Emotional Wellbeing / Taking Control of My Health

The Relationship between ADHD and Type 1 Diabetes

Losing Keys, Forgetting Appointments And Being Easily Overwhelmed

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 reflects on personal challenges, admitting to a struggle with consistency in projects and health habits, exacerbated by a recent decline in blog activity and overall commitment. Exploring a potential diagnosis of ADHD, there’s recognition of symptoms like inattention and impulsivity affecting daily life and health goals. Future focus aims at addressing these challenges for personal growth and healing.

I am failing and need to re-group.

There, I said it. That’s not an easy one to type and admit to myself, let alone publish to the world! I don’t like failing. It doesn’t come easily to me. But I seem to do it fairly often. I start projects but I don’t finish them.

All. The. Time.

My blog posts have fallen in regularity. My commitment to the cause has waned a bit. My behaviours are certainly not reflecting my aspirations for my blog. My sleep routine isn’t good. I am not eating clean, now that I’m no longer on Whole30. I have still been reading and thinking and plotting my healing escapades but, whilst I’ve been doing this, another part of me has been feeling that there’s just not much point to even trying. Because I never follow through. Not long-term, anyway.

I think I may have stumbled upon an answer that is the next step in my healing journey.

The Blessing Of A Friend

Quite by chance (or what I would call synchronicity), I met up with a friend for a socially-distanced walk in our local park. As we got to chatting, he described to me his relief at finally being diagnosed with ADHD. He then listed out the behaviours that had been identified as being part of his ADHD symptomology and I became quite stunned… He was describing me!

I know that DIY diagnoses are not exactly a robust way of diagnosing anything… Like those moments when you’ve been waiting for some test results at the doctor and take to Googling your symptoms only to conclude that you must, at the very least, have a life-threatening condition in immediate need of multiple surgeries!!

However, I am not without knowledge in this field. I have a psychology degree and training in psychotherapy behind me, so I have an idea of what I’m looking at when I traipse into the diagnostic field.

I Think I Have AD(H)D

I think I have ADHD. Well, ADD… The hyperactivity bit isn’t (usually) apparent (okay, maybe sometimes at 11.30pm at night when I really should be going to bed and not starting my to-do list because I’m bursting with energy and feel I could accomplish it all in the next fifteen minutes!!

Or

… when I insist that that job (whatever that job may be at any moment in my mind) MUST be done right now! Like, RIGHT NOW! I’VE BEEN DOING IT THREE MINUTES, WHY ISN’T IT DONE ALREADY?????

Or

… when I get into bed at night and suddenly decide it’s the best moment to insist on having a deep and meaningful heart-to-heart or philosophical debate or discussion of some theoretical construct I’ve just read about with my desperately tired husband. Or a tickle fight.

Or

… a pillow fight.

Or…!!

Okay, so maybe I do have some hyperactivity symptoms too!!

Diagnosing AD(H)D

I dug further and consulted the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (known fondly by ‘those-in-the-know’ as the DSM-V). It is one of the two main manuals that psychiatrists and psychologists use to diagnose a whole host of mental disorders, including ADHD.

The full list of criteria that are used to diagnose ADHD is pretty extensive and is divided into two main criteria: those for inattention and those for hyperactivity and impulsivity. In order to be diagnosed, you have to have six or more of the symptoms in one of these two groups. Whilst I do have some obvious hyperactivity and/or impulsivity challenges, I believe the majority of my symptoms fall under the ‘inattention’ sub-heading:

I have markedly reduced processing speed (a clinical psychologist I once worked with undertook a WAIS intelligence test on me and found that I had a verbal comprehension score on the 99.6th percentile, perceptual organisation of 95.3%, working memory of 93.7% but a processing speed of only 63.1%)
I often have trouble holding attention on the tasks I do. I get a bit of a way through a task and then divert off to something else. At the end of a day in my house, I can easily find ten to twenty unfinished jobs that I started!
I often don’t seem to listen when spoken to directly (I’m often too busy listening to my own thoughts and responses!)
I often don’t finish my chores (like, ever!)
I often have trouble organising tasks and activities… Turning up to anything on-time is a challenge. Being given a big task, which has multiple sub-tasks to complete it, leaves me lost and confused about where to start.
I can get easily overwhelmed by normal life circumstances… Three simple things to do in my day can cause me to collapse on the floor in a heap.
I am often forgetful in daily activities – appointments, things I promised to give to friends, evening meet-ups, items for my daughter for school and so on. I’m pretty much guaranteed to forget these, despite me trying everything to remember them.
I often lose my keys (at least twice a week, despite trying to only ever put them in my handbag!!)
It takes me so, so, so much effort to finish reading a book. Mostly I give up. And that’s for something I’m actually interested in. There’s absolutely no chance when I’m not interested!
But, on the flip of that, when I am super-interested in something (hello, Twilight saga books!!), I become hyper-focused on it to the detriment of the rest of my life. This happened to me with the Twilight saga books…. When I found those, my husband described himself as a widower for the ten days it took me to read them!!
I struggle to go to social events with more than two other people. Not because I don’t enjoy them but because I struggle to focus on the conversation in front of me, rather than all of the distracting background noise, movement etc.
I often forget the most basic of information. Send me to a supermarket with three things to buy and, at best, I’ll remember only two of them.

Dr Amen’s 7 Types Of ADD

It would appear that the DSM V’s neat delineation between either having ADHD (with a substantial amount of hyperactivity) or ADD (with little to no hyperactivity) is not that clear-cut.

Dr. Daniel Amen is a neuropsychiatrist with a vast experience in treating those with ADD. He uses a particular kind of brain imaging, called Brain SPECT Imaging, which creates three-dimensional models of the brain and demonstrates the level of functioning in different brain regions. By studying more than 1700,000 people with ADHD and other psychiatric disorders, Dr. Amen discusses in his book ‘Healing ADD‘ that there are in fact seven different types of ADD:

Type 1: Classic ADD
Type 2: Inattentive ADD
Type 3: Overfocused ADD
Type 4: Temporal Lobe ADD
Type 5: Limbic ADD
Type 6: Ring of Fire ADD
Type 7: Anxious ADD

Dr Amen’s Seven Types of ADD

Is There A Link Between Type 1 Diabetes and AD(H)D?

Now, this was the bit that really got me. I found an article by the diabetes-focused psychotherapist Eliot LeBow saying that ‘Many people with type 1 diabetes also live with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder…’ and ‘those who were diagnosed before age 17 years have some level of ADHD with predominantly inattentive presentation’. (This ‘inattentive presentation’ referring to Dr. Amen’s ‘type 2’ form of ADD above.)

Wow!! This really resonated with my experience (and self-diagnosis!)! I dug in further and explored the three references that Eliot cited at the bottom of his article in the journal ‘Endocrine today’… But then I fell short. The three articles he cited all referred to the impact of type 1 diabetes on brain development but none of the three articles specifically cited ADHD. Therefore, the subjects in these studies had not been diagnosed with ADHD per se, even if they exhibited similar cognitive issues.

As it turns out, the research into the relationship between ADHD and type 1 diabetes is pretty sparse. This study set about trying to rectify this and found that, in their study cohort at least, ADHD is associated with Type 2 diabetes but not Type 1. a large population-based study in Sweden found that the rate of ADHD, along with a whole host of other psychiatric disorders, was significantly increased in children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the five years prior.

An Alternative View Of The Relationship Between ADD And Type 1 Diabetes

When I’m reading published studies in the field of diabetes, I am struck by how often the blood sugar levels of the diabetic participants are not taken into account. Yes, sometimes a measure of the average blood sugar level is taken by means of the HbA1c but I don’t believe that that is a particularly good indicator of anything. I have spent years going in for diabetic check-ups to be told that my HbA1c is ‘great’. However, if you were to ask me about my day-to-day blood sugar levels, it’s often more choppy waters than calm seas! As a result, my mood, my energy and my motivation fluctuate accordingly. After all, who wants to work when they don’t feel well?!

