Nutrition Update

My Next Steps on Healing Through Nutrition

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Over the years, the author has transformed her diet after discovering intolerances to dairy and gluten, which affected her mood. With a dietitian’s help, she focused on regular meals, balanced proportions, and healthy fats to manage weight and stabilise blood sugars. Now, addressing shoulder pain, the author has adopted a stricter anti-inflammatory diet for two weeks, cutting out sugar, most fruits, certain cooking methods, red meat, and dairy.

A lot has happened in terms of my nutrition over the last couple of years. I thought I would take some time to go through what has happened and where I am now with food.

Challenges with Gluten and Dairy

Back in 2021, I was struggling with mood issues. I had bouts of anger. I had bouts of sadness. I had got to the point of assuming that it was all just who I was, that my personality was a little emotionally unstable and that it was something that I had to put up with. That is not the case at all. Last year, I found out that I have issues with dairy and with gluten. Dairy makes me angry, gluten makes me sad. I believe these mood challenges reflected the underlying state of my gut health. 70% of the neurotransmitters (the chemicals responsible for your mood, amongst other things) are made in your gut. So, if you gut is unhealthy or struggling, then your mood might be too. So, over a period of time, I reduced and then eliminated gluten and dairy from my diet.

Working With A Dietician

Then, I started working with a dietician. I am overweight and, whilst I like the shape of my body as it is, I understand that the more fat reserves I possess, the higher my insulin needs are due to the insulin resistance the fat promotes. Therefore, I worked with a dietician with a view to releasing excess weight. We worked together for eight months. During that time, I overhauled my food. Some of the changes I made were:

I wasn't completely reliable at eating breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. I changed that. I now eat regularly to nourish my body for the demands of my life.
My blood sugars were raising and then lowering quite substantially with every meal. We talked about insulin timing (I now aim to inject 20 minutes before each meal as this is the timing that works for me). We also looked at the order in which I eat the food on my plate. My dietician advised me to eat the vegetables first, then the protein, then the carbohydrates. This produces a much flatter curve to the meal.
My dietician and I talked about the components of the meal. Each meal needs to be made up of a half a plate of vegetables or salad, then a quarter is protein and a quarter is a healthy carbohydrate. For now, visually measuring this is enough.
We discussed the importance of having healthy sources of fat in my diet. Fat is important for a multitude of reasons. These include being necessary for brain health, keeping blood pressure healthy, enabling you to absorb nutrients, and supporting cell growth. Also, fat keeps you satisfied and satiated. So adding some olive oil to your salad, or eating some avocado with breakfast, is much more likely to keep you away from the snack jar.
We talked about meal timing. We worked out that, for me, with my timetable and my nutritional needs, breakfast at 7-8am, lunch at 12pm, a mid-afternoon snack at 3-4pm and dinner at 6-7pm worked for me. (Please note: snacks are still a challenge. It brings me back to the forced snacks of my childhood that I had to eat whether I wanted it or not, just to stabilise blood sugars).

The Arrival Of Shoulder Pain

I incorporated these changes into my life as much as I could and felt a lot better for it. However, then my shoulder pain arrived. This has asked me to raise the bar on my nutrition. I am now striving to reduce inflammation in my whole body, which will be contributing to the inflammation in my shoulder. So, for two weeks, I am following a pretty strict regime. At the moment, I am not eating:

1. No sweets, chocolate or processed sugar.

2. No fruit, except for blueberries.

3. Vegetables can only be grilled or sautéed (not boiled or steamed)

4. No red meat, no seafood and no dairy. Only chicken and white fish.

5. Gluten-free bread (but it has to be toasted).

6. No foods or drinks that are too warm or too cold.

I have to admit that it isn’t exactly the most exciting way to eat but, with the pain I have in my shoulder, I’m willing to try most things! After these two weeks, we will assess how my shoulder is doing and revisit my nutrition then.

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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January 15, 2024

Read more about the article Nutrition Update

Inflammation / Physical Wellbeing

Shoulder Pain

Exploring Treatments To Improve Functioning and Reduce Pain

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: In May, the author experienced excruciating shoulder pain while removing a cardigan, leading me to a diagnosis of supraspinatus tendinopathy, a condition more prevalent in Type 1 Diabetes. Traditional treatments like painkillers and physiotherapy didn’t fully resolve the issue. Despite initial success with osteopathy and the Egoscue Method, the pain persists, prompting the author to explore jaw involvement and consider incorporating sound healing for holistic relief.

I am in pain. In May, I was removing a cardigan when my shoulder erupted in pain. It spread all the way down and across my chest. I could hardly breathe and momentarily wondered if I was having a heart attack. I went immediately to the ER. It turns out I have suprasinatus tendinopathy or, in other words, pain in the shoulder joint due to deterioration in the tendons of the joint. Diabetics are more prone to this condition.

