#1786 Best of Juicebox: Five Ways to Boost Insulin Sensitivity
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Jordan Wagner shares five practical strategies—stress management, movement, sleep, nutrition, sunshine—to sharpen insulin sensitivity in diabetes.
Key Takeaways
- The Impact of Stress: Chronic stress elevates hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which promote glucose release and desensitize cells to insulin, essentially acting like "rust on a lock."
- Consistent Activity: Even simple exercises can significantly improve insulin sensitivity by helping muscles utilize glucose without requiring excess insulin, an effect that can last for up to 72 hours.
- Prioritizing Sleep: Poor sleep disrupts hormones, increasing ghrelin (hunger) while decreasing leptin (satiety), which compounds insulin resistance and drives cravings for junk food.
- Nutrition Choices: Avoiding ultra-processed foods and refined seed oils is crucial, as they often contain trans fats and unbalanced omega ratios known to cause insulin resistance.
- Sunlight Exposure: Getting outside helps the body produce Vitamin D—which is linked to better insulin sensitivity—and provides full-spectrum light to balance your circadian rhythm for improved sleep.
Resources Mentioned
- • Eversense 365: eversensecgm.com/juicebox
- • Omnipod 5: omnipod.com/juicebox
- • Touched by Type One: touchedbytype1.org
- • Wrong Way Recording: wrongwayrecording.com
- • Jordan Wagner on Instagram: The Diabetic Nurse
Welcome back, friends. You are listening to the Juice Box podcast. Jordan Wagner is back. He is, of course, a nurse, a certified diabetes educator, and a person living with type one diabetes. And today, Jordan's gonna go over his top five tips for improving your insulin sensitivity. If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juice Box Podcast private Facebook group. Juice Box Podcast, type one diabetes. But everybody is welcome. Type one, type two, gestational, loved ones, it doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes and you're looking for support, comfort, or community, check out Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. Please don't forget that nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin. The show you're about to listen to is sponsored by the Eversense three sixty five. The Eversense three sixty five has exceptional accuracy over one year and is the most accurate CGM in the low range that you can get. Eversensecgm.com/juicebox. This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by the Omnipod five. And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free what'd I just say? A free Omnipod five starter kit. Free? Get out of here. Go click on that link. Omnipod.com/juicebox. Check it out. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Links in the show notes. Links at juiceboxpodcast.com. The episode you're about to listen to was sponsored by Touched by Type One. Go check them out right now on Facebook, Instagram, and, of course, at touchedbytype1.org. Check out that programs tab when you get to the website to see all the great things that they're doing for people living with type one diabetes. Touchedbytype1.org.
Jordan WagnerHey, Scott. Good to be back with you here. So I'm excited for this, you know, third episode here. But in case you guys missed the the first two episodes, you wanna go check those out. In the first episode, we had a pretty detailed discussion on diabetes management in the hospital setting, so more of the inpatient setting, what to do, what not to do, how to be successful with that. And then we, looked at pump training success and CGM success. So you've been diagnosed with diabetes, and you wanna get an insulin pump. There's definitely some things you should know before you get the pump so that when you do get to that training, you're prepared and ready to go with all that. Mhmm. And I'm really excited about this third episode here. This is a topic that probably doesn't get as much attention as it should with, especially the type one diabetes community, and that is insulin sensitivity. And I think part of that is because, you know, we're all insulin dependent with type one. So thinking about insulin sensitivity is not necessarily something we often do. It's just I I have to get the insulin. It doesn't matter. I have to have it. But there are there are certainly things that will improve your insulin sensitivity with all types of diabetes. But even with type one diabetes, improving that insulin sensitivity could mean that you're using less insulin, which overall could be a good thing for you perhaps. So I wanna go ahead and dive into that here today.
Scott BennerTell people before you start, why might it be a good thing to use less insulin?
Jordan WagnerYeah. So that's a good question. So there's there's a multiple multitude of reasons here, but one of them could just be that I often see a lot of people scared of low blood sugars.
Scott BennerMhmm.
Jordan WagnerAnd so naturally, if you're using less insulin, there's going to be a lower risk of hypoglycemia, so low blood sugars there. Two would be, insulin in and of itself doesn't make you gain weight. But if you have a bunch of insulin floating around in your system and you have excess calories in your system, that will make you gain weight. You know, using less insulin, having a little lower calorie intake, that could also help with, weight loss goals, not, you know, having a lot of excess of, weight gain, things like that. Mhmm. You know, I have heard from some people that there's a stigma behind it as well too. So let's let's say that you're taking a shot. Right? Maybe you're able to reduce your needs down to, let's say, 10 at this meal, right, versus, like, 20. You know? Maybe you're out with friends and people look at the syringe and go, oh, wow. Look how much you're taking. And so I've heard that from some people even in the hospital setting that by getting a little bit more sensitive to insulin, they could take less, and they felt less, stigma about taking insulin.
Scott BennerInteresting. Yeah.
Jordan WagnerSo there's there's different different things that could pop up for for different people. I mean, not everyone's gonna share the same sentiment, but it's, something that No. It should be considered.
Scott BennerYeah. It's funny because I as you're going over those things, I I'm I'm almost playing devil's advocate in my head on some things. Like, I spend a fair amount of time telling people you need the amount of insulin you need.
Jordan WagnerCorrect. Yeah.
Scott BennerAnd I don't want people running around with high blood sugars because they think, oh, that's a big number, or I'm definitely gonna gain weight if I do that. Because there's there's a cascading effect that comes off of all of that. Right? Like, you know, if you can't figure out a way to use less insulin and you don't want the big number, it it could be an eating disorder at some point. You could stop eating correctly or you could stop bolusing correctly. Some people do that. Some people under bolus for their food because they think the bolus, like, sounds better at a number or or, you know, somehow impacts the thing you're talking about. Right. And I don't want that. And No.
Jordan WagnerAnd I don't want that either. I mean,
Scott Bennerthat's Right.
Jordan WagnerHear me when I say I'm not I'm not telling you to take less insulin so that your sugars run higher. Like, what I want good control blood sugars for everybody, but the the point, I'm making is, like, you can get to a spot where your body is more sensitive to insulin and doesn't require the same amount.
Scott BennerExactly. So let's talk about the five things you have listed here that can Right. Can do that.
Jordan WagnerSo I'll go
Scott Bennerahead and just
Jordan WagnerYeah. List off what we have, and then we can go ahead and dive in.
Scott BennerJump in.
Jordan WagnerOne of the biggest things I see that kills insulin sensitivity is stress. Stress is gonna just the stress hormones, there's a lot that goes into that there. I see also that people are not active enough. Doesn't mean you need to be out running a marathon or doing crazy workouts, but just having activity in your life. Improving your sleep quality. So sleep is a huge time where where we repair and build back up. And if you're not sleeping well, that's gonna definitely impact your sensitivity. Your nutrition, that's a huge thing that's gonna impact sensitivity. Depending on what types of foods you're eating, you could definitely be hurting your insulin sensitivity. In today's world, a lot of us have, you know, maybe a corporate job or a desk job, and we're not getting outside. Getting natural sunlight on your skin is really beneficial, and it does help with your insulin sensitivity. There's many studies to back that. So those are the five topics just to kinda dive into there.
Scott BennerYeah. Yeah. No. So everybody gets super excited. Jordan's your mom now. She's like, get outside. Move around a little bit. Yeah. But there's a reason people have been saying stuff like that forever and ever. But let's talk about how it actually impacts your insulin sensitivity. So we'll we'll just start at the top. Like, you the first thing you mentioned was stress. Right? So Right. Hey, everybody. Be less stressed. There. Next thing. No. Exactly. Yeah. Explain to them how the stress is actually impacting them.
Jordan WagnerFor sure. The first thing I like to tell people is when it comes to stress, it's stress hormones. Those are the big things we talk about. So cortisol, epinephrine, that's adrenaline, norepinephrine, things like that. Leukagon can play a role in that as well. But those same hormones will be high in your blood if you are getting chased by a bear in the woods or if you're chronically stressed out driving home from work. Those are two different situations, but your body's gonna respond in a similar response with stress hormones. Mhmm. Why do we want those stress hormones? Well, we do want some stress hormones because it's promoting glycogen breakdown and gluconeogenesis, which basically means creating glucose from a non glucose source. That is important in times that you need energy. So, again, with that bear example, if you're in the woods trying to run away, you need extra energy to either run away or to fight that thing off. That's that fight or flight response. Right. But if you have type one diabetes or you have type two diabetes or some form of diabetes where there's some sort of dysregulation going on through your insulin, you're not gonna be able to to respond to that those excess stress hormones and increase the glucose there.
