#499 How We Eat: Flexitarian

Sarah is an adult living with type 1 diabetes and she eats a Flexitarian diet.

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DISCLAIMER: This text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.

Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends and welcome to Episode 499 of the Juicebox Podcast. Today's show is with Sara Sara has type one diabetes, and she has a very specific way of eating. And so today's episode is another in the how we eat series.

Sara is here to talk about a flexitarian diet, who don't want to say that that's what I thought too, but it's the thing flexitarian at some point, I just realized that people eat in all different ways, and that they should all be recognized, and we should talk about them because if you have type one diabetes, it doesn't matter if you're a vegan, carnivore, or somewhere in between, you need to know how to use your insulin. And it's helpful to hear other people living similar lives. Very proud of the Halloween series, and I hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please remember while you're listening that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. We're becoming bold with insulin.

Today is the eighth in the Halloween series. Go look for the other seven.

This show is sponsored today by the glucagon that my daughter carries g vo hypo Penn. Find out more at GE Vogue glucagon.com forward slash juicebox. If you're interested in finding a community, people who are helping people with type one diabetes, look no farther than touched by type one.org touched by type one.org find them on Facebook, Instagram, or right there on their website. And if you're looking for an incredible meter, a blood glucose meter to put on the Mount Rushmore of blood glucose meters, you are looking for the Contour Next One. Find out more about it at Contour Next one.com forward slash juicebox

Sarah 2:29
My name is Sarah. I've been a type one diabetic for about 15 months now. I was diagnosed when I was 29 it was a complete shock because I don't have any other like end or endocrine issues in my family or anything. I live in Texas. And yeah, I'm talking to you about the flexitarian diet today.

Scott Benner 2:50
Yes, you did something I didn't expect. There's the noise. What just happened? What was that? Whatever that was?

Sarah 2:57
It might be it might be my sweatshirt, but I can hold the wire out so it won't touch cool again. Yeah,

Scott Benner 3:03
I was gonna say you could actually what I was gonna say I'm not gonna say because it's inappropriate.

Unknown Speaker 3:08
Okay, we're just talking about the take my shirt. It was gonna be

Scott Benner 3:12
just do the podcast topless, and then there won't be problems like this. Yeah, yeah. Or keep your sweatshirt on. Just please let the wire not touch the thing. Okay, so you did something I didn't expect when I reached out and said, I want to know how everyone eats right? I'm like, I'm gonna do this. How we eat episodes. And no matter how you eat, like, thrown at me, you threw something at me I had never heard of before. Oh, what was it? Whatever. I don't know what flexitarian means. Oh, so when you were so I must you were probably like always so excited to get a flexitarian on I was like, What the hell is that? You definitely have to come on the podcast. But you eat you also eat intermittent too. Are those the same things? No, they're different. Alright, let's go. For context, are you MDI, you pumping? Do you have a CGM? Oh,

Sarah 4:03
I have a Dexcom and the G six and then I'm on Omni pod.

Scott Benner 4:08
You have the best stuff.

Sarah 4:10
Yeah. It's really though and that's what I got, like from the get go. So it's it was pretty smooth transition, you know, after diagnosis, so yeah, it was nice, not having to like jump around and go from MDI, to pump to whatever it was just really nice. My doctor was like, Yeah, I think you'll really like this based on your lifestyle. So yeah, he just

Scott Benner 4:34
kicked it off. And he's been right about that it's working for

Sarah 4:38
Oh, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And I'm pretty active and so not having a tube has been really great.

Scott Benner 4:47
I just want to get this out of the way before we start you are transplant you have to be right you weren't born in Texas where Yeah, I was Why do you sound like you're like in New Hampshire or something like that? Or what? Why are you so why? Are you so waspy? When you're talking? What's going on? Sir? Would you go to school? What happened?

Sarah 5:04
Well, I from I'm from the DFW area, which isn't known necessarily for always having like swaying and their voice, but it does come out with certain words. So when I say Jaguar, like, most people say that's when they can hear it, or when I say y'all, of course, but when I was younger, like the word Jaguar was always just Jaguar. Why then when I got older, I met people from from like, the Midwest or the East Coast, and they were like, no, it's Jaguar. And I was like, I don't know what that is. But this animal is a Jaguar.

Scott Benner 5:37
I don't think it's Jaguar. That's First of all, but secondly, why do you find yourself saying Jaguar so much?

Sarah 5:44
There were there was a school in our town. their mascot was the Jaguars. And so to say jaguars? Like, I just was pretty normal because it'd be like, Oh, yeah, it's the Jaguars versus like the Tigers or something. But I didn't. It wasn't like an everyday occurrence. I guess the way made it sound?

Scott Benner 6:01
Well, yeah, you've just had it 1000 times now. So I'm wondering, maybe just oh, I just that was a fascinating poll for words. And by the way, I've been googling furiously trying to figure out where DFW has been a means the Dallas Fort Worth area, I wanted to come. Don't worry, I was just, I'm sure everyone else is like it. We all knew that. But you didn't. Okay, so you don't? And that didn't mean like 20? I just meant like, You don't? Is Texas just becoming a very diverse place?

Sarah 6:28
I would think so. Because the last like, couple years, a lot of companies have moved into Texas because it's a little bit cheaper living however, still a lot of like, really great, like economy and like resources here. So a lot of people from a lot of different areas, like in the US and outside of the US moved in like I think I heard recently that Texas has I think in the last five years has grown or the the Dallas Fort Worth area alone has grown by like a million people. Just because all these companies are moving. And so it's becoming pretty diverse. But I don't think it has been until the probably past decade. Interesting.

Scott Benner 7:09
I hear that there's tax reasons to live there as well. But I don't know.

Sarah 7:12
Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's like we don't i don't know for sure. But there's like, we just have to pay federal taxes. We don't have like a ton of state taxes. So that's kind of nice. Well, I'm

Scott Benner 7:20
on my way. I mean, if I can say Jaguar any way I want and not pay taxes, this is the place for me. I'm thinking, yeah, it sounds like it perfect place. They won't want me there. It's okay. What the hell is flexitarian?

Sarah 7:36
Yeah, good question. So I actually had to explain this to my endocrinologist as well. And we were talking about, you know, some of my blood work numbers, and I was like, I, and this is a couple months back, and I was like, I really want to try my diet before we do medication. This was for cholesterol. And so I was like, how about I try the flexitarian diet? And I'll just see how that goes. And my doctor was like, What is that? So it's a newer term. And it's like, it's like vegan light. Or like, vegetarian light is like an easy way to put it or like mini mini vegetarian, I don't know. But the best way to explain it, I think, is that he, you know, fruits and veggies, whole grains, legumes, you know, but mainly getting your protein from other sources than animals. But still being flexible enough to where it's like, you can have eggs, you know, beef, chicken, but that not being like your main focus of protein or the main focus of your diet. So it's kind of like flipping the standard American diet, which is typically like, focusing on meats and animal products. And then you know, smothering your vegetables and in fats and oils, it's like trying to it's like switching it's like, Okay, what, what do we want to fill our plate with as far as like, lagoons and vegetables go and then if you want to, you can add in an animal product.

Scott Benner 9:08
Okay, so you're not against eating animals. Right. Okay. And so you're basically see it's funny you said a standard American diet, which is kind of flipped. I think a standard American diet is more like cupcakes from a convenience store. Sandwich. Anything else is really fast and in a pack I think of when people say American diet, I think of packaged foods, like the packaged ramen or anything, anything that I made that doesn't, doesn't cause you to need to start with basic ingredients and build something is to me what a more American diet is, like Joking aside like I that's how I think of it is. Somebody has taken food, you're hoping and mixed it with edible chemicals and put it in a bag for you so that when you eat it you go This tastes like a tortilla chip. Even though it might not be that sort of an idea, but Okay, so how did you eat prior to so I'm assuming you saw a cholesterol thing and that's what set this all off.

