Day #2 of the conference went so well! I felt like we were all long-time friends and everyone was just so great to get to know. The Johnson & Johnson website will hopefully keep us all connected, though! I even got a diploma for completing the training, check it out:
Includes a picture of me and all my new friends outside the Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute 🙂 They played the graduation song and gave us all hugs as we went up to get our diplomas! 😉
I wanted to answer a few questions people asked regarding my experience at Johnson & Johnson this week.
Q: Jessie from The Happiness in Health asked: Do you know if insulin pumps are covered my insurance?
A: For type 1 diabetics, sometimes. For type 2 diabetics, not usually. My patients pay out of pocket for all pumps, unfortunately. It really all depends on insurance, however. Great question!
Q: Estela from Weekly Bite asked: Are you going to take the CDE exam?
A: YES! I have just over 40% of my hours and anticipate gathering the next 600 hours over the next 18 months or less. I will sit for the exam ASAP!
Sarah sent me an email asking: What does the pump entrance piece look like? As in, what is actually inserted into the body?
A: Here you go! I promise, I felt not a thing!
And my dear friend Andrea sent me a link to a very scary clip about “diabulimia” – a form of Eating Disorder common in many women suffering from type 1 diabetes. This is a SERIOUS problem for diabetics, and is worth watching the clip to learn more.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdawF4mje4g]
We actually discussed insulin omission to produce weight loss today at JJDI. It is true that initiating insulin can cause weight gain in diabetics. When a patient has uncontrolled blood sugars, they have an excess amount of energy (calories in the form of carbohydrates, glucose) circulating in their bodies. Insulin is the hormone which acts as the carrier of glucose (sugar and energy) into the cell where it can be metabolized properly. When energy is not entering the cell, weight loss occurs. By not taking insulin, insulin-dependent diabetics can starve their cells of energy and produce rapid and dangerous weight loss.
It was such a wonderful 2 days! I learned so much and am feeling so empowered about my career path and helping patients manage such an exhausting and complex disease.
And my trip ended up a blogger meet-up with the lovely Andrea of Andrea’s Wellness Notes. 🙂
Here are some highlights of our evening together on Santana Row:
Thank you for the wonderful evening, Andrea! I look forward to seeing you again in October when I’m back in town! 😀
Question: After reading a great post by Caitlin on her Food Revolution, I was in awe as to the variety of responses she received from her readers on what their food revolutions stemmed from. So I ask you, what inspired you, or inspires you, to become a healthier you each day?
I was certainly impacted by my obesity from a young age and attending Weight Watchers meetings. Significant literature such as Food, Inc. and The Omnivore’s Dilemma also played a role in shaping my health path.
P.S. How are you doing on your DO What You DON’T Challenge? I did my strength training Monday evening and last night was yoga! We’re nearly to the end of the month, continue with more DO and less DON’T!!!
Catch you back in the dirty south,
That’s nice that they included a class photo with the diploma.
Fun meetup! My Health Revolution (because, really, it’s more than food) is motivated by my knee injuries. I realized I not only need to heal them but I also needed to prevent other health problems in the future.
Fun blogger meetup!!! That cake looks yummy!
what a great way to end a conference, and the blogger meet up looks fun 🙂
thanks so much for the note on my blog – I’m can’t wait to read more of yours!
I would love to sit with you for a day and just re-learn everything about diabetes. I just have not had to deal with it, at all, in my practice so I feel like I am forgetting everything! How sad is it that women/men don’t give themselves insulin so they can lose weight?? That makes me want to cry. That’s hurting them so much more than it’s helping! It’s as if they have no idea what their high BS is doing to their entire body 🙁 So sad.
Glad you had a nice time with Andrea!! It looks like you both enjoyed a delicious meal. Very neat. I have yet to meet any bloggers 🙁
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We talked about you, Gina…and how much we love you and your blog 🙂 I didn’t get to meet the toddler, though 🙁 I did hear lots about him, though!
You will get diabetics soon, it is growing so quickly! I love being in diabetes because I can tinker with insulin dosing 🙂
That slice of cake looks like a slice of heaven
I’ve been struggling to answer this questions as I think it would take a book to write about my own personal food revolution as it’s been a lifetime of revolutions.
