Type One Determination is a memoir and self-help book written to help those with Type 1 Diabetes understand their bodies better and help them gain control over their health. Why was this an important book for you to write?

I grew up in a rigid healthcare system and I found a way to thrive outside of it with personalized knowledge and stepping up my self-sufficiency game. Diabetes is a unique disease that can change how a person feels about their body and their future overnight. I had a rough start diagnosed as a kid with big responsibilities weighed down by a bad attitude. My experiences are a testament to what we face but also what we are capable of because of our daily challenges. By embracing diabetes, I found the missing ingredients that drove me to take ownership over my life. In the book, I provide tips and tools that can open up the possibilities for people living with diabetes, their families, and inspire diabetes professionals to become more effective educators.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

Nutrition and exercise are complex subjects in diabetes and I wanted to master a method of action to improve my health. Along the way, I realized that if I didn’t change my attitude and thinking to an optimistic mindset, I would be stuck in the unhealthy cycle that I was in. I needed to find who I was under the stigma and unmotivating advice that didn’t fit, and start making better decisions. Diabetes runs deep emotionally, requiring extra mental and spiritual care. These factors became important in my self-discovery and crucial elements to uplift.

What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?

The realization that I had to become the person I needed most when I was a teen is how I became a fitness instructor and diabetes educator. Even then, I’m not sure my angry young self would listen to this positive older me! If I was willing to listen, operative words could’ve helped me channel my frustration into a positive direction. I did not want to hear that someday, everything would be okay; I needed encouragement to believe that I could be more than a kid with diabetes and feel confident that an intelligent warrior woman was inside of me.

Another idea: “Ride your bike hard. NOW!” Might have worked.

What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?

Through nutrition, exercise, and attitude, life with diabetes can be upgraded far beyond the historic perception of a sad diagnosis. It is up to us to choose a path of perseverance through knowledge, courage, and ironlike determination.

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