Sarah 10:10
Yeah, so before I eat, I guess like, I don't know, I think I we had me at most meals. I ate eggs all the time. I love eggs. That will be the last thing I give up if I happen to go like, full vegan, but we'll see. But anyway, and can we add me and all our meals chicken? Beef Turkey. Yeah. And it was that all our meals it was just like regular you know, whether it's like in pasta or a casserole or whatever it was, but still pretty healthy. Like I really enjoy vegetables. So but yeah, so that's how I ate before now. It's just less animal products, mainly less less meats. And yeah, I did. I did start on it because my cholesterol was high. Like when I was first diagnosed. I couldn't tell you the exact number but it was really high and my doctor was like we really need to focus on that. Also, you know, my ANC was like 14

Scott Benner 11:16
because the diagnosis

Sarah 11:18
right at diagnose Yeah, it went to 14 my cholesterol I want to say it was in like the three hundreds or something like that like something really, really high. So they went ahead and put me on a Staten mn livalo. And I was like, you know, I have always believed I guess, too, that you should eat your food, like it's medicine or you'll end up eating your medicine, like it's food. And so yeah, I was like, let me see what I can do with my diet to help this I don't have to rely on medicine for this anymore. And so I started eating flexitarian and my doctor was like, whatever you've done, like you have made, you know immense progress. And so I'm still on a stat and for now because I'm still on the higher range side I guess. But she my doctors just like I love it. Keep doing what you're doing. You know, if you want to play around with your diet somewhere you can but she says that she's seen really great results from it.

Scott Benner 12:18
Well, I have to be honest with you. I just spent a really embarrassing amount of time figuring out how to spell a GM

Sarah 12:28
it is kind of a funny word. Like is it two O's Is it like a you like what is it? Yeah,

Scott Benner 12:33
okay, I'm gonna get a little embarrassed, you know, after I said it, I was like, Oh, I should have said that because it you know, in the first minute, I was like, What am I doing wrong here? And then like in minute four sites like no one should be listening to me. can't figure out and I'm not gonna tell anyone how to spell it. Because for those of you who don't know, you have to figure it out the way I just Yeah, they shouldn't have to go through the same trials. Yeah, yeah, you need this too. But a lagoon is a plant in the family fabric going let's just not say that or the fruit or seed of such a plant. The seed is also called a pulse lagoons are grown agriculturally primarily for human consumption for livestock forage and silage, which I don't know what that is. And is a soil enhancing green manure and they were eating this on purpose. Like what's an example of a lagoon?

Sarah 13:24
I'm I'm pretty sure that lentil or I'm not really sure. I used to have a list whenever I first got it, you know, whenever I was first looking into it, but now it's like, well, I don't need to know specifically what a lagoon is. Because now I know, like all the things I can eat. So like, yeah, it's I keen wa and lentils, a lot of chickpeas, but I don't know if, if those are all necessarily No,

Scott Benner 13:51
you're doing it. You're doing it green. See, I might not have been able to spell lagoon but I didn't know how to spell example and put it next to legroom. So now I'm all set. green pea soybean lentil chick pea, pigeon Pea, which Yeah, I know that sounds like pigeons. But that's fine. mung bean. Asian pig pigeon wings. All right. Oh, I have never had some of those things. A peanut. A peanut? Oh, yeah. All right. See, we're learning here. Yeah, yeah, that's exactly what these episodes are about, because I don't know what a cow pee is. But I know what a black eyed pea is. I know what a cow pie is. While you're from Texas. Yeah, of course you did. And you know, now that I've seen this black eyed Pea, it begs the question, What happened to that poor Fergie person? Yeah, it looked like she got hit by three different trucks. One round I saw Yeah, what happened? But anyway, that's way off the subject. Unless Fergie is a flexitarian. And then, in fact, I'd like to speak and then we need to get in contact with her. Yeah, I gotta be honest with you. If she's a flexitarian. I think you should switch your diet. So so you're so you're basically it's funny, you're in the 70s version of a doctor looking at you and going Hey, can you cut out meat eat more vegetables please?

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Oh, I guess I don't know anything about the seven well the 70s is when nobody called anything anything. Like everything has a name now like like because of branding and you know the internet Everything needs a name because it has to be it has to be categorized so that we can Google it. Like you can't Google Could you please cut out a lot of meat in your diet please and come up with this he had for call it something so it's a it's a flexitarian diet.

Unknown Speaker 18:20
Yeah. Which is better.

Scott Benner 18:21
I've lived through the 70s this is better in case you're wondering. Oh good. Okay. Yeah. The music was it really hit or miss although now it's just bad. Alright, maybe it's mostly bad. What is with the music? You're just old enough to hate it? I would imagine right right now.

Sarah 18:38
Yeah, yeah. So it's like the stuff on the radio. It's like, like, I know, I can't like yeah, the radio certain to irritate me. But that's only been past like couple years. No

Scott Benner 18:49
question. Yeah. Do you have Sirius Satellite Radio by any chance? I don't. Okay, so there's this woman on Sirius Satellite Radio. She's an announcer and I believe her name is Jenna Marbles. But it might not be. Every time I hear her speak. I have an impulse to find where she is. Go there. And beggar never to speak out loud against that anyone can hear her voice makes me upset. I don't know. It's It's terrible. And I'm sure she's a lovely person. Or you know what? Maybe she's not. I have no idea. I'm just saying that. When she speaks i right now I'm imagining people listening to me going you know what, I have a similar relationship with you. I just really liked the content. But I saw I live through you but I just jennamarbles person she's like, Hi, I'm Jenna Marbles. Oh my god. Send off Stop, please send then she starts talking about nothing. It's it's the worst kind of filler anyway.

Sarah 19:41
Oh, I think I think if it's the same person she started out on YouTube and so I think I know who you're referring to. Even though I don't have a serious

Scott Benner 19:50
it's her name really horrible. Right now we're googling her name can't be jenna marbles. Jen. Oh, Jenna Nicole more right. Just be Jenna Moray. Oh or best Not the same as not the same woman. I was thinking when she talks it makes me feel like there are marbles hitting me in the forehead. So that's why that's how you made that. Yeah. Imagine if this led to a war between me and Jenna Marbles. Wouldn't that be crazy? Oh my gosh. Anyway, Jenna, I don't know how you eat, but come on in the podcast, tell people about it. Okay, so you're so you had a higher cholesterol? It did bring it down, but not all the way. So do you think maybe some of your cholesterol issue is genetic?

Sarah 20:31
Um, yeah, my does run as far back as my just my grandparents is all we know. Which is probably makes sense, since we don't really have like, you know, the medical technology past them. But yeah, they had high cholesterol. My mom's cholesterol isn't necessarily super high. And there's my dad's but you know, they're just being monitored right now, you know, as they go on for their appointments. But yeah, so it's, I think it is partially, excuse me, partially genetics. And then of course, partially just being a diabetic.

Scott Benner 21:01
Did you hear? Did you hear the guy that came on and talked about the carnivore diet? Because

Sarah 21:08
I didn't listen to him? I don't think was that no, Matt was

Scott Benner 21:15
Matt was Matt was plant based it, try it. His name's Paul Saladino. And the only reason I'm saying that not because I want you to eat meat, nothing but meat. But because at some point in there, he spoke about what he believes is a misunderstanding of cholesterol, with doctors. And I don't know, I can't remember off the top my head to tell you about it. And so if you heard it, it might be valuable for you. I'm not sure I don't even know if he's right. I'm just saying, that's kind of the cool thing about these how we eat episodes, is that everyone comes on and tells an absolutely delightful story about their eating style. And then someone else comes on talks about a completely different eating style. Like it's literally a mirror image of the last one. And like, this is amazing. And I'm like so. So I think that I think the key is to eat how your body. Yeah,

Sarah 22:05
enjoys. Yeah, for sure. For sure. And I can Yeah. And so whenever I was first diagnosed, my primary care physician was the one that was like, hey, let's get your bloodwork done for this. And she said, and you're gonna go on a diet that's similar to keto, but it's, it's essentially it's low carb, but generally explain it after that, just that's all she said about it. And so I, I was like, okay, so I guess I'm low carb. And I was eating a ton of like meats and fats and things like that, and I just felt so bad on it. And so that's whenever it was like the, the, I think, the first endocrinologist appointment, whenever they are going through everything with me, and they're looking at my blood panels. That's when I was like, I'm going to try something different. You know, I'm gonna try flexitarian. And then so I completely agree with you. I know there's some people that feel great on a really low carb diet, or you know, the keto diet, or something like that. So I definitely agree with you that it's just like, whatever you feel best on and whatever, like your body, like performs the best on you know, or you feel good and all that and like, is everything check it out. Okay,

Scott Benner 23:20
right, right. I feel better with with more like more beef, protein, chicken, turkey, that kind of thing in my diet, a little fewer carbs. But I can't do it for more than about three or four weeks. And then something happens where I'm just like, oh, should I have like a piece of bread? You know? Right? Shouldn't be something else. Couldn't there be one piece of toast with these eggs once in a while, like not every day and I'm not saying every day I'm saying that once in a while I mixed them back through. But the real key for so let me ask you before I move forward. You feel the best this way and this is sustainable for you.