Scott BennerYou won't actually use the glucose either. Right? Like, in the You won't. No. Exactly. The bear, you're gonna burn it off really quickly running away from the bear.
Jordan WagnerBut Correct.
Scott BennerYeah. Sitting around worrying about something, it raises all this up, but then your body doesn't use it.
Jordan WagnerCorrect. And then you have a high blood sugar. Okay. Right. And so, you know, insulin's like the key. It's the key that unlocks the cells, gets the glucose inside, lets you use it for energy. But if you're, you know, chronically chronically having these high stress hormones here, it, like, desensitizes the cells, the insulin. Oh. So if you if you take example of someone with, like, type two diabetes, that's primarily insulin resistance. The response to that situation of that chronic stress is that the pancreas is going to make more insulin. So oftentimes with type two diabetes, we see people have very high insulin levels, very high C peptide levels because it's trying everything it can to get those glucose levels to come down. But, again, over time, your cells just keep getting more and more desensitized.
Scott BennerYeah. In all of these things, like, in each of these five examples, the problems build on themselves.
Jordan WagnerBig time.
Scott BennerLike yeah. Like, you start off, like, healthy, and then you have, like, one moment where you're in the car and you're like, uh-uh, everything sucks. And then all the things that are happening behind the scenes are happening. It's not like you then eventually it's gonna happen again tomorrow and the next day. So your body doesn't even have time to go backwards and, like, repair what's happened. And then it becomes incrementally more concerning. And then I'm guessing here too it also like, if you're stressed, maybe you're also not sleeping well. So you start getting compounding. Right?
Jordan WagnerIt compounds. Right. So, like, if you, just take a look at improving your sleep quality there, it's interesting because oftentimes we don't sleep well at night. And what do we all do in the morning? We go and get a big cup of coffee or an energy drink or something like that. Mhmm. But it's interesting because caffeine will bind to those adenosine receptors in your brain. And adenosine basically is building up during the daytime. And by nighttime, it it's almost aiding you to feel tired and helping you fall asleep. And so, like, I'm guilty of a big time, but, you drink coffee too late in the day because you're not sleeping well or you're stressed and you feel like it helps, well, then you get to bedtime and you're not super tired or you're tossing and turning. And so just improving the sleep quality, that's the time where your body's healing itself. It's repairing itself. Naturally, you're gonna see cortisol levels decrease during sleep and getting good rest.
Scott BennerOkay.
Jordan WagnerYou know, there's there's other hormones like ghrelin and leptin. Right? So ghrelin is gonna be one of the the hunger signaling hormones. You often see, say say you, are up late at night, right, and you get really hungry all of a sudden. What's that's ghrelin right there. That's telling you go get a snack. Right? Leptin's that satiety or I'm full hormone. Now if you're getting poor sleep quality, ghrelin tends to increase because you're so tired your body needs energy. So it's it's prompting you to want food, prompting you to want perhaps even junk food because that's a quick energy source. It's gonna decrease that leptin level, the I'm full hormone. And so you can see how, you know, the stress and the poor sleep quality, it starts to dysregulate your hormones. And as we know, like, with type one diabetes, right, it's a big thing with insulin and, glucagon. Right? Those are two big things there. But our bodies aren't it's not just that. Right? Our our bodies it's got so many mechanisms happening all the time in the background. When all of your hormones start getting dysregulated, that's when we start seeing this cascade effect of problems showing up.
Scott BennerYeah. Okay. Alright. I'm sorry. I think I cut you off before you were done with stress though. Did I?
Jordan WagnerOh, yeah. We can definitely talk about a few things there, but,
Scott BennerI wanted to lay into people's minds that this stuff's gonna start stacking up and that these things impact each other as well. You know, you might be more stressed out because, yeah, you can flip it around. You could be stressed out because you're not sleeping.
Jordan WagnerBig time. Yeah. Absolutely.
Scott BennerYeah. And you could be not sleeping because you're stressed out and etcetera and so on. And maybe you're not dealing with stress as well because your nutrition is wonky or, you know, you're not exhausted at the end of the night and sleeping when you should because you're not getting enough activity and getting your body moving. Like, this all stuff this all fits together, honestly.
Jordan WagnerIt does. Everything here is, compounding, like you said, there. And there's there's so many angles to to look at and talk about, you know. So, like, I'll I'll I'll try to stay focused right now on
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Jordan WagnerFor sure. For sure. Really, so one thing to think about with stress here's the deal. Picture your body as a bucket. Okay? Inside that bucket is gonna be water. Water is like the mineral balance inside your body. Every time you're stressed out, it's like poking a small hole in that bucket. So if you're chronically stressed, you've got a bunch of little holes. And as you can imagine, that water starts to pour out the sides of the bucket there. Well, as your mineral balance gets out of whack, your insulin sensitivity also majorly gets out of whack. So not only do we have hormones raising your glucose levels, the minerals in your body that would naturally be there to kind of help with that insulin sensitivity, making those cells receptive to insulin are now out of whack. So now these cells are not as receptive. So think of that almost like rust building up on a lock. And if insulin's that key, that key is gonna have a harder time fitting in a rusty lock compared to a lock that's completely cleaned and and nice looking. Right?
Scott BennerYeah. Yeah.
Jordan WagnerSo there's there's big things there that that stress can really impact.
Scott BennerYou know, in your professional life, when you talk to somebody about this, do you find that explaining it to them like, because saying to somebody be less stressed is
Jordan WagnerYeah.
Scott BennerYou know, I'm married. That's not a thing I would say out loud. The reason is because it's not a feeling of, like, oh, you're you're right. I'll just be less stressed. Thanks. Do you get to talk to people about ways to do that, or do you find that your idea is, like, let me just give them this idea, hopefully, they'll go back into the world and figure out how to accomplish this on their own?
Jordan WagnerYeah. So it depends on the consult and depends on the patient I'm talking with. And the reality of being working on the inpatient side of medicine, you're often seeing someone and you have thirty minutes to an hour. Basically, unload as much information as you can without overwhelming them and hoping that they take some of what you have as they as they're leaving the hospital, essentially.
Scott BennerYeah.
Jordan WagnerSome people are open. Right? They'll they'll talk about things in their life like stress. And for example, maybe they have no community. Right? So then I'll say, okay. Maybe you need to find a church community. Maybe you need to go out to a place to where you can go dancing and make some friends. Right? Get some community in your life. You know, maybe it's they're struggling with their bills. Right? And maybe we can talk briefly about, like, hey. This is how a financial planner could help you with your bills and, in turn, start lowering your stress. So there are definitely times where, like, I'm able to dive into it a little bit, but this is definitely something that needs to be ongoing. And so I think if your only conversation you're having is with me in the hospital, it's gonna be unlikely that you actually start lowering your stress levels.
Scott BennerYeah. It's funny. I find that people like you and Jenny and Erica who like coming on the podcast, I feel like it's because you always you guys always feel like it's just so difficult to get your message out, and you're just always looking for a way to reach other people, which I love. I think it's awesome.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Without a doubt. I mean, because I I tell people all the time, like, I probably get sixty, seventy percent of my consults of people who actually don't wanna talk to me. Yeah. They don't they don't care.
Scott BennerYou're like, come on, man. Like, just this guy need the insulin.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Or like, hey. I've had diabetes for forty years. I I'm not gonna learn anything from you. Just give me your spiels. I can get out of here.
Scott BennerJordan told me to go dancing. Yeah. But what you're really saying is identify your stressors and ways to try to alleviate them.
Jordan WagnerAnd Without a doubt.
Scott BennerYeah. Because this has look, the truth is these five things have impacts on people who don't have diabetes.
Jordan WagnerWithout a doubt. Yeah. I mean and that that's it. Like, we get so fixated on a number. Right? Whether it's an insulin dose or our glucose level. But I've always said my whole life, like, I am more than a number. And that goes for everyone else with that with diabetes. You are more than a number. Right? Your health is not just a glucose number. You have to look at it holistically and look at everything else going on in your life if you wanna have a a healthy long life.
Scott BennerI try really hard to think about it this way. I wish my daughter didn't have diabetes.
