Reclaim Your Rise
with Lauren Bongiorno

Joining me today is Keary Cheney, a mama of four and the host of Spill The T1D Podcast with a wild, inspiring story that will have you on the edge of your seat! She tells her diagnosis story that started in Africa and landed her in a coma. Keary shares the anxiety and steep learning curve that came with adjusting after her shocking diagnosis. We talk about her adoption journey, how diabetes has shaped her and her adopted daughter’s relationship, diabetes education overseas, her T1D pregnancy, and how she’s using her experiences to support other families. Time Stamps: (03:58) Running the NYC Marathon  (06:04) Her Relationship to Training and Being An Example To Her Daughter (08:38) Africa, Coma, and Her Diagnosis  (13:21) “I’m super healthy, I can’t get diabetes” (15:44) “I had no perspective on what having T1D meant” (17:16) Adopting Her Daughter From Uganda Who Has T1D (20:53) Managing Diabetes Overseas  (23:25) The Sonia Nabeta Foundation for Diabetes Education and Support (26:24) “I knew everything I was doing, she was watching” (29:52) “If she can live with joy with Type 1, then I can too” (31:28) The Decision to Have Their Own Baby (39:40) The Differences in Her Pregnancies with T1D (48:49) Home Birth  (54:53) Her Anchor What to do now: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop. The event of the year for reclaiming life with type one diabetes is BACK. For the first time ever, this is a live hybrid event—both virtual and in-person. Register here for Rising Above T1D 2024. Check out Keary and her podcast on Instagram @graceandsalt + @spilltheT1D. You can support children in Africa living with T1D by donating to the Sonia Nabeta Foundation for diabetes education and clinics. Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on the Reclaim your Rise podcast should be a substitute for personalized professional medical advice. Please always consult your physician or other medical professional before making any changes to your diet, insulin dosages, or healthcare plan.

Joining me today is the newest member of the Risely coaching team, Meghan Higgins. Meghan, a registered nurse, graduated from our group coaching program and became a certified health coach to help others with T1D. In today’s episode, she shares how she never thought she’d get off the blood sugar roller coaster and how she didn’t realize how certain things she was doing were preventing her from seeing the outcomes she desired. Diabetes felt all-consuming and like she was never going to get it right, but through coaching, she lowered her A1C to 6.3, boosted her time and range to 75%, learned to tackle out-of-routine meals, ran a marathon, and now lives with so much more freedom and confidence. Time Stamps: (04:03) “How’s your blood sugar today?” (05:54) Reclaiming Her Rise in a Triathlon (09:44) Diagnosed at 16 and Roller Coaster Beginnings  (12:41) The Journey To Lower Her A1C (15:11) The Common Fear of Low Blood Sugar  (17:11) “This disease just sucks… I didn’t realize there was another school of thought.” (20:04) Struggling Out of Routine and Struggling To Stay Present with T1D (24:27) Meghan’s Turning Point (32:55) Her Coaching Outcomes  (38:37) A Community Element (43:25) Balancing Caring For Others and Caring For Yourself (46:27) Health Coaching to Compliment Health Care’s Shortcomings (50:55) Self-Reflection: “Ask yourself WHY a million times a day” What to do now: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop. Doors are open for our Fall 2024 Group Coaching Program for women with T1D. Apply now and talk to our team.   The event of the year for reclaiming life with type one diabetes is BACK. For the first time ever, this is a live hybrid event—both virtual and in-person. Register here for Rising Above T1D 2024. Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on the Reclaim your Rise podcast should be a substitute for personalized professional medical advice. Please always consult your physician or other medical professional before making any changes to your diet, insulin dosages, or healthcare plan.

Today’s episode answers all of your questions about diabetic alert dogs. Our guest Annie from MediDogs is here to tell us about how diabetic alert dogs actually work, what they’re smelling for, and  how reliable they are. Annie also shares how training works, no matter if the dog is raised to be one or is a dog you already own. She goes over the timeline and which breeds excel in training. Three of our Risely clients have trained their diabetic alert dogs with Annie, so we are thrilled to have her in the show to educate all of us! Time Stamps: (02:24) Annie’s Journey to Creating Medi Dogs (07:54) How Diabetic Alert Dogs Help With Type 1 Diabetes  (11:00) What Are the Dogs Smelling For? (13:10) How Reliable Are Diabetic Alert Dogs? (15:23) Alerting to Other People’s Blood Sugar Levels  (17:35) Training Diabetes Alert Dogs with or without a Vest (19:15) The Deep Bond Between Handlers and Diabetes Alert Dogs (23:37) Addressing the Stigma (30:02) Training Existing Dogs (32:46) Breeds That Excel in Training  (36:28) Timeline of Training What to do now: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop. Doors are open for our Fall 2024 Group Coaching Program for women with T1D. Apply now and talk to our team.   Check out Medi Dogs website Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on the Reclaim your Rise podcast should be a substitute for personalized professional medical advice. Please always consult your physician or other medical professional before making any changes to your diet, insulin dosages, or healthcare plan.

Today’s guest and Risely graduate, Emma, who was diagnosed with T1D when she was four years old, shares her experience growing up with diabetes in the UK and her journey to finally finding support. She spent years in the “I’m not good at diabetes” mindset, but through coaching, she finally changed her relationship with food, pattern management, and self-care. She learned her patterns and strategies that work and stopped using her A1C as her primary source of feedback.  Emma's story is an inspiring reminder that nothing changes if nothing changes, but it's never too late to reclaim the life you deserve. Time Stamps: (01:42) Being Diagnosed at Age Four (02:46) Growing Up With T1D in the UK  (04:03) What Led Her to Risely (06:48) “I’m not being a good diabetic” mindset (08:13) What Her Dysfunctional Relationship to Food Looked Like Daily (10:33) Looking For Small Opportunities to Shift  (15:49) Pattern Management Before & After Coaching (18:45) The Strengths She’s Built From Diabetes Management (22:10) Balancing & Carving Out Space As a Mom  (24:10) Two Months Out From Coaching Review What to do now: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop. Doors are open for our Fall 2024 Group Coaching Program for women with T1D. Apply now and talk to our team. Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on the Reclaim your Rise podcast should be a substitute for personalized professional medical advice. Please always consult your physician or other medical professional before making any changes to your diet, insulin dosages, or healthcare plan.