Sarah 24:02
Yes, yes. And I like have been talking to different people about their experiences being a vegetarian and being vegan and I know I'm on here to talk about being flexitarian but I have been considering you know, just seeing what happens if I do a full vegetarian or full vegan to see what that does one for you know, my cholesterol and then to just for my body and how it feels but yes, I do feel really great on the flexitarian diet. Yeah, it's it's much better than that low carb that I did for like two months at the beginning and it's definitely better than like, I definitely still feel better even before I was diagnosed. Yeah, I feel like I have a lot of energy. I don't rely on food. It's kind of like get me through the day, if that makes sense. Like I don't rely on like a high just need like, you know, like a sugary something to help help sustain my energy. Or you know, things like that. It's like I am eating to fuel my body. And my body's like, thank you. This is excellent. We love it.

Scott Benner 25:08
Two questions when you tried low carb, was it very greasy food? Because I wouldn't be good with a lot of grease? That would

Sarah 25:16
know. Yeah, it wasn't greasy foods, it was mainly just like more more me essentially more meat and more fat. And I left it up to my husband to try and help me with that, because I was really overwhelmed in the beginning. And so he was like, yeah, let me like, this is definitely something I can help you with. And like, take off your plate. No pun intended, but I guess kind of. Right. And, and so he you know, was kind of in charge of like groceries and our meal planning and stuff like that for a little while until I was like, You know what, I want to try this out. And I want to do more research. And I'll take over, you know, like groceries and just kind of being like the the main leader, I guess, for for that for our diets. And yeah, so it wasn't greasy foods, it was just more more animal products, essentially more fats and meats.

Scott Benner 26:12
Is he eating with you now? Or is he just is he doing his thing? And you're doing yours? And because flexitarian so close to just normal eating with different amounts, like, does it just work?

Unknown Speaker 26:25
Yeah, yeah, it's

Sarah 26:26
actually it's kind of funny when we were. So we've been married for two years now. And we dated for about a year before getting married. And so when we were dating, he looked at salads. And he was like, that's rabbit food. And he just like didn't eat salads. But now like, he'll pack a salad for lunch. And he's like, super pumped about it. And he'll be like, whenever we're making a grocery list, he's like, Can we get the salad supplies, you know. And so he's like, super pumped about it. And so he basically does eat with me, we make some meals that are essentially they're vegetarian because they don't have any animal products. Or any meat specifically, they might have cheese, but they don't have any meats in it. But we'll make meat separately so he can add it in. So pasta is a really good example. We'll make a pasta and then we'll make whatever meat he wants to add to the pasta separately. And so whenever he like packs it for lunch, or for eating it for dinner, he just adds in whatever he wants. But the meal is like a complete meal without it. So we do eat together, essentially. But whenever he feels like adding some meat and he does so and it's really it's really easy. It's not a big hassle or anything. And he's been really great about you know, whenever I'm like, okay, I want to consider this or I want to think about this or I want to try this new recipe. He's like, Yeah, let's do it. His I guess idea is like whatever's good for you is probably good for me. As far as like, strictly health goes, like

Scott Benner 27:58
five seconds if he didn't just look at me and go Hey, man, happy wife. happy life. I eat the sound. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 28:02
me alone.

Scott Benner 28:03
I don't like salad. But what am I gonna do?

Sarah 28:07
Yeah, he's and he's, he's awesome. He's just like, whatever, like, makes you feel best. And yeah, he's he's super great about it all and just really has an open mind about it. Which I'm really glad for it. Because if it was the same guy that I was dating that was like a cell, it's a rabbit food I need, you know, steak and potatoes every day. Like it would probably be a little bit harder to like, you know, do to dine together. But

Scott Benner 28:31
it's interesting, isn't it? when we when we put food together in a classic way, they're always foods that on their own would be okay, but together, like cause each other probably like steak and potatoes. Who wouldn't want a baked potato with the steak? Every Yeah, right? Everyone wants this. But, you know, if you could just have the steak without the potato, it'd be a different like, physical, like health experience, the way your body would process the steak, the addition of the potato and, and conversely, I once because I like messing around with different things just to see I once did something called a big potato fast. If not for just to find out. And it was fascinating. Like I lost like, I think 10 or 12 pounds in like five or six days and I only ate baked potatoes for like a week.

Sarah 29:15
Oh my gosh, it sounds it sounds delicious. But also like exhausting.

Scott Benner 29:21
day four, I just didn't eat on day four. day four. I was like, I don't want to bake potato and you couldn't put anything on it. You couldn't put salt or pepper. It was like it was a Oh, so I know that. It's like it was like it was almost like an experiment that taught me that I don't love big potatoes. I love salt and pepper and butter. All this stuff that comes on it Yeah, but you see what you look like a weirdo if you just take the butter and then you salt and pepper on it and melt it and drink it and people talk so you know as they should cuz that is weird. It's scotch drinking salted butter again. You know so the potato really is the delivery system for the for those items. And it did teach me to about being full, because you could eat as much as you wanted, but you didn't, I didn't end up eating very much like after like the third or fourth day when the hunger disappeared. I was like, well, I'll just have a half a potato here. Like, I don't need the whole thing, you know. And then before I knew it, I was just like, That's fascinating. And I think I could have done it forever. I got to that, like, do you know the Jetsons? Are you too young for this? You know that? No, I know. You know, when the Jetsons sit down for dinner and the the, the computer spits out this little like bean and they cut it in half once and eat it and get up. Yes, that's what eating turned into on the baked potato diet. It was just a sustenance program. It had nothing to do with flavor or anything. I felt fine. My energy was great. I wish I would have had a CGM. I would have liked to check my blood sugar. But even that, yeah, I felt great. So

Sarah 30:50
well, you know, I've heard that we like we can survive on a diet of potatoes only but you also then just have to make sure you have a dairy source. And then you've gotten all of your like vitamins and minerals and everything that you need. There's protein, fat and carbs in that and we can just like exist off of that,

Scott Benner 31:09
sir. Not to be contrary to you. But I got this idea from magician.

Unknown Speaker 31:15
magician, from a magician.

Scott Benner 31:17
You know, Penn and Teller. Oh, yeah. I got this from a pen. And he was like 150 pounds doing it so and he said that the potatoes have everything you need. So I was like, I'm listening to him. He's a famous. Yeah, I'm gonna die one day, you guys are just gonna come on. And you're gonna be like, wow, the podcast feels produced by someone else all the sudden, because I've left my wife instructions. Give this folder to an editor. And these are all the episodes that will be left if I ever dropped dead. Please produce them all and put them out. And one day Kelly Oh, come on. Should be like, I don't know how this thing works Scotty potatoes for two weeks and he died. died because some magician told him Yeah, yeah. It's an amazing magician. So anyway, yeah. So he's probably really great adventure of other things. Yeah. Well stands to reason. Right? Yeah. Come on. Don't Don't question my thought process. You're sorry, you're gonna poke? Well, anyway, I just I mentioned I'm so I'm just incredibly interested about how people eat. So people who are going to have heard me say it on the podcast before. But as COVID-19 approached, I was 100% certain I was going to gain weight. And I went to an intermittent fasting schedule. And because I wanted to, like really test it, I didn't just go to an intermittent fasting schedule. I ate whatever I wanted inside of that window. Oh, wow, just to see how it would work. And I was losing weight. So eventually, I stopped eating like a lunatic inside the window. I was just like, hmm, let me see what this does. It was sort of doing that. And losing weight, no lie over a couple of weeks, probably close to 15 pounds, just by eating, I was eating. I started with noon to eight. But it was hard to get to noon slice flip flop to 11 to seven. And I did it most of the way through the pandemic. And I'm talking to you right now in November. And I my weight stayed incredibly stable. I could eat a lot or nothing. It didn't seem to matter. I could have whatever didn't literally whatever. And my weight didn't move. I felt terrific. And then about a week ago, I'm lying two weeks ago, I started having weird muscle pains, like aches and pains. Like I'd sit like on my leg for a minute and stand up and my leg would be stiff. And like all this weird stuff. And I was like what is this and it lasted for like a week. And just as it started to like go away. I'm like, I don't know what that was, but like, I'm gonna be 50 next year, Sarah, so I was sort of like, I'm just probably old, you know, and, and, and we're all trapped in our house and like I'm moving around at the speed of light or anything like that. And I and I thought that's what that is. But then I got a head cold. And I'm wondering if the muscle aches weren't the beginning of a cold. So then the head cold held on to me like I don't get sick, Sarah it's like, like four things going for me that are related to my body. And two of them are my hair and my eyes. So there's not a lot going right for me with the body that I've been given. And but one thing is I get sick. It doesn't matter how sick I get. I go to sleep I wake up I am not sick anymore. That is a rule of my life. It's just how it goes. Well I get this little head cold. And I feel this like, like a node you know, like on the on your neck when like the the white blood cells kind of like ramp up in your Yeah, there's like a bump. Yeah, I get this giant note on my neck. Now I'm in bed. I'm like my wife when we touch that touch that and she's like, what are we doing? I'm like, No, my neck here, touch this, touch this. And I said that's a node, right? And she's like, yeah, I'm like, Am I dying? Is that neck cancer? I was gonna cancer right away. I was like, Earlier in the week, I said Do I have leg cancer, my legs getting stiff. She's like, I don't even think like cancer is a thing. And I was like, Alright, I was just checking. So this big node had this horrible head cold. I'm just all like flipping. I'm like, Well, what I'll do is go to sleep and wake up and my cold will be gone. And I went to sleep and woke up the next day, and I slid my head cold, and I got kind of woozy. And I had to lay around for like three days, which I don't think I've done since I was a kid. Like, I started feeling bad about it. Like it was it was so long. And now I'm fine. It was my only symptom was my head was like woozy. And I was lethargic. Like, I just I was a little low on energy. But yeah, within this time, I stopped eating on my schedule. And Sarah, can I curse? I'll bleep it out later. Yeah, absolutely. I gained six pounds, six pounds, just not. Right, just not being on my schedule. My gosh, that's all that's really surprising.

