The following video features my 10 year old son, Dylan, and I, talking about the new Accu-Chek Mobile meter, which was released for sale in Canada today. We had the pleasure of testing the meter before it went on sale to the public, in exchange for providing honest feedback to Accu-Chek for marketing purposes. Neither I, nor anyone in my family, is an employee of Accu-Chek, nor were we provided with any script or guidelines on what to say. The views expressed in this video are purely our own.
I am in shock as to what a difference this meter has made. Dylan has always had good blood sugar control, but with this meter he tests more often because it's so easy and convenient to use. The result: his readings are more consistent, and in the "normal" range most of the time. I love it.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Training Schedule Week of April 11th to 17th
So excited for this week - a much lighter work load than the last 2 weeks (both of which were 60 hour work weeks). Doubles only Wednesday and Friday this week, and Monday off!
Monday ~ Run 40 minutes, pace / Cross train 90 minutes (snowshoeing)
Tuesday ~ Yoga / Run 70 mins, easy
Wednesday ~ Cycling 60 minutes, medium
Thursday ~ Yoga / Run 60 mins, easy
Friday ~ Cycling 60 minutes, medium
Saturday ~ Walk 60 minutes
Sunday ~ Run 60 minutes, pace*
*Tentatively planning to run the Vancouver Sun Run Sunday morning, though if the weather is good, I'll get one last day of snowboarding in before the season ends.
Friday, 8 April 2011
Ignorance is NOT Bliss
Well, it's been quite the week amongst members of the DOC (Diabetes Online Community) after it was discovered that Reader's Digest magazine is about to publish a special issue entitled "Reverse Diabetes." Clearly, this title is not only inaccurate and misleading, but it pulls at the heartstrings of those of us whose lives have been affected by diabetes in any form.
An ad for the upcoming issue appears as follows:
Diabetes, whether it be Type 1 or Type 2, is NOT reversible. It's not curable and it never goes away. Sure, with extremely good blood glucose control, the likelihood of side effects can be reduced, but the disease is never gone. Those affected by diabetes know that, until a cure is found, diabetes will always be with them - at work, at school, at rest, on vacation, everywhere.
As a parent of a child with Type 1 diabetes, I have to believe that a cure is out there, but is yet to be discovered. I can't and won't give up until a cure is found. I'll fundraise, advocate, educate, and fight for my son's life. I owe him that. And it is my hope and belief in a cure that enables me to keep fighting and not get totally overwhelmed by this devastating and life-threatening disease.
So when I hear that a massive respectable company like Reader's Digest is promoting false information, I feel like I've been slapped in the face. The phrase "Reversing Diabetes" reduces the disease itself to one that is within our control. It suggests that if I simply read this special issue, I will acquire all of the skills and knowledge to eliminate diabetes from my son's life. Do not they not realize that if it were this simple, I would have already "reversed" my son's diabetes?
Misinformation is abundant in health care, and diabetes is certainly no exception. There are numerous magic cures, herbs, supplements, and treatments, that claim to cure diabetes. And there are too many uneducated or misinformed people who that think that my son got diabetes because he ate too much sugar, or didn't get enough exercise, or because someone else in his family history had it. Too many times have I heard, "Oh, I thought diabetes was an adult disease," or "Only people who are overweight have diabetes." I used to get mad when people made such ignorant comments, but over the years I have become less inclined to retort with anger and now simply try to correct them in the simplest and quickest way possible. Ironically, this is the same way in which Reader's Digest presents its information to its readers - in an abridged version.
My hope is that those who do purchase and read this upcoming special issue of Reader's Digest, read it with the same skepticism that they would if reading about a miracle diet, or a sure-fire way to eliminate wrinkles, because if not, we are moving backwards instead of forwards, and that would break my heart.
An ad for the upcoming issue appears as follows:
 |
REVERSE DIABETES: Your total guide to Blood Sugar Control
Don’t let diabetes control you! This May, Reader’s Digest is brining you an essential guide to diabetes management with sensible, practical ways to adjust your eating habits, stay active, keep your blood sugar stable, and live life on your terms.