What inspires me is the baby in my tummy. I know I have to set a good example for him or her.
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I’ll bet! So sweet!!
What inspires me is just how I feel. I feel so much better and happier when I’m eating healthy and doing healthy activities for my body. To me, a healthy body and feeling good is the only way to true happiness. I have to say that carrot cake really caught my eye! Definitely one of my favorite treats.
Congratulations on finishing the training! 🙂
Well, a few things inspired me over the course of a long time. I first saw Super Size Me. Then I saw Fast Food Nation, the movie based on the book. THEN I read a book by the author of Fast Food Nation, called Chew On This. All three got me to completely stop eating fast food. I haven’t eaten any since 2008, unless the time I got some sliced apple at McDonald’s on a road trip counts. 😉 Which tasted like a vitamin C pill… ugh.
What also inspires me is the fact that I have some health problems and I don’t want them to get worse. In fact, I think since I started eating healthfully my problems have improved, which only motivates me to keep it up.
I’ve yet to see Food Inc, but I’m taping it tonight. It’s airing on PBS at 9! 🙂
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Thanks for mentioning that! I am going to record it!
Oh my gosh…that food looks amazing! That CAKE – yum. And the presententation is just so beautiful. Glad you had a great time at the conference. It sounds like it’s been a great experience!
Hmmm…I will have to say, I’m inspired to eat healthier because one day, when I have kids, I don’t want them to have a skewed view of food as I did (and so many kids do now) as a child. I want it to be about putting good, healthy things into my body – not because they are less calories/fat, etc., but because those foods make me FEEL good and give me energy for the day. However…nothin’ wrong with a little cookie or chocolate now and then, know what I’m sayin’?!
Good question about food revolutions. For me, it all started with trying to lose weight; I went in search of information on how I needed to accomplish that.
I would have to say that I was inspired by The Omnivore’s Dilemma as well. At the top of my list, is also Bob Greene’s Best Life Diet and anytime I see an older person who is physically fit (doing marathons etc.), I want to be like them — I want to enjoy good health and mobility for as long as possible.
So glad you and Andrea had a good time at dinner. That is so neat that you got a diploma from the course. Do any of the hours get to count for training? I can’t remember if it had to be all direct patient contact hours, but I think it did. I have also seen patients who skip their insulin to keep their weight down. It is very scary, but a real problem.
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Yep, has to be 1-on-1. 🙁
It was so nice to meet you! I had a great time!
I’ve become a lot more aware of the food we eat as a family and where it comes from. I think we always ate fairly healthy, but I definitely am not very happy about some of the things we used to eat (way too processed, etc…) Going to Farmers’ Markets and getting our CSA boxes is always exciting, and it really gets everyone excited about eating fresh, real food. It’s about doing what’s right for us and the planet, so we try to eat local as much as possible. But there is definitely always room for improvement… 🙂
aww how fun!! that dinner looks great..and that CAKE!
Thanks for answering my Q, Nicole! And congrats on getting your awesome diploma! 😉 That’s so exciting that you’ll be taking the CDE exam. I can’t wait to hear about it!
Diabulimia is so scary. The RD I work for has seen a couple of clients who suffer from this, and it is so depressing because there isn’t much she can do to help except to refer them to other health care providers. It’s scary that someone with a terrible disease in the first place would put their lives at risk to lose weight.
I want to meet Andrea, too! And you! Maybe at FNCE?
Sounds like you learned a lot, so glad to hear it went so well.
I know for me what changed my eating habits is having children. I have always been so concerned about what goes into their bodies, but didn’t worry about myself until my Daughter was asking if she could have what I was eating. When I told her no because I didn’t want her to have ice cream, it really clicked in my head. (not that ice cream is bad, she gets some every once in a while)
I realized then I had to be an example for her.
How wonderful that you and Andrea got to share dinner together. It’s so much fun to meet in person!