If I told you, my body's a disaster, like, I start to retain water, like a pregnant lady at the drop of a hat, like whenever I do, like, any food that you would think of as enjoyable will is trying to kill me constantly. My whole life but but but seriously, six pounds in ended up being like five and a half days of being ill. And I was hungry. So I leaned into it. I was like, well, as long as I'm hungry, I'm gonna eat. But I got out of my schedule. And just like that, six pounds of back. Oh, my gosh. So tell me about you eating on the on this kind of intermittent fasting schedule. What led you to that?

Sarah 36:39
Sure. So I when I was first diagnosed, I did a lot of research. Because I am someone that like if there's something that I'm like, nervous about or afraid of typically, like the more information I have, I feel better about which I think is most people, but I don't know if most people realize that they just need more information. And I know that for some people, it's probably more overwhelming. But anyway, so I went into research mode and learned as much as I could. And I'm still learning, of course. But something that I read about was how intermittent fasting lead to better insulin sensitivity. And so I was like, yeah, I'm gonna try that out, just to see what happens. And there are a couple of things that happened when I was trying it out. So first, I didn't jump into, like an eight hour eating window. I started slow. I was like, Okay, let's see if I can do 12 hours, and then 11, and then 10 hours for the for the eating window. And that was I think that was really great. Because if I would have tried to jump in, I just I don't think I would have done well, I would have given up. But um, anyway, so I do think that I have experienced more insolence sensitivity. But then also, I realized that like, it kind of makes my day a little bit easier. Because it's one less like, essentially, you're you're not eating, you know, in the morning time, that's mine, I do about 11 to seven for when I eat when I but it's like one less meal to have to worry about doing insulin for. And so essentially, it's like it gives me some extra time in the day where I'm not, you know, making all these calculations in my head and trying to think about it. And my blood sugar's more stable. And I really like that as well. You know, so instead of trying to do insulin management for food, you know, for 10 to 12 hours a day, it's really more like seven or eight hours. And so like it I feel better like mentally with that it. It almost feels like I get a break. Diabetes. I do have Yeah, it's like a break from diabetes. Like for breakfast time, essentially. Yeah. And then insolence and sensitivity. Yeah.

Scott Benner 38:56
Well, I realized that Arden is not particularly a breakfast person. on most days, more on the weekend than the weekdays. And I it took me a long time to realize but she was basically fasting to. Yes, right. She'd go to sleep, but I don't know, whenever and but she hadn't eaten past like 10pm, probably. And then she'd get up in the morning and not eat until lunchtime. So she was basically eating like 12 and 12 or, you know, 14 and 10 or something like that. She was kind of on that schedule. And you're 100% right, obviously not eating in the morning makes managing insulin easier. It's just sure it is and for reasons. I guess in in a person who's not aware of their insulin needs, you know, you don't realize the benefit you're getting in that that lower insulin resistance and creating more stable low blood sugars for more hours of the day.

Unknown Speaker 39:53
Yeah, I

Scott Benner 39:54
think it's fantastic. I have to tell you all the different ways I've tried to eat Eating on that schedule, I think is the most valuable and definitely the thing that I'd want to stick with the most. Yeah, I don't have any real like, I'm gonna eat more vegetables now many more meat now. None of that none of that's like, Really? I mean, I have to be honest. Like, I'm more like your husband like I'm not Yeah, I don't love vegetables very much. I blame my mother who's still alive and hopefully she'll hear this and, and hear how giving me a 49 cent can of green beans and then letting them get cold and then asking me to eat them was probably not the greatest way to make me. vegetables. You know what I mean? Yeah, but, um, but I don't like them. I hate the texture. I hate the memories. I hate the I remember gagging on like, cold green beans when I was a kid and just being like, Please don't make me eat this. Like I just yeah, I need a therapist to eat a vegetable. I think not a Yeah, not a good. Oh,

Sarah 40:49
yeah. And we get so much of our tastes like growing up, like as an adult, like most of our like, tastes and preferences do come from when we're younger. Like you said, from the memories and just, you know, like, if you remember vegetables being cold and like slimy or mushy, then like, of course, you know, that's all your brain is going to associate it with. Even if it is like warm and crisp. Like, you're just not going to taste that you're always going to taste the cold. Yeah,

Scott Benner 41:14
no, I've done my best to learn how to cook them for everyone else. But it's even difficult because when I eat them, I'm just like, Oh, no, sounds terrible. It's not I know, people love that. I know, it's not, don't get me wrong. But I just I've been traumatized point is, is that I don't I don't have an affinity towards any real style of eating with the exception of eating in a certain timeframe that I've just found to be really a spectacular idea. And unlike you who did it in a healthy way you can ease into it. I did a 36 hour water fast and went right into intermittent fasting schedule.

Sarah 41:51
Oh my gosh. So you were like you were like, if I'm gonna get wet. Might as well jump in. Yeah, yeah.

Scott Benner 41:58
And I just was like, okay, like, I got up one morning thinking I'll do I'm going to start the intermittent thing today. And I got to noon. And I was like, hmm, I'm not really hungry yet. I wonder if I could do a whole 24 hours, I'll just do water today. And then like, kind of like, flush my system out and start over again. Because I mean, I don't want anybody who hasn't eliminated carbs just to try it. For me, about 12 hours are so into it, your body just like it's almost like somebody flips a switch. And it's like, you have no carbohydrates left in you at all. And your kidneys just start to work and work and work. And before you know it like you know, we're talking about stuff that I feel bad, but like you're passing like clear urine, and you're just like, wow, like I am the start getting clear eyed, you're potty because I'm assuming your body's not breaking down food anymore. It's not busy with other stuff. So right, you kind of have that, like, you get that little euphoric feeling that comes from you know, starving. And then, and then I just was like, I got to the evening and I was like, Alright, well, all I got to do now is make it till I close my eyes. And then I'll get up in the morning and start this this fast. So I think I ended up going about 36 hours. And then I started the fast and then I started the intermittent fasting at noon. I've met a lot of people who do it. Since then I've met a type two, who significantly reduced their medication needs by doing it. I've met people who do it for like, like Uber seriously. And they, you know, you look at them, and they just they're like a piece of like, they look like a bunch of muscle wrapped in skin, you know, and they're like I intermittent fast. And I'm like, I do too. And they're probably like me, do you because I can't see the muscles that are wrapped into your skin. And I was like No, they're under there. Don't worry. Or they're they're there. Look, I can move my hand up in there. They're still there. But But no, seriously, like so you're doing intermittent fasting with a mostly veggie vegetarian lifestyle, a little bit of like protein from meat and chicken, beef and stuff like that. What is the outcome for you? Like how are your blood sugars? How are your a one sees? How do you find it helping you?