Diabetes, whether it be Type 1 or Type 2, is NOT reversible. It's not curable and it never goes away. Sure, with extremely good blood glucose control, the likelihood of side effects can be reduced, but the disease is never gone. Those affected by diabetes know that, until a cure is found, diabetes will always be with them - at work, at school, at rest, on vacation, everywhere.
As a parent of a child with Type 1 diabetes, I have to believe that a cure is out there, but is yet to be discovered. I can't and won't give up until a cure is found. I'll fundraise, advocate, educate, and fight for my son's life. I owe him that. And it is my hope and belief in a cure that enables me to keep fighting and not get totally overwhelmed by this devastating and life-threatening disease.
So when I hear that a massive respectable company like Reader's Digest is promoting false information, I feel like I've been slapped in the face. The phrase "Reversing Diabetes" reduces the disease itself to one that is within our control. It suggests that if I simply read this special issue, I will acquire all of the skills and knowledge to eliminate diabetes from my son's life. Do not they not realize that if it were this simple, I would have already "reversed" my son's diabetes?
Misinformation is abundant in health care, and diabetes is certainly no exception. There are numerous magic cures, herbs, supplements, and treatments, that claim to cure diabetes. And there are too many uneducated or misinformed people who that think that my son got diabetes because he ate too much sugar, or didn't get enough exercise, or because someone else in his family history had it. Too many times have I heard, "Oh, I thought diabetes was an adult disease," or "Only people who are overweight have diabetes." I used to get mad when people made such ignorant comments, but over the years I have become less inclined to retort with anger and now simply try to correct them in the simplest and quickest way possible. Ironically, this is the same way in which Reader's Digest presents its information to its readers - in an abridged version.
My hope is that those who do purchase and read this upcoming special issue of Reader's Digest, read it with the same skepticism that they would if reading about a miracle diet, or a sure-fire way to eliminate wrinkles, because if not, we are moving backwards instead of forwards, and that would break my heart.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Cyclebetes National Relay 2011
I was very fortunate to be able to ride as part of the Cyclebetes National Relay in 2010, and I am thrilled to be riding in the relay again in 2011.To add to the excitement this year is a change in the route itself. This year's relay will go from western Canada to eastern Canada, specifically from Vancouver, BC to Halifax, NS (previous relays went east to west, from Halifax to Vancouver in 2009, and Halifax to Victoria in 2010). As part of the western Canadian team, we will kick-off the ride here in Vancouver, BC, on August 13th and will ride to Calgary, AB, a distance of 1045km (627 miles), over a 4 day period.
The National Relay is, without a doubt, the most powerful and rewarding event I have ever been involved with, and I will be blogging about my complete experience this year, from pre-ride training, to fundraising, to nutrition, to my daily reflections during the ride itself.
This year's campaign is fully underway, but there are still a few spots open for riders who wish to join in on this life-altering experience!
For a detailed breakdown of where each team will be heading and their daily milage, click here.
For a current National Relay team list, click here.
The National Relay is, without a doubt, the most powerful and rewarding event I have ever been involved with, and I will be blogging about my complete experience this year, from pre-ride training, to fundraising, to nutrition, to my daily reflections during the ride itself.
 |
| Cyclebetes 2010 riders, between Revelstoke and Salmon Arm, BC |
This year's campaign is fully underway, but there are still a few spots open for riders who wish to join in on this life-altering experience!
For a detailed breakdown of where each team will be heading and their daily milage, click here.
For a current National Relay team list, click here.
 |
| Jen Aragon (Me) & Richard Biddlecombe as we entered Vancouver on Sept 4, 2010 |
For general information about Cyclebetes and the National Relay, visit www.cyclebetes.com
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Slow Cooker Thyme-Garlic Chicken Breasts
Like so many of us, my schedule can get pretty insanely busy and at those times, my slow cooker becomes one of the most valuable appliances in my kitchen. Simply throw stuff in, go to work, come back, and it's done! It doesn't get any easier than that.
I made this recipe late last week and it was fabulous. My whole family loved it. Lots of flavor, and the salad was really enhanced with the addition of the kalamata olives and feta cheese. I served it with a fat free balsamic vinaigrette. Not only is this recipe very low fat, it's low carb and high in protein. Definitely will be making this one again!
