I use to figure out past

15:42

things that are happening , things I need to improve

15:44

upon , and allows

15:46

me to take all the information

15:49

and continue to evolve

15:51

my management style . That is the only

15:53

thing that number does . This is how

15:56

I define what this means to me and this is

15:58

what this means to me . If

16:00

you're not defining things for yourself

16:02

and just listening to what

16:04

other people are saying in terms of what

16:07

this other really successful person does or

16:10

this is what my doctor told

16:12

me to do you're

16:14

not being true to who you are in yourself

16:16

. Really . Think about the words and the

16:18

things that I'm saying Really

16:21

. Think about other people that you listen

16:23

to or watch on

16:25

social media and what they're saying

16:27

. Listen to what your doctor says , because

16:30

the more information that you have

16:32

, the more questions you

16:34

can answer and the better you are

16:36

in a position to be able to figure out what works

16:39

for you , because that's the ultimate goal . Our only

16:41

job is Diabetics to figure out what works for us . The

16:44

crazy thing is that's

16:46

always different , which

16:49

I think is insane to me . I

16:52

talk about that thought process so

16:54

much and I

16:56

just truly believe in it that

16:59

our only job is to figure out what works for us . But

17:01

that is not an easy task to do because

17:04

this condition

17:07

is ever evolving . How

17:09

you respond to specific foods now is

17:11

not going to be the same as how you respond to specific

17:13

foods in five years . It's just not

17:15

If you're a young female or

17:18

a young male . That's going starting

17:20

puberty right now and you've been diagnosed for two or

17:22

three years . How your

17:24

body responds to diabetes

17:26

right now , going through puberty and

17:29

growing into a young man and

17:31

a young woman is going to be different

17:33

than how your diabetes responds

17:35

or how you respond

17:37

to diabetes when

17:39

you're 20 , when you're 30 , when you're 40 , when

17:42

you have kids . It's

17:46

so fascinating to me . Anyways

17:48

, a1c

17:50

, don't let it define you . It does not define

17:53

who you are . Ask questions

17:55

, be curious . I

17:57

hope this all resonates with you guys . Thank

17:59

you so much for listening and I

18:01

will see you guys next time .