Sarah 44:11
Sure. So my blood sugar's are pretty, pretty steady. I typically stay between 80 and 160. And, you know, the times that I do go up to around 160 it's not very long, I come back down pretty pretty soon within maybe like 20 or 30 minutes without having to, you know, give more insulin. My agency I just had, I just went I think like two or three weeks ago, my agency was 5.7. And my doctor was like, that's so great. We just want to keep you under a 6.5 and I was like, in my head. I was like, Oh my gosh, like that. That would be high for me like I just but I know that that's like how some people live and I know that the The doctors have to kind of like, be careful about the advice that they give, so that you know, you don't sue them later. But I told her I was like, just so you know, like, my personal agency goal is always under a six. But essentially, like, I'm trying to even work my way down from a five, seven, you know, just slowly to like a five, five and just as close to five as I can get. But yeah, so within 15 months I my agency went from, I'm pretty sure the blood tests that they ran for within a Wednesday and a couple other things that they were checking, I'm pretty sure that they just said 14 plus. So it's possible I was higher than 14, but I just say 14. But yeah, so over the last 15 months, I went from a 14 to I hit six, and then a five, eight and a 570. And so I've just kind of been around five, seven, the past, I guess, like six months or so. So yeah, and so everything's great, except for the cholesterol. I'm just trying to get that down. I'm on like the lowest dosage of this Staton, which is the cholesterol medication, I'm on the Rebollo, I'm on the lowest dose that they can give. And so we're just trying to wean me off of that. But like I said, I was like, please let me try a diet first. So that, you know, we don't have to keep taking this. And I'd rather you know, make those changes now, while I'm more open to it. And also, I think just the earlier you make healthier changes, the easier it is, versus like, when you get older, it's probably harder, you're less willing. Yeah, so if you're let's go ahead and try and see what we're doing. So just like you, you know, saying like, oh, let me try a potato fast or not eating it at all for like a day and a half. Like, I'm like, let's see what happens if I eat like this. Or if I do this, so I have enjoyed, you know, more stable blood sugars. They're pretty predictable. And being able to, like eat the foods that I enjoy, like, I still have, you know, like chocolate and candy and whatever, of course, but yeah, so I just really enjoy the flexible part of the flexitarian diet as well.

Scott Benner 47:13
What do you do for exercise? Because you I've, I've stalked you while we're talking and you've seen lean, and reasonably fit. So I was wondering, like, thanks. Yeah, meet me.

Unknown Speaker 47:25
But yeah, so

Sarah 47:26
I do a couple different things. And it kind of changes sometimes I go through like phases of what I'm doing. But essentially, I'm always doing some type of cardio. Sometimes it's more of like a lower intensity, like steady, like if you go for a walk like a mile Walker. Or sometimes it's a hit or a high intensity interval training, mixed with weights. Typically, that's what I try to maintain. I do some rock climbing sometimes. I haven't since the pandemic because everywhere is just you know, shut down. Yeah. But I do jujitsu as well. regularly. I go about two or three times a week. So that's mainly what I do. I used to ride my bike a lot as well. But someone saw my bike over the pandemic, and I've just been really bummed about that.

Unknown Speaker 48:20
Someone stole your bicycle. Yeah, someone stole my bike. syrus pike back, what are you doing? Where did you leave?

Sarah 48:27
What? Okay, we're in an apartment complex. And we both had bikes. And my husband and I and we had him locked up with those like industrial strength you locks sort of pretty thick. On a patio, on the first floor, and they weren't really easily seen, because they're lower than the patio. But I guess someone must have just been like going around looking for those types of things. And they must have like, ready with like, you know, industrial strength like bolt cutters or something. And we just like woke up and they were gone one morning and yeah, it was pretty sad day. I was like getting ready to go for a bike ride and

Scott Benner 49:09
I could have this bike cost you about $400 unbelievable. You're a young person that's not easy to find $400 or am I right?

Sarah 49:19
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I don't know so that's kind of a bummer but where you're where like you know what, we will just save some money we'll get new bikes those bikes were a couple years old anyway.

Scott Benner 49:33
Yeah, there's no silver lining so it's like your bike. Yeah. Looking for the silver lining of having your bicycle stolen. We get to have new bikes. Yeah, it helps you not murder somebody you know learning how to hold your anger in. Oh my gosh, it's Texas. They could have like stolen it. They probably were like gunned up and everything. You're lucky didn't catch them.

Sarah 49:59
Oh my gosh, probably Yeah, like I wrote has a gun like, I Miss Congeniality. Yeah. And the I forget there's one lady that's like it's Texas. Everyone has a gun. My florist has again. Well, I used to work for a florist. She was a good friend and she did have a gun. Yeah, everyone has a gun.

Scott Benner 50:20
I just had an image of Yosemite Sam shooting your lock off your bike, just so you know, popped into my head. And I realized that's probably insulting, but that's exactly how I thought about it. I was like, oh, guy probably just came up and shot the lock and took her bike. I imagined him riding your bike away. Like it was a horse. There's a lot going on in my mind. It's a new ha, Yeah, something like that.

Unknown Speaker 50:39
Meanwhile, you know, probably Yeah. Probably. gangster just came collecting bikes, selling them for money.

Sarah 50:48
Yeah. So and it's just like, what a time to do it. Especially like during the pandemic, when it's like, Man, that is like the last thing like anybody needs. But do you

Scott Benner 50:56
think the guy that stole your mind? And let's be honest, it was a guy. Let's let's do you think the guy that stole your bike, at any point thought to themselves? I feel bad about this because people really do need more exercise during the pandemic.

Sarah 51:09
No, he definitely didn't. He was like a bike. It's locked up. But I think that means it's mine. I think

Scott Benner 51:16
I think he thought I'm gonna sell this bike and buy weed. I think that's what he was. Yeah, yeah, most definitely. I'm sorry, that sucks.

Sarah 51:24
Okay, I still have other outlets for exercise. Like I said, so yeah, jujitsu. And then cardio and weightlifting are like my main forms of exercise at this point. Can

Scott Benner 51:34
you do jujitsu right now with restrictions or no?

Sarah 51:37
Yeah, so our gym, you have to like, register for the classes. And you're just basically saying this is the only class or two, you're only allowed to come to two, I think each week that I'm going to come to we do face coverings, and you have the option of keeping like the same Bahrain partner so that we're not like mixing each week, like who's with who or whatever. So I feel pretty safe with those guidelines and restrictions that they've put up. But yeah, it's still they're still open. That's a good idea.

Scott Benner 52:13
I have to be honest, I was baffled that I got a head cold. I was like, How did this happen? By the way, listen to me talk about it. I had a head cold. I complained about it. Like I was like trapped under a car. My wife is like What's wrong? Like I am ill leave me alone. And my, I can't, I can hear them talking about me. I just want the sofa watching my new favorite TV show. justified with Timothy Olyphant. And which I'm almost done with it. I'm going to need a new favorite TV shows. And anyway, that's not the point. I'm laying on the sofa. And I can hear them talking about me in the in the kitchen. And Arden's like, he never gets sick. So he's not used to it. And they started mocking me and I was like, I can't hear you why it hurts. And it just, you know, I am really a baby about it. I'm not gonna lie and and not being sick very often makes it I have no, like, I have no tolerance build up for being able to minute, my turn my head and I feel like a little off balance. I'm like, that's it. It's over. Sit right down. Just leave me here. I'm fine. Although I have to tell you, I did an interview. I'm gonna I'm gonna stamp this is for people in here with Sean. And Sean. And I got on to record. And I started by saying, Man, I don't feel good. I was like, just you know, like, I'm a little loopy here like this is this closest it's gonna come to you hear me drunk or high? Because I'm like a little spacey. And yeah, I can't wait to go back and edit that show. Because for the life of me, I do not know what I said during that time. I mean, I was really like, kind of out of it. I was like, Oh, I wonder how this will go. But we'll see. So So what would you tell people? If you had to take one, would you? Like if I gave you the you know, unreasonable choice of you can only be a flexitarian or eat on an intermittent schedule, which would you take?

Sarah 54:04
Oh, wow. Um, I guess it kind of depends on what their goals would be. Because if their goal is for insulin sensitivity, I might suggest intermittently fasting. If their goal is maybe like, easier to manage blood sugars when they eat, I would definitely suggest flexitarian Yeah, so it just depends on what their goals would be. But for me, if I could only keep one, I would keep intermittently fasting.