I changed my body and then over time worked hard on the nutrition. I still like the junky foods – but resist them most of the time. Sometimes those cravings never do completely get laid to rest.
reading the china study and fast food nation really affected me! looks like you are learning so much and having fun too 🙂
For me, part of my motivation was my monster fear of cancer.
Another part was how bad I felt about myself. I spent a long weekend in Seattle last summer and wore the same outfit all weekend because I wasnt comfortable being seen in anything else. Thats what started everything for me.
So cool that you got to meet Andrea!! Sounds like an incredible conference, too – thank you for sharing the experience with us!
Growing up on a farm was a great experience for me, health wise – seeing how natural and pure foods could be, in comparison to “junky” foods, and being outside in the fresh air all the time as a kid – I feel very lucky that it motivated me to keep eating lots of fresh veggies and staying active! 🙂
I’m still getting in my weekly yoga sessions and loving it for the Do what you Don’t Challenge. Thanks for the motivation to start that up.
That is scary about the insulin and diabetics! Amazing how some people are more worried about losing weight fast than being healthy. Just goes to show how unhealthy our society is with their approach to health.
Hey! For some reason I never made it over here but I put you in my reader and Im so glad I did! Looks like there is tons of great info here!
Id say I was inspried by Food Revolution for my health definitely! Bc of that movie I have cut down on my meat consumption! (still eat it though)
Plus, eating good just makes you FEEL good…inside/out.
I love the blogger meet up! Looks like you had a great time!
That is great that you are going for your CDE!
I’ve heard abt that diabulimia…it’s really horrible, and scary. Messing around with one’s life just to lose weight….it’s diabolically horrible!
For me, I’m motivated to be healthy each day, because I know I can NEVER do all the things I wanna do if I don’t have a healthy body. And that scares me, because I have really big dreams. 🙂
Sounds like this was such a fantastic, enlightening experience! I know I’ve learned a lot from everything you’ve shared. 🙂 Fun blogger meet up…that carrot cake looks phenomenal!
I’m so glad you had such a great learning experience at your conference!! Your passion to help your patients with diabetes is amazing and I’m so happy there are good people like you out there who have such motivation to help others. You are truly a wonderful person.
I just recently had a mini food revolution where I no longer want to eat healthy to lose weight, but so that I can manage my PCOS.
HUGS!!
Nicole I have to admit, I didn’t do my Sunday prep for the week, I slacked on my Do what you don’t. Great job keeping up with your strength training! Glad you got to learn so much, it sounds like a great time.
I need to go on a food blogger meet up!!
My food revolution just came with acceptance. I have always been a “big” girl, not obese, but just tall and thick with BMI of 25 even though I am healthy and exercise. I was always fighting the scale trying to be a weight and size that my body would not. My body is resistant to losing weight, even with 6 months of WW, I only saw a couple pounds of change, were talking less than 10lbs. I finally learned to accept my body as it is and focus on health. I began to realize how blessed I am to have a healthy body and embraced that fact. There are many people who are less fortunate I learned to be very happy for the great body I was given.
My food revolution came when I realized that diets will never be the answer for me and I was looking to be something unrealistic for all the wrong reasons. I guess I “gave up” on dieting and starting eating normal and focused on living life—it took about a year, but I lost 30ish pounds almost 5 years ago and finally feel at peace with myself and my body.
Oh and—thanks for the info on diabulimia. I had never heard of that before today. That’s really sad and seems extremely dangerous.
Looks like you had a great time and made some good connections!
My mom does not have the insulin pump – she gives herself injections…
For Do What You Don’t, I did weight training again today! Hooray!
I definitely had a food revolution from “diet foods” to “real foods”. For me it was leaving college and finally starting to cook for myself. Being around my family who only ate home cooked meals. There was no “ah-ha” moment, just a gradual shift where I found my love for cooking and health, not buying processed products 🙂
Nicole, what a great conference you attended. You have gathered so much new information, wonderful for your career. Um that carrot cake is lookin’ mighty fine!
lovely pic, nice to know your conference went on well and got a certificate for it as well…very nice nicole…
Congrats on completing the conference–it looks like you had a fun little getaway & meeting with bloggers is such a fun time!