Shoulder Injuries In Type 1 Diabetes

Those with Type 1 Diabetes are at a significantly higher risk of having a shoulder issue than those without T1D: 27.5% of the diabetic population versus only 5% of the non-diabetic population. And this correlation does not seem to be related to the level of control of blood sugars, as measured by the glycosylated haemoglobin score (HbA1c).

Treatment For Shoulder Pain

When I first damaged my shoulder, I was prescribed pain killers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. I was also referred to a physiotherapist, who I saw for ten sessions. I was given ultrasound and exercises to help strengthen the joint. None of that worked to resolve the problem. The doctor then wanted to inject saline into my joint to ease the inflammation and, as he said it, “press the reset button on the joint”. I decided to say no to that.

Instead, I went to see an osteopath. Within three sessions, I had an 80% reduction in pain and a significant improvement in my range of movement. I was nearly back to normal. But I had to travel and therefore couldn’t fit anymore sessions in. When I returned, I immediately had more osteopathy sessions but, this time, it’s just not working. The pain is still there. It has periods when it increases and periods when it’s less but it’s never absent. I wake up multiple times in the night in pain. Did I make the wrong choice to not have the joint injections…?

Egoscue Method

The one thing that has been helping me through this is the Egoscue Method. This is a method created by Pete Egoscue to correct misalignments in the body and therefore restore symmetry and balance to the whole system. I bought the book “Pain Free by Pete Egoscue” and have been working through the exercises in there on a daily basis. And it helps. It hasn’t completely healed it but, on the weeks that I put the effort in, I do get the results. My pain lessens and I have more movement.

My osteopath also recommended, at my last session with her, that I go and see a jaw specialist. I have quite a lot of pain in my jaw and I’m wondering if this might be the root cause of the problem (and my shoulder is purely adapting position to other out-of-alignment parts of my body, like my jaw). I had a lot of jaw pain twenty years ago. My jaw locked for about six months and I could barely open my mouth to eat. From what I remember, I thought it just resolved itself. Now, I’m wondering if my body compensated by absorbing the pain and misalignment into the other joints of my body. Perhaps my shoulder has been carrying it since then.

Osteopathy + Egoscue Method + Sound Healing = Cure?

So I’m going to continue with my osteopath and also ensure, with as much as I can, that I do my Egoscue Method exercises daily. And, just for fun, I’m going to add a weekly sound healing session into the mix. I did a Sound Healing session a month or so ago and, during the session, when one particular frequency was played, my shoulder erupted in the most awful pain. That vibration got right to the root of the pain. I could just feel it. And it did feel much better after the sound healing finished. So I’ll apply that in there too and see what happens.

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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January 8, 2024

Read more about the article Shoulder Pain

Inflammation / Physical Wellbeing / Taking Control of My Health

Type 1 Diabetes and The Menstrual Cycle

PCOS And Its Improvement Over Time

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Today’s post focusses on something relevant to those who identify as female: the menstrual cycle. The author discusses Type 1 Diabetes and menstrual cycles, including recounting struggles with PCOS, including severe symptoms that significantly improved over time, possibly due to pregnancy and enhanced insulin sensitivity.

I was shocked to find out today (thanks to this journal article) that the rate of Type 1 Diabetes is 1.8 times higher in those that are biologically male than it is in those that are biologically female. I guess, having grown up in a family with Type 1 Diabetes just in the female line, I had a bit of a gender bias with my assumption here. I thought that the split would be at least even between the genders. I have been corrected! So, this article may not apply to a fair percentage of people reading this blog but, for those that it does, I feel it’s really important to write.

Today, I am talking about Type 1 Diabetes and the menstrual cycle. I haven’t exactly had an easy time of things in this area during my lifetime. My periods arrived late (something that is not uncommon in those with Type 1 Diabetes **ARTICLE**). This led to several visits to a gynaecologist, who diagnosed me with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (again, not uncommon in Type 1 Diabetes **ARTICLE**). Then, the fun really started. The periods that I had became almost unbearable. The highlights included:

bleeding that lasted two weeks straight
so much blood that I once had to stay on the toilet for fives days straight
irregular bleeds (something else that is much more common in people with Type 1 Diabetes)
years without periods
and such out of control emotions that, whilst in a premenstrual period, I screamed so badly at one of my school friends that she never spoke to me again.

