Stefanie Hak selfie

Stefanie H.

West Deptford, NJ

After 30 years of living with Type One Diabetes I feel like I have control.

My Whole30 story started when my cousin told me about the Whole30 and how she gave it a shot after suffering from migraines and body aches. I was skeptical at first but did some research on the program. I live with Type One Diabetes (I was diagnosed when I was 5), and it is very difficult to control. The constant ups and downs were absolutely wearing on me – not only physically but mentally as well. I was taking SO MUCH insulin to control my blood sugars and was having constant high blood sugars and then bottoming out.

When I presented the Whole30 to my husband he agreed that it sounded doable and definitely worth trying. We did a round together, and I never felt better! I had finally had clarity, decreased the amount of insulin I needed by almost half, and my blood sugars were within range almost every day. I found that my back ache was almost gone, my skin was clearer, my monthly cycle was more normal, and I lost weight. However, about 1.5 years later I let stress get the best of me and went back to old eating habits. Needless to say… my husband and I just finished another amazing round of Whole30 and have started the Reintroduction the proper way. We’ve even developed a plan on how to talk about our stress to help our relationship with food.

I am amazed at the NSVs that I have experienced while living like this. I wish that I could show you my CGM (continuous glucose monitor) graphs at how “perfect” my blood sugars are when living like this. I have the occasional rise in glucose but generally I can count carbs appropriately and within the hour I am back down to my target range. After 30 years of living with Type One I feel like I have control, and feel so good about it. I have Whole30 to thank for that, the insulin can actually do its job properly when I maintain this type of lifestyle. I hope to now work through the Reintroduction phase and figure out what different foods do to my blood sugar and overall wellness in Food Freedom.

Published by Nuala

Danielle Nuala Schoen (Nuala), lives amongst community in the mountains of western North Carolina. She is a massage therapist (LMBT) and RYT-200 yoga instructor with a background in social work. Nuala is passionate about redefining health and wellness in order to center the self-determination and self-actualization of each unique individual, and thereby, the actualization of the collective.Nuala enjoys ecstatic dance, contact improvisation, creek dips, travel, and sharing Whole30 meals with her loved ones.