I spent yesterday at the beach relaxing in the sun. On the boardwalk surrounded by waffles with ice cream, funnel cake, butterfly fries, fried Oreos, pizza, etc., I began to worry. Could it be possible that there was nothing even partially healthy? Is it a requirement that when you go to boardwalk, you must pay $10 and gain 10 pounds? Do I eat these items because there really is nothing else? I practically HAVE to eat it...I guess it's OK if I have no other choices, right? WRONG!

Eating junk food because it's everywhere is no excuse. I made a delicious mango banana smoothie in minutes at home and enjoyed it in the car on the way to the beach. For lunch, I had steamed clams and an ahi tuna wrap, which I enjoyed more than any of the fatty sugary concoctions and stayed full all day. Often I try to remake junk food into a healthier version. It's pretty easy to do with pizza by choosing whole wheat crust, natural sauce and lots of healthy toppings. Grilled sweet potatoes are a delicious alternative to French fries. Ice cream can work in moderation as a treat. Deep fried batter on its own (funnel cake) or covering something (Oreos) is unfortunately just better left out. Did you really think I was going to tell you how to make healthy fried Oreos? There are some foods with so little nutritional value that they aren't makeover worthy.

So my three beach/boardwalk dining tips are:
1. Be prepared by bringing food
2. Search a little and you will probably find a decent option
3. When oil and sugar are the main ingredients, it's best to just say it's not worth it.

Your body will thank you!

I really just got asked that question at the doctors office AND not by my doctor. Here's what actually happened...

My awesome endocrinologist who I see for Type 1 Diabetes usually has medical students studying under him. These students come in the room, ask me a bunch of standard questions, try to find a pattern in my blood sugars, don't find one and then go get my doctor so he can make minor tweaks with me. If you have Type 1 Diabetes or know anyone that does, you know that even if you don't have complications, managing the disease is quite complicated.

At my appointment this week, the student asked the typical questions about my blood sugars, insulin dosages, etc. but then she asked me to tell her about my diabetic diet. I asked her what specifically she would like to know and she replies, "You know...do you eat entire cakes for breakfast?"

Do I look like I eat entire cakes for breakfast...thankfully not. Are my post breakfast blood sugars typically high...thankfully not. I'm sure this was her really bad way of trying to uncover if I eat less than ideal food. Of course I told her I don't eat ANY cake for breakfast (or lunch or dinner). She left the room. My husband and I loudly chatted about her ignorance and shockingly she didn't return with the doctor.

However, this got me thinking about all the times people ask me if I'm allowed to eat something. I don't believe in a Type 1 Diabetic Diet. I believe in mostly avoiding high fat and sugar items, drinking water and consuming a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy carbohydrates. But those aren't Type 1 Diabetic guidelines...they are healthy adult human being guidelines. If you follow a healthy diet for any reason, remember it's probably what you should be eating anyway.

You want cake now, don't you?

'I'm not a Type 1 Diabetic...I'm a person who happens to have Type 1 Diabetes." - Me

Recently, I went on a cruise with my husband for his job. Someone at work said "how can YOU go on a cruise; what can you eat?" To make the offensive conversation end quickly, I politely smiled and replied, "it's not easy." The truth is it's easy to find healthy options. It's harder not to eat everything else.

For breakfast each morning we opted for the dining room. Over the course of the week I had either (1) eggs benedict with salmon (no sauce) on an english muffin, (2) an egg white veggie omelet with salsa, avocado and side of fruit, (3) turkey sausage, poached eggs and avocado spread on rye toast. I told them no butter or cheese on anything and really didn't need it with salsa, avocado and the egg yolk. I skipped the bakery basket altogether, opting for fruit. My husband had a bite of each pastry and 4 of 5 were gross.

For lunch, I made salad with oil and vinegar at the buffet then walked over to the deli and asked for plain turkey. The chef said "you don't want bread?!?!" You would think I asked her for a sneaker on my salad but after the first day, she got the hang of this crazy concept.

For dinner, they showed me the menu every night for the next day so they had time to adjust anything I wanted. So while I could have easily had grilled fish or chicken with steamed vegetables every night, they found ways to make crab cakes, mango soup and even a dessert one night that worked with my needs.

We had a fruit basket in our room. One night when I really wanted to indulge with the group at the 24 hour pizzeria, I asked for a veggie slice without cheese and they happily made it. While it wasn't the easiest process, I had no allergic reactions, stellar blood sugars and didn't gain weight...unheard of on cruises. And while others ate like it was the last day of the world, they frequently commented "that wasn't that good." So I leave you with this thought...you can make healthy choices anywhere - the real question is will you!