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Description
Welcome to the LiveFree with T1D Podcast where we coach you to build your T1D stress-management plan like a sailboat. You are the captain. The hull is your diabetes knowledge and management. The sails are your mindset. The rudder is your behavior and the crew is your support team.
If you build the five parts of your stress management plan correctly, you'll find smooth sailing with T1D. Every week we help a person with T1D just like you optimize their sailboat.
If you build the five parts of your stress management plan correctly, you'll find smooth sailing with T1D. Every week we help a person with T1D just like you optimize their sailboat.
251 Episodes
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In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Cynthia, who’s lived with type 1 diabetes since she was 19. Cynthia reflects on how a lack of mental health support at diagnosis contributed to years of struggling with bulimia—something she now speaks openly about to help others.
The second half of the conversation focuses on parenting with diabetes. Cynthia’s daughter is almost eight, and the decision about whether or not to screen her for T1D antibodies is weighing heavily on her. She walks through the emotional complexity, the uncertainty of the results, and how the conversation around screening often overlooks mental health entirely.
This episode is a must-listen for parents with T1D—or anyone considering antibody screening for their child.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark catches up with Anthony—who recently became a dad for the first time. As exciting as new parenthood is, it brought a wave of new challenges to his diabetes management. Anthony opens up about how the stress and sleep deprivation of caring for a newborn impacted his insulin needs and his mindset, and how that shift affected his relationship.
Together, they explore how to plan for unpredictability, communicate more clearly with a partner, and keep diabetes from taking over precious time with family. Whether you’re a parent with T1D or thinking about becoming one, Anthony’s story is full of wisdom, honesty, and hope.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Meg, a registered dietitian who’s lived with type 1 diabetes for 26 years. For much of her life, Meg kept diabetes in the background—taking insulin, but never really accepting the condition or believing she could manage it well. She avoided her pump and CGM, skipped checks, and did everything she could to hide diabetes from others.
A hospitalization in 2016 changed everything.
With honesty and humor, Meg shares how that wake-up call helped her take ownership of her T1D—and how, step by step, she rebuilt her confidence and transformed her daily life. From embracing diabetes tech to becoming a dietitian who now helps others do the same, Meg’s story is one of resilience and rediscovery.
If you’ve ever felt like diabetes is the only part of your life you can’t get a handle on, this episode will hit home.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Kevin, who’s lived with type 1 diabetes for over 30 years. For most of that time, diabetes was in the background—until a sudden complication forced him to pay attention.
After developing diabetic retinopathy, Kevin overhauled everything. He cleaned up his diet, started using a closed-loop system, and brought his A1C down by more than 3 points. But his success came with a new challenge: burnout.
Now, Kevin checks his CGM obsessively. He micromanages every number. And he feels like if he doesn’t stay perfect, he could lose everything. This episode is a powerful reminder that fear can push us too far—and that even when we’re doing well, we still need to protect our mental health.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Mike, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 12 while living in a children’s home. With a family history of T1D—including four siblings who were also diagnosed—Mike learned early how to follow the rules. But decades later, burnout, unrecognized lows, and emotional exhaustion caught up with him.
In this honest and eye-opening conversation, Mike shares the turning point that changed everything: discovering Loop. He explains how automated insulin delivery gave him back his sleep, his mental clarity, and his family life—and why he’s now helping others do the same.
If you’ve ever struggled with T1D burnout, hypoglycemia unawareness, or just feeling overwhelmed by tech, Mike’s story will resonate.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Crystal, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while living abroad in Iceland. Navigating a new diagnosis in a foreign healthcare system was overwhelming, but Crystal’s story is one of resilience and adaptability. She shares how she leaned on her community, tackled the emotional ups and downs of her diagnosis, and found ways to continue traveling and building her business without letting diabetes limit her. If you’ve ever worried that T1D would get in the way of your dreams, this conversation will inspire you to see what's possible.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Sasha, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just weeks before war broke out in Ukraine. Suddenly, Sasha faced not only a new diagnosis but also the terrifying reality of managing her health in a country at war.
Sasha shares how she adapted to shortages of supplies, how she stayed connected to her values even when fear was high, and the unexpected ways living in a war zone changed how she sees diabetes and life itself.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re waiting for things to be "perfect" before you start living fully with T1D, Sasha’s story will leave a lasting impression.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Trent, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 40 years. Growing up in the 1980s, Trent’s parents focused on helping him feel “normal”—but over time, he discovered that ignoring the reality of T1D came at a cost. He shares the emotional journey of learning to balance resilience with humility, the challenges of navigating life transitions like college and parenthood with diabetes, and how he grapples with the constant mental burden of managing T1D. If you've ever felt like you're carrying an invisible weight—or wondered how to reconcile living fully with the reality of diabetes—this conversation will hit home.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Casey, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 25 years. Casey was misdiagnosed with type 2 in his mid-20s, leading to a year of frustration, failure, and worsening symptoms before he got the correct diagnosis. That experience shaped how he approached T1D, and later, how he supported his son, who tested positive for antibodies and eventually developed type 1 himself.