Not fun. Looking back on that time now, I believe that a fair amount of the dramatic symptoms I had could be linked to, or directly attributed to, my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

Healing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

At the time of diagnosis, it was explained to me that PCOS is an incurable condition. So I battled on with the symptoms, took birth control to regulate myself and shrugged my shoulders about my lot in life. Well, now I don’t have PCOS. I had a scan a couple of years ago for an unrelated issue and was told that I did not have it. There are no cysts on my ovaries at all and my ovaries are a normal size. Of course, at that time, I was told that I must have been misdiagnosed the first time around. (I didn’t ask the consultant at this time if I had also been misdiagnosed at the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh scans and also during all of my pre-pregnancy planning with my medical team!).

I still have some excess facial hair but, beyond that, I have nothing to report. My periods are regular (I mostly have a 28 to 30 day cycle each month). The only exception to this is when I am particularly stressed out, which results in higher insulin levels and more insulin for my system. I have no excessive symptoms throughout my cycle – no pain, no cramping, no excessive bleeding, no other disruptions or inconveniences.

What Do I Believe Healed My Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

I think it was two things. Firstly, I believe that getting pregnant really helped. I remember once hearing Victoria Beckham (yep, the Spice Girl) once say that her PCOS healed when she had her first baby, Brooklyn. I think there’s something about pregnancy that presses the reset button on the female reproductive system. So there’s that. But that’s not exactly convenient for those that would like to get rid of their PCOS without the long-term commitment of raising a human to adulthood! So…

Secondly, I believe the reduction in my insulin requirements has also contributed to improving my PCOS. In my teens and twenties, I needed 16-18 units of Novorapid per meal and 22 units of Lantus nightly. Today, despite being heavier, I only require 2-4 units per meal and 12-16 units at night. This change is solely due to decreased insulin resistance rather than weight loss.

What factors contributed to this increased sensitivity? Essentially, everything I do to promote a healthier and happier lifestyle. These practices, which I extensively discuss on my blog, enhance my overall well-being. Unsure where to begin? Start with something that resonates with you. Avoid adding stress by forcing activities you don’t genuinely want to do, as stress exacerbates insulin resistance.

Type 1 Diabetes with a Regular(ish) Menstrual Cycle

Now that I am on a regular 28- to 30-day cycle, I still have challenges with varying insulin resistance at times. This has become even more clear to me since I have eliminated the gluten and dairy. Both gluten and dairy were triggering inflammation in my system and, as I have been banging on about for ages, inflammation causes insulin resistance… Just think of how much more insulin you have when you have the flu or tonsillitis or any other such lovely. After all, that’s what the sick day rules of diabetes were created for!

Now that I have eliminated the gluten and dairy, it has become more obvious to me that there are more predictable fluctuations in my insulin needs over the course of each menstrual cycle. Even with insulin resistance in the mix, I was already aware of the need for extra insulin during the week before my period (when I say more, I mean DOUBLE!). However, more subtle variations are now becoming more evident. To understand this in context, I’m going first need to divert for a moment to talk about the various phases of the menstrual cycle.

The Four Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle

A healthy menstrual cycle consists of four main phases. Whilst every woman is different and one woman’s periods can fluctuate in duration from one month to the next, the following is a guide of what the phases of the menstrual cycle may look like:

Days 1-5: Menstruation Phase

This is the ‘time of the month’ when the uterus lets go of its lining and a blood flow is observed. This bleed usually lasts for between three and seven days each month. Levels of oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest levels during this phase of the menstrual cycle.

Days 6-14: Follicular Phase

During this phase, the uterus builds a thick lining in preparation for receiving the ovum (or egg) that will be released from the ovary in the coming days. In this phase, oestrogen typically rises whilst progesterone levels stay low.

Days 15-19: Ovulatory Phase

It is during this phase that an ovum is developed and then released into the uterus, ready to be fertilised by an sperm that are present. Both oestrogen and progesterone rise during this phase, peaking at the time just before ovulation.

Days 20-28: Luteal Phase

Assuming the ovum is not fertilised by a sperm, at this point the lining of the uterus is shed and the levels of oestrogen and progesterone fall back down to their lowest levels, preparing the body for menstruation.

Varying Insulin Resistance Caused by Oestrogen and Progesterone

In terms of blood sugar levels during the menstrual cycle, there are two key players that affect insulin resistance. These are oestrogen and progesterone. oestrogen is understood to decrease insulin resistance (increase insulin sensitivity). Progesterone is understood to increase insulin resistance (decrease insulin sensitivity). So, with fluctuating levels of BOTH of these hormones during the entirety of the menstrual cycle, less predictable blood sugar readings are to be expected. Here is what I have found:

Day 1 of my period: My insulin resistance dramatically switches off sometime during this day. My insulin requirement halves. It’s hard not to end up with an unexpected hypo (or elevated blood sugars for a large part of the day) with this unpredictable switch.