Therefore, I wonder whether the inconclusive findings about any potential correlation between ADD and Type 1 Diabetes might be due to an assumed static position on blood sugar levels. Perhaps, on the days when your blood sugars just aren’t playing ball and they’re bouncing like they’re on a trampoline, maybe your brain is also likely to not be optimal in its functioning. However, on the days that you are winning the good fight with your blood sugar levels, maybe your brain functioning is also pretty good. And no longitudinal or population-based study will pick up that fine detail. They’re only looking for averages and not the lived experience that the statistics denote.

To Diagnose Or To Not Diagnose, That Is The Question!

Whilst the picture feels a bit murky to me, wondering whether I might or might not have ADD and whether diabetics have a high or normal likelihood of having it, one thing has become apparent to me. I could just pop down to see my local psychologist or psychiatrist to get a diagnosis but I’m left feeling that that probably won’t give me very much. I know that putting myself on medications to increase my level of functioning is a route I wish to take. I know that, for some, that choice is most definitely worthwhile and fits with their goals in life. But, for me, I always worry that medicating myself will just mask the underlying condition that needs resolving and leave me stagnated in a place where the possibility of my body, mind and soul to heal themselves disappears. I want to try to reach for more than that.

What I am now seeing in myself are the areas of my functioning that are not particularly strong and need some work or need some support. At the moment, my sporadic or completely absent motivation is getting in the way of what I need to do on my path to healing. It’s causing me issues in being able to stay on-track with the nutritional and other changes that I wish to make. And therefore this is going to be where I will be focusing my energies now. This is the next bit I need to heal. And that will be the focus for my next blog post!

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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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July 20, 2020

Read more about the article The Relationship between ADHD and Type 1 Diabetes

Physical Wellbeing / Taking Control of My Health

Coronavirus and Type 1 Diabetes

Heightened Risks And The Added Need For Stable Control

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: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the author reflects on the heightened risks faced by Type 1 Diabetics, who are more likely to die from the virus than those without diabetes. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels becomes crucial for bolstering immunity. Adjusting routines and embracing self-forgiveness are vital amidst the challenges of managing diabetes during this global crisis.

Yeah, so this happened…!! The world has been ransacked and people have been left quaking in their boots by the virus that is not-so-affectionately known as COVID-19.

It seems like a long time ago now but there was a time when Coronavirus didn’t exist (like, less than a year ago…!!). In those days, Type 1 Diabetics were ‘just’ battling through their days as best they could with the general level of challenge that this medical condition presents.

But, for me now, it feels like a whole new level of challenge has entered my life. I now have my daughter at home permanently (at least for now!) so time has evaporated and my usual life activities are all on hold. As such, I anticipate that my blogging will be erratic for a while but please know that I haven’t given up. I will be dropping in here as often as I can to think, write and respond as best I can.

If I have learnt anything during this time, it is about being gentle. Gentle with my family and friends in this time of stress and uncertainty. Gentle with myself by lowering my expectations for both myself and others. At the moment, it is okay to just aim to be what I am. Anything else can come later.

I did, however, want to try to use this moment to put a few thoughts down about the particular challenges of having Type 1 Diabetes in these Coronavirus times.

Increased Risk Of Death For People With Type 1 Diabetes

So this is not a heading I ever wanted to write in my blog. But I think that, at a time like this, honesty and openness about the dangers are important. If for no other reason, truth can diminish the erratic thoughts that result from out-of-control fear. They can also offer hope.

Early on in the pandemic, at least where I am in the UK, the newspapers circulated information about the risks of death from COVID-19 for various medical conditions. For diabetics, the statistics were stark reading…

What Are The Most Common Health Conditions Among People Who Die Of COVID-19?

HEALTH CONDITION
Cardiovascular Disease	10.5%
Diabetes	7.3%
Chronic Respiratory Disease	6.3%
Hypertension	6%
Cancer	5.6%
No Health Condition	0.9%

So, according to this, once diabetics have contracted COVID-19, their risk of dying from the disease is greater than people suffering from chronic respiratory disease, hypertension and even cancer!

It was assumed that people with Type 2 Diabetes were generally more at-risk because they are generally older and also often have co-morbid health conditions, making their overall health poorer than those with Type 1 Diabetes.

However, a study by the National Health Service in the UK has now published a study that says otherwise…

Type 1 Diabetics Three Times As Likely To Die From COVID-19

As shown in this article by the Guardian newspaper, the NHS has found that those with Type 1 Diabetes are three-and-a-half times more likely to die from Coronavirus than non-diabetics. Type 2 diabetics are ‘only’ twice as likely (note: that’s still a huge increase!). Of course, the number of actual deaths of Type 1 diabetics will be substantially lower than Type 2s, since Type 2s are so much more numerous in the population.

What Is The Takeaway Message?

COVID-19 is a dangerous virus for those with Type 1 Diabetes. Once contracted, death is more likely than for other tranches of the population.

HOWEVER…

As I discussed in this blog post, the immune system of Type 1 Diabetics may actually not be compromised. Only the sub-optimal blood sugar control impacts the immune system. Therefore, stable blood sugars are our best fight against this disease. This will enable us to keep our immune system strong and therefore reduce our likelihood of catching COVID-19. Of course, combining tight blood sugar control with social distancing measures reduces our risks further.

Easier Said Than Done…?

Perfect blood sugar control when the world has gone to hell in a hand basket seems like a tall ask! When your whole routine – the thing our diabetic bodies thrive on – has gone out the window, how is that possible?

I have started by establishing a new routine. My usual exercise routine is gone and has been replaced by a good hour of walking early in the afternoon each day with my husband and daughter. I have worked out new meal timings that work not only for me but for my family as a whole. I am accepting that I have gained some weight, which has increased my total daily units. I accept that I am unlikely to drop this weight whilst under the stress of this pandemic. And I am learning to forgive myself for the deviations that I inevitably make in my attempts to keep myself as well as I can.

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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 30, 2020

Read more about the article Coronavirus and Type 1 Diabetes

Taking Control of My Health

NEWSFLASH!

Questioning The Classification of Types of 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.

Summary: This newspaper article questions the classification of Type 1 Diabetes into two distinct conditions based on age of diagnosis, highlighting conflicting family cases. It critiques the complexity of diabetes classifications, suggesting potential over-categorization akin to misidentifying plant species. Emotional and historical variables in research are considered, challenging the validity of findings based on snapshots of pancreatic function.

In today’s newspaper, I found an article suggesting that Type 1 Diabetes is in fact two separate conditions. The referenced study in the journal Diabetologia found a marked difference between those diagnosed before the age of seven and those diagnosed over the age of thirteen.

The people in the group diagnosed before the age of seven were found to have poor insulin production and a stronger attack by their immune system on their pancreatic beta cells. This group were named the ‘Type 1 diabetes endotype 1’ (T1DE1) group.

The people in the group diagnosed after the age of thirteen were found to have fewer immune cells in their pancreas, thus suggesting a weaker attack from their immune system. They also appeared to have more ability to make insulin from properly functioning insulin beta cells. These individuals were thus classified in the ‘Type 1 diabetes endotype 2’ (T1DE2) group.

The T1DE2 group were of notable interest because of their insulin cells. They had not been destroyed, like in the T1DE1 group, and thus suggest that they are instead dormant. Future research could potentially look into methods for kickstarting these cells into life.

People diagnosed between the ages of 7 and 12 were a mix of those exhibiting T1DE1 and T1DE2. This group was not so predictable in their endotype but they did fall neatly into one or other category.

The researchers from the University of Exeter therefore concluded that, for future research into Type 1 Diabetes, it is now pertinent to apply different therapeutic treatments for the two different conditions. In other words, healing Type 1 Diabetes may need to take different approaches, depending on the age at diagnosis.

HOWEVER…

I am struggling to feel at ease with this piece of research.

Firstly, I am thinking about the cases of Type 1 Diabetes in my family. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 18 months of age. My sister was diagnosed at the age of 9. My aunt was diagnosed when she was nineteen. So are we truly a miraculous family that just so happens to have examples of both T1ED1 (myself) and T1ED2 (my aunt) and the interim group of ages 7-12 (my sister) in one family?? That doesn’t feel right to me.

Secondly, the researchers in this article compare the two groups of diabetics they identified (T1ED1 and T1ED2) with a Scandinavian study from 2018, where the research identified five categories of Type 1 Diabetes, based on variables such as age at onset, body mass index, blood sugar levels, insulin production and insulin sensitivity.