Casey opens up about the emotional toll of T1D, his challenges with skin reactions to diabetes tech, and the overwhelm that makes consistent management feel impossible. Together, he and Dr. Mark explore simple, doable ways to rebuild consistency, starting small, using accountability, and finding a rhythm that works without adding more stress.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Kristen, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 17—just months before graduating high school. The adjustment was rocky. Fear of lows led Kristen to stop taking insulin entirely during her honeymoon phase, and eventually, she ended up in the hospital again with DKA.
That second hospital stay marked a turning point. Kristen began to accept her diagnosis, change her mindset, and reframe how she saw insulin—not as something to fear, but as something that keeps her alive and thriving.
Now 19, Kristen is learning to trust technology, navigate new challenges with her Medtronic 780G pump, and even planning to get SCUBA certified—without letting fear get in the way.
Her story is one of resilience, reflection, and reclaiming freedom with T1D.
Grab your FREE copy of the Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It audiobook HERE.
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Katherine, a registered nurse who has lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood, and who faces the rare challenge of having seizures at blood sugars as high as 60. Katherine shares how this reality has forced her to intentionally keep her blood sugars high, especially during exercise and horseback riding, to avoid potentially dangerous lows. She talks about how her service dog Blaze has given her more safety and independence, but also about the mental burden and emotional toll that managing T1D takes every day. Through coaching, Katherine explores how to find freedom and flexibility in areas she can control, even when some aspects of her condition may always require extra caution.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping).
n this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Molly, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before her fifth birthday. For years, Molly felt stuck — overwhelmed by the burden of T1D, isolated from others, and convinced she couldn’t manage it. That belief kept her from asking for help, and made every step of care feel like an uphill battle.
With time, therapy, and support, Molly has started rewriting her story. She’s learning to move past old patterns, sit with discomfort (even those dreaded lows), and take meaningful steps to prioritize her health — especially as she prepares for the next season of her life: becoming a mom.
If you’ve ever felt like T1D was too much to handle, Molly’s story will resonate and inspire you.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping).
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Kerri, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 44 years. For most of that time, fear wasn’t part of her story — until a string of nighttime seizures changed everything. Now, Kerri avoids going low at all costs. She under-boluses, keeps her blood sugars high on purpose, and feels trapped by the anxiety that’s taken over her decision-making. Kerri's story is raw and relatable. If fear of lows has crept into your life, this conversation will hit home.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping).
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Lauren, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for nearly 20 years. Her journey has taken her from coasting high to avoid lows as a kid, to feeling overwhelmed by how much she thinks about diabetes now. We talk about her resistance to changing diabetes tech, the mental toll of constantly managing blood sugars, and how she's working to find a balance between staying in range and living her life.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping).
In this episode, Dr. Mark talks with Anthony, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 19 years. His journey has taken him from a hands-off approach to a complete transformation after a life-threatening low blood sugar event. We talk about his resistance to diabetes technology, how a severe hypo forced him to change, and the role his wife played in helping him rebuild trust in his diabetes management.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping).
In this episode, Dr. Mark talk with Cynthia, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for nearly 30 years. She shares her diagnosis story, the fear-based messages she received from doctors, and how those words have stuck with her ever since. They dive into the realities of managing diabetes while working in a high-pressure career, the mental energy it takes to "hide" diabetes, and how she’s working through the anxiety of complications.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping)
In this episode, Dr. Mark sits down with Oliver, who has been living with type 1 diabetes for 20 years. They talk about the mental and emotional challenges that come with diabetes, from the constant “kid on your shoulder” to the anxiety around lows and exercise. Oliver shares his experiences as an athlete and entrepreneur, the lessons he’s learned from severe hypos, and how he’s built a mindset of acceptance rather than resistance.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping)
What was life with type 1 diabetes like before home glucose meters, fast-acting insulin, or CGMs? In this episode, Dr. Mark talks to Bob, who has been living with T1D for over five decades. Diagnosed in 1972, Bob takes us through his journey of navigating college, sports, and a career with little guidance on diabetes management. He opens up about how he used to keep his diabetes a secret at work, how a major complication changed everything, and how he went from staying quiet to becoming an advocate—including introducing President Biden at the White House.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping)
Alex was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the middle of another medical crisis—hospitalized with bacterial meningitis at age 12, he had no idea what was coming. Like many teens, he struggled with acceptance, ignored his diabetes, and paid the price with multiple hospital visits. But after moving out on his own, he had a wake-up call.
Click HERE to get your FREE copy of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It (just cover shipping)
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Your condition is NOT the same as mine. Way to feed the stigma.
Good advice