Days 2 – 4: my insulin sensitivity is high. I need half to two-thirds of my ‘usual’ Novorapid doses. Hypos are not unexpected territory here.

Days 5-8: usual insulin sensitivity (and therefore blood sugar control) is resumed.

Days 11-14: somewhere in this mix, my insulin requirements increase. This is in-line with the release of the ovum. This release increases two hormones LH and FSH, which are known to cause brief periods of insulin resistance.

Days 15-23: my blood sugars are stable here and my insulin requirements are in the normal range.

Days 24-28: my insulin resistance is THROUGH THE ROOF! I need more bolus (double!) and basal insulin. I also appear to be more sensitive to carbohydrates… My body reacts sharply and dramatically to any carbohydrates I eat. The progesterone is by far the biggest player in this blood sugar pattern, with the lowering effect of the oestrogen appearing to be insignificant or absent in my case. I also have strong carbohydrate cravings at this time. I believe these cravings are due to my body not being able to access the glucose already in my bloodstream because my insulin levels are not sufficient as a result of the dramatic insulin resistance. Nice Catch-22 there!

I have learnt that my period pattern is substantiated in the medical literature. As an example, Barata et al. (2013) clearly demonstrated that blood sugar control is markedly different between the follicular and luteal phases, with more insulin being required in the latter half of the menstrual cycle.

I haven’t, as yet, got to the point where I can predict with any degree of certainty what insulin requirements I might have on each day of my cycle. It’s still a bit hit-and-miss. But, now having a clearer picture of what my cycle is doing and how my insulin requirements change over each few days of my cycle, I have more hope than I did. I will report back with what I learn!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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April 24, 2023

Read more about the article Type 1 Diabetes and The Menstrual Cycle

Diet / Emotional Wellbeing / Increasing Positive Emotions / Inflammation / Mind-Body Medicine / Nutrition / Physical Wellbeing / Removal of Toxins / Taking Control of My Health

Gluten Sensitivity

Its Impact On Health And Healing

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: The author, navigating a journey of healing, now confronts gluten sensitivity alongside her prior dairy intolerance. Gluten, prevalent in wheat-based foods, triggers mood symptoms. Eliminating gluten has markedly enhanced the author’s insulin sensitivity and overall wellbeing, highlighting its profound impact on managing Type 1 Diabetes and promoting health.

The next step on my healing journey has become about food again. Having identified my problem with dairy two years ago, I have now discovered that gluten is also a problem for me.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein (a long-chain amino acid) that is found in cereals like wheat, rye and barley. These cereals are found in a wide range of processed foods today, including bread, rolls, croissants, pasta, breakfast cereals and beer. Because gluten is a core component of flour, it is also commonly added to soups, sauces and salad dressings, as well as a whole host of recipes served in restaurants.

What Is The Difference Between Gluten Sensitivity And Coeliac’s Disease?

Gluten sensitivity is a label given to people who struggle to process gluten. There are three main kinds of gluten sensitivity: coeliac disease, non-coeliac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy. This article will briefly discuss coeliac disease but its main focus will be non-coeliac gluten sensitivity.

Coeliac disease is a condition that results from a person’s immune system reacting to digested gluten. It triggers an autoimmune response that produces antibodies to the gluten. These antibodies end up damaging the lining of the small intestine. This damage results in the small intestine being unable to process food and can lead to malnutrition. Whilst coeliac disease is a genetically-inherited condition, symptoms may not present themselves until adulthood. There is a higher incidence of coeliac disease in the Type 1 Diabetes population, with approximately 8% of the population also having coeliac.

Interestingly, this article on coeliac disease highlights a correlation between gut microbiome presentations and the development of coeliac disease. I firmly believe that Type 1 Diabetes is, at heart, the result of a gut issue so it would therefore not be a long stretch to have coeliac disease also present in the diabetes population.

By comparison, non-coelic gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is not an autoimmune condition. Whilst the body is still reacting to gluten, there is no antibody reaction and damage to the small intestine does not occur. However, NCGS does cause the body to release more of a protein called zonulin, which can break down the gut lining anyway and cause leaky gut syndrome (see an excellent explanation here). This is particularly important for Type 1 Diabetes because it has been found in recent years that this increased gut permeability allows gluten to cross the intestinal barrier. These gluten peptides then may induce stress in the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas and therefore put more pressure on these cells. More pressure then leads to faster burnout of the beta cells and thus faster inducement of Type 1 Diabetes. Indeed, research has shown that following a gluten-free diet during pregnancy reduces the risk of Type 1 Diabetes in offspring.

