Conquering Heights With Type 1 Diabetes

Hi, I’m Ashika! I’m a full-time student and a part-time outdoor adventurer & fitness enthusiast from Vancouver, BC. In addition to some of the hats I wear, I’m a Type 1 diabetic of over 20 years. I believe this condition has lead me to the most beautiful places and people. I’m currently studying Kinesiology to become a personal trainer/fitness coach. When I’m not in school or studying, I can be found in the mountains of coastal BC, either pushing for a summit or camping next to an alpine lake while challenging my diabetes.

Over the years, the one thing I have learned is certain about diabetes is that it is ever-changing – how I manage the condition changes and I need to be able to adapt to new challenges quite often. Here are a few ways I’ve learned to manage my condition:

1.  Network with other Type 1s. I’ve joined online forums and have a few Type 1 friends that I can connect with when things go sideways, if I need help troubleshooting, or if I just need to vent. They fully understand the ups and the down of the condition. 
2.  Exercise as regularly as possible. I try to fit some form of activity into my day regardless of how busy I am. I hit the gym two to three times a week and spend most weekends doing things in the mountains. If I start getting a little swamped with my schedule, I make sure to get out for at least 30 minutes – walking, indoor cycling, anything that allows me to work up a sweat.
3. Track what I eat & drink. I count carbs, protein, fat, and calories using a macronutrient tracking app and it helps me plan out my meals and understand how or why certain foods affect my blood sugars the way they do.

Number 3 is where Ener-C comes in – and it is how I discovered Ener-C in the first place. I have come across a lot of ‘sugar-free’ products in the past that cause blood sugar level spikes. I know, this sounds counter-intuitive. Whatever the product is sweetened with may not be glucose (sugar) itself but may possibly break down into a form of glucose once it enters the digestive tract, which is what causes blood sugar levels to rise. Having experienced this for years, I’m wary when I find a product that tastes great and is advertised as sugar-free or low in sugar – it’s often too good to be true.

When I skeptically tried Ener-C for the first time, I was surprised that it did not affect my blood sugar levels. I was anticipating having to take a little bit of insulin for it, but this was not the case. This meant that their nutritional label stated the product’s true value. My partner and I went to the store and loaded up on more Ener-C flavors. Shortly after, I contacted Ener-C and shared my experience with their product. The rest is history 😊.