Facebook and Possible Events?

I started a Facebook page called Breaking Diabetes. My goal is to change the perception of what diabetics are and how we did not have a choice in the matter of becoming diabetic.

Sports were my way as a kid to feel like I was just like anyone else. I was proud of myself because I did pretty well on the fields or courts. I always wondered how different I would have done if I didn't have T1Ds. 

As an adult, I have gravitated towards strength sports like powerlifting and strongman. I do fool around with CrossFit every once in awhile and find the group atmosphere very enjoyable. I have always enjoyed strength training whether it has been for competition or overall health. 

My wife and I have been brainstorming some ways to raise money for the JDRF. We are thinking of some type of online competition. She is very supportive of me in all that I do. She understands how important it is that I spend time in my garage training and caring for my disease. My ultimate goal would be to create an annual event that can continue to grow year in and year out. We must BREAK DIABETES!

What's the Best Route?

When I was first diagnosed more than 23 years ago certain aspects of diabetes were easy. As a family, we did what the doctor told us to do. Everything seemed to be based off of what the American Diabetes Association recommended. Today, that is not the case.

The last few years I have tried to educate myself as much as possible with reading different material from a range of sources. The one thing I have learned is that so many studies and recommendations contradict each other. 

Every diabetic is different. We participate in different activities and have different dietary choices. 

For me, I have the most success with staying under about 60 grams of carbohydrates a day. My control is tighter and I feel pretty well. When I do this, my blood sugars vary from the mid 70s to about the 130s. 

What's the most confusing and frustrating part is that I have doctors that agree and disagree how I have decided to eat. In the last 7 years, I have been through a total of 5 different doctors. Some of them moved out of my town while others weren't open to hear how I felt about caring for my disease. I would like to find a doctor that is a type 1 diabetic that is fit. I find it very difficult to listen from someone on how to manage health if it seems as though they are not very healthy themselves. Sorry for being honest. They need to have walked in my shoes.

As a patient, I want to be trusted and listened to by my doctors. I don't want to be told that I can eat whatever I want because it can be covered with my pump. My goal is health and longevity with this disease. 

For those of you that are type 1, don't let this disease beat you down! We need to bring attention to it. The general public needs to be educated about what we deal with on a daily basis! Break Diabetes!