When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, my doctor gave me insulin doses that I followed to the exact unit they were prescribed. I went extremely low every day before lunch, but did nothing to change any dosing. A year later when I moved on to pumping insulin, I trusted the same doctor to set my basal and bolus rates. Now this doctor was very good, my settings were mostly correct. I had very healthy A1c results.

Then I found the diabetes online community. It seemed like everyone was reading Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner and Pumping Insulin by John Walsh. Both books contained tips and tricks of better managing the powerful hormone of insulin.

I spent some time reviewing my settings and my lifestyle and changes to improve my diabetes management. I love math, so it absolutely helped me to think of my body as a giant math problem that I could solve.

The one trouble spot that remained for me, and I strongly believe continues to be a trouble spot for many people in the diabetes community is EXERCISE.

I want to exercise but I can give you every excuse about why I don’t.

I don’t have time.

I’m too tired.

My blood sugar drops every time I exercise so there’s no point.

My blood sugar rises every time I exercise so there’s no point.

You name it. I’ve said it.

That is changing now. I just finished the book that WILL take my diabetes management to the next level. Not only am I math problem, but now I am also a Science Experiment.

Ginger Vieira is a Health Coach & Diabetes Advocate and author of the book “Your Diabetes Science Experiment”. She is also probably the best vlogger in the diabetes community. I wanted to write a review of her book in such a way to convince you all to go out and get a copy of your own. Which, by the way, you CAN by clicking HERE!

First I thought that instead of summarizing her book, I should ask her some questions to highlight some of the best parts of the book. But why would you ask a vlogger to type out their answers when they can video them instead? You wouldn’t ask a painter to describe a landscape, you would hand them a brush and let them paint.

So here you go! Let’s watch Ginger paint!

I split the vlog into two parts to make it a bit easier to watch. In the first part she answers some of my more general questions such as -

1. Who should read your book?
2. How in the world is my body like a pizza delivery restaurant?
3. High and low blood sugar results. Good? Bad? Just information?
4. What does “Learn first. Act second” mean?
5. What is the most important characteristic for someone living with diabetes?

1. Eating before exercise – self-defeating or self-sustaining?
2. Why is circuit training a good workout for someone with diabetes?
3. WiiFit. Workout or glorified video game?
4. What should a person with an insulin pump do while they are working out? Disconnect? Temp basal? None of the above?
5. How do I stop my bad diabetes habits?