Scott Benner 54:31
Yeah, that's interesting. You said that I'm trying very hard for someone to come on who understands intermittent fasting on a more technical level. But yeah, I've been reaching to people and I'm not having a lot of luck. It's interesting how some people who are like I'm an expert in this, like, can you come on to talk about that man, like, well, I guess you're not an expert, because you're not an expert isn't you're afraid to say it out loud. Like, you know, yeah. So I'm still working on that. Because like whether you want to eat carnivore or not, I liked having Paul on because Paul's like, he's all in on it like he's gonna tell you like he's, you know, absolutely all in on eating a carnivore diet and so let him talk about it from that perspective and, and you know, people who are interested in it can hear about it and people who aren't, and then it can go I didn't know somebody else ate like that. And you know, it's something else. You're so you're eating like pasta and bread and things like that. Probably not a lot of bread though. Right?

Sarah 55:25
Right. So I tend to stay away from starches. So not a lot of potatoes or rice or just like white breads or like white pastas. And we do like the the alternatives that are made from like plants, I guess, like there's the chickpea pasta, and they now make a chick pea like rice and stuff like that. And like whole grain bread and things like that. But But yeah, a lot of I mean, it's essentially it's a lot of carbs. Either way.

Scott Benner 55:54
Yeah, I have to tell you, if you I say sometimes, like if you forced me to, like yell out everything, I could tell the person in five seconds about diabetes that I would say like get your basil right, learn to Pre-Bolus figure out the glycemic index. And then you know that that's how I would break down the very basics of managing insulin. I have to say, I think the very basics of eating, if you gave me one second to scream out, I yell don't eat processed foods.

Sarah 56:18
Yeah, I think that's very key like and that's for anybody, like whether you're a diabetic or not, is really key. Yeah,

Scott Benner 56:25
I think that in the end, that's the like, I know how I eat now. I've gotten my body isn't in as good of a place as I can get it through eating. And through the management of the time I eat. My last hurdle is exercise, honestly. And I need to add more exercise. But I've been suffering with plantar fasciitis for so long. And I just finally got it to clear up in a way that's meaningful, and like the last three or four months, so I'm excited again, again, but I have flat feet, and I couldn't figure it out. And I finally found an insert that that holds my arch up and made the plantar fasciitis go away. So I'm super excited, because every time I would get rid of it through stretching and resting, I'd be like, oh, cool, that I go out and do something. And I'd take two hard steps. And I'm like, and it's back again. six more months, I'll stretch it out again. And then two more steps. Like I'm not gonna add exercise like that. Yeah, but that really is like, for me, I think the difference between me right now and me 20 pounds, toner, and lighter is just exercise at this point. I don't eat. I really eat nothing. I'm down to nothing. Just Just potatoes. Right? Well, no, I haven't had that in a long time. Now. Like, you know, I when Paul was coming on, I was like, I'm just gonna eat meat to see how that goes. He yelled at me a little bit. He's like, that's not the way to start. Just trying to get some background information. But I remembered really liking that. So I stuck. I stuck with that for a while. And then like I said, and now I got sick. And you know, I I was I was at the mercy of like, whatever I could grab before I wandered back to the sofa and collapsed again. Yeah, you know, so, but I'm gonna I figure Thanksgivings in two days. So I'll wake up Friday morning. You know, I'm back on my back on the on the intermittent part of the diet. Now, I figured Friday morning, I'll just roll closer to more proteins and stuff like that for a few days. And then I'm assuming those couple pounds should probably drop right off. And then I'm going to start exercising like I just I don't know what I'm even going to drag my son in the basement and be like, Just show me for things that because he's my son looks like you play softball in college, by the way. No, I played in high school high school. Okay. Because my son's like a, you know, it looks like an underwear model. Like he's just, it's embarrassing. When I'm saying I saw I know people are like, I heard Scott was adopted, but maybe the kid is too, you know, anything like each other. And, and I know he can help me, so I'm just gonna put it on him. That seems fair, right?

Sarah 59:01
Yeah, yeah. And the start start small and like whatever you can do, like, Yeah, what are in like, something that like I had to learn was like, don't do exercise just because you think you have to find exercise that like you enjoy doing and that's like the best way to be able to keep up with it. So there might be an exercise I like works well, like if your foot does start to hurt more. I don't know.

Scott Benner 59:25
Yeah, but I have to find a way. Yeah. Maybe I can use yours. The one I took from you. Oh, okay. I see. That'd be a lot of effort to make a bad joke on a podcast to fly to Texas to steal someone's bike. Oh my gosh, yeah. No, I wouldn't say well, that would be very worthwhile. Let me ask you. I know we're getting up on time. But I have a question for you. So I found you because I was in the private Facebook group. And I was like, hey, how do people eat and you were there? What were you there doing? Like, well, how come you found the podcast and the group and everything.

Sarah 59:56
So I okay. So I'm going to kind of go into like my diagnosis story just a little bit because I actually found you guys before I was officially diagnosed. And before like, I really kind of knew what was going on. So I was becoming an EMT over the summer, and we were practicing, like using glucometers. Because that's something you have to do. Like if someone's acting kind of funny, or if they've, like lost consciousness, it's just like, you always check their blood sugar, or they checked mine. And it was like one evening class and my blood sugar came at, like 520. And they tested it again, because they were like, Oh, the glucometer just needs to be calibrated. And I checked it again. And it was like 515. And my instructor was like, Oh, you should probably go see your doctor. And I immediately just, like, jumped into research mode. And Juicebox Podcast was like, one of the, like, first one or two things I had found. And I couldn't even tell you how it was either through a Google search, or, or Reddit or something like that.

Scott Benner 1:01:05
Sorry, what I said, my SEO is tight as the kids would say, my so yeah, yeah.

Sarah 1:01:11
Search Engine Optimization. Yeah, got it. And so I found you guys. And I first I found, you know, the blog and the podcast. And then then I joined the Facebook group. And that was all before I was like, officially diagnosed. Well, yeah. And then and so whenever, like, I went to my endocrinologist, and they were explaining everything. And they were like, this is how you do this. I kind of had in the back of my mind, okay, but this is how I want to do it. Or this, I'm gonna try to do you know, because they didn't really talk about, you know, Pre-Bolus scene, they were like, yeah, just right before you eat, like, maybe like five or 10 minutes, you want to give yourself insulin. And then they gave me like an insulin to carb ratio. But I didn't really follow that. And then yeah, so that's how I found you. It's just like a search. And that's how I was like in the Facebook group, and I go to it every once in a while just to see if there's like, anyone that I can maybe help or I posted a question in there a couple weeks ago. I think it's just a great community.

Scott Benner 1:02:14
They're amazing group of people. Honestly, I'm yeah, I'm beyond stunned and just happy about it. I'm also kind of thrilled that you found the podcast before anything and knew enough to be like, yeah, I'm gonna listen to that, but not that. And you know, coming from your doctor, and it was it a nice, easy start for you because of finding it sooner.

Sarah 1:02:34
Yeah, actually. Especially since I got the Dexcom and Omni pod, it was like really great, being able to listen to how you use it. So I was like, Okay, I know what I'm going to do. And it was really nice hearing people talk about like, how insulin isn't scary. So it was just like, just have some, you know, apple juice or whatever around in case you go low while you are trying to figure things out. And so it was it seemed pretty seamless. I mean, as it could be. Obviously, it was a shock. And it was tough, and you know, very frustrating and annoying and just all sorts of emotions at first, but because like I already had an idea probably I had like a two week Head Start. Yeah, it just felt like I kind of knew, like I had a direction versus like getting everything all at once and being like, I have no idea what's going on.

Scott Benner 1:03:32
Wow, that's really cool. I've that you're the first person that found it basically, before having diabetes, a little bit of unity, although I realize you had it, but you'd before you really dove into it. I've heard people finding it on day one. Which is which is very cool. And and they've got a similar story to yours. But I like that you were just aware and moving before. Before even. Wow, I don't know. That's very cool. I'm kind of excited to know that. That's that that happened to you.

