South Africans with Diabetes Solid Gold Clients

Let's get deep... Settle in for a fascinating conversation about diabetes.

We end the second season with a fascinating discussion - Dr. Sundeep Ruder, endocrinologist and philosopher, speaks to us about taking a broader view of diabetes. What could the condition possibly be offering us in terms of life lessons, and how do we ensure we learn them?

This is a fascinating conversation about philosophy, the meaning of life, how to manage diabetes and how to fulfil life goals.

Let's take a deep breath and talk about it - this is a hard one.

We know that depression and anxiety are far more prevalent in people with diabetes, but does this extend to eating disorders too? We speak to intuitive eating counsellor Gayle Landau about her experiences with diabetes and eating disorders - why they are so common, how to spot the warning signs, and what to do to help someone with diabetes who is struggling with an eating disorder. We also hear from Elre Clarence, who is living with Type 1 and recovering from an eating disorder.

Diabetes may predispose us to disordered eating - food rules, diet culture and being on a restrictive diet can set us up for failure because it causes anxiety around eating. This is a thoughtful, kind conversation about how diabetes affects the way we feel about food.

Here's everything you need to know about heart health and diabetes.

There are a number of long-term complications of uncontrolled diabetes, among them heart disease. But is cardiovascular (heart) health something that everyone with diabetes needs to be aware of? We ask Dr. Zane Stevens to discuss diabetes and cardiovascular health, and suggest if there are any primary preventative measures to take.

I asked all the questions about heart health (in plain English) to one of South Africa's top diabetes experts - here are the answers. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people with diabetes, but we aren't talking about it enough. Let's have the conversation: knowledge is power!

Let's have an awkward conversation about diabetes stigma... It's so real.

Type 2 diabetes carries a stigma in South Africa - particularly because it has been portrayed as a ‘lifestyle disease’. What is it like to be diagnosed with a condition that some people believe you gave yourself by eating the wrong food and not exercising enough? We speak to health coach Helga Nefdt about her Type 2 diagnosis and how she deals with diabetes stigma.

We also speak to Type 1 diabetes advocate Thapi Semenya about her journey with diabetes and stigma, and what we can do to change the situation.

We need to talk about diabetes stigma. Let's start the conversation!

We need to look at what the future looks like if we don't do anything.

With 85% of South Africans accessing healthcare in the public sector, half of all people with diabetes undiagnosed and 2 in 3 South Africans on track to develop diabetes (in the prediabetes range), we should all be talking about diabetes. Add in the fact that it’s the leading killer of women in SA, and it should be front page news! And yet, it isn’t. We speak to Shivani Ranchod, a health actuary with a deep commitment to South Africa’s health sector, about the future cost if diabetes is ignored.

There are big, underlying systemic features that drive diabetes that we're not actively engaging with. What does this mean, and what can we do about it? We spell it out in plain English, and figure out what we - as people with diabetes - should be doing to help the situation.

This is an unmissable episode if you care about diabetes in South Africa.

Ultra-rapid acting insulin is coming to South Africa! Hallelujah.

Many South Africans with Type 1 diabetes were told to inject as they sat down to eat. Once they saw the blood sugar spikes on CGM / flash glucose devices, the advice changed to injecting 15-30 minutes before you eat. But that depends on the individual, the time of day, what’s being eaten and a number of other factors.

Does insulin timing really make a difference, and are there any ways to make this less of a frustrating issue? We speak to endocrinologist Prof. David Segal, and Sane Mazibuko, who’s been living with Type 1 for 25 years.

We asked our community about insulin timing, and got pretty much every response under the sun. Not sure what you should be doing? Here's all you need to know.