Beyond Type 1

Woman with T1D stands on pier in Penticton, reflecting on her diaversary

Diaversary: 35 years with T1D

Diabetes, Diabetes Dietitian

Thirty five years with T1D. It’s my diaversary! To celebrate, or not to celebrate. That, my friends, is the question of the week. I was forever branded with this disease on Aug. 23, 1987. My sister had turned 16 the same day I was rushed to the hospital. This disease couldn’t even wait one more day; it just had to dance all over my sister’s birthday. Sorry about that Jules. But honestly, as many of us with this disease will surely confirm, that’s the way of T1D. T1D: the all consuming disease Type-1 diabetes is everywhere. It is all the time. It is an insufferable attention seeker. T1D is the first thought I have when I wake up in the morning and instantly grab for my phone to check my CGM. It’s also one of my last evening actions, and middle of the night actions too when I get up …

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Female cyclist drinks from her water bottle during T1D and sport

The science behind T1D in sport

Diabetes, Diabetes Dietitian, Exercise and diabetes, Registered Dietitian

Registered dietitian with T1D Katie Bartel dives into the science behind why sport with type-1 diabetes can be so challenging, and provides strategies for overcoming some of those challenges.

A female cyclist pedals up a steep hill with a vineyard next to her

Fondo update: struggles of cycling with T1D

Diabetes, Diabetes Dietitian, Exercise and diabetes, Personal, Registered Dietitian

Cycling with T1D presented me with quite a few challenges this past week. Even though I have a nutrition degree, have read extensive amounts of T1D research, and have over 30 years personal experience with type-1 diabetes, I still sometimes completely mess it all up. I am not perfect with my T1D. It’s not possible for anyone to be perfect with type-1 diabetes. And for me, “My Own Private Fondo” is a clear example of just how imperfect I can sometimes be. The fondo that was not meant to be Me and my T1D were supposed to ride the Okanagan Gran Fondo in Penticton, BC last week. I was supposed to join thousands of other cyclists as they rode up the hillsides of BC’s most prolific vineyards, and along the lakeshore of Lake Okanagan, home of the Ogopogo, traversing multiple sun-weathered communities. It was supposed to be 121 km of …

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T1D RD Katie Bartel stands on the docks of T1D camp at Evans Lake in Squamish, BC

T1D RD goes back to Diabetes Camp

Diabetes, Diabetes Dietitian, Exercise and diabetes, Personal, Registered Dietitian

I love camp – specifically diabetes camp. Two weekends ago, this T1D dietitian had the opportunity of a lifetime to participate in Connected in Motion’s Western Slipstream. Essentially, a diabetes camp for adults with type-1 diabetes. Friends, I am not new to diabetes camp. I went as a kid from the time I was 10 years old to 16 years old. And I loved it so much, that I became a camp counsellor for the same camp over spring break at 17 years old. And later, in my early 20s, I also became a camp counsellor for a non-diabetes camp in Monmouth, Maine three years running. But, it’s been a few years, and I’d forgotten the joys of camp. Connected in Motion connects A few months ago I was invited by Connected in Motion to be a speaker at their first live slipstream since Covid. Connected in Motion is a T1D …

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Spotting sunflowers while cycling with type-1 diabetes

Diabetes dietitian takes on BC cycling fondo with T1D

Diabetes, Diabetes Dietitian, Exercise and diabetes, Registered Dietitian

Let the training begin – this type-1 diabetes dietitian, with T1D, has a cycling fondo booked in BC in T minus 4 months! After 2 years of no running races or cycling events, I have entered the Okanagan Gran Fondo for this July. It’s the second bike fondo I’ve ever done; the first was in pursuit of a Tiffany’s necklace 🙂 I’ll be doing this one alongside my husband, which I’m super excited for. But also nervous. The distance is 120 km. I’ve only done that distance once previously and we had a LOT of snack breaks in between. This fondo will be very different from that. So you know what that means? I need to up my training and nutrition game. Strategizing the physical component Currently my exercise regime is about 4-6 days a week, which includes: Two to three intense 30-45 minute bike rides on the Peloton One …

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