What Are The Symptoms Of Gluten Sensitivity?

The most commonly noted symptoms for non-coelic gluten sensitivity (NCGS) are diarrhoea, bloating and gas. I did not have any of these (well, it turns out that I had a lot of internal gas but none of it ever made its presence known!). Therefore, I believe that a more comprehensive list of symptoms of NCGS should read as follows:

Diarrhoea
Bloating
Gas
Stomach aches
Stabbing headaches behind the eyes
Exhaustion
Nausea
Feeling low in mood, particularly feeling defeated and devastated without environmental reasons
Retching
Runny nose (I thought it was a hayfever reaction)
Cough (always comes on within 20 minutes of eating gluten)
Brain fog (I just can’t really think too well!)

How Can Gluten Sensitivity Be Diagnosed?

NCGS is harder to diagnose than coeliac disease because there is no recommended methods to diagnose and test for this condition. Today, diagnosis results from a process of eliminating other possible diagnoses. Firstly, a reaction to gluten must be noted. Usually, this is done via a food log. Each time gluten is eaten, any reactions need to be noted down, along with the timing of these symptoms.

If a pattern emerges in symptoms following digestion of gluten, investigations for wheat allergies and coeliac’s disease must be conducted first to eliminate these as explanations for the symptoms. This will be undertaken via a surgical procedure. For two weeks prior to the procedure, gluten needs to be consumed in adequate quantities to provoke any potential reactions. I underwent a full and thorough upper and lower gastroscopy, with multiple samples being taken. The results came back as negative for all tests undertaken. My digestive tract appeared generally healthy and no sign of coeliac’s disease was present. Therefore, the only cause left to explain my symptoms was non-coeliac gluten sensitivity.

My Gluten Story

Looking back on my life, I suspect that my non-coeliac gluten sensitivity may have always been present. As a child, every Wednesday, my parents would cook me Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner and then send me off to Brownies for an hour. The problem was, I mostly hypo’d my way through Brownies. My father would inject my insulin when I ate but it would always hit in before the carbohydrates from the spaghetti got into my bloodstream. In the end, he solved this problem by waiting until I got back from Brownies before giving me my injection.

But why did I digest the spaghetti so slowly? I suspect that what was happening there was my gluten intolerance. Spaghetti is high in gluten and my stomach (or complete digestive tract) struggled to process this protein, thus causing it not to be available in the bloodstream when the insulin arrived. But this was not the only clue I had.

I had a test for coeliac disease some twenty years ago. I can’t quite remember why I asked for this but I guess, on some subconscious level, I knew something wasn’t quite right. I had a full colonoscopy and was found to not have coeliac’s disease (there was no destruction of my small intestine). I was, however, found to have a lot of food still left in my stomach at the time of the procedure, despite following the required starving period beforehand. My doctor at the time suggested that I had gastroparesis (delayed stomach-emptying) and left it at that. No further investigations were conducted at that time.

But a suggested diagnosis of gastroparesis didn’t make sense. My blood sugar would usually react within ten to fifteen minutes of eating some food. That isn’t slow digestion. But these carbohydrates could have been coming from sugar or from rice or from vegetables – sources of carbohydrates that do not contain gluten. I think that that gastroparesis was actually a demonstration of my body’s inability to process gluten (and perhaps also the dairy) that I was eating at that time. It was all just backlogged in my stomach.

What About You?

Could you also be someone with Type 1 Diabetes who has a food intolerance (or two!). Do you have any of these symptoms? They can be subtle or easily dismissed but they may be extremely important to your healing. I believe that healing asks us to lean in closer to our bodies and really listen and understand what it is asking for. Is your body asking for release from gluten toxicity too?

Watch out for subtle signs. Watch out for mood swings (or anxiety or depression) that are sporadic and/or unexplained by life circumstances. Watch out for that runny nose or that cough that just doesn’t make sense in the context of your life. Please don’t become paranoid, just become curious. Your healing could be in those subtle signs.

Life After Gluten

Having now (mostly) removed gluten from my diet, I have witnessed something extraordinary. My insulin sensitivity for meal times has increased dramatically! I now take 50-75% less insulin per meal, for the same amount of carbohydrates (from 4-5 units of Novorapid to 1-2 units per meal). I also have reduced my basal by 25% (from 16 units to 12 units). My body mass has not changed and neither have any of my habits or activity levels. Just the removal of gluten. I am also less tired. I have more energy. No more headaches. No more bloating or farting (so far!). Not a lot of low mood (apart from at the full moon – more on that later!).

