Diabetes Pro Tip Series: Type 1 Management | Juicebox
The Diabetes Pro Tip Series
The core education series of the Juicebox Podcast — simple strategies and easy-to-understand concepts that change how you think about Type 1 diabetes management. Start here to learn how insulin actually works, and so much more.
What is the Diabetes Pro Tip series?
The Diabetes Pro Tip series is the practical backbone of the Juicebox Podcast — a complete, plain-language series about Type 1 diabetes management built by Scott Benner and Jenny Smith, RD, LD, CDCES, a certified diabetes educator who has lived with T1D for more than 35 years. What began as a planned 10 episodes grew into a 27-episode library that has been downloaded more than half a million times.
Each episode is a focused, single-topic deep dive you can listen to, revisit, and share. Together they answer the question almost no one gets a complete answer to at diagnosis: how does insulin work, and how do I use the right amount at the right time? That one idea — timing and amount — is the thread running through every episode in the series.
This isn't medical advice and it isn't a lecture. It's the working model of the disease that a doctor rarely has time to give you — pre-bolusing, basal testing, insulin-to-carb ratios, correction factors, fat and protein, CGM literacy, and the mindset shifts that make all of it stick.
Who the Pro Tips are for
Two kinds of people tend to find this series. The newly diagnosed — whose world just changed and who have a prescription but no map. And the "starting over" crowd — people who have lived with Type 1 for years, often flying blind, who have realized it doesn't have to be this hard. Both need the same thing: a clear, honest, usable understanding of how insulin and blood sugar behave. The Pro Tips are designed to give exactly that, whether you're on multiple daily injections (MDI) or an insulin pump, managing your own diabetes or caring for a child with T1D.
Episode highlights to start with
The full series runs in order from foundations to advanced variables (remastered episodes #1000–#1025, plus #1447). If you're not sure where to begin, these are the ones listeners come back to again and again.
Newly Diagnosed or Starting Over
The very first priorities after a Type 1 diagnosis — and why there are no universal rules.
EP #1002All About Insulin
How insulin actually works, why lows happen, and the conversation about getting past the fear of using it.
EP #1003Pre-Bolus
The episode on timing insulin ahead of a meal — the gap between "told" and "works."
EP #1010Setting Basal Insulin
The foundation of every other setting, and what "correct" basal looks like.
EP #1012Fat & Protein
Why a carb-counted meal can still spike for hours — and the idea of bolusing for it.
EP #1008The Perfect Bolus
Putting timing and amount together so meals feel less like a guess.
Other episodes cover Temp Basal, Insulin Pumping, Mastering a CGM, Bump & Nudge, Variables, Exercise, Glucagon & Low BGs, Long-Term Health, Glycemic Index & Load, Female Hormones, Pregnancy, Postpartum, Weight Loss, the Honeymoon period, and Insulin Resistance (#1447). See the full episode list →
Frequently asked questions
What is the Diabetes Pro Tip series about?
It's a 27-episode educational series from the Juicebox Podcast that teaches the practical fundamentals of managing Type 1 diabetes — how insulin works, pre-bolusing, basal rates, insulin-to-carb ratios (ICR), insulin sensitivity factor (ISF), bolusing for fat and protein, using a CGM, exercise, hormones, and more. Each episode is a short, single-topic deep dive with Scott Benner and Jenny Smith, CDCES.
Where should a newly diagnosed person start?
It depends on where you are. If a Type 1 diagnosis is brand new and you're still finding your feet, the Bold Beginnings series is often the gentler place to start — it walks through the same foundation for people who are just getting oriented. Once the basics feel familiar and you're ready to dig in, the Pro Tips are where you go deeper: begin with #1000 "Newly Diagnosed or Starting Over," then #1002 "All About Insulin" and #1003 "Pre-Bolus," and #1010 "Setting Basal Insulin" for the foundation every other setting depends on.
Is this medical advice?
No. The Pro Tips reflect Scott's lived experience and Jenny's expertise as a certified diabetes educator. It's meant to give you a working understanding of Type 1 diabetes so you can have better conversations with your own medical team. Always talk to your doctor before changing insulin doses or settings.
Who are Scott Benner and Jenny Smith?
Scott Benner is the host of the Juicebox Podcast and the parent of a child diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes; he has spent 15+ years translating complex diabetes management into plain language. Jenny Smith, RD, LD, CDCES, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist who has lived with Type 1 diabetes for more than 35 years.
How do I listen to all the Pro Tip episodes?
You can stream the full series on the Juicebox Podcast website or follow the Diabetes Pro Tip playlist on Spotify. Episodes are also on Apple Podcasts and wherever you listen.
What listeners say
"I learned early on to be bold with insulin, bump, nudge, and pre bolus - all of the things not taught as we left the hospital. Because of the knowledge you have shared, my son has an A1c to be proud of and is in range. Forever grateful."
"The info, the laughs, the guests and the tips are all amazing. Listened to about 50 episodes so far. Pre-bolusing has helped my A1c with my T Slim and you are to thank. Keep it up and thank you."
"I'm 25 and have had diabetes for about 9 years and never knew about pre-bolusing. The host has informed me on things I can adjust to help lower my A1C that no doctor has ever explained to me, and gotten me more into the diabetes community. Thank you for this show."
Listener reviews from Apple Podcasts. Individual experiences vary; nothing here is medical advice.
Related Juicebox series
If the Pro Tips resonate, these pair well with them:
Start the Pro Tip series
Listen in order or jump to the topic you need. There's also an in-depth Pre-Bolusing guide to go deeper on timing.
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