One of these five categories correlated with one of the endotypes in this study. Therefore, the researchers concluded that maybe there are six different types of Type 1 Diabetes, once their additional endotype category is included!

Now, I don’t know about you but it just seems to me like something is amiss here. The classification system for defining diabetes over the years has become more and more convoluted. In the good old days, there was simply juvenile-onset diabetes. But, when the researchers realised that you didn’t necessarily have to be young to get this type of diabetes, they renamed it Type 1 Diabetes (as opposed to Type 2 Diabetes).

Then, those two distinct categories became less clear-cut with the addition of Type 1.5 Diabetes (really?? is that the best you could come up with??). This type of diabetes, otherwise known as LADA, shares the autoimmune attack component of Type 1 but has the more slow onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

This latest piece of research suggests that we may be looking at a list of subtypes of diabetes that now looks something like this:

Type 1 Endotype 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Endotype 2 Diabetes
Perhaps another four types of diabetes identified by the Scandinavian study mentioned above
Type 1.5 (LADA) Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
MODY Diabetes (of which there are currently 11 different subtypes… and counting!)

My intuition is screaming at me as I look at this list… Nineteen different types of diabetes?? Really???? I’m thinking of confounding variables. What if the researchers are looking at this wrongly? Let me given an analogy…

I’m an explorer. I have decided to go to a new land and document my findings for people to learn about. On the first day I am there, I notice this plant. It has two green leaves and a green stalk. The flower is slightly odd… It is bud-shaped and probably not more than three centimetres long. I wonder how it can become pollinated since it does not seem to be showing any pollen. The wonders of new plants, I surmise! I take a photograph, sketch a picture of it, and name this ‘Plant One’.

The next day, I explore a different part of the land. This time, I come across a new plant. Again, it has green leaves and a green stalk. But this plant has a beautiful yellow flower! It is attracting many bees and insects, it has stamen from which they are collecting pollen. Again, I take a photograph, sketch a picture of it, and name this ‘Plant Two’.

When I return to my home, I tell the people about the two new plants that I have seen. I show them the pictures. One person turns to me and says that I have just taken two photographs of the same kind of plant, but at different times in their development… One is a bud, the other is a fully blooming flower. I tell him he is being ridiculous. I saw both plants. They were completely different!

What if this is happening in diabetes research? This particular piece of research, which I can use as an example for my argument here, used pancreatic cross-sections from diabetics who died in the 1950s plus also blood samples taken from people alive today. Both of those measurements take a snapshot in time of what that particular person’s body is doing, what their health is like and therefore also what their pancreatic function is like in that moment of time only!!

Emotions, Emotions, Emotions!!

As I outlined in my article on ‘The Neuroscience of Diabetes’, insulin is a neuropeptide. It is a molecule of emotion. Has anyone in these studies been controlling for the emotional conditions in their research participants’ bodies? In this study, I can confirm that they haven’t. The researchers would not have known what the emotional response was for the pancreatic cross-sections for people who died in the 1950s!! So this study already exhibits a large confounding variable when considering this variable alone. I’m sure there must be more too, when you think outside of the narrow scientific box.

I’m also really intrigued that this article is still using the model of Eisenbarth model of diabetes. As I discussed in my post ‘What Is Type 1 Diabetes?‘, there is now accumulating evidence to indicate that there is no beta-cell burnout with Type 1 Diabetes. So, having this study delineate the two endotypes T1ED1 and T1ED2 through the amount of pancreatic beta-cell burnout seems a false categorisation.

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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March 16, 2020

Physical Wellbeing / Taking Control of My Health

How Does The Quantity and Quality of Sleep Impact Type 1 Diabetes?

More Better Quality Sleep = Better Diabetes Control

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 post discusses the profound impact of sleep on managing Type 1 Diabetes. It highlights how inadequate sleep reduces insulin sensitivity, exacerbates blood sugar swings, and increases inflammation. Circadian rhythms and sleep quality are crucial, with suggestions to optimise sleep routines and environment. Strategies include managing blue light exposure and even sleeping naked for better quality sleep and health outcomes.

Ah, the elixir of sleep! Like the majority of people I know, I want more of it and better quality too! I think sleep has become particularly prominent in my mind recently because I have just had the fun of crossing timezones to go on holiday. Whilst I had a lovely time away, I am now left juggling the resulting jet lag. I just wish I could be asleep right now!!

Lack of Sleep Decrease Insulin Sensitivity in Type 1 Diabetes

I’ve seen this happen SO many times… I’ve had a good night out with friends and stayed up pretty late. I’ve given my night-time injection as usual and, in the morning, WHAM! High blood sugars. I followed all the rules but it just didn’t work. It sucks. So I’m fighting high blood sugars for several hours as well as feeling more-than-just-a-bit tired from my night out. What gives?!

It turns out that reduced insulin sensitivity after a poor night’s sleep is an expected physiological phenomenon. For example, having just one night of four hours of sleep (between 1am and 5am) results in a decrease in insulin sensitivity of between 14-21% the next day! [1] So, after a night out, my average total daily dose of 18.2 units would need to increase to 20.7-22.0 units!

Similarly, one single night of no sleep (hello new parents!!) results in MORE insulin resistance than eating a high-fat diet for SIX MONTHS!! [2] These effects also seem to be cumulative, with insulin resistance also found to be significantly increased over longer periods of time with reduced sleep. [3]

This increased insulin requirement is, of course, not uniform. I cannot sit down the morning-after-the-night-before and know for sure that if I increase all of my insulin levels by, say, 14% my blood sugars will be spot-on. What is more likely to happen is that my blood sugars will swing about for most of the day as I try to guess my insulin ratios. This will then set off a cycle of under- and over-correcting that is likely to further increase my overall insulin dose, beyond the initial 14%, for that day.

In short, my blood glucose levels are likely to be doing this (minus the fun!)…!!

Sleep And Inflammation

Multiple experimental studies have highlighted the link between sleep loss and mediators of inflammation. These mediators, known as cytokines, are secreted by cells of the immune system and are responsible for regulating levels of inflammation in the human body.

Levels of cytokines rise in the bloodstream following sleep deprivation, as demonstrated in both sleep deprivation studies (no sleep) and also in reduced sleep studies (for example, sleeping between 25-50% of the normal sleep requirement) [4]. Whilst these studies indicate that the changes in the levels of basal inflammatory cytokines are subclinical (i.e. not dramatically huge), I believe that these shifts are still likely to contribute to the overall level of chronic inflammation in my diabetic body (see my post on allostatic load for an explanation on how I understand the mechanism by which inflammation builds up in my system).

Circadian Rhythms Impact The Immune System

Human bodies function on a circadian rhythm. ‘Circadian rhythm’ is the term used to describe your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. During any 24-hour period, you are likely to experience times when your body requires sleep more than others. Over time, with a regular sleeping schedule, your body’s circadian rhythm will match the sleep/wake cycle that you have and you will feel more alert and awake during your days. Here, then, regularity in the cycle is key.

The link between circadian rhythms and the immune system is discussed in detail in this post by the Sleep Doctor. To summarise, he highlights how, when sleep is irregular or less than the body requires, it disrupts circadian rhythms, which as a knock-on effect on the immune system. [5]

Not All Sleep Is Created Equal…?

But what time should this cycle take place? I know I’ve certainly heard of the night owl and the morning lark (and also the joke about the alternative option of the permanently exhausted pigeon!!). I’ve always thought of myself as a night owl. In my ideal world, I’d like to be up late and have a good ol’ lie-in every morning, at least beyond all those horrible single-digit hours!! But is that actually good for me?

Sleep quality changes as the night progresses. In the first part of the night, usually from 8pm to midnight, sleep is likely to consist mostly of the deep, restorative sleep known as ‘non-REM sleep’ [6].

In the latter part of the night, REM sleep then dominates. It appears that the switch from mostly non-REM sleep to mostly REM sleep happens at a set time of night, in the early hours of the morning, independent of the time you went to bed. So, for a night owl like me, I am likely to have more REM-heavy sleep, which is not as deep as non-REM sleep. The following morning, I will not feel as refreshed as I could be. So getting to sleep earlier is crucial.

How Can I Improve My Sleep?