Sarah 1:04:04
Yeah. And I think it's because like the way that I found out like I think if I like my doctor really surprised that I'd never gone into decay and like had to be hospitalized. But I think the way I found out was also really helpful so it was like in class and then I took two weeks for me to be able to get an appointment with my doctor. So like in those two weeks, like I just was in, like heavy research mode, just like okay, I wouldn't I need to know everything. I wouldn't know how to best manage this. I want to know like what it means for like, now and in the future and just like oh my gosh, like I probably spent like hours and hours each day just like looking into everything. And then once I found you Juicebox Podcast and the Facebook group and everything. I was just like reading over like everyone's suggestions and like what kind of problems they had run into and things like that and like listening to all the podcasts. You know, I was going to the pro Tips and everything so Oh, yeah, I was just like a really? I mean, just a really great time, you know, things considered.

Scott Benner 1:05:07
I made me very happy. Not the part of it you haven't diabetes, but the rest of Sure. I'm sorry that you that happened. Did you ever become an EMT or a medic? What were you trying to do again?

Sarah 1:05:17
Yeah, so Okay, I was a teacher for two years. And I, my doctor and I are pretty sure that I had had diabetes for two years. I was undiagnosed, or, you know, before I was diagnosed, and so I just felt crappy while teaching. And I was like, man, maybe this just like, isn't for me, like, maybe this is just my body saying, teaching isn't for us. And so I was like, you know, I'm pretty interested in medical things and helping people and I have a brother in law, that's a firefighter paramedic, and he was like, you should look into this. And so I went through an EMT course over the summer, it was very accelerated. And then, you know, I found out while we were going through, like our finals, and like our testing and all that, and that I had diabetes, and I was like, Okay, I cannot be doing this EMT gig and figuring out diabetes all at once. It just felt like that was the wrong move to make for me. And so while I am a licensed CMT, I'm a teacher and everything feels much better. I'm just like, oh, okay, teaching wasn't really bad. It was just because I had like, an diagnosed type one diabetes, and that's why I felt so bad. But teaching itself is like pretty okay,

Scott Benner 1:06:34
I'm blown away that that was your, your example. Because my I had a secondary question for you, which was going to be Hey, did you ever become an EMT? And can you tell me how the transition was from having diabetes to untreated to having insulin on board? Can you tell me how your body felt differently after you had insulin, but then you just ended up doing it without me asking. That's a thank you. I like it, you can intuitively understand what the next question is going to be. And so it really was a night and day difference between how you felt after you got the insulin and prior?

Sarah 1:07:06
Oh, absolutely. Yeah. So I don't I'm like you, I'm very similar to you, or as I don't get sick that often. But in the two years, from, you know, the probable onset of type one diabetes, I was getting, I don't know, I don't even know what you'd call it. I don't even go to the doctor that often. But it was just like a bunch of nose, throat head stuff. But it was way more intense. Then when I'd had it before, you know, the probable onset. I just, it took me a lot longer to recover from it. And then it kind of lingered. And then just my day to day, I was just exhausted. And I just really assumed it was teaching Middle School. Because

Scott Benner 1:07:51
it sounds exhausting. Yeah. So had you not decided to try to be an EMT, you might just like fallen into DK eventually.

Sarah 1:07:59
Most likely, yeah, that's my thought. Because Because my agency was so high and you know, randomly testing one night it was 520 like I am because I were, you know, probably two years without being managed by insulin. Like I'm pretty certain like within the next couple of months, I probably would have gone into DK and that's how I would have found out I

Scott Benner 1:08:22
wonder how they chose you. How many people were there when they were like, hey, let's test their blood sugar.

Sarah 1:08:29
So we were actually in groups, they had glucometers. They had a glucometer for each group of like three or four people and we just had to take turns. So

Scott Benner 1:08:39
I was like, wow, that's Yeah, I wasn't sure if that was divine intervention where they were like, and there's 40 people in here, we're gonna check Sarah's blood sugar. until everybody got their blood sugar check at some point. Did you hear the episode 387 somebody call nine one where the paramedic ginger came on and talked about being a paramedic and what it's like to roll up on calls around type one diabetes?

Sarah 1:09:02
No, No, I haven't. I honestly fallen behind because with teaching and I've had Oh,

Scott Benner 1:09:07
whoa, slow down. Don't be making excuses for why you're not listening to the podcast. If you start to get divorced, or those kids can't learn as much or whatever has to happen. That's not my problem.

Unknown Speaker 1:09:18
Okay, you're right. You're so right. I apologize. I'm sorry. Do you see me saying and I didn't feel good. So you didn't get a podcast this week? No, I was sick and I made a podcast. And now you want to tell me you're busy? What the hell? I'm so sorry. Right. I please. I apologize for my disrespect.

Scott Benner 1:09:35
Well, let me speak honestly to everyone listening all you ungrateful mother. Like what do you I am making this podcast for you listen to it. And at the very least, at the very least you subscribe in your app and you continue to download new shows and tell people that I cannot be mistreated like this.

Sarah 1:09:52
You cannot and you just can't do it on your own. Like we have all of us we are like your your minions trying to push the podcast on people and listen to As many times as possible, so right?

Scott Benner 1:10:03
Not a good word. Let's call us partners. Okay? We're partners. Think of me as the partner that gets the money from the ad sales. And you're the partner who, you know, helps me charge more for the ads by getting more people listen to the podcast, like that's your part in this. I give you the diabetes information. And in turn, you helped me make the Sarah This is not hard to understand. I really sorry, I'm thinking about putting your episode out now.

Unknown Speaker 1:10:29
Oh, no as a punishment

Unknown Speaker 1:10:30
until you wasted your time. You're, like at least 20 episodes behind. I know. I'm just kidding.

Scott Benner 1:10:39
I put out so many of these that I'd be stunned. If you listen to all of them. I'd be like, Well, you've heard of every one of these. Sarah, you have to find like, like a life?

Sarah 1:10:50
I have not I have Honestly, I haven't had a life since school started. It's been rough. We are doing a hybrid. So I'm teaching online and in person. So it's like I have two full time jobs. It has been insane. Can I take

Scott Benner 1:11:01
a couple extra minutes for me before we say goodbye? Can you tell me about that? Yeah, absolute train wreck, it's going well, somewhere in the middle,

Sarah 1:11:09
somewhere in the middle. So it started to feel better, probably like, beginning of November. So today's November 24. And it started feel better. But then our school had four new positive cases and the health department forces to go online. And like for everyone to go online. And that has kind of been a bit of a mess. Because the students there were students that I had in person that had no idea what to do once they got online, even though like I have set aside time and showed them, like it just doesn't make sense for them to like, store that in their memory because they're like, whatever I'm in person, and I don't need to worry about, you know, going online and learning online. So it's been a little bit of a mess, connecting with everyone. And there's kind of some uncertainty as far as like when we'll come back are supposed to come back Monday after Thanksgiving. But that could change depending on what the health department wants, and you know, what our school decides and all that. But yeah, it's been pretty stressful for everyone, you know, students, teachers, administration, parents, you know, families as a whole, it's just been, it's just stressful for everyone,

Scott Benner 1:12:16
the process of teaching kids virtually, is it worse than in person? Better? no different, just different for you. So it feels odd, like, what's your finding?

Sarah 1:12:29
Yeah, I think it's worse for the students. I think school has a lot of benefits besides just, you know, an education, I think they actually learn a lot of different things. And I think being in person is the best form of them learning as far as you know, learning like math and science. But you know, they're also learning other things like social skill, and just you know, how to live life and how to interact with their peers, as well as adults. And so being online for the student. I just, I don't think that's very beneficial. At least not at this age, I teach 10th and 11th grade now, yeah. And I just think at this age, there's some students that might do fine. But the majority of my students, I can tell a difference, and just their learning and the way that they're interacting, you know, because I've had a lot of the students before, and other classes and, you know, to compare them in person to online, it's just night and day. And then it's also kind of, it's also kind of weird as the teacher to try and figure that out. It's like, how do I teach this lesson without being able to, like, get them to do hands on things, which is like, the best way to do it? You know, for the majority of students, it's like hands on. Because Sure, it's like, okay, I can have you go and watch this video, and then answer some questions about it, or write a paper about it. But I, there's just not absorbing anything, you know, because they're on a screen all day. And so to have them have an assignment that's on a screen, or to watch a lesson on a screen, it's just, it's a lot of screen time, and they just kind of like zone out their brain. I don't know what it is. And it's to no fault of their own. It's just you know, how humans work, but their brain just starts to like, lose that. I don't know that the reality of like that they're at home, and they're supposed to be at school, but it's just like, there's a connection that's not being made there.