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds bone-in chicken breast halves
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 8- to 10-ounce package mixed greens
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)
1/2 cup bottled vinaigrette dressing
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 8- to 10-ounce package mixed greens
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)
1/2 cup bottled vinaigrette dressing
Directions
1. Remove and discard skin from chicken. Sprinkle chicken with garlic, thyme, a-d salt. Place chicken in 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Pour orange juice and vinegar over chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker; cover and keep warm. Discard cooking juices.
3. In a large bowl, toss together greens, tomatoes, olives, and feta; divide among serving plates. Slice chicken from the bones, discarding the bones. Top each salad with some of the chicken. Drizzle dressing over salads. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Nutritional Information
Servings Per Recipe: 6 to 8, Calories 252, Total Fat (g) 8, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 90, Sodium (mg) 660, Carbohydrate (g) 8, Total Sugar (g) 5, Fiber (g) 1, Protein (g) 36, Vitamin C (DV%) 22, Calcium (DV%) 7, Iron (DV%) 8
Servings Per Recipe: 6 to 8, Calories 252, Total Fat (g) 8, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 90, Sodium (mg) 660, Carbohydrate (g) 8, Total Sugar (g) 5, Fiber (g) 1, Protein (g) 36, Vitamin C (DV%) 22, Calcium (DV%) 7, Iron (DV%) 8
Source: Better Homes and Gardens website
Monday, 4 April 2011
Training Schedule Week of April 4th to 10th
Working doubles Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday this week, so I've adjusted my training schedule to reflect that.
Monday ~ Cycle 30 mins, fast
Tuesday ~ Run 35 mins, pace
Wednesday ~ Yoga, Cross train 2 hours (snowshoeing)
Thursday ~ Run 60 mins, easy
Friday ~ Yoga, Run 70 mins, easy
Saturday ~ Run 40 mins, pace
Sunday ~ Cycle 3-4 hours, easy
Friday, 1 April 2011
My Name is Dylan and I have Type 1 Diabetes
Last year my 10 year old son had the pleasure of being the Youth Ambassador for the 2010 JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes here in Vancouver, and part of his role was to talk to corporations about what it's like to have type-1 diabetes. He wrote his speech entirely by himself, and delivered it bravely and passionately at numerous different companies around the city. He also spoke to his entire school, plus did a brief presentation at the walk itself, the latter being in front of 3500 walkers. His goal was not for the audience to pity him, or feel that he is any less happy because of diabetes, he simply states it like it is and helps people to understand what it means to be a child with type-1 diabetes on a day to day basis.
He is a rock and I am unbelievably proud of him. With the exception of changing infusion sets, making occasional changes to his pump settings, and supervising his care on an overall basis, he takes responsibility for his diabetes. He counts his own carbs, tests his own blood, and enters all of the data in his pump himself. He treats his own lows for the most part, even in the middle of the night. Yes, that's right, he actually wakes up when he gets low in his sleep, though this is a very new thing, as you'll read below. Before last year, middle of the night lows resulted in a full tonic-clonic (formerly called grand mal) seizure. I never asked him to do all of this, he just does it because he wants to. And while diabetes is in the back of his mind all the time, as it is mine, never has he let diabetes stand in his way of living a full, normal, healthy life - not at 6:30am ice hockey practices twice a week or weekend games, not in the division championship game that his hockey team won three weeks ago, not in karate class, and not when playing with his friends. He is open and upfront about being type-1 and he owns it, it will NEVER own him.
Below is the speech that he powerfully delivered many times in 2010. Following the speech he would do a brief Q&A session with the audience. Pretty amazing for a 10 year old (9 last year).
"Hello, my name is Dylan Thomas. I am a Youth Ambassador for the 2010 Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes inVancouver
I was diagnosed with diabetes on November 21st, 2005, 3 days before my 5th birthday. I spent that birthday in the hospital after my parents noticed that something was very wrong. I was drinking a lot of water and going to the bathroom a lot. I was losing weight and I was very, very tired.
On that day my life changed forever. I could no longer eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. The only times I could eat were at meal times and snack times.