I’m wondering whether this reduction in insulin levels is because I now have less inflammation (see previous article) in my system. I liken it to when you’re ill. When sickness sets in, blood sugar levels rise. Hence the ‘sick day rules’ that are handed out at hospital check-ups. This is due to increased inflammation in the system during the illness. Gluten causes the same effect in me. So, by removing that inflammation, less insulin is needed to maintain blood sugar levels.

Grieving The Loss Of Gluten

Don’t misunderstand me. I am not finding giving up gluten easily. I really feel like I’m grieving its loss. I have already (mostly) given up dairy and am reaping the benefits from that. But I feel like, with each elimination, I’m walking towards a future that is just going to have vegetables in it. I love cake (the occasional piece!). And bread. And good pasta (preferably in Italy!!). And gluten-free bread just doesn’t cut it when compared to a soft fluffy roll or a beautiful freshly-baked baguette. (If you’re struggling too, I have found the Warburton’s Gluten-Free range to be some of the best out there so far.)

Healing is a process. I know that I felt a similar grief when I stopped dairy. I have found a balance with that now where, when I really miss it, I pay the price and have a piece of dairy-laden cake (instead of the not bad dairy-free equivalent!). It takes time. Healing takes time. It’s a process, not a destination. Every day I don’t eat gluten and dairy, I feel better, I feel alive, I feel energised. So it’s actually a choice towards health and vitality, rather than a move away from foods love. It’s a move towards bringing myself towards alignment and being who I am truly meant to be. And that’s worth it.

GET HEALINGT1D’S FUTURE ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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April 10, 2023

Read more about the article Gluten Sensitivity

Emotional Wellbeing / Increasing Positive Emotions / Inflammation / Physical Wellbeing

Why Are We ‘Fighting’ Type 1 Diabetes?

Healing Comes From Compassion, Not Battle

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Summary: Raised in a family of linguists, language has always been central in the author’s life. Recently, the language around Type 1 Diabetes caught her attention. Observing the prevalent metaphor of ‘battle’ and ‘fight’ in discussions about diabetes, she reflects on her own journey to acceptance and peace with her body, advocating for a healing shift from conflict to compassion.

I was raised in a family of linguists. Both of my parents studied languages at university, as did myself, my brother and my sister after them. We’ve always played with and thought about language in our family. Recently, the language of Type 1 Diabetes has been playing in my mind.

The ‘Battle’ Of Type 1 Diabetes

I have noticed that, when I speak to fellow Type 1 diabetics, they often talk about their daily fight, their battle, the war that they’re waging. They talk about winning and losing with their Type 1 Diabetes. They talk about their thirst for victory, their desire to win (or just not lose!).

At diagnosis, we hear about how our immune system has ‘attacked’ our beta cells. We learn about the ongoing fight we will have with our blood sugars from that time. We learn we need to be brave and strong to take on this fight. And we’re most certainly told we won’t always win.

One quote I found that wonderfully highlights this fight dynamic that is so intrinsic to our view of diabetes in the modern world. Bret Michaels, the lead singer of Poison and star of VH1’s ‘Rock of Love’, has Type 1 Diabetes. He was once quoted as saying:

"Every day is an absolute battle. I don't care what anyone says. You have to wake up and say to yourself, 'I accept that I have diabetes, and I'm not going to let it run my entire life."

You can hear the conflict in his words. The fight, the ‘me versus my body’ that exists here. I know I had it too. I used to cry to my parents as a child that I didn’t want to do this fight anymore, that my diabetes would always win. I definitely saw my diabetes as something other than me. It was an alien force in my body that needed exterminating or at least suppressing.

Put Down Your Sword, Dear Commrade

I’ve noticed, as my life has progressed, this battle doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I no longer see my body as faulty. I don’t feel I’m at war with it anymore. Sure, I don’t always like it. I do still look in the mirror and not always like what I see. But I have developed a respect for my body now. And I think that respect is key in returning to holistic health – the kind of health that I feel is required for healing to take place. Everyday now, I reach for health in all areas of my life – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I no longer want to change the body I have. I’ve come to a place of peace and welcomed diabetes into my state of being.

I feel the battle with our bodies needs to be stopped if healing is ever going to occur. If we believe that we are fighting our bodies, then peace cannot exist in our cells. Our body will replicate the fight-or-flight response that mirrors our language and belief systems. So healing will take place in a body that is at peace.

Reduce The Fight, Reduce Inflammation

There is some support in the medical literature for the idea of needing peace in the body for healing to occur. This, after all, is what ‘inflammation’ is – the body telling its immune system to respond to a foreign object, germ, bacteria or other irritant. One cause of inflammation is stress in all its forms. So reducing stress, including the emotional stress of the pain, anger and frustration caused my diabetes, will reduce inflammation in the body.

