My Diabetes Elephant

04/07/2025

Yup

25/06/2025

Thought this captured it… how about you?

29.4K likes, 645 comments. “Wanted to share some insight to why people with can be so tired at times. It’s a struggle!”

31/07/2024

So my body is making me stop and rest… I’ve just had a bilateral carpal tunnel surgery (means BOTH hands at once 🤷‍♀️) with left hand trigger finger release…

I’m so grateful for my hubby who is helping me with all the tasks* I can’t do rn haha 😂
*Can obviously manage slow finger typing 👈

This is NOT my natural state - yes typically i am constantly ‘doing’ 🤪 but in this moment rn - I feel grateful for this quiet and enforced pause. . . . . .

I’m so appreciative of - medicine, family, sunshine, my puppy, good food….

Sitting on my patio, listening to the birdsong, eating the yummy food served to me (toast w Dahl, eggplant and spinach - a fav!) and my puppy is hanging out w me (dogs are GREAT at just hanging out lol!)
and enjoying just ‘being’…. one could get used to this…

25/04/2023

Breakfast bowl… fruit WITH spinach…
Yes I know seems weird… I couldn’t fathom this when I first followed the Mastering Diabetes way of eating … but it’s actually AWESOME! And the greens helps to manage my blood sugars with the fruit, granola carbs… specifically LESS spikes for the blood sugar levels… WIN!
I’ve also added some yummy oat yoghurt and mashed banana to spread through the mix… oh and the Kakadu plums are yum…

This is meal one of my two daily meals… I do a lot of savory meals but this is a nice treat this morning before I tackle a big day doing yard work…

13/02/2023

Need to share that the yummy smashed potatoes I now cook each week - get baked with NO OIL 🙌🙌🙌 whatthe!?!

It’s been an adjustment but it totally possible to cook crispy vegetables without oil/butter… We typically use seasonings and a bit of nutritional yeast, pre-boil them and shake them around in the saucepan to get that lovely powdery outside layer… then often smash them lightly mid-oven bake…

This is part of the steps I take to eat low fat for my health.
Better for my insulin sensitivity, weight control and overall health journey…

I need these goodies in the fridge ready to add to a meal - helps me to stay on plan…

I love potatoes and being able to include them in this way of eating is such a treat YUM!

17/12/2022

I haven’t posted for a while this busy season… I’ve had some time away with the family and also working hard in my small business…
For me, maintaining this way of eating is all down to having items prepped in the fridge… right now most meals seem to be chilli bean, roasted veges and fresh greens… otherwise a slather of yummy chilli bean (or Dahl) on a slice of sourdough with handful of spinach on top…

To quote =
“BEANS & GREENS are the MEANS”

Currently I am drinking more wine and having some meals out while events/happening family around … but I know it’s short term and I’m enjoying rather than getting pedantic (once I start feeling icky I know I have to pull back… my body reminds me 😳👍)

Anyway this photo & post is about my supply of QUALITY curry pastes from lifesgoodcurrypastes] …
These products make my cooking SO much easier / quicker & add such depth of flavour …

I am very very grateful to Alice & Sam lifesgoodcurrypastes] for creating these staples for my pantry…

If you want a GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE and WHOLE FOOD curry paste look no further… their range of PLANT BASED products rock my world (daily it seems🤩)…

21/11/2022

I haven’t been posting much lately as very busy with life and work etc…
But I’m still at it… this Plant based, whole foods, low fat (diabetic) health journey.
I’ve occasionally tried a few things off plan (slice of garlic cheese pizza 😳) but my body has quickly let me know it doesn’t feel as good if I do…
My tastebuds have continued to change and I now like things spicier than previously. (Though probably still in the “mild” category I’m sure) I think when you don’t have fat content in foods it makes the range of spices much more desirable? Maybe?
Feeling hopeful about continuing to improve my overall health moving forward…
Next step is to introduce more weight resistant exercise…. But very happy with where things are at and are headed…