Jordan WagnerRight.
Scott BennerBut as long as she does and I'm being made aware of things, things that maybe I would not otherwise be made aware of because the the aging process you know, in a healthy person, you know, a person who doesn't have a chronic illness or, like, you know, other things going on, you age slowly and you'd you know, you deteriorate slowly and you don't see it coming. It's that idea of, like I think the jumping in part is I've always said this. Like, type one diabetes, it's because you can get, like, in trouble so quickly. It forces you to pay attention to it.
Jordan WagnerIt does.
Scott BennerAnd maybe that's valuable for the rest of your life. There's nobody else sitting around talking about like, you know, parents, like, go to sleep. You know? Like, calm down. Like, you you should get out and move around, but they're not talking about the why. Right. And they're not gonna see the impacts of it if they're lucky for so long that they'll think, oh, I just got older.
Jordan WagnerFor sure. And, like, there's a benefit too, like, to even my family and friends knowing that I have diabetes because it's taught me to care for my body, and I'm very open about that. And right? So then they start thinking about their own lives of, wow. I need to look at this, or maybe I do need to get a little more exercise. Mhmm. And so you can have this compounding effect of impacting a lot of different people as you take care of yourself.
Scott BennerYeah. No. A 100%. Okay. Activity. Good. Talk people into being more active. I I dare you.
Jordan WagnerFor sure. For sure. So activity is huge. Not only is that gonna make you feel better in the long term, I know, like, if I go out and take a jog, sometimes it doesn't feel the most fun during the jog, but you finish and you go, wow. I I feel great. You got that that rush of endorphins there. But, ultimately, what what's going on is, when you are using glucose for energy with exercise, some of that is able to happen with limited insulin use. Like, your muscles are able to use it without a lot of insulin.
Scott BennerOkay.
Jordan WagnerAnd so you're naturally going to lower your blood sugars without having to take a lot of insulin. Right? So let's say your blood sugar is 200, and you might be a little afraid of taking a dose to bring that down. Well, it's completely reasonable to say, why don't I go take a little walk? You know? Walk around the block. Right? I guarantee you that if you're doing that, you will likely see that blood sugar starts to drop a little bit. Of course, like, if you just ate a candy bar or something and it's 200, that's different. But, that exercise there, that little activity is gonna help there. But one of the ways I like to think about it is through analogies. Right? And I already have shared a few analogies, but there are these things called GLUT. Right? So g l u t. Those are all capital letters and stands for glucose transporters. And there's a bunch of different type of ones there. Think of those as, like, a taxi cab or like a bus, and they're dropping people off the building. The the people in the bus is the glucose. Right? Mhmm. And as you're moving around, you're getting more of those glute proteins bringing glucose to the muscles. It's dropping more off there. Right? And the different types of glute proteins get to the other destinations. You have the insulin as the key opening the door. So the point being here is that the exercise is making your body work the way it should, and we are supposed to work. Right? That is using the glucose the way it should, and it's making you more sensitive to your natural insulin without having to take excess of amount more. Now there are studies out there that will show that the effects of exercise can last for up to seventy two plus hours. So let's say you did do some exercise today, you could be benefiting this for for days. You might have been benefiting this for days.
Scott BennerI have to tell you that I've been exercising more recently. And in this past few days, I've I've been on a medication. I've been a little sick, I guess, for the past couple of days. And because I had not yet I don't know how to put this. I I had not yet built up a a real habit of doing the exercise, but I was doing Like, I I was a month strong every day doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. And then I I got up when I slept in a little bit because I didn't feel good. And then I got up and I actually think I thought to myself, I should go do that. And I was like, oh, but the day got messed up and I was like, I'll do it tomorrow. But then I woke up the next day and I didn't feel well. And four or five days later, end of the day, 09:00 at night, I'm standing in my kitchen. I'm like, why am I so tired? Yeah. No lie that during the, like, the month of intent you know, intensively making sure that I was doing the exercise every day, not even that it was intensive exercise because it really wasn't. I would get at the end of the day, and I my thought was like, have so much energy. Like, I hope I can go to sleep. Like, it it it turned on in a week. Like, it it just felt different. And I don't think that's even a thing I would have believed had I not experienced it, I guess.
Jordan WagnerFor sure. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, another huge benefit of consistent exercise, and I I like that you brought it up, the the consistency part there. If you're consistently exercising, having increased activity in your life, it will start to get rid of some of that visceral fat around your organs. Mhmm. That is basically the fat that just lines the organs in the body. And when when you can start getting rid rid of some of that fat there, your insulin sensitivity is going to go up. A way to perhaps think of that and this is not a perfect analogy, but it it kinda paints a picture here a little bit. Picture, a snowstorm blowing through, like, the Midwest or something like that, and you're trying to get into your house. Now before you can even get to your door to unlock it with a key, you're gonna have to get rid of that snow. And so if you're shoveling that snow away, you get to the door, you can unlock it. That's that's an analogy to kinda picture that that visceral fat there. Mhmm. Right? So the it the insulin's gonna have to work harder to get to that lock to unlock it there. There's just so many benefits to exercise. You're gonna feel better. You'll have a better outlook on life. Your glucose levels will be better controlled. It's just a win win truly to exercise. Other parts of your health are gonna thank you for that as well.
Scott BennerYeah. Yeah. I can't agree more. And I also can absolutely throw in with all the people who hear that and say, like, I don't like exercising. I don't have time for it. Or whatever you're gonna say. I said it all. I've thought it all. I've believed it all. And now, like, it's on me, you know, talking about, like, ways to, like, reduce your stress. It's on me to find a way to actually bring this to bear every day for the rest of my life. Yeah. Because this is the part where, like, it's easy to say I'm stressed. There's nothing I can do about it. Or I would like to exercise, but I don't have time. Or whatever it is you're gonna tell yourself, like, at some point, you know, you just either you have to do it or you have to live with it. You do.
Jordan WagnerAnd with a lot of these things, you do have to take some self responsibility. I understand, like, it is not ideal that any of us have diabetes, but the reality is we have diabetes.
Scott BennerMhmm.
Jordan WagnerAnd so you either come to terms with that and do what you can, or you're gonna be constantly blaming people and and not doing well. And so when it comes to exercise, you have to take some self responsibility. I firmly believe that anyone can get increased activity into in their life in a pretty easy way. Yeah. I mean, that might even just simply be, you know, every hour, you sit down and stand up ten, fifteen times in your office. Right? That's something you could do right there. Maybe it's when you're watching TV at night, you grab some exercise bands and just stretch them back and forth a bit. Use those muscles. You know, I was listening to a podcast with Andrew Huberman a while back, and he mentioned that just taking, like, thirty seconds to just run up and down the stairs at your office building, like, once or twice a day
Scott BennerWould be a big deal.
Jordan WagnerMakes a huge deal for, like, your cardiovascular health in the long term. It's not just, like, you feel good then. It's making long term impact.
Scott BennerYeah. How about when you're sitting at your desk for a while and you feel tired and just getting up and walking around is valuable?
Jordan WagnerWithout a doubt. Yeah. Right. Or even sitting at your desk. I mean, there's honestly, like, you can't make an excuse because they're you could literally be doing those. They're called soleus push ups, where you basically just sit with your legs at a 90 degree angle and raise, your ankles up and down. That soleus muscle, which is right there by the calf muscle in the back, it's like a sponge for glucose. So you
Scott BennerI I gotta tell you. You're you're gonna make me admit to something I don't wanna say out loud. Alright. Go ahead. Hold on a second. How many times am I gonna say this? But, like, don't have a podcast if you don't wanna say stuff like this. Hey. Listen. It's not the healthiest thing in the world. I'm not gonna lie to you one way or the other. But throughout the winter this year, Arden and I have been, like, once a month going to, like, a tanning salon. Like, just to, like I don't well, there's reasons why she wanted to do it that are not frivolous, but never nevertheless, she wanted to do it to try something. She wanted to see if it would help her acne. Okay? And I was like she felt weird about doing it. Was like, I'll go with you. We're signing up, and the woman's like, are you gonna do it to it? I'm like, okay. I'm in. Like, I mean, I'm already getting my eyebrows threaded with art, and I might as well do this as well. Right? So I'm using a stand my god. I'm using a stand up tanning thing.
Jordan WagnerOkay.