So next time you talk to your body, make it words of love and peace. Show it gratitude and appreciation for all that it does do right. And forgive it for the diabetes it currently has. I honestly believe it’s the best option the body had to choose from at the time that it developed.

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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March 20, 2023

Read more about the article Why Are We ‘Fighting’ Type 1 Diabetes?

Inflammation / Physical Wellbeing / Taking Control of My Health

Allostatic Load

Re-Understanding The Development Of Type 1 Diabetes As Progression Along A Continuum

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

This article provides a conceptual framework for understanding the path to healing Type 1 Diabetes. Currently, the condition is seen as something that has ‘switched on’ in our bodies and remain there permanently. Perhaps instead we can use the concept of an ‘allostatic load’ to see T1D as a status that arrives when the environment of the cells has tipped towards too much toxicity or they are under too much challenge from areas such as the diet, feelings of the individual, amount of exercise, and all other life experiences. Using this concept, the focus then becomes about how to tilt that seesaw back towards health and healing.

Stress impacts the human body. We all know this! When stressed, our bodies produce a series of hormones to equip the individual to deal with a perceived or actual threat in the environment.

Hormones

There are two main types of hormones that are produced as a result of stress: glucocorticoids and catecholamines.

Glucocorticoids:

These are also known by the name glucocorticosteroids (which gives an impressive Scrabble score of 28 points!). These are part of the immune system feedback loop, which helps maintain homeostasis in the human body. One well-known glucocorticoid is cortisol, the ‘stress hormone’. Glucocorticoids have many functions, including:

1. An Ability To Stop Inflammation In The Body:

It does this by suppressing the release of molecules called proteins, which are used in the inflammatory process [1]. Glucocorticoids are therefore great at stopping the damage done by overactive immune system disorders, such as type 1 diabetes.

2. A Role In Regulation Of Glucose Metabolism:

Glucocorticoids encourage glucose production in the liver and also prevent insulin from working effectively to uptake glucose [2]. Glucocorticoids also affect pancreatic alpha and beta cell functioning [3]. This influences the amount of glucagon and insulin released into the bloodstream. The goal of glucocorticoids is to keep glucose in the bloodstream so that the brain, during times of stress, can work at maximum capacity [2].

Catecholamines:

Catecholamines (a mere 23 points in Scrabble!) are another type of hormone released during stressful life events. They are produced by my adrenal glands, which are located just above my kidneys. Examples of catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine (aka adrenalin). These hormones are sent into my bloodstream every time I get physically or emotionally stressed. Like glucocorticoids, catecholamines raise blood sugar levels, as well as heart rate, blood pressure and increased arousal of the sympathetic nervous system.

What Is Allostasis?

Both of these hormones, glucocorticoids and catecholamines, have beneficial short-term effects in the body. They prepare the body for a fight-or-flight response in times of stress or threat to life, for example. This process of adjusting the body, through physiological and/or behavioural changes, is known as ‘allostasis’ [4].

Allostatic Load

However, in the long-term, the process of allostasis can become disadvantageous and even burdensome on the body. Such a burden is known as the ‘allostatic load’ [4]. The higher my allostatic load, the more burden my body is carrying, in terms of raised blood glucose levels, higher stress levels, increased inflammation and so on. For example, chronic stress can lead to high levels of the glucocorticoid ‘cortisol’ (yes, that’s right, the ‘stress hormone’ as it’s known!). Chronically elevated cortisol levels can lead to:

- Anxiety
- Depression
- Digestive problems
- Sleep problems
- Weight gain
- Issues with memory [5]

How Is Allostatic Load Relevant To T1D?

Allostatic load is the burden the body has as a result of (ongoing) environmental stressors. It takes a toll on the system and, over time, creates a whole range of health issues [6].

Both the sympathetic nervous system and the neuroendocrine system (that’s the system that influences both hormones, like insulin, and neurons, including those in the brain) play central roles in the concept of ‘allostatic load’ [7]. In other words, chronic stress reduces insulin production and affects brain functioning. A lack of insulin production results in Type 1 (or Type 2 or MODY) Diabetes.

Dopamine is an example of a catecholamine. Insulin has been found to be strongly associated with the ‘pleasure’ centre of the brain, the striatal region, where dopamine is produced. [8]. The more insulin there is in the bloodstream, the more dopamine is released from the striatal region. Dopamine is a feel-good chemical. In a Type 1 Diabetic, when blood sugar levels are too high, the resulting mood is likely to not be a very fun one… Oh, I know that grumpiness of high blood sugars!! In a non-diabetic, I would anticipate that the reverse must be true… The more joy they experience, the more they are able to produce insulin.