Scott Benner 1:14:30
Is your expectation lower for them? Like is the schools in general lower? Like, I know, nobody would admit that out loud, probably, but is, you know, like, is the amount of stuff we're trying to pack into someone's brain lesser than it was prior?

Sarah 1:14:47
I think it depends on where you go. And then like for what school district and then even then what school you're in for my school. Essentially, the feel that I'm getting is that the expectation for teachers are the same however, the expectation for students has been lowered. And I'm definitely on board with, you know, lowering expectations because we have no idea what the students home lifes are like, you know, for some students, it's like their worst nightmare to be at home. And then to try to learn from home. Yeah, so, my, my personal as a teacher, my personal expectations for students, I've lowered them a lot. And I also teach history. So it's also kind of like, history comes last. It's not, it's not like one of the essential skills you need to have or central knowledge you need to have at this age level. So, yeah, there are some other teachers though, who, in my school, their expectations have not changed at all. They're about the same. And then I can see that that's been kind of rough on students. So just like I said, kind of depends.

Scott Benner 1:15:52
Yeah, Arden, put a table in her room. She's like, I need somewhere to sit. So we got her like a small table and a chair. And on most days, she sits up and she's like, but still like, you look at her. She's in her pajamas. And her hair's like going in six ways, and she doesn't care. And yet she looks like today station feel while she laid in bed and went to school today. Like at noon, we were like erh just one more class, then I'm going to get a shower. And we're like, okay, yeah. But she's doing like, her grades are really good. My son hates it. My son's in his junior year of college. And he's like, he's like, if they want us to do this again next semester. I'm not doing it. Yeah, he said, He's gonna take a gap if it happens again.

Sarah 1:16:31
Yeah, I totally understand that. I totally get that. Like, there's for to some students, it's like, whatever I can do this I can, I can be online and to the majority of students. So it's just such a, it's such a difference. And it's just not helpful. And they just kind of turn into like zombies almost like, it just, yeah, their brains aren't actually functioning on the learning level that they need to, because there's just that just enough of a difference like being at home than in person. Here's

Scott Benner 1:16:59
the good that I can imagine coming from this, then I'm gonna let you go. Because this is my long shot bet. Okay. And everybody falls into their phone. Right? We've been doing it now for a decade or so. There's an entire generation of kids who, you know, don't know a life they What is that? They say? Like, you're always within arm's reach of your phone or something like that. Like, you know, people have their face their phones. I'm thinking that if this pandemic goes on long enough, we are going to successfully rewire a generation of children, not the one to look at a screen. Maybe, maybe maybe it's like, you know, when when your parents caught you smoking a cigarette, and they may just smoke the whole pack. See it gets sick. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, I'm thinking this might be that for screentime.

Sarah 1:17:45
Yeah, I mean, that's a good thought. And maybe not. Yeah, I could see that happening. I could see that happening. Just Yeah, kids just being like sick of the screen, and then finally returning to play like outside do something.

Scott Benner 1:17:57
Yeah. Yeah. Like go have sex like regular kids. And like, yeah, they don't even know each other. Like, they're, like, 11th 12th grade. They're in college, like, Oh, no, I don't have friends. I'm like, friends. What about girls? What are you people doing? You know, have you? Are you aware that now there are text chains going around during your class that you're not involved in with the class? Do you know the kids talk that way to each other? Do you know they're probably talking about you while you're doing your thing? Like, are you aware of all that? Or you don't have kids? You don't know about that part? I guess? Hmm.

Sarah 1:18:31
Well, I don't have kids myself, but I am aware like I yeah, I'm aware that they talk about me. They talked about other students they like yeah, our school has a really strict no cell phone policy. But I know that it still happens. Like if their cell phones are out or whatever, even if it's like in their pocket. And you can see the outline in their pocket, where we take their phones up, and they have to pay $20 to get it back at the end of the day. And then it increases like $5 each time. But it still happens. Like they hide the phone. Somehow they take it to the bathroom or you know, in the hallway and passing periods. Like I yeah, I know that that happens. Because it distracts and it's like, it's like the other day. I saw it in real time. So we had an advisory and my advisory students, I'm like, yeah, take out your phone. I'm fine with that. Like, you know, whatever. As long as it's school appropriate. Don't forget you're on the school Wi Fi. So you, you know the school can see everything you're doing. And I saw it happen in real time. Someone walked into advisory and they were like, Hey, did you hear what so and so said to this teacher? And everyone in the class was like, no, what did she say? And they were like she said this and this and then I had the student that said something to the teacher. I had her later in the day, and she just seemed like different from how she normally was from her normal personality and I I was like, Hey, what's going on today? You seem just, you know, like, a little down or just like little different and you have a good weekend. And she was like, No, I just like, I don't know, some people were talking about me and they're texting about me. And I know that I watched that happen, like in my class. And I was just like, That's insane. And I definitely was like, maybe like even an advisory. Like, I shouldn't allow them to have phones out for reasons like that. Because like, yeah, that that. I mean, now that girl now that students like distracted for the rest of the day. Yeah. And she's just Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:20:31
they're getting good at it. They're like, multitaskers. Like, it's it's really incredible. They're having multiple, like, the level the conversations about different topics at the same time on different like, devices.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:44
Yes, fascinating.

Scott Benner 1:20:45
They are at it. It's, it's crazy. Yeah, you should see some of the ways they they've like figured out how to cheat on tests and help each other with homework. And these kids are really good at using this technology.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:57
I think really, I

Scott Benner 1:20:58
think, I think schools teaching kids a lot of things. They don't think they're teaching them. Right. Yeah. They're bad kids. They're gonna be amazing adults. Yeah. Well, I think at the end here, we figured out who stole your bike, some kids phone to you talk,

Sarah 1:21:13
probably from the others, like, Alright, we can easily find out where she lives.

Scott Benner 1:21:17
I know where she's at. Let's take her bike. Yeah. Yes, we solved it. Yeah, I think we did just go figure out which kid you took the most money off of for the cellphones. He's got your bike? Yeah. Well, I really appreciate you doing this. And, and seriously, I'm, I love this series of people talking about how they eat and just have a nice conversation. So I'm, I'm thrilled the podcast found you and that has been valuable for you. And, and in turn, I'm, I'm very grateful for you coming on and sharing this part of your life with us. Thank you so much.

Sarah 1:21:47
Oh, of course, I'm so grateful for the podcast, like, as I just explained, like, I it was an integral part in, you know, learning management. And I think because of that, like, it has just been that much easier. You know, that much less stressful, especially when it comes to insulin, because I think a lot of people are just so nervous about using it, and just kind of like the dangers of it, which are very valid and real concerns. However, we don't necessarily have to live with blood sugars that are super high, you know, we can we can make small changes and be healthy. And, you know, just finding the podcast was just like such a blessing to be able, you know, to transition so smoothly, you know, from from diagnosis just right into it. So I'm really thankful for you, Scott, and just, you know, the blog and the podcast and everything. It's become like, it's so great. And the community on Facebook, I think is like also one of the best resources out there. Thanks for having me. Yeah, I hope flexitarian diet makes sense for some people to try out. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:22:50
it's definitely worth looking into. And Google calls it semi vegetarian, which made me laugh. a vegetarian, okay. Oh, you were so sweet. Just now it's not me from making a stupid joke, because I was just gonna be like, so I saved your life. Sara, is that right? Is it can you just say those words, please. So we have a clip for the trailer. But no, no, it's fine. No, but seriously, you were just that was really kind. I appreciate it. You made me made me a little, you know, I'm not I didn't cry or anything like that. But it was it was really touching. I I'm just thrilled that anybody's finds value in any of the stuff that I've got set up so but to know that you basically slung right from not having diabetes to having Type One Diabetes without experiencing any weird social, psychological or physical blips is very gratifying to hear. So I appreciate you sharing that with me. Thank you. Of course, of course. A huge thank you to one of today's sponsors, g Vogue glucagon, find out more about chivo hypo Penn at G Vogue glucagon.com forward slash juice box. you spell that GVOKEGL Uc ag o n.com. forward slash juice box. Warm handing out thank yous and propers Sara, thank you so much for coming on the show. And Contour Next One blood glucose meter. You're not a person but I appreciate you too. Contour Next One comm forward slash juice box. And of course don't forget touched by type one.org. Also on Facebook and Instagram. Thank you so much for listening. If you're enjoying the podcast, please share it with someone. Leave a great rating and review where you listen or subscribe in a podcast app. These are the things that help the show the most. Thank you so much for listening for supporting the show. I'll be back soon with another episode.

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