Scott BennerAnd now keep in mind you're in there, and you're not very dressed. But I'm, like, standing there for six minutes, and I'm like, what am I doing? I'm like, I'm just standing here. So I instead, I do body weight squats while I'm
Jordan Wagnerdoing Nice. Yes. Exactly. Yes.
Scott BennerYeah. Okay. Sorry. I didn't wanna say that. I really didn't wanna say that.
Jordan WagnerNo. I'm telling you, Scott. Like, you you can do whatever you can in life. Like, I've I've told patients. They're like, I don't have time to do this. I'm like, well, do you do you cook dinner for people in your house? They're like, well, yeah. I'm like, well, then dance while you're cooking dinner. You know, do some squats. Turn some music on. Turn it into a little time. Like, I I've done it with my boys before. It's like, we're cooking dinner, but we're having a blast. We're listening to music. We're moving around. It's it's just
Scott BennerWell, you're gonna have to. Jordan, mean, it's easy to say, well, this is the world the way the world works now. There's no time for that. But this is the way the world works now. It's not gonna work differently. You have to find a way to incorporate the things that a human body wants while you're living in the modern world. Absolutely. Absolutely. I don't wanna be like a you know, I'm not an alarmist or anything like that. But at the rate AI is picking up, y'all might be on universal income soon anyway. You'll be like, oh, I got I got much better this and much better that. Have nothing to do. No. Seriously, Jordan. Are you not worried about that? Like, what would Of course. Yeah. When you when you hear somebody say jobs might be eliminated. We might have to start paying people. Right? Like and I don't know that that's crazy that that could end up happening one day. And in your mind, like, I don't know about you, but for me, I think, oh, it's wonderful to give people an opportunity to express themselves or paint or do do the things they've always wanted to do. But I'm afraid that for some people, they're gonna what they're gonna do is nothing. And then and then this is gonna get worse. You you know what mean? Like, for for some people.
Jordan WagnerI mean, you'll maybe this is an extreme example, but, you know that movie Wall E?
Scott BennerYeah. No.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Exactly. I mean, riding around in chairs and robots do everything for you.
Scott BennerYeah. And then that and that little robot goes, Wall E. It's awesome. Yeah. And you're like, oh, I love this movie. Yeah. I just I'm saying is my real point is that, you know, technology is changing quickly. Life is changing quickly. We are not running from bears, most of us, anymore. True. But you're still gonna get this stress, and you have to find a way to manage it in the world that we actually live in, and you have to find a way to get activity in the world we actually live in. Now if you're out there listening to this right now and, you know, you're you're cutting a sewer pipe, well, then you're probably okay.
Jordan WagnerYes.
Scott BennerYeah. Absolutely. Right. So Yeah. Also, that's another thing. I guess you could you could try to get more work that does things for you that I don't know. Like, it's I I'm saying there's a lot of ways to to to
Jordan Wagnerimpact this. There's a lot of ways. It it doesn't have to be something it's that's impossible. I
Scott Bennermean Right.
Jordan WagnerAccountability is really big. Like, you know, like, you had mentioned, earlier, like, oh, I wanna exercise, but I'm gonna I'm not gonna do it right now. Like, having accountability is really important too. So, like, in the past, I've done, like, through social media, like, you know, challenges. Right? I did one where it's like a push up challenge, and it was like, okay. I'm gonna do x amount of push ups every day, and then at the end of the month, I gotta post my calendar Mhmm. So everyone can see that I did or did not do it. Right? And so there's almost like a little bit of a motivation when you have some accountability or people like, hey. Are you doing this? Are you not?
Scott BennerA lot of the things that happen on this podcast happen because I'll say them out loud so that I have to do them. Mhmm. That happens to that a lot. Like, a lot of the series you that you might love, that that's me going online going, here's what we're gonna do. Because if I don't say it, then I might not do it. Right. Jenny and I just recorded earlier today the last episode of a short nutrition series that we did together.
Jordan WagnerAwesome.
Scott BennerAnd at the very yeah. And she's so passionate about it because it's it's her background, it's just something she's actually really passionate about. She related a story at the end, where she just said, like, look, my father died in his mid sixties. Yeah. And, you know, like, basically, what she was saying was, like, I'm taking care of myself because I don't want my kids to grow up as adults without I miss my dad. I don't want my kids to miss me.
Jordan WagnerRight.
Scott BennerLike, you know, like, whatever you can find to get yourself going, like, find something that means enough to you that you're willing to put forth the effort and and be consistent with it.
Jordan WagnerAbsolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. Alright. Where are
Scott Bennerwe at on this? I'm sorry.
Jordan WagnerNo. We'll we'll jump into some of the the sleep again here. So I know I before, I mentioned a little bit about, like, the the ghrelin and the leptin and things like that there, but, just let's touch on how to promote sleep before going to bed. Mhmm. Because that, again, is gonna the insulin sensitivity. Right? But I would say one of the biggest things is a routine. Right? If you're going to bed at all different times, like, maybe at Monday night, it's 10:00. Tuesday, it's midnight. Wednesday, it's 08:00. Thursday, you're at 1AM. If you're doing stuff like that, you're naturally gonna have dysregulated sleep patterns. So you gotta have a a routine. Try to go to bed as much as you possible at the same time and wake up at similar times every day. I know that's not always possible.
Scott BennerMhmm.
Jordan WagnerBut if that is becoming a habit in your life, that will, I think, make some impact eventually there. I'm about to say something that's not gonna be feasible for everybody, but if you're able to, getting, like, a biosensing ring or, like, a watch can really help with the sleep. Right? I I myself personally wear an aura ring.
Scott BennerK.
Jordan WagnerAnd it it tracks your sleep very well. It tells you when you're hitting all the points of your sleep, if you're aligned with your your your sleep type.
Scott BennerWhat do you do with that information once you have it?
Jordan WagnerSo right now, not a whole lot because I'm up with a newborn and a two year old almost every night. So you can't really do a whole lot with that. But in the past, if I could see, like, I'm having these issues here, I would try things like not drinking the caffeine closer to bedtime. I would say, like, okay. I clearly am having an hard time unwinding at night, so maybe I read a book instead of watching TV. Mhmm. I drink some chamomile tea before bed, something like that to to relax me.
Scott BennerJordan, you have four kids. I think I know how you relax before you go to bed.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Yeah. There I just honestly hit the sheets sometimes, I'm like, holy cow. Yeah.
Scott BennerBut I meant two things there. You laughed about one of them.
Jordan WagnerYeah. I I know what you mean.
Scott BennerLook how lovely you are. You tried to pivot to, like, yeah. I'm very busy chasing those four kids around. I was like, hey. You're very busy making those four kids. That's what I'm saying.
Jordan WagnerOh, that's funny.
Scott BennerNo. No. Listen. I don't wanna put it on you, but if you listen to, you know, some of the data that's floating around now as a society, apparently, we have sex less now. Yeah. And I don't know. Nothing puts me to sleep better than that. So but I think we're in a situation where the speed of life, I think it just sped up before we could adapt to it. Yeah. Does that make sense? Like, I don't think we're adapting as well as we used to because things are changing so quickly.
Jordan WagnerAnd so Yeah. And then we're I think everyone's I mean, not to touch on these things too too much, but, like, I believe in, like, gender roles. Right? And so, like, I think we're getting away from that kind of stuff a lot. Right? And so everyone's chasing the bigger, better, next thing. Right? So it's a it's a hookup culture. And, I think that's promoting people not having good marriages, and there there's a cascade effect like we talked about from the very beginning. Right? And so, like, my wife and I have tried really hard to have have a good marriage, you know, have a a a good intimate life and things like that, and that's pay dividends to the way our family is and even things like improving sleep quality.
Scott BennerYeah. And so you found a way to make a cohesive life together, and it's impacting other things in positive ways. Stuff that you didn't plan at the time. Like, you prob listen. You probably just started off, like, with some, you know, like, either, like, cultural, religious, or family values Yeah. And said to you, like, this is how we're gonna shape our family. Right? And you didn't do that and say, hey. We're gonna get married, and then, you know, we'll have some kids. You'll stay with the kids. I'll go work, and that'll definitely make it so that we sleep better one day. You weren't thinking Right.
Jordan WagnerAbsolutely not.
Scott BennerIt just in the same way, I believe that someone's not sitting at home thinking like, you know, I work really long and I I still wanna play Call of Duty, so I'm gonna do it at 11:30. Like, they're not thinking, and then I'll ruin my sleep with that, and then my visceral fat will go up, and my insulin sensitivity will get worse. Like, no one's thinking.