Sleep by Nick Littlehales is a powerhouse of information on how to improve your sleep. It is written by Nick Littlehales, a sleep expert who coaches a variety of top-class athletes and footballers, including Olympians and members of the Premier League, on how to sleep effectively.

It appears that preparation is the key to effective sleep! Nick Littlehales goes into great detail (in a short and easy-to-read 177 pages!) on all aspects of sleep and how to optimise it. He includes details on:

The importance of pre- and post-sleep routines: how to prepare well for it and ‘recover’ from it for optimal functioning in your day.
The importance of a regular sleep schedule.
How to prepare your sleep environment (what he terms ‘the Recovery Room’!) for better quality sleep
How to work out the amount of sleep your body actually needs to be effective

I have just started implementing Nick Littlehales’ recommendations into my life and I am already seeing a dramatic increase in my readiness to sleep at night and the increased level to which I feel restored in the morning.

The Effects Of Blue Light On Sleep

The Effects Of Blue Light From Technology May Be Disruptive To Sleep

Blue light is bad for sleep. We shouldn’t be using our phones or laptops or Apple watches or iPads or anything else that emits ‘blue light’ anywhere near when we want to fall asleep. This fact has almost become myth in today’s society and is cited widely (see here, here and here for just a few examples).

Is it true? Well, the jury seems to be out on this one. Manchester University has recently demonstrated that blue light may not actually be as bad for us as today’s myth suggests [8]. In fact, the researchers from this study suggest that blue light may in fact be more beneficial for our sleep than the bright, warmer-coloured lights that are normally used in households.

However, in this study, the light was controlled for brightness, such that the colour of the lighting was changed from yellow to blue without affecting its brightness. I wonder if, for electronics that tend to have bright lights with a blue tone, it is in fact the brightness, rather than the colour, that has the impact.

Whilst the jury may be out in the research world, I know for certain that on the evenings when I have not used any electronics – perhaps just read a book – my mind is not buzzing and I fall asleep much more quickly. So, for me, gadgetry has to go in the last few hours of my day.

Bonus Tip: Sleep Naked!

As I wandered through the literature on sleep and Type 1 Diabetes, I was surprised to find several references to the benefits of sleeping naked!

1. Sleeping Naked Promotes Sleep Quality

When you sleep naked, your body temperature lowers. This lowered body temperature signals to your circadian rhythm that it is time for sleep and also induces deeper (non-REM) sleep. This deep-sleep state in turn promotes longer lasting sleep since it is less likely you will be disturbed from this deep-sleep state. [9]

Better quality sleep also helps restore normal levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. So, with better quality sleep, you will feel less stressed in the morning no matter how stressful your life may be in waking hours. Sleeping naked, as discussed in the previous paragraph, promotes better quality sleep and therefore helps reset your stress counter.

Reduced cortisol also reduces both inflammation and insulin resistance [10], which will decrease my overall need for insulin further.

2. Sleeping Naked Helps You Lose Weight

In a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health [11], it was found that decreased room temperature when sleeping (which can also be achieved by removing clothing!) led to an increase in brown fat and a decrease in white fat in the study participants. Brown fat keeps your body warm by boosting the metabolism. This increase in your metabolism lasts all day and therefore helps burn more calories!

So it looks like I’m going to be experimenting with sleeping in the buff from now on!!

References

Donga, E., van Dijk, M., van Dijk, J. G., et al. (2010). Partial Sleep Restriction Decreases Insulin Sensitivity in Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 33(7), 1573-1577. [Article]
Obesity Society (2015). One Night of Poor Sleep Could Equal Six Months on a High-Fat Diet, Study Shows. Retrieved 21st February 2020 from the World Wide Web: https://www.newswise.com/articles/one-night-of-poor-sleep-could-equal-six-months-on-a-high-fat-diet-study-shows.
Buxton, O. M., Pavlova, M., Reid, E. W., et al. (2010). Sleep Restriction for 1 Week Reduces Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Men. Diabetes, 59(9), 2126-2133. [Article]
Mullington, J. M., Simpson, N. S., Meier-Ewert, H. K., and Haack, M. (2010). Sleep Loss and Inflammation. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab, 24(5), 775-784. [Article]
Comas, M., Gordon, C. J., Oliver, B. G., et al. (2017). A circadian based inflammatory response – implications for respiratory disease and treatment. Sleep Science and Practice, 1(18). [Article]
Heid, M. (2017). What’s the Best Time to Sleep? You Asked. Retrieved 22nd February 2020 from the World Wide Web: https://time.com/3183183/best-time-to-sleep/
Littlehales, N. (2016). Sleep. London: Penguin Random House UK. [Link]
Mouland, J. W., Martial, F., Watson, A., et al. (2019). Cones Support Alignment to an Inconsistent World by Suppressing Mouse Circadian Responses to the Blue Colors Associated with Twilight. Current Biology, 29(24), 4260-4267. [Article]
Bradberry, T. (2016). 4 Reasons Sleeping Naked Makes You Healthier And Wealthier. Retrieved 21st February 2020 from the World Wide Web: https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/ 2016/09/13/4-reasons-sleeping-naked-makes-you-healthier-and-wealthier/#4c9f2fb969b4
Holmang, A., and Bjorntorp, P. (1992). The effects of cortisol on insulin sensitivity in muscle. Acta Physiol Scand, 144(4), 425-431. [Article]
Lee, P., Smith, S., Linderman, J., et al. (2014). Temperature-acclimated brown adipose tissue modulates insulin sensitivity in humans. Diabetes, 63(11), 3686-3698. [Article]

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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 2, 2020

Read more about the article How Does The Quantity and Quality of Sleep Impact Type 1 Diabetes?

Diet / Emotional Wellbeing / Exercise / Hydration / Nutrition / Physical Wellbeing / Taking Control of My Health

Daniel Darkes

Miraculously Cured From Type 1 Diabetes

Enjoyed this post? Check out my post on ‘MORE Spontaneous Remissions From Type 1 Diabetes!’ too.

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: This article discusses the ‘miraculous’ healing of the Type 1 Diabetes veteran Daniel Darkes, who healed after having T1D for multiple years. His diet, exercise and vitamins regime are outlined, along with thoughts about how this information can help more to heal.

Who Is Daniel Darkes?

Daniel Darkes is the first man (in the Western World, at least) to be cured of Type 1 Diabetes. He has become the talk of the town in diabetes communities as people try to understand how this incurable, lifelong condition is no longer incurable or lifelong!

Daniel Darkes was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2010, aged 23. He has left the British Army Grenadier Guard just four weeks before his diagnosis. He has stated that he was discharged from the army on medical grounds but it is not clear what medical issue this was.

Before Daniel’s body started to heal, he was originally taking 5-6 units of Novorapid for meals and 8 units of Lantus at night-time for a period of 7 years.

Daniel Stops Taking Insulin

In November 2016, Daniel started having episodes of recurrent hypoglycaemia at night. Before this point, night-time hypo’s had been extremely rare for him. Under the medical guidance of Northampton General Hospital, Daniel gradually reduced his insulin doses to try to prevent further hypoglycaemic episodes. However, no matter how little he gave, he continued to hypo. Eventually, it got to the point that Daniel’s consultant made the decision to stop insulin altogether.

The Impossible Becomes Possible

When I think about Miracle Dan (as Daniel Darkes has been named by his friends), I am reminded of the story of the four-minute mile. On May 6th 1954, Roger Bannister was the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. Athletes had tried since 1886 to break this barrier and none had succeeded. It was therefore assumed that this was a feat beyond human capability, something that the human body just could not do. However, once Bannister broke this barrier, many others followed. The impossible had become possible. Once they saw it could be done, many others did it too.

For me, Daniel Darkes is the Roger Bannister of Type 1 Diabetes. He has broken the barrier and shown that this ‘incurable’ condition is curable. We now know the impossible is possible.

Reactions To Daniel Darkes’ Cure

The medical and diabetic communities have not been wholly receptive to the news of Daniel Darkes’ cure. For example, Live Science wrote a piece highlighting what they believed to be inconsistencies in Daniel Darkes’ story. Firstly, they questioned the validity of his original Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis. They also used Daniel Darkes’ refusal to provide his medical records (actually, it was his NHS trust that refused due to patient confidently laws in the UK), plus the absence of a published medical case study, to infer that this may be some kind of hoax.

As I ponder this reaction, I am reminded of quote by Arthur Schopenhaueur:

It appears to me that, unfortunately, Daniel Darkes’ healing is encountering the first two stages of truth – ridicule and violent opposition. Change in the medical world takes time.

Daniel Darkes has stumbled across the way to heal Type 1 Diabetes. So, whilst the medical community is adjusting its lens to the new reality, I’d like to get on with actually learning as much as I can about how he achieved it!

What Do We Know About Daniel Darkes’ Miracle Cure?

Daniel’s Diet

Daniel appears to have a very healthy diet. He runs a lot (see below) and therefore takes care of his nutrition for this. When not running, his diet tends to consist of a lot of fish, chicken and vegetables, basically pretty low-carb. He might eat fruits, nuts and crackers for lunch. He doesn’t eat sweet stuff, chocolate or have sugar in his tea. But, before I panic about such a restrictive diet, he does admit to also having the occasional beer or sweet treat or takeaway at weekends!!

On days when Daniel is running a long run, he will increase his carbohydrate intake by adding in a serving of rice, pasta or sweet potato for dinner and/or porridge for lunch. He will also have gels or sweets on the runs to top up his blood sugars, if needed.

Foodstuffs Found In Daniel Darkes’ Diet

Daniel’s Vitamins and Supplements

Daniel has said that he takes the following vitamins and supplements on a daily basis:

Daniel’s Exercise Routine

Daniel is a long-distance runner. He regularly runs marathons and ultra-marathons. He is dedicated to his fitness. He tends to run 15-30 miles a couple of times a week and then does a longer run at the weekend.

Enjoyed this post? Check out my post on ‘MORE Spontaneous Remissions From Type 1 Diabetes!’ too.

What The Experts Think

Daniel Darkes says that the experts on his case have identified a rare gene that he possesses that is acting as a back-up immune system by recharging the pancreatic cells to produce insulin.

What I Think

Issues With The Experts’ Explanation

Hang on a minute! The old-school way of looking at diabetes said that the beta cells in the pancreas – the ones that produce the insulin – have been obliterated by our misfiring immune systems. And now they can recharge?! This fits in with what I have so far argued on my blog – that this theory of ‘burnt out beta cells’ has little scientific support and has actually been replaced with the finding that beta cells do still exist in the pancreas and can, under the right environmental conditions, start producing insulin again.

I also have an issue with this ‘rare gene’ hypothesis… My issue sits in the findings of epigenetics. Epigenetics argues that individuals are not necessarily destined to suffer (or enjoy!) the blueprints of their inherited DNA sequences. In other words, you may receive programming, via your DNA, from one or other parent but that does not mean that you are destined to have that gene expressed and acted out in your life. Instead, genes have been found to be affected throughout a person’s lifespan by a range of factors, including diet, exposure to pollutants and even emotions. it is the epigenetics, influenced by this diverse range of factors, that determine whether genes are turned on or off. Why this is relevant to Daniel Darkes is because this ‘rare gene’ may have in fact been created during his healing process, as a result of epigenetics. Equally, this may be a gene that we all possess, but as yet Daniel is the only one who has found a way to get this gene turned on and working.

Western Medicine Has Not Undertaken A Holistic Investigation

I struggle with the findings, and lack of findings, that I have so far heard about Daniel’s case. So far, all investigations seem to have proceeded down only the expected avenues… Inquiries into diet, exercise, supplements, blood sugar readings and so on. In other words, all focus has been on medical questions, which treat the body as a machine with a broken component (see my post on Descartes for more information). As such, I believe the lens of inquiry is too narrow.

We Also Need To Be Asking Daniel About…

Nobody is asking Daniel about the wider healing that he may have undertaken. As I highlighted in my post on neuropeptides, the brain is highly interrelated with the body via emotions. Has anybody asked Daniel what his emotional journey has been like over the time his healing took place? Were there any shifts in his emotional outlook, for example? Candace Pert would argue that emotional healing is as likely to improve health as much as any medical intervention.

I also wonder about his running. The experts have said that his long-distance running has somehow ‘shocked’ his immune system, via this rare gene, to start working again. How do they know that it wasn’t some other factor to do with running that would have helped? For example, Daniel is likely to have maintained good hydration to be able to run. He is also likely to have spent a lot of time outdoors in nature, which in itself can be very healing. The added benefit of sunshine on the body, and the resultant levels of vitamin D, are also worth questioning. Perhaps it was any one of these factors, or the combination of all of them, rather than the running itself, that led to his healing.

I have also heard about the great benefits of fasting and its ability to regenerate the immune system (although fasting can come with great risks for diabetics). Did Daniel have any intentional or unintentional periods of fasting, perhaps due to long runs or periods of illness, which may have instead been responsible for kickstarting his immune system?

I have seen no evidence that the medical teams are asking these kinds of questions. If they are not, they are not controlling for extraneous variables in their research design and, as such, according to the rules of scientific research, their method and findings are confounded. No firm conclusions can be drawn.

Dr Kelly Turner

As this post comes to an end, I am thinking back to Dr Kelly Turner’s work on spontaneous remissions of cancer. Kelly outlined how healing is based on a range of factors, only two of which were body-based (those of ‘radically changing your diet’ and ‘herbs and supplements’). By asking Daniel only about the body-based activities and treatments he had, we are missing out on finding out about the majority of his healing journey.

Dr Kelly Turner also discussed how valuable information about healing can be gained from asking the patient themselves what they believe healed them. Daniel Darkes thinks his healing resulted from the combination of his running and his diet, which is high in zinc, nuts, oily fish and vegetables.

I intend to use Daniel Darkes’ route to health as a roadmap for my own healing. However, I am hoping that I won’t need to achieve the fitness of an ultra-marathon runner to heal my Type 1 Diabetes… I dearly hope that my unique path to healing may not require such a high level of physical exertion for the same results!! Let’s wait and see.

Enjoyed this post? Check out my post on ‘MORE Spontaneous Remissions From Type 1 Diabetes!’ too.

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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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February 17, 2020

Read more about the article Daniel Darkes

Health Reviews / Taking Control of My Health

Second Health Review

20th January 2020

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.

The author outlines her second health assessment on her healing journey.

Here is my latest progress update! I have updated the figures that I have measured since my last health review. All others, I have left in here for sake of completeness.

I have grouped my results into two sections:

‘Output‘ are the readings that I have had taken, including blood work, weight etc.
‘Input‘ are the things I do to try to help my body (or not, as the case may be!).

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor/physician. My interpretations are my views only. They represent what I have come to understand through my research and therefore should not be considered medically interpreted.

For ease of interpretation, I have grouped my results into categories, according to my own standards of what I wish to attain…

My healthy results are in green
My results in need of improvement are in orange
My results in need of great improvement are in red

Output

Vital Statistics:

Height: 172 cm

Weight: 82 kg

BMI: 27.7

Fitness:

Average Minutes of Exercise (Last Seven Days): 38.6 minutes

Average Number of Hours of Sleep (Last Seven Days): 7.3 hours

Maximum number of sit-ups (to failure): 12 (Last six-week review: 7 sit-ups)

Plank (time to failure): 63 seconds (Last six-week review: 48 seconds)

Maximum number of push-ups (to failure): 13 (Last six-week review: 8 push-ups)

Time Taken to Cover One Mile: 11 minutes 59 seconds (Last six-week review: 12 minutes 35 seconds)

Resting Heart Rate: 64 bpm (Last six-week review: 66 bpm)

Diabetes:

HbA1c: 62 mmol/mol

Years of diabetes: 38

Complications: Intermittent background retinopathy. This tends to heal itself between one check-up and the next. I have no background retinopathy currently and no other complications.

Inflammation:

CRP HS: 4.5 mg/l

ECR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate): 5 mm/hr

Interleukin 6 (IL-6): < 1.5 pg/ml

Kidney Health:

Urea: 4.5 mmol/L

Creatinine: 68 umol/L

EGFR: 88

Uric acid: 160 umol/L

ACR: 0.3 ug/mmol

Liver Health:

Bilirubin: 5 umol/L

ALP: 68 IU/L

ALT: 32 IU/L

GGT: 33 IU/L

Proteins:

Total Protein: 64 g/L

Albumin: 42 g/L

Globulin: 22 g/L

Cholesterol:

Total cholesterol: 3.9 mmol/L

LDL cholesterol: 1.7 mmol/L

Non HDL cholesterol: 2 mmol/L

HDL cholesterol: 1.9 mmol/L

Total cholesterol: HDL : 2.1

Triglycerides: 0.6 mmol/L

Vitamin and Mineral Blood Readings:

Iron: 13.8 umol/L

TIBC: 44 umol/L

Transferrin Saturation: 31%

Ferritin: 112 ug/L

Magnesium – serum: 0.73 mmol/L

Folate – serum: 14.4 ug/L

Vitamin B12 – Active: 137 pmol/L

Vitamin D: 73 nmol/L

Thyroid Functioning:

TSH: 0.84 mIU/L

Free T3: 4.8 pmol/L

Free Thyroxine: 15 pmol/l

Improvements in My Output:

I have lost some weight and therefore decreased my BMI (although it is still currently too high). My fitness has also improved on all measures, which I am proud of. I am still being a bit lazy with my exercise – it’s what naturally happens in my week, rather than any planned activities. I also want to start focusing on my sleep. I am better if I have at least 7.5 hours a night so this will be an area for me to focus on.

My Subjective Assessment of My ‘Output’:

Although making improvements in my weight and fitness levels, I still feel pretty tired most of the time. I am going to address my sleep patterns and improve my fitness more as a way to address this.

My nutrition has improved dramatically since the last review – as I was expecting would happen when eating solely natural foods on Whole30! I hope that, as I continue to eat well for my body, my fitness and general feeling of wellbeing will continue to improve.

Input:

Medications:

I don’t take any medications at all, apart from insulin.

Diabetes:

Carbohydrates per day (average of the last week): 44.6 grams

Insulin dosages per day (average of the last week): 18.2 units consisting of 7.2 units of Novorapid and 11 units of Lantus (5 units of Lantus at night and 6 units of Lantus in the morning)

Vitamin And Mineral Supplements Taken:

None taken. Some were not compliant with Whole30. I also felt that, eating a more nourishing diet, consisting of a lot more fruit and vegetables, would also likely negate the needs for any supplements. I therefore stopped taking all supplements. I have been monitoring my mental health and… So far, so good!

My Subjective Assessment Of My ‘Input’:

I have significantly improved my carbohydrate intake and therefore significantly lowered my insulin requirements.

I have removed my vitamins and supplements without any noticeable effect. I attribute this to my dramatically improved diet, with a significant increase in my fruit and vegetables intake, as well as a complete elimination of processed foods, sugar, dairy and wheat.

My exercise levels are still well below what I would hope they would be. I will be aiming to start to address this in the forthcoming weeks.

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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 20, 2020

Read more about the article Second Health Review

Health Reviews / Taking Control of My Health

First Health Review

25th November 2019

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 outlines her first health assessment. Blood results and also some subjective health assessments. are discussed. Whilst it may not appear to be particularly exciting reading, this is effectively the ‘before’ photo in the healing journey.

Formatting of This Post

I have grouped my results into two sections:

‘Output‘ are the readings that I have had taken, including blood work, weight etc.
‘Input‘ are the things I do to try to help my body (or not, as the case may be!).

For ease of interpretation, I have grouped my results into categories, according to my own standards of what I wish to attain…

My healthy results are in green
My results in need of improvement are in orange
My results in need of great improvement are in red

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor/physician. My interpretations are my views only. They represent what I have come to understand through my research and therefore should not be considered medically interpreted.

Output

Vital Statistics:

Height: 172 cm

Weight: 86 kg

BMI: 29

Fitness:

Average Number of Hours of Sleep (Last Seven Days): 7.2 hours

Average Minutes of Exercise (Last Seven Days): 17.1 minutes

Plank (time to failure): 48 seconds

Maximum number of sit-ups (to failure): 7
Maximum number of push-ups (to failure): 8

Time Taken to Cover One Mile: 12 minutes 35 seconds

Resting Heart Rate: 66 bpm

Diabetes:

HbA1c: 62 mmol/mol

Years of diabetes: 38

Complications: Intermittent background retinopathy. This tends to heal itself between one check-up and the next. I have no background retinopathy currently and no other complications.

Inflammation:

CRP HS: 4.5 mg/l

ECR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate): 5 mm/hr

Interleukin 6 (IL-6): < 1.5 pg/ml

Kidney Health:

Urea: 4.5 mmol/L

Creatinine: 68 umol/L

EGFR: 88

Uric acid: 160 umol/L

ACR: 0.3 ug/mmol

Liver Health:

Bilirubin: 5 umol/L

ALP: 68 IU/L

ALT: 32 IU/L

GGT: 33 IU/L

Proteins:

Total Protein: 64 g/L

Albumin: 42 g/L

Globulin: 22 g/L

Cholesterol:

Total cholesterol: 3.9 mmol/L

LDL cholesterol: 1.7 mmol/L

Non HDL cholesterol: 2 mmol/L

HDL cholesterol: 1.9 mmol/L

Total cholesterol: HDL : 2.1

Triglycerides: 0.6 mmol/L

Vitamin and Mineral Blood Readings:

Iron: 13.8 umol/L

TIBC: 44 umol/L

Transferrin Saturation: 31%

Ferritin: 112 ug/L

Magnesium – serum: 0.73 mmol/L

Folate – serum: 14.4 ug/L

Vitamin B12 – Active: 137 pmol/L

Vitamin D: 73 nmol/L

Thyroid Functioning:

TSH: 0.84 mIU/L

Free T3: 4.8 pmol/L

Free Thyroxine: 15 pmol/l

My Objective Evaluation Of My Blood Work:

I am overweight and my BMI is higher than it should be. I am definitely making weight loss part of my health goals. I suspect that this may naturally take place as I progress through this healing process anyway.

My HbA1c is greater than it could be. I have had it lower than this. I have been a bit lazy in the last few months. Like my weight, I suspect that my HbA1c will naturally improve as this process continues.

My CRP (high sensitivity) is within normal range but heading towards the top end. I suspected that my inflammation levels were likely to be elevated as a result of my diabetes and excess weight (although I note my other inflammation tests, IL-6 and ECR, are in the healthy range). I am intending to improve my nutrition quite substantially and thus hope to see improvement here.

All other blood results were at healthy levels.

My Subjective Assessmet of My ‘Output’:

My blood work seems generally good, although there are a few ‘out-of-range’ values that I’ll be working on through lifestyle adjustments. I will be particularly focusing on my diet and exercise from here to try to improve those readings.

Despite having a generally healthy picture in my blood panel, I don’t generally feel that great. I don’t feel ill but I just don’t feel like a picture of health. I feel tired by the end of the day most days. I am sometimes irritable. I can feel sluggish in my day-to-day activities. So, whilst I would not be deemed ‘unwell’ by a medical professional, I still feel I can reach for more than I have now.

I don’t exercise particularly frequently and do not take particularly good care of my body’s nutritional needs. I do a sufficient amount to look after my diabetes but I know could fine-tune that too. I would like to substantially increase my general fitness level and increase my cardio workouts. There is definitely work for me to do over the forthcoming months!

Input:

Medications:

I don’t take any medications at all, apart from insulin. No, not even statins (strangely, I’ve never been offered these, despite 38 years of diabetes).

Diabetes:

Carbohydrates per day (average of the last week): 150-200 grams

Insulin dosages per day (average of the last week): 48.2 units consisting of 30.2 units of Novorapid and 18 units of Lantus

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Taken:

Every Day:

Pure Fish Oil 1100mg with 70mg Omega 3s
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) 4000 IU
Multivitamin containing: 667 micrograms Vitamin A; 16 mg Vitamin E; 24.5 micrograms Vitamin K; 1.32 mg Vitamin B1; 2.1 mg Vitamin B2; 2.1 mg Vitamin B6; 3 micrograms Vitamin B12; 10 micrograms Vitamin D; 62.5 micrograms Biotin; 300 micrograms Folic Acid; 16 mg Niacin; 7.5 mg Pantothenic Acid; 320 mg Calcium; 105 mg Phosphorus; 100 mg Magnesium; 10 mg Iron; 100 micrograms Iodine; 500 micrograms Copper; 2 mg Manganese; 40 micrograms Chromium; 50 micrograms Molybdenum; 30 micrograms Selenium
Passion Flower Herb, 2 capsules totalling 600 mg
Ashwagandha totalling 300 mg
Zinc totalling 35 mg
Vitamin C totalling 240 mg

Every Week:

Evening Primrose Oil 500mg

Whilst I feel that this looks like a lot of supplements, I have honed these over a period of years to optimise my subjective experience of feeling well. I did suffer a lot from anxiety and depression. I believe that this combination of vitamins and minerals play a part in helping me to keep these mental health conditions at bay.

My Subjective Assessment Of My ‘Input’:

My carbohydrate intake (and therefore my insulin requirements) are too high. I will be addressing these in the forthcoming weeks.

I am happy with the vitamin and supplement regime I am on and I am happy with the lack of other medications I put into my body.

My exercise levels are well below what I would hope they would be. They have been much better than this for large periods of my life. However, I want to be cautious about increasing my exercise levels too high too soon because I will not sustain it. A little bit more every week until I get to the point of doing some form of exercise everyday will be a good start. I hope this will then yield gradual improvements in my fitness levels (as measured by my sit-ups, push-ups, plank performance and 1 mile run time).

It’s definitely time for me to get started!

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:

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November 25, 2019

Read more about the article First Health Review

Reasons for Healing / Taking Control of My Health

My Reasons for Healing My Type 1 Diabetes

A Key Factor In 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.

The author discusses the importance of having a strong reason for healing and outlines her own.

To Tell Or Not To Tell… That Is The Question!

As I have already discussed in my article on Candace Pert, one of the main healing factors is having a strong reason for healing. Motivation is key.

Kelly Turner [1; see also my post here on this subject] outlined that you should have a strong reason for living/healing. However, she did not discuss whether one’s reasons for healing should be shared or not.

I was unsure whether or not I should tell you my reasons for healing my Type 1 Diabetes. There seems to be a large amount of psychology research out there saying that I should NOT say… That it can decrease motivation by doing so [2].

On the other side of this coin, though, is the fact that I have decided to be fully open about my process towards healing, so that you can feel empowered to do it too. Revealing the facets of my motivation therefore sheds more light on my process and the conditions within which my healing takes place.

On top of that, I am hugely stubborn. I don’t like taking no for an answer. I also do not, not, NOT like showing myself up. If I say I’m going to do something, I ain’t backing out of it. Particularly when I’ve broadcast it to the world! Accountability really rocks for me…! So here goes…

My Reasons For Healing My Type 1 Diabetes

This is my purpose in life. I feel that the experiences I have gained throughout my life, both inside and outside of medicine, have set me up for this path. I am now coming into my own by following it.
My daughter nearly became diabetic, being considered 'pre-diabetic' by doctors at one point. If she does cross that threshold in the future, I want to be able to offer her a way of healing, rather than just a method of treatment.
I would like to help convert medicine into a more holistic discipline that can offer the very best mutlifaceted treatments to all that need them.
I would like to feel healthy and well during as many moments as possible in my life.

References:

[1] Turner, K. A. (2010). Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds. New York: HarperCollins. [Link]

[2] Gollwitzer, P., Sheeran, P., Michalski, V., and Siefert, A. (2009). When Intentions Go Public: Does Social Reality Widen the Intention-Behavior Gap? 20(5), 612-618. [Link]

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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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November 11, 2019

Read more about the article My Reasons for Healing My Type 1 Diabetes

Mind-Body Medicine / Taking Control of My Health

9 Key Factors For Healing

And Only Four Involve The Physical Body!

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: This article explores the work of Dr Kelly Turner, who has identified nine key factors that are key to healing cancer. After outlining what these factors are, the author argues that these factors are likely to be required for healing the body from any condition.

Diabetes Resulting From A Lack of Emotional Expression

Whilst burying my nose in books and various other sources on diabetes and/or healing, I came across the PhD thesis of Kelly Turner [1].

This amazing piece of work sought to find an explanation for people who had spontaneously healed from cancer, after they had been given a terminal diagnosis or had stopped medical treatment.

What particularly drew me in was a conversation that Kelly Turner had with an oncologist from Japan (known as Healer #27 in her thesis). This healer stated that he believed that cancer and also diabetes, amongst other medical conditions, were mainly caused by a lack of emotional expression (known as ‘alexithymia’ by mental health professionals).

This healer’s ideas sound quite bizarre to the mind of Western medicine, where the body is treated by the doctor and the mind is treated by the psychologist or psychotherapist.

However, the neuroscientist Candace Pert has beautifully demonstrated the intricate links between the physical and emotional system and particularly insulin’s starring role in this process (see my post on Candace Pert’s work here). Diabetes resulting from a lack of emotional expression doesn’t sound so ‘alternative’ anymore. I know that, in my life, I can struggle to express myself. I often withdraw from confrontation or do not speak my whole truth. Having had diabetes for a long time, I have had more than a few times when I have had to ‘suck it up’ to get through medical treatments.

If Lack of Emotional Expression Has Caused (Or Contributed) To My Type 1 Diabetes, How Do I Reverse It?

Kelly Turner’s inspirational work doesn’t stop there. Having conducted numerous interviews with people who spontaneously healed from cancer, Kelly Turner [2] found that they all shared a series of factors that they felt contributed to their healing. She outlines these nine factors in her New York Times bestselling book ‘Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds’ (a book I highly recommend reading!).

Kelly Turner’s 9 main key healing factors, plus two that she states may be potential factors in the introduction to her book, are:

Kelly Turner’s 9 Key Factors For Healing:

Radically Changing Your Diet
Using Herbs and Supplements
Taking Control of Your Health
Releasing Suppressed Emotions
Promoting Positive Emotions
Embracing Social Support
Deepening Your Spiritual Connection
Following Your Intuition
Having A Strong Reason For Living

Kelly Turner’s Possible Additional Two Factors For Healing (Still To Be Researched):

Applying The 9 Key Factors to T1D

As I read through these factors, a couple of things really struck me:

1. The Healing Factors Did Not Appear To Be Specific To Cancer

Since these factors did not seem specifically tailored to cancer treatment, I wonder if these may be factors that are general to healing the human body, not just cancer.

2. Only four of the factors directly involve the physical body

‘Radically changing your diet‘, ‘Using herbs and supplements‘, ‘Taking Control of Your Health‘, and ‘Exercise‘ concern the physical body. The other seven factors concern mental, emotional or spiritual interventions. This shows to me that healing T1D cannot just involve the body. I must widen my remit to include the mind and spirituality too.

My Route Forward…

Having made the assumption (which also feels intuitively correct) that these 9 key factors are responsible for healing the human body, I am using them as the basis for my healing plan going forward.

There is an obvious revision that I need to make to the factor ‘Having a Strong Reason For Living‘. Unlike people with terminal cancer, I am not at-risk of an imminent death. Therefore, this factor appears a bit irrelevant to my healing. I am going to change this factor to ‘Having A Strong Reason For Healing’.

I hope that using these factors will produce a more hospitable environment in which my new beta cells can grow (or my delta cells can transform back into beta cells!).

However, I am also open to these factors changing or adapting as my work progresses. Perhaps there are differences between healing cancer and healing T1D that I do not yet know. However, these factors seem like a good place to start.

References

1. Turner, K. A. (2010). Spontaneous Remission of Cancer: Theories from Healers, Physicians, and Cancer Survivors. PhD thesis, University of California, Berkeley. [Link]

2. Turner, K. A. (2014). Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds. New York: HarperCollins. [Link]

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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October 28, 2019

Read more about the article 9 Key Factors For Healing

Taking Control of My Health

Self-Experimentation

The Method To Use For Healing 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.

Summary: This article considers the method of self-experimentation. Self-Experimentation is defined and its history is explored. Consideration is then given to using self-experimentation for healing Type 1 Diabetes and its potential challenges.

I now find myself in a place that I never expected to be in… Where I am prepared to take risks, and be taking risks of the calculated variety, to heal my own Type 1 Diabetes. This puts me squarely in the field of self-experimentation.

What Is Self-Experimentation?

Self-experimentation is single-subject research, also known as n = 1 experiments (since the number of participants in the experiment is one). In these experiments, the researcher and participant are most often the same person, testing their hypotheses on themselves. It is often thought that self-experimenters are rogues, ‘members of a lunatic-fringe of science’ [1]. However, self-experimentation has a richly-documented medical history that has provided a plethora of Nobel prizes and significant advances in many fields of science [2]. It has been used most often in the fields of medicine and psychology.

A Brief History Of Self-Experimentation

Self-experimentation has been employed in research since its inception. Self-experimentation is often used to avoid the need for ethical approval necessary to conduct research experiments on humans.

Ethical regulation for human experiments can be traced back to the Nuremberg Code. The Nuremberg Code was the first code of law and ethics to be established for human experiments. Its development was a reaction to the horrific medical experiments undertaken on humans by Nazis in concentration camps [3].

Specific reference to self-experimentation is referenced in article 5 of the Nuremberg Code:

‘No experiment should be conducted if there is an a priori reason to believe that death or disabling injury will occur, except, perhaps, in experiments where the experimental physicians also serve as subjects’.

This permit for self-experimentation has, over the years, yielded breakthrough findings and medical advances in numerous specialties of medicine, including: yellow fever, leukaemia, cancer, rabies, HIV vaccines, staphylococcal infection, anaesthesia, typhoid and scurvy [4]. However, not all adventures into self-experimentation have been risk-free, with death, disease and disability resulting from several such experiments [5, 6].

Nobel prizes in the categories of Physiology or Medicine have been achieved several times by self-experimenters.

Barry Marshall, an Australian doctor, was awarded the Nobel prize for Physiology and Medicine in 2005. He believed that a bacteria strain called Helicobacter pylori, was responsible for the development of gastritis and stomach ulcers. Marshall faced derision and disbelief from the medical community when he argued that bacteria could survive in the stomach and produce peptic ulcers. Unable to replicate peptic ulcers in pigs infected with the Helicobacter pylori bacterium, Marshall took it upon himself to swallow a batch of this bacteria strain.

Within a week, he had developed gastritis (the precursor to peptic ulcers) and was suffering the symptoms of nausea, vomiting and halitosis (that’s bad breath to you and me!). He then successfully treated it with a course of antibiotics [7].

Ralph Steinman, MD, having been given a terminal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, subjected himself to eight different experimental therapies to attempt to increase his 5% chance of living longer than a year. He attributed his unexpected additional four and a half years of life to these experimental procedures. In 2011, Steinman was awarded the Nobel prize for his discovery of the dendritic cell type.

Self-Experimentation In Diabetes Research

Interestingly, self-experimentation also touches the field of diabetes research. Frederick Banting, one of the discoverers of insulin (see my article here for more information), gave himself mustard gas burns when attempting to find ways to treat such burns [8].

Similarly, I see diabetes treatment itself to be a form of self-experimentation. Every day as a diabetic, I have to experiment on myself with insulin dosing, activity levels, emotional responses (stress, anger etc) to attain optimal blood glucose levels. Each day is a new experiment as the physiology of my body and the external demands of my environment fluctuate in their demands and requirements.

A relatively new addition to the self-experimenters in diabetes research are a small community of diabetic patients who have created their own artificial pancreases. Using a security flaw in old Medtronic insulin pumps, hackers have been able to create software that converts the pump into a closed feedback loop system that both monitors blood sugar levels and then inputs calculated insulin doses via the pump [9].

These patients are the latest self-experimenters in diabetes research. However, they have been greeted with disapproval by the FDA and a lack of support from Medtronic.

Limitations Of Self-Experimentation

Self-experimentation is obviously not without some limits. The most major of these is generalisability. In other words, just because I make this work for me does not mean it will work for you. This may be particularly true in this field, where I am arguing that the mind has as much of an impact as the body in the healing process. I am obviously undertaking this blog because I believe in what I am doing. Therefore, if my strong belief affects my body (I will be writing on this topic soon) then my healing might not be repeatable for those without belief.

Am I Qualified For Self-Experimentation?

So, it would now appear that I am going to be the ‘1’ in the n = 1 experiments in this blog!!

Am I qualified to take on such a role? I learnt research design and implementation through my degree in Psychology and also through my Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy. From this training, I know that, in order to be scientifically robust, my research must have a clear hypothesis to start with.

From this hypothesis, I must design a research method that directly answers my hypothesis. Through a robust research design, I then derive results that can be analysed and conclusions drawn. Unfortunately, I don’t think my research will fit neatly into such a paradigm. After all, I am not looking at a thoroughly scientific approach. I am seeking to investigate if diabetes is curable through the body’s own processes and whether these can be activated by means that are not necessarily medical.

In order to not have confounding results, it is really important that I control for extraneous variables. Unfortunately, this is where I may come into issues. If I expand the remit of what can effect the healing of diabetes to include the environment, both of the body and the external environment it finds itself in, and consider Type 1 Diabetes to be a mind-body disorder, then the possible influences on this matrix are vast and, at this moment in time, perhaps even not yet fully known. Therefore, controlling for these does not seem very possible.

Whilst this may make my design for my n=1 experiments flawed, I do not believe these experiments will be any less flawed than those of medicine. Medical studies into Type 1 Diabetes currently only consider it through a medical lens. Thus, inputs from mental and spiritual components are not controlled for in these studies. Therefore, all medical studies are currently flawed.

If someone heals from Type 1 Diabetes, a genetic or bodily cause is sought. Has anyone thought to look for mental, emotional or spiritual components that my have had an impact? Therefore, all medical research into diabetes development and healing is also flawed. Their lens is too narrow.

I don’t intend to be reckless with my self-experimentation. I am a hugely experienced diabetic who has ridden the challenges of diabetes is all weathers and health scenarios for nearly forty years. I bring to the table a wealth of knowledge about my own condition and its peculiarities. This is the foundation from which I will be experimenting. I will not be going in blind.

The only major risk I can see at this point is potential death resulting from abruptly stopping my insulin. I have absolutely no intention of doing this. I anticipate that, as my diabetes starts to heal, I will witness my blood glucose levels decreasing as my pancreas starts producing its own insulin. The risk of hypoglycaemia(s) associated with this increased level of insulin in my body is also not without risk. I therefore need to be vigilant with my blood glucose control during these experiments and respond diligently to fluctuations in my control. This requirement, however, is something that I respond to on a daily basis as part of my diabetes management.

References:

Kerridge, I. (2003). Altruism or reckless curiosity? A brief history of self experimentation in medicine. Internal Medicine Journal, 33, p. 204. [Link]
Altman, L. (1998). Who Goes First?: The Story of Self-Experimentation in Medicine. London, UK and Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA. University of California Press. [Link]
Ghani, R. (2011). Self experimenting doctors. British Medical Journal, 342, d2156. [Link]
Kerridge, I. (2003). Altruism or reckless curiosity? A brief history of self experimentation in medicine. Internal Medicine Journal, 33, 203-207. [Link]
Mapes, M. (2015). Mad Scientists: When the Scientist Becomes the Subject. Accessed on 1st November 2019 from: https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/mad-scientists/.
Weisse, A. B. (2012). Self-Experimentation and Its Role in Medical Research. Texas Heart Institute Journal, 39(1), 51-54. [Link]
Van Der Weyden, M. B., Armstrong, R. M., and Gregory, A. T. (2005). The 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Medical Journal of Australia, 183(11), 612-614 [Link].
Hanley, B., Bains, W., and Church, G. . Review of Scientific Self-experimentation: ethics, history, regulation, scenarios, and views amongst ethics committees and prominent scientists. Pre-publication draft. Accessed on 2^nd November 2019 from: http://arep.med.harvard.edu/pdf/Hanley_Bain_Church_2018.pdf
Zhang, S. (2019). People Are Clamoring to Buy Old Insulin Pumps: How an obsolete medical device with a security flaw became a must-have for some patients with type 1 diabetes. Accessed on 11^th November 2019 from: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/04/looping-created-insulin-pump-underground-market/588091/.

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:

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September 2, 2019