23/10/2022

Apparently my Iron levels are crazy low… Having a good GP that checks ‘things’ is important. I changed GPs at the beginning of this year for this reason. Figuring I need someone who looks into the stuff that could be quietly happening in the background without notice. As an aging diabetic and all that…

My new GP was looking previous bloods and saw in 2018 I had iron (ferretin) levels of 9. (Normal is above 30 I think) He asked if I was aware of this? Nup… NO IDEA that I was functioning with such low iron… since 2018… and whichever Dr has ordered the test at the time did not follow up, tell me OR most importantly, do anything about it… sigh…

So my wonderful new GP did another test (then and there took my bloods himself) and yes… I’m still at 9 …

So two days later I’m back getting an iron infusion… will be interesting to see what difference it might make… hmmm besides more energy I’d love thicker hair… is that iron related and/or possible? 😂

15/10/2022

Today I’m doing paperwork… so I need nutrients lol….

Spinach, Onion, mushrooms, capsicum, spud light potatoes (boiled, roasted & reheated for more resistant starch) broccoli - stir fried on stock & garlic w miso… and sml dab of hummus & tomato sauce mixed through the bowl … served w rye sourdough…

16/09/2022

I’ve been overseas recently - the first travel with diabetic devices attached to me …
I had an extra bag with my backup Dexcom sensor & transmitter, Omnipod sensors, extra insulin, glucose treatments and a letter from my doctor … as well as a letter from my diabetes educator saying that my devices (in my medical bag and in my body) CANNOT go thru any X-ray machines… I had these letters translated into Indonesian as well and this definitely helped at the travel checkpoints… I was quite nervous not knowing what to expect… but overall it went smoothly…
At one point I had to be thoroughly patted down and another I had to even take off my shoes to go through security 😂… But I got to my destination and back home again - devices and myself all ok 👌

At seperate times, I did have both a Dexcom sensor and a Omnipod fail 😳 but my backups were there and I worked it out…

I required more insulin overall and also travelled w high BSLs at times (due to eating differently from my previous 3 months and “carb guessing”) but I’m SO glad to say that I did not have any bad lows … whew!

I tried to eat lots of fruit and veges while away but also didn’t stress about (and also chose) the animal products and higher fat foods at many meals… I enjoyed a drink or two each afternoon - I had a fantastic time and am relieved that I didn’t feel unwell 😁

Since being home my insulin needs and BSLs have remained higher, even a week later.

I am back to my normal way of eating (low fat and plant based whole foods) … I’m hoping it won’t take too long to return to the insulin sensitivity I achieved before I travelled… It’s a tangible reminder of how this way of eating IS effective and going off plan does have an impact on my insulin needs & diabetic control…

NB: On the way home I discovered a slight rash on my arms (and later my legs) weird but no other symptoms… it has eased somewhat…
Now I’m feeling run down / dealing with a yucky head cold (not covid at least)… 🤷‍♀️ it could be a coincidence but it feels like it could be a flow on from eating less cleanly?
Anyway, no matter - the travel was fantastic, my diabetes mostly behaved and I had a very memorable wonderful time away.

11/07/2022

So today I’ve got something I’ve wanted for a VERY long time… my Blood Glucose number showing automatically on my Apple Watch face… SO quick and simple 🙌 to glance and instantly know what my levels are doing…

Back in 1980s when I was first diagnosed, the process to test my blood sugar was a whole other complicated thing… and very time consuming…

So here’s a shoutout to the awesomeness of technology…. (Yes mainly when it works 😂)

*This is via a Dexcom G6 CGM - that uses Bluetooth to transmit the glucose levels to iPhone and thus to my watch face complication.
Atm not 100% accurate but still warming up (I’m told might take 24 hours to improve accuracy?)

11/05/2022

How we set our goals has everything to do with whether or not we achieve them.