Jordan WagnerRight.
Scott BennerYeah. They're just like, I just wanna play this game, or I just wanna do this. Right? Yeah.
Jordan WagnerPeople, people most of the time are just trying to find a way to unwind at night, get ready for bed. And so Right. You know, even with that example there of Call of Duty or, like, watching a TV show, there are certainly things you can do to make sure you're not destroying your sleep. Right? Have some maturity. Right? Maybe you play Call of Duty and you you, you know, you Stop yourself. You play it for an hour or so, and then you're like, that's it. I'm done for tonight. I know when I was gaming back in, like, high school and stuff, I had zero self control. Be like, yeah, I'm, like, gonna play a couple games, and then it's like, oh my gosh. It's 4AM.
Scott BennerYeah. Yeah. And if I just win five more of these games of Madden, I'll be able to draft better next year. And then I'll be like, yeah. Like, no. You listen. It it's another, like you know, look. I I I'm not gonna, like, beat a drum, but, you know, there are a lot of things in your life that are driving up that dopamine for you.
Jordan WagnerExactly. In a in a modern digital world.
Scott BennerAnd I feel very strongly about good sleep. Like, I I so important. I harp on it in my family. It's a losing battle. I'm not gonna tell you otherwise. You know? I'm not gonna tell you that last night, I didn't wake up in the middle of the night and see a light on. And I thought, like, oh, let me go shut this light off. But it was Arden. She was still awake. And she was talking to her you know, they're in a spring break at college, talking to her boyfriend, and I'm like I'm like I walked in. Was like, everyone, go to sleep. I was like, talk during the talk when the sun is up. Right. Right. I tried hard to, like, just follow that simple idea of, like, follow the sun. Like, get up with the sun, try to start shutting down when the sun goes down. I'm not
Jordan WagnerAll the way. Yeah. I'm not I'm
Scott Bennernot Amish. Like, I don't go to sleep when the sun goes down. Like, you know Yeah. But, like, I'm not trying to, like, stay up super late anymore like I used to when I was young and then, like, I was forced to before algorithms existed, and my kid had diabetes. Like, I value sleep. And at the same time, I'll say this, like, because I just shared this with my wife recently. We got in bed, and I was like, I'm so tired. Like, I I want you know, I'm excited to go to sleep. But at the same time, I said to her, like, I'm starting as I get older to get mad at having to sleep. Like and and and she's like, what what are
Jordan Wagneryou talk first of all,
Scott Bennershe doesn't wanna talk to me when she's tired. Like but she's like, oh, good. Now he's gonna have, like, some existential conversation with me? He just said he was tired. I'm tired. Blah blah blah. I said, like, I don't know. I just I feel like my life is winding down, there are things I wanna do. And that some days, it pisses me off I have to go to sleep. Mhmm. You know? And I I wonder if that's, like, a real feeling I'm having or if it's a feeling I'm getting from, like, some unnatural acceleration that I feel from the work No. I think you're
Jordan Wagneralone in that. Like Yeah. My my wife's grandfather, and, he he ended up passing away a few years ago, but he always said to my wife, if he could have a superpower, it would be that he didn't have to sleep.
Scott BennerIs there so much he wants to do?
Jordan WagnerIf you I like dreaming and stuff like that. (40:00) Right? So if you could sleep, but you didn't have to, that would be kinda cool.
Scott BennerYeah. No. I hear you. I really do. But my point is this, is that if you sleep well when the sun's down, then you can pack more into your life while the sun is up, and you're gonna improve your overall health and everything else. Let let's move on to nutrition because I I'm gonna start sounding like a hippie in a second. Don't I don't like that vibe.
Jordan WagnerWell, Scott, I I am a bit of a hippie, so it's okay. Yeah.
Scott BennerOh, no. I imagine you living in a yurt, just in case you're wondering.
Jordan WagnerThat that's exactly right. No. I'm just kidding. But yeah. Anyways, yeah, nutrition. And, I'll preface this to saying, like, I'm not, like, a nutrition expert, but these are things that I have seen that, have have impacted patients. I'm sure Jenny might be able to speak, better to some of these things here. But the idea that I wanna get across is that somebody can eat literally terribly and still have good blood sugars, but that doesn't mean that, like, you're in a good spot with your health. And that that gets back to what we touched on earlier of you could look at just the blood sugars and think you're doing great. But health is a lot more than just your blood glucose there. So we'll we'll just start with that there. But I think one of the big things to to think about with nutrition and insulin sensitivity is as much as possible avoiding ultra processed foods. Right? So that that's gonna be things like fast food, or that's gonna be things like frozen meals at the grocery store or, like, a lot of packaged goods, things like that. The reason you wanna avoid a lot of those, aside from the fact that a lot of them are really, really high in carbohydrate, there's there's trans fats in a lot of those. Mhmm. And those are those are known to cause insulin resistance.
Scott BennerYeah. I always tell people if you're looking for a reason not to have some of those oils that are available in so much of our food Yeah. One of them was developed as a a lubricant.
Jordan WagnerAnd Exactly right.
Scott BennerYeah. And then they realized, like, yo. You could eat this. And they changed it a little bit, and they took machine grease and turned it into food, and now you make cake with it. So Correct.
Jordan WagnerCorrect. And then that those are some of the seed oils that you're referencing there. And that this is a hot topic, so we don't need to dive in this one too too extensively. But the idea just think about this. Okay? If you were to eat, let's say, a peanut, you chew it in your mouth and a little bit of oil comes out of it because you're naturally just chewing it. That is so much different than having, like, a refined peanut oil coming in out out of a plastic bottle. Mhmm. Right? So, like, for example, those oils there, a lot of them are called PUFAs, polyunsaturated fatty acids. They're often touted as the healthier oil choice, which, again, without getting too too much into it, I think there's some problems there. But what you often see is that the the omega six to omega three ratio is, like, completely unbalanced. It should be somewhere along the lines of, like, four to one of omega six to omega three, and these unrefined ones I'm sorry. These refined ones are closer to, like, 20 to one. Yeah. Additionally, they're they're also, like, stripping these things not, like, intentionally, but you go through this processing. It's getting stripped of all that's natural vitamin e. Mhmm. And vitamin e is it's a really powerful antioxidant. And so that's why I think it's healthier to just eat, the nut or the seed, right, compared to having some of these oils. So not to sound like a hippie again, but, like, my wife and I will sometimes carry around little vitamin e capsules. And so if we go eat, like, at In N Out Burger or something like that, you you pop a few vitamin E's before you eat it just to help with the the antioxidant and, all that stuff.
Scott BennerI'm gonna tell you something. Like, if you I I say this all the time. If you guys knew me, like, thirty five years ago, you'd be like, I can't believe that's the guy that's talking to me right now. But I went through a whole renaissance of understanding oils a few years ago. And Jenny and I by the way, Jenny and I like, I mentioned, we made a series on nutrition. It's out now. It's called Smart Bites. I think it's maybe six episodes long. You'll you'll find it. But Jenny is a nutritionist, like, yeah, by trade, like, by by her education, who is also a a CDE. And she's incredibly passionate about this. I told her years ago, I was like, I think I'm gonna stop eating, like, oil. Like, I ate, like, canola oil, which I grew up being told was, like, a healthier oil. But, like, now I think of it as, like, healthier, a healthier oil is, like, saying, like, let me find a better way to punch myself in the face. I'm still not doing a good thing for myself. Like, is it as bad as had I hit myself with two hands? No. But it's still not something I'm looking for. We cut all those out. The only oil that's in the house right now is coconut, and we only use it to make popcorn.
Jordan WagnerOkay.
Scott BennerAnd other than that, there's a olive oil, but it's used really sparingly and only cold pressed olive oil because, like Good. Yeah. Because the way Jordan's talked about it, the way they process it sometimes either strips it of the only nutrients you were gonna get out of it or, believe it or not, heating up olive oil to process it is actually making it processed food. And processing it cold without heat takes longer, so you have to pay more money for
Jordan Wagnerit. Correct. Yeah. And not to mention even with with olive oil, it has a lower smoke point. Right? So using olive oil as a primary cooking oil, you could actually make that olive oil go rancid from overcooking it. Mhmm. And so yeah. It's a it's I I love what you said, the cold press. That's a very that's a very important thing with, you know, with oils, but especially with olive oil.
Scott BennerI have to tell you, cold pressed olive oil might be the only reason I have a Costco card.
Jordan WagnerSo That's hilarious.
Scott BennerYeah. Because they make really great cold pressed olive oil.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Yeah.
Scott BennerSo that kind of stuff, like, you know, taking vitamins, like, this is the thing I've added to my life. Like, they're right here. Like, I'm not lying. Like, they're on my desk so that I don't forget to take them every day.
Jordan WagnerYep. Yep.
Scott BennerI found that if I put them in the kitchen or somewhere near food, eventually somebody puts them away and takes it out of my mind. And so instead, it's just it's in front of me on my desk. And every day, I'd and by the way, it's not one of them. You have to read the label. You're supposed to take more than that of of the one I have. Like, so I make sure to take more. You know?
Jordan WagnerRight. Right. Ugh. Yeah. That's funny.
Scott BennerIf you really want somebody who understands nutrition, who isn't gonna talk down to you, but is going to be honest with you, I say go check out the Smart Bites series with Jenny.
Jordan WagnerThat's awesome.
Scott BennerShe did such a great job of putting together these different modules to speak about, and we just literally just literally finished recording it today.
Jordan WagnerSo That's so cool. And, like, I I truly believe that if people wanna eat Twinkies and hot dogs and hamburgers all day long, they should be able to. But they should also have the information to kinda know what potential consequences could be coming their way.
Scott BennerWell, that's where I'm at, Jordan. Let me let me I'll finish nutrition, and we can move on to getting outside and and get out of here. But, like, everything's a process. Right? Like, everything starts one place with one idea, and and if you get to keep it going long enough, you watch it grow and it morph. When I started making this podcast, I was in a place where I said, I know how to use insulin, which was revolutionary to me at that time because I spent so many years with my daughter not understanding how to use it.
Jordan WagnerRight.
Scott BennerRight? I said to my wife, I'm gonna start a podcast and tell people about how we do things because I think they might find it valuable. And that's come to pass. Like, the Pro Tip series and the Bull Beginnings and and those things are I think they're seminal in this space. And people know about them far and wide, and they've helped a lot of people understand how to use their insulin. So when I start talking about that, I am immediately met with the idea that some people are are going to eat really poorly, and I can can't stop them from doing that.
Jordan WagnerRight.
Scott BennerAnd if I say, here's the ideas I have about how to use insulin. By the way, eat right. And, like and start scolding them because that's how it's gonna feel to them. This information is not gonna get anywhere. So I started with a very basic idea of you need as much insulin as you need, and you need it where you need it, and you should use it.
Jordan WagnerYep.
Scott BennerAnd it took a a long time and a lot of years to build up a following that can be disseminated, and people share it. And to the point where, like, you know, I mean, you see the a Facebook group is huge.
Jordan WagnerRight.
Scott BennerAnd people come in, and most of what they say is my doctor told me about this.
Jordan WagnerYep. Exactly.
Scott BennerMostly how people get into the group. So now, like, we've, you know, we've got this reach. We've taught people how to use their insulin, and there's a a resource there for new people to learn how to use it. And I'm saying in all of it, bolus what you need. But at some point, I'm not saying go live unhealthily.
Jordan WagnerRight.
Scott BennerMy concern was if people don't use the amount of insulin they're supposed to use, it's either going to, like I said earlier, lead to some sort of an eating disorder, or it's gonna lead to elevated blood sugars.
Jordan WagnerExactly.
Scott BennerI thought, let's eliminate those two things first. Right? Teach them how to use insulin so that they feel free to eat, so that they don't get involved in an eating disorder. Teach them how to use insulin so they're not running around with nine and ten and eleven a one c's and eight a one c's and seven. That they can put their a one c where they want it to be, that they can have a variability that they choose. Right? Like, let's give them those tools.
Jordan WagnerExactly.
Scott BennerBut the next thing to say after that has to be, this would all be easier if you didn't eat some of these things or if you limited the amount of times you ate those things. But if I start with that, then I'm just everybody else online telling you what to do, and you're not gonna listen. And then you never know how to use your insulin, and you run around with a 10 a one c. And it it seemed to me to do it in this order was
Jordan WagnerYeah. And I agree. That that is the appropriate order to do it. Mhmm. And that's that's how I approach it too. Like, I have some of these conversations, a little bit deeper with some of the patients, but a lot of the patients that I am doing this with, they had to come back to the hospital for another reason. So we've already established rapport in in the past Yes. Of how to get them going. And now it's like, alright. You know how to use insulin for the most part. Let's start adding on top of that.
Scott BennerYep. Yes. It's just super duper important. And it's not me it's not a bait and switch for me. I still think, like, I would rather you be in a world where you have two choices about your health, your blood sugars and your variability and your nutrition. I would rather one of them be good than neither of them be good.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Without a doubt.
Scott BennerAt least let's give you that. Like, if you're gonna eat a ding dong, then by the way, that sounds so wrong. I'm gonna pick something else. If you're gonna eat a ho ho, then eat a ho ho and don't have a blood sugar spike from it. But for the other people who eat differently, you know how to use your insulin for an avocado and toast
Jordan Wagnerthing. Exactly.
Scott BennerGreat. Like, it works for everybody.
Jordan WagnerIt does.
Scott BennerAnyway, I'm and I'm not talking down to anybody. I am totally gonna have a Dorito this weekend. I just want everyone to know And Dorito is the food I use in the nutrition episode where I'm telling people, like, you know what sucks for you? Doritos. But if if I see one, I just wanna be clear, Jordan. I'm gonna eat it.
Jordan WagnerWithout a doubt. I mean, like, and that's the thing too. There's there's a balance in in all of this, like, we've been talking about the whole time. Like, I think, personally, my quality of life would be a little lower if I was like, yeah. I'm never gonna eat pizza again. I eat pizza every Friday night. Yeah. You know? And I've learned how to dose for it. I know that eating that pizza and the quantity that I eat is probably not the healthiest thing in the world, but I enjoy eating it. I enjoy spending time with my family and doing that. And so to me, that's worth it. Right? So there's there's that balance there.
Scott BennerAnd in fairness, the next series that Jenny and I do is gonna be called what am I calling it? BOLUS four. Probably the number four. I don't know why the number. We're gonna go out to the community and say, tell us all the food you can't bowl us for. And Jenny and I are gonna do short episodes where we talk through making a bolus for each one of those items. And I guarantee you most of them are gonna be Lucky Charms and stuff like that. Yeah. You know? And fair enough. No one's perfect. Life's not perfect. We can all sit here and say, don't eat the seed oil or don't do this or don't do that. But we also just said it's hard to sleep because of technology and the way life is. It's also hard to eat because of, you know, how populated the planet is and the way that we have to make food so that everybody can eat. Like, it's not a set you it's not just you're out there making a bad decision. You're out there trying to live in the you know, you're swimming in the pool somebody threw you in, basically.
Jordan WagnerSo Yeah. It it's I mean, just and and here's the thing I learned in nursing school, and you see it if you just look around, is especially in The United States, it's, like, one of the the few countries in the world where a lot of, like, lower income people have access to food, but it's, like, very low quality food. Yeah. Whereas, like, the rest of the world, they might not have access to any food at all.
Scott BennerRight. No. There's a lot of problems in the world. Like, they're really I mean, I'm not trying to say they don't exist. Also, my income is not challenged, but I grew up that way and so did my wife. Yeah. And we fight the things that were, like, bred into us as far as the way to eat. Like, my I I know my wife wouldn't like me to say this, but the my my wife will eat like a garbage person sometime. I'm like, you know, we have money. I'm like, we're not poor anymore. Like, we're not, like you know what I mean? Like, I'm I can't have a cook come in Sure. Slaughter the cow in front of me or anything like that. But, like, but we can afford it a reasonable meal, but she just grew up a different way. And, like and the things that occur to her, like, I watch her have to, like, say to herself, like and my wife's she eats well, and she no. But her first thought is always the thing from when she was a kid. Mhmm. You know? And then in she stops herself most of the times, but there's also times she doesn't. You know? So holidays are a great example. Like, my wife equates holidays and certain, like, candy, or she almost can't stop herself from going to a movie and not buying popcorn.
Jordan WagnerYes. It's at that tradition, that built in tradition almost. Yeah.
Scott BennerBut then once she buys it, I see her take a couple bites of it, and she's like, I don't want this. Like, I actually said to her at the last movie we saw, I I it was Thunderbolts, case you're all wondering. Like, she took two handfuls of popcorn, and she's like, I don't want this. And I said, hey. Next time. I was really like, I I think it was very sweet. I said, next time, let's buy a smaller one because you don't want this. And she goes, no. You're right. And I was like, okay. So, like, let's see what happens. Like, when I go see, hopefully, Mission Impossible part two, which I'm very excited to see.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Those are great movies.
Scott BennerOh my god. The last one was awesome. Like, hopefully, she'll say, like, give me a small popcorn because, like, to, you know, help the little girl and her feel like she's at the movies and, you know, cover for the fact that the adult doesn't want this popcorn at all. It's it's super interesting. Anyway, I'm sorry. And by the way, go outside. Tell them about the sun.
Jordan WagnerYes. Well, yeah, just just get outside. I mean, if you're getting outside consistently, there's a high likelihood you're also increasing your activity. So that's a huge part of it there. But one of the big things is, you know, vitamin D. Right? So vitamin D in low levels has been associated with insulin resistance, and there's even, some some theories, of diabetes diagnosis for type ones that point to the fact that vitamin D is low in a lot of type one diabetics. Mhmm. Getting outside, the sun hitting your skin helps our body to be able to make its own vitamin D. And so you don't need to go outside all day long, but, like, again, speaking to the person who, you know, works in the office, maybe you take your your lunch break and you go outside. And I I know that's not always possible, but to the best of your ability, it's just getting outside at some point during the day is gonna be it's gonna be really helpful for you.
Scott BennerRight.
Jordan WagnerThe other thing tying it all into sleep here is that when you're getting that full spectrum light coming from the sun, that helps balance your circadian rhythm, so your natural sleeping patterns. Things like blue lights, so that's gonna be lights coming from screens or, like, the the overhead lights in the office or perhaps at home. Those things can actually really mess up your, your circadian rhythm there. And the sun is a natural way to be able to balance that there. Just just as a side note, like, they do have those blue blocking glasses, that you that you can wear and block out some of the lights. You know, there's different colors. Yellow is gonna be approximately 50% or so. The the orange is gonna block out closer to a 100%. So depending on what when you're wanting to do it, those are good options too if you're stuck inside. But it is just truly best just to get outside, get get a little sun. If you're not in a sunny state, that's okay. But, like, just getting outside, you're still gonna get the benefits to an extent. It might not be as much as, like, where I'm at in Arizona. You're gonna get some benefit for sure. So
Scott BennerYou're probably avoiding the sun and still getting it.
Jordan WagnerYeah. I mean, I am in the sun all the time. If you'd ever drove past my house, you'd be like, oh, there's Jordan. He's not wearing a shirt again because I I just I always have my shirt off doing yard work and things like that.
Scott BennerYeah. Awesome. Well, Jordan, I can't I can't thank you enough for for coming on and and putting together these few episodes for me. If you have more you wanna talk about, you let me know. You could always come back.
Jordan WagnerAbsolutely. Sounds good, Scott.
Scott BennerAwesome. Thank you.
Jordan WagnerYeah. Of course.
Scott BennerThanks so much to Jordan for spending his time with us. If you're enjoying Jordan on the podcast and you'd like him to come back, go find him on Instagram, the diabetic merce, and let him know how much you enjoyed him on the show. This episode was sponsored by Touched by Type one. I want you to go find them on Facebook, Instagram, and give them a follow, and then head to touchedbytype1.org where you're gonna learn all about their programs and resources for people with type one diabetes. Are you tired of getting a rash from your CGM adhesive? Give the Eversense three sixty five a try. Eversense cgm.com/juicebox. Beautiful silicone that they use. It changes every day. Keeps it fresh. Not only that, you only have to change the sensor once a year. So, I mean, that's better. This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by the Omnipod five. And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free what'd I just say? A free Omnipod five starter kit. Free? Get out of here. Go click on that link. Omnipod.com/juicebox. Check it out. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Links in the show notes. Links at juiceboxpodcast.com. Hey. Thanks for listening all the way to the end. I really appreciate your loyalty and listenership. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of the Juice Box podcast. When I created the defining diabetes series, I pictured a dictionary in my mind to help you understand key terms that shape type one diabetes management, Along with Jenny Smith, who, of course, is an experienced diabetes educator, we break down concepts like basal, time and range, insulin on board, and much more. This series must have 70 short episodes in it. We have to take the jargon out of the jargon so that you can focus on what really matters, living confidently and staying healthy. You can't do these things if you don't know what they mean. Go get your diabetes defined. Juiceboxpodcast.com. Go up in the menu and click on series. Hey. What's up, everybody? If you've noticed that the podcast sounds better and you're thinking, like, how does that happen? What you're hearing is Rob at Wrong Way Recording doing his magic to these files. So if you want him to do his magic to you, wrongwayrecording.com. You got a podcast? You want somebody to edit it? You want Rob.
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#1785 Running From Steagles
You can always listen to the Juicebox Podcast here but the cool kids use: Apple Podcasts/iOS - Spotify - Amazon Music - Google Play/Android - iHeart Radio - Radio Public, Amazon Alexa or wherever they get audio.
Comedian Sam Morrison shares his adult T1D diagnosis, managing ADHD, dating with diabetes, and how a low blood sugar seagull attack inspired his hit solo comedy show, Sugar Daddy.
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DISCLAIMER: This text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.
Scott Benner (0:0) Hello, friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Juice Box podcast.
Sam Morrison (0:13) Hi, guys. (0:14) I'm comedian Sam Morrison. (0:16) I was diagnosed with diabetes four, five years ago now. (0:20) I perform all over the country, all over the world, and my show Sugar Daddy, which is largely about my type one diabetes diagnosis, is gonna be opening in London on March 5 for about five weeks.
Scott Benner (0:32) If your loved one is newly diagnosed with type one diabetes and you're seeking a clear practical perspective, check out the bold beginnings series on the juice box podcast. (0:41) It's hosted by myself and Jenny Smith, an experienced diabetes educator with over thirty five years of personal insight into type one. (0:49) Our series cuts through the medical jargon and delivers straightforward answers to your most pressing questions. (0:55) You'll gain insight from real patients and caregivers and find practical advice to help you confidently navigate life with type one. (1:02) You can start your journey informed and empowered with the Juice Box podcast.
Scott Benner (1:06) The bold beginning series and all of the collections in the Juice Box podcast are available in your audio app and at juiceboxpodcast.com in the menu. (1:15) Please don't forget that nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. (1:21) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin. (1:29) Today's podcast episode is sponsored by Medtronic Diabetes, who is making life with diabetes easier with the MiniMed seven eighty g system and their new sensor options, which include the instinct sensor made by Abbott. (1:44) Would you like to unleash the full potential of the MiniMed seven eighty g system?
Scott Benner (1:48) You can do that at my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox. (1:53) Today's episode is also sponsored by the Kontoor Next Gen blood glucose meter. (1:59) This is the meter that my daughter has on her person right now. (2:03) It is incredibly accurate and waiting for you at kontoornext.com/juicebox.
Sam Morrison (2:09) Hi, guys. (2:10) I'm comedian Sam Morrison. (2:12) I was diagnosed with diabetes four, five years ago now. (2:17) I perform all over the country, all over the world. (2:20) And my show Sugar Daddy, which is largely about my type one diabetes diagnosis, is gonna be opening in London on March 5 for about five weeks.
Sam Morrison (2:28) And I I'd love
Scott Benner (2:29) to see a lot of you
Sam Morrison (2:30) guys there. (2:31) I'm so excited to be on this podcast.
Scott Benner (2:32) Oh, Sam, you're very nice, and and I'm I'm happy you reached out. (2:35) Actually, happier that the timing worked out. (2:38) You asked if I was available because, you know, you'd like to get this out, obviously, before your show. (2:44) And someone, like, the day before dropped this date, and that never happens. (2:49) So, like, it's very serendipitous.
Scott Benner (2:52) So what's
Sam Morrison (2:53) Thank you. (2:53) Yeah. (2:54) Thank you to this person. (2:55) I hope everything is okay with them, but but God bless them. (2:59) I'm so glad that this worked out.
Scott Benner (3:00) I could hear in your heart. (3:02) You're like, this is great news, but I hope they weren't hit by a car.
Sam Morrison (3:05) Yes. (3:05) No. (3:06) This is great news. (3:07) This is fantastic news that could be something terrible for somebody else, but we'll take it.
Scott Benner (3:12) Yeah. (3:12) Yeah. (3:13) Well, listen. (3:13) We'll just assume that's not what happened. (3:15) Maybe they just had a little cold.
Scott Benner (3:16) Let's figure out a little more about you, Sam. (3:18) How old are you now?
Sam Morrison (3:20) 31.
Scott Benner (3:21) Okay. (3:21) And how old were you when you were diagnosed? (3:23) You said about four or five years ago?
Sam Morrison (3:25) Great. (3:26) Fine. (3:27) I'll do math. (3:28) 2022 was when I was diagnosed about July.
Scott Benner (3:33) Okay.
Sam Morrison (3:33) So it's 2026 now. (3:35) Yeah. (3:35) But I was, like, 27. (3:37) Yeah. (3:38) I was 27.
Scott Benner (3:38) Okay. (3:39) Alright. (3:39) And prior to that, how would you have described your health?
Sam Morrison (3:44) I mean, interesting. (3:47) I don't know if anyone's ever asked me that. (3:50) I would describe it as deeply fine. (3:52) I mean, I've always been a relatively, like, sports y guy, and so I like running around. (3:58) But, like, beyond that, I didn't take care of myself or my body in any way.
Sam Morrison (4:02) Actually, when I got diagnosed, I started taking my nutrition, obviously, so much more serious. (4:08) You learn so much and you basically go to this med school to become your own nurse. (4:14) I started to take my health more seriously sort of in every aspect after diagnosis. (4:19) Yeah. (4:19) That's right.
Sam Morrison (4:19) I'd say probably below average. (4:22) Eating a lot of bad food. (4:24) There's a lot of late night pizza. (4:26) There's no sleep. (4:27) Sort of just living a, you know
Scott Benner (4:30) A young person's existence.
Sam Morrison (4:32) 20 year old boy's life.
Scott Benner (4:34) Yeah. (4:34) Yeah. (4:35) In your extended family, were there people with health issues, other autoimmune, or other stuff? (4:40) Any reason why it would be in the front of your head, or was it all pretty carefree?
Sam Morrison (4:46) Looking back, there there probably are reasons that I should have had ideas, but, god, I never thought about it. (4:53) My sister has Crohn's disease, and my grandmother on my dad's side, does have type one diabetes.
Scott Benner (5:01) Oh, okay. (5:02) So a grandmother has type one. (5:03) Your sister has Crohn's? (5:04) Yeah. (5:05) Okay.
Scott Benner (5:06) Was that a thing that your family spoke about? (5:08) Like, that you might wanna be like, you know what I'm always thinking about, like, the day my kid moves out and, like, what what are the last things I tell them? (5:16) Like, hey. (5:16) If you're peeing a lot, like, you know, we're like, did they give you any heads up, or were you just kinda sent out into the world? (5:23) I
Sam Morrison (5:26) don't wanna throw my family under the bus here, but no. (5:30) Not at all.
Scott Benner (5:31) God, I was lucky to get food. (5:33) I couldn't believe the place was warm. (5:34) Thank you very much. (5:35) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (5:36) Yeah. (5:37) Great family. (5:37) Great parents. (5:38) Nah. (5:38) Nothing.
Sam Morrison (5:39) Okay. (5:40) So there was nothing in
Scott Benner (5:42) your head, though, telling you pay attention. (5:44) You're not eating particularly well. (5:45) I mean, are you taking a vitamin even?
Sam Morrison (5:49) No. (5:49) Not even a vitamin. (5:50) I mean, Scott, it's bad. (5:52) It's it's no health.
Scott Benner (5:53) What's a nice multivitamin?
Sam Morrison (5:55) I was 27 years old. (5:57) Yeah. (5:57) I think at some point, you gotta take responsibility and say, hey, buddy. (6:00) Let's take a vitamin.
Scott Benner (6:02) Do you have any idea why that didn't occur to you prior to all this?
Sam Morrison (6:09) Type one diabetes or just, like, health in general?
Scott Benner (6:11) Health in general. (6:12) Like, at 27 years old, you know, like, do ever put a piece of piece in your mouth and think, like, this should probably be kale? (6:18) Or, like, you know, like, were you at that point? (6:21) Did you ever think, like, hey. (6:22) A vitamin.
Scott Benner (6:23) That wouldn't hurt, would it? (6:24) Like, you know what I mean?
Sam Morrison (6:26) That is such a great question. (6:28) And especially because, like, I clearly was prone to you know, like, as soon as I started to learn about nutrition, I did like, I was really interested in it. (6:37) Like, genuinely, I love learning about how this stuff affects our body and, like, how I can manage this super mysterious riddled disease. (6:47) But I never really had much interest or understood much about health. (6:52) I I probably the reason why is just because I don't know.
Sam Morrison (6:58) I I sort of never underestimate the ability of, like, a 25 year old boy's ability to just not take care of themselves
Scott Benner (7:08) Ignore this.
Sam Morrison (7:09) Pay attention to things that actually matter. (7:11) I mean, I was just like a comedian. (7:13) I mean, I was performing late at night pretty much every night. (7:17) I was eating in between gigs. (7:19) And I, you know, cared about certain things in life, but health was just, like
Scott Benner (7:24) Not one of them.
Sam Morrison (7:25) Such such an afterthought.
Scott Benner (7:26) Yeah. (7:26) It's interesting that that you realized though that, like, once you were intersected with it, you were the kind of person who was very interested by it.
Sam Morrison (7:33) Yeah. (7:34) Yeah.
Scott Benner (7:34) Yeah. (7:35) It's interesting.
Sam Morrison (7:35) Yeah. (7:35) It is.
Scott Benner (7:36) Hey. (7:36) Real quick. (7:37) Sam, I don't know if you know the phrase futzing. (7:39) It's from our Yiddish friends, but you're touching something or banging something once in a while. (7:43) Like
Sam Morrison (7:44) Yeah. (7:45) Thanks for letting
Scott Benner (7:45) me know. (7:46) Don't do that. (7:47) You'll make you'll make you'll make me crazy. (7:50) You'll be like, where's the next question? (7:51) I'll just be like, oh, I heard a tap.
Scott Benner (7:53) Yeah. (7:53) I don't want you thinking about it either.
Sam Morrison (7:54) You are, by the way, the first person in my life to ever tell me to stop futzing with something. (7:59) Can you believe that?
Scott Benner (8:00) Are you a futzer?
Sam Morrison (8:02) Oh my god. (8:03) Oh my god. (8:04) Can we talk about the intersection of ADHD and diabetes? (8:07) Because this is a trap. (8:07) This is a prison.
Sam Morrison (8:09) I I mean, I'm losing life saving medical equipment every day.
Scott Benner (8:13) You have ADHD?
Sam Morrison (8:15) Oh, yeah.
Scott Benner (8:16) How long have you known about that?
Sam Morrison (8:18) Scott, you've talked you've known me for ten minutes. (8:20) I think you knew. (8:21) I think we both knew. (8:23) I've how long have I had? (8:25) Well, you know, I as a kid, my mom took me to get diagnosed, and they were like, yeah.
Sam Morrison (8:30) He's got it, but she decided not to medicate, which was, I think, a a totally fair decision at the time.
Scott Benner (8:35) Mhmm.
Sam Morrison (8:36) So my whole life
Scott Benner (8:37) What would that have looked like? (8:38) Medication? (8:39) Like, Ritalin, or what do they do nowadays?
Sam Morrison (8:41) Now I'm on Adderall.
Scott Benner (8:42) Adderall. (8:43) Okay.
Sam Morrison (8:43) At the time, I think they just say,
Scott Benner (8:45) stop it. (8:46) Well, listen. (8:47) When my brother was little, they put him on Ritalin. (8:49) I messed him up too. (8:51) It was not a it was not a good idea.
Scott Benner (8:52) It was not a good idea. (8:54) Slowed him down. (8:54) He had such a high metabolism. (8:56) It was like this little screen like skinny, like, running around kid, and then it just put weight on him and changed his mood and everything. (9:04) It was they didn't leave him on.
Scott Benner (9:05) My mom was like, hey. (9:06) I don't think this is right. (9:07) But, you know, it hit him That's great. (9:09) Pretty hard. (9:09) How about other, like, inflammