Health Expert Kelsey Bonilla shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5868/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5868/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5868/index http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/153274/running-routine Thu, 24 May 2012 17:24:11 -0400 Kelsey Bonilla My workout routine has recently changed and, like everything with diabetes, my blood sugar management routine had to change too.  For the past few years, I’ve been exercising primarily in the morning thus timing my workout to the dawn phenomenon peak in my blood sugar.  That routine worked well in that I always knew I’d need to bolus extra insulin (even without eating) to cover the spike in blood sugar that would occur... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/153274/running-routine http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/153102/blood-sugar-games Fri, 18 May 2012 18:19:17 -0400 Kelsey Bonilla There’s this funny psychological phenomenon that I experience on occasion.  I’m curious if this happens to anyone else with diabetes.   When I’m in a position where I’m separated from my glucose monitor, for even just a short time, I become convinced that my blood sugar is going low.  Not necessarily that I’m currently experiencing hypoglycemia, but that a low is lurking just around the... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/153102/blood-sugar-games http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/152397/sugar-surprises Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:05:52 -0400 Kelsey Bonilla Diabetes management thrives on routine and structure.  When my routine is interrupted or life is unusually chaotic, I always see it reflected in more erratic blood sugars spikes and crashes.     We moved this past weekend. There's a reason that people universally dislike moving... it's a pain! Adding two small children who need fairly constant supervision and the whole process takes a lot longer!   My typical diet of... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/152397/sugar-surprises http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/151610/fluctuating-blood Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:12:00 -0400 Kelsey Bonilla The expression: "It's been one of those days..." takes on a whole new meaning when you have diabetes.  Tuesday was one of those days for me.  It actually started on Monday evening.   Before dinner my blood sugar was 147 mg/dl.  That's in range, but on the higher end, so I figured a little bit of a correction into my dinner bolus.  I injected 2 units of insulin and sat down to a plate of grilled shrimp and zucchini... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/151610/fluctuating-blood http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/151214/substitutes Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:05:00 -0400 Kelsey Bonilla I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that most other people with diabetes dislike glucose tablets as much as I do.  They're chalky, messy, way too sweet, and generally not a tasty way to treat hypoglycemia.  That being said, they're very efficient at raising blood sugar and perfectly portion controlled so you're unlikely to over-treat and end up with a high blood glucose level later.   As I've been eating a low carb diet for... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/151214/substitutes http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/150740/making-case-diets Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:39:00 -0500 Kelsey Bonilla Sometimes, I've learned, the most obvious facts are the most challenging to grasp.  I've recently had an epiphany regarding my diet and blood sugar management...eat fewer carbohydrates to more easily control blood sugar.  Revolutionary, I know.   The thing is, since I was diagnosed there seemed to be a focus on "eating normally" and "covering meals" accurately with insulin.  I knew that carbohydrates were the main culprit in... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/150740/making-case-diets http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/149566/disciplined-diet Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:25:00 -0500 Kelsey Bonilla Time sure does fly by; it's been 5 months since I switched from pumping back to MDI.  Wow.  During the indulgent holiday season, I had a few moments where I missed the ease of being able to cover a big meal with my insulin pump.  However, I kept looking forward to the start of the New Year so I could put my new eating plan into action.    Now that my pregnancies and breastfeeding days are behind me, I have decided to... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/149566/disciplined-diet http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/146802/simple-optical Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:50:00 -0500 Kelsey Bonilla I didn't realize how timely my recent dilated eye exam was until I read the HealthCentral article regarding November, as Diabetes Awareness Month, being an appropriate time to get the annual check-up.  For me, my wedding anniversary just so happened to mark the time to have my optical health checked.   My husband and I have had annual eye exams together since we were engaged.  Our optometrist has Saturday hours so it's now a big... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/146802/simple-optical http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/145839/diabetes-attack Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:23:00 -0400 Kelsey Bonilla Last Sunday night I had a diabetes episode that left me feeling cranky and exhausted on Monday morning.  It was a completely self-induced event, which just heaps guilt onto an already icky experience.  Here's what happened: The kids were asleep and I was settling into the couch to watch some TV with my husband.  My blood sugar was 127 mg/dl after a dinner of salmon and roasted sweet potatoes (yum!).  I decided to have some... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/145839/diabetes-attack http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/145425/injections Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:52:00 -0400 Kelsey Bonilla It's been nearly a month since I took off my pump and as of now, I don't expect to put it back on anytime soon.  Here are some of the positive things I've encountered since making the switch:   1. Eating Healthier and Less   One of the commonly cited advantages of pumping is that you can "eat what you want."  In choosing not to pump, I've embraced the restrictions on what I regularly eat.  This means I'm eating meals... http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5868/145425/injections