Every one of my days starts like this: I wake up and do my blood test, which means that I poke my finger with a needle and put the blood into a little machine that calculates what my blood sugar is. I enter the blood sugar number into my insulin pump, and then enter the amount of carbohydrates I am going to eat and my pump gives me insulin. Insulin that I need because my body does not produce enough on its own. After that I head to school. My School day is like a maze – full of twists and turns, but it can be okay, as long as I am careful. At school I test my blood at least 2 more times: once at recess, once at lunch, and sometimes once in the afternoon if I feel low. If the results of my blood sugar tests at recess or lunch are okay, then I head outside to play with my friends. If I’m low I have to stay inside until my sugar level goes up, which means I can miss recess or lunch altogether. But the worst part of my day is at bedtime. If my sugar level gets too low during the night, I will have a seizure and my mom has to give me a special injection during the seizure to keep me from going into a coma. I have had 4 nighttime seizures since I have had diabetes.
What would a cure mean to me? A cure for diabetes would make me feel free. Free to eat what I want, when I want. To eat my Halloween candy on Halloween and my Easter eggs at Easter, free to be just a regular kid. Right now there is no cure for type-1 diabetes, but we can change that with your help. On June 13th, join me and the many other children, teens and adults with diabetes as we walk to find a cure, so kids like me can live happy and free.
I don’t let my diabetes get me down, but I do want a cure so I don’t have to deal with it every minute, every hour, every day. Thank you for listening and have a great day."
He is a rock and I am unbelievably proud of him. With the exception of changing infusion sets, making occasional changes to his pump settings, and supervising his care on an overall basis, he takes responsibility for his diabetes. He counts his own carbs, tests his own blood, and enters all of the data in his pump himself. He treats his own lows for the most part, even in the middle of the night. Yes, that's right, he actually wakes up when he gets low in his sleep, though this is a very new thing, as you'll read below. Before last year, middle of the night lows resulted in a full tonic-clonic (formerly called grand mal) seizure. I never asked him to do all of this, he just does it because he wants to. And while diabetes is in the back of his mind all the time, as it is mine, never has he let diabetes stand in his way of living a full, normal, healthy life - not at 6:30am ice hockey practices twice a week or weekend games, not in the division championship game that his hockey team won three weeks ago, not in karate class, and not when playing with his friends. He is open and upfront about being type-1 and he owns it, it will NEVER own him.
Below is the speech that he powerfully delivered many times in 2010. Following the speech he would do a brief Q&A session with the audience. Pretty amazing for a 10 year old (9 last year).
 |
| Dylan speaking at last year's JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes in Vancouver |
"Hello, my name is Dylan Thomas. I am a Youth Ambassador for the 2010 Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes in
I was diagnosed with diabetes on November 21st, 2005, 3 days before my 5th birthday. I spent that birthday in the hospital after my parents noticed that something was very wrong. I was drinking a lot of water and going to the bathroom a lot. I was losing weight and I was very, very tired.
On that day my life changed forever. I could no longer eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. The only times I could eat were at meal times and snack times.
Every one of my days starts like this: I wake up and do my blood test, which means that I poke my finger with a needle and put the blood into a little machine that calculates what my blood sugar is. I enter the blood sugar number into my insulin pump, and then enter the amount of carbohydrates I am going to eat and my pump gives me insulin. Insulin that I need because my body does not produce enough on its own. After that I head to school. My School day is like a maze – full of twists and turns, but it can be okay, as long as I am careful. At school I test my blood at least 2 more times: once at recess, once at lunch, and sometimes once in the afternoon if I feel low. If the results of my blood sugar tests at recess or lunch are okay, then I head outside to play with my friends. If I’m low I have to stay inside until my sugar level goes up, which means I can miss recess or lunch altogether. But the worst part of my day is at bedtime. If my sugar level gets too low during the night, I will have a seizure and my mom has to give me a special injection during the seizure to keep me from going into a coma. I have had 4 nighttime seizures since I have had diabetes.
What would a cure mean to me? A cure for diabetes would make me feel free. Free to eat what I want, when I want. To eat my Halloween candy on Halloween and my Easter eggs at Easter, free to be just a regular kid. Right now there is no cure for type-1 diabetes, but we can change that with your help. On June 13th, join me and the many other children, teens and adults with diabetes as we walk to find a cure, so kids like me can live happy and free.
I don’t let my diabetes get me down, but I do want a cure so I don’t have to deal with it every minute, every hour, every day. Thank you for listening and have a great day."
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