There's no app for that

You may recall my brief and failed attempt at using a diabetes app to record stats.

Well, I was reminded of that when I saw this study about how technology doesn't translate to lasting behavioral changes for people with diabetes. The study only focused on those with Type 2 diabetes but I bet you'd find similar results in the Type 1 population.

On the plus side, technology gave study participants better understanding of the disease but on the minus side, and this is kind of major, technology didn't promote changes in diet and exercise.

Let me tell you what works for me. A stack of nutrition reference books, cookbooks that list nutritional content, measuring cups, a scale, several sets of containers of varying sizes and cupboard full of spices instead of fats and sugars to add flavor. I also have sneakers and a gym membership I occasionally use. A subscription to Diabetes Forecast. You get the picture. And don't worry: I've been doing this long enough that a lot of this information is in my head, I am not constantly weighing and measuring. I can also identify a carb count at 20 paces but sometimes it helps to refresh my perception by measuring it out.

You can have all the technology you want but it can't cook for you, work out for you or go the grocery store for you (by the way, when are grocery stores going to change their layout so that the fresh food is together, not wrapped around all the aisles of processed stuff?).

There's no app for that.

Speaking of technology, I'd like to give a shout-out to Bryan who made my Monday with his email instructing me how to change the annoying beep on my new meter. My co-workers thank you, too!

Theresa Flaherty
Type 1