In my post on Descartes and the Mind-Body Split in Western Medicine, I touched upon the research that highlights a connection between stressful life events and subsequently developing T1D. As discussed, chronic stress releases glucocorticoids and catecholamines that shut down insulin production and increase glucose concentrations in the blood. So perhaps the reverse can be true…? If I can reduce my allostatic load, it gives my system more of a chance of increasing (starting!) insulin production. It makes my bodily environment more welcoming to growing some new beta cells (as discussed in my post ‘What is Type 1 Diabetes?’).

My Take-Home Message

For me, the concept of an allostatic load is something to hold going forward. Instead of understanding my beta cells as being burnt out or broken, I am seeing them as being in an environment that stops them from switching back on.

The environmental conditions in my body are fuelled by all the factors that contribute to my allostatic load. These include my diet, my feelings of helplessness, my exercise regime, my response to my life experience, the amount of daily stress I carry with me, and so on.

In other words, Type 1 Diabetes is a multifaceted disorder. Thus, each one of these things that I can improve or eliminate, the smaller the burden of my allostatic load will be. I am therefore looking to improve all areas of my life that I feel may contribute to my allostatic load and thus fundamentally reduce it. I will watch to see what happens to my blood sugar levels (and pancreatic function) from there!

Summary

Stress produces two types of hormones in the body: glucocorticoids and catecholamines.
Glucocorticoids stop inflammation in the body and increase and/or maintain blood glucose levels, ready for the individual to respond to threat.
Catecholamines raise blood sugar levels, as well as heart rate, blood pressure and arousal in the sympathetic nervous system.
Allostatic load is a measure of the amount of cumulative stress placed on a system due to adjustments the body makes to maintain homeostasis.
Allostatic load can be used conceptually to understand T1D. Healing from T1D, using this approach, requires an overall reduction on stressors in the system that can contribute to a high allostatic load.

After-Thought…

Writing this post has also given me some food for thought on a related point… The dominant model for understanding Type 1 Diabetes is the Eisenbarth model (see my post on ‘What is Type 1 Diabetes?’ for more info on this). If researchers are using this model as their way of understanding T1D, they are going to assume that the beta cells in the pancreas are burnt out. Therefore, measuring the C-peptide, for example, once only is a sufficient indicator of the amount of insulin-producing cells left in that individual’s pancreas.

However, if that model is flawed and insulin production fluctuates with allostatic load over the course of a day, a week or a month, then measuring C-peptide would only indicate the amount of functioning beta cells at that moment in time. The C-peptide test is most often done, if at all, in the early days after diagnosis of T1D. At such a stressful time of life, when your allostatic load is likely to be huge, a low C-peptide level would almost be guaranteed. This would give an explanation for the ‘honeymoon effect’ of a lot of T1Ds since, after diagnosis, they are often looked after mentally, physically and emotionally by those around them.

References:

Barnes, P. J. (1998). Anti-inflammatory actions of glucocorticoids: molecular mechanisms. Clinical Science (London), 94(6), 557-572.
Kuo, T., McQueen, A., Chen, T. C., and Wang, J. C. (2015). Regulation of Glucose Homeostasis by Glucocorticoids. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 872, 99-126.
Rafacho, A., Goncalves-Neto, L. M., Santos-Silva, J. C., Alonso-Magdalena, P., et al (2014). Pancreatic alpha-cell dysfunction contributes to the disruption of glucose homeostasis and compensatory insulin hypersecretion in glucocorticoid-treated rats.PLoS One, 9(4), e93531.
McEwen, B. S. (2000). Allostasis and Allostatic Load: Implications for Neuropsychopharmacology. Neuropsychopharmacology, 22, 108-124.
Talbott, S. M. (2007). The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health – And What You Can Do About It. Nashville, TN: Hunter House.
McEwen, B. S. (2000). The Biological Basis for Mind Body Interactions. Progress in Brain Research, Vol 122. New York: Elsevier.
Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., McGuire, L., Robles, T., and Glaser, R. (2002). Psychoneuroimmunology: Psychological Influences on Immune Function and Health. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70(3), 537-547.
Stouffer, M. A., Woods, C. A., Patel, J. C., Lee, C. R. et al. (2015). Insulin enhances striatal dopamine release by activating cholinergic interneurons and thereby signals rewards. Nature Communications, 6, 8543.

GET HEALINGT1D’S FUTURE ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX!

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Natalie Leader

Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

The content of the HealingT1D website is for educational and information purposes only. It does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult with your doctor, physician, or other qualified healthcare professional before making any adjustments to your routine or healthcare regime. HealingT1D and all associated with it will not be held liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

Recent Comments:

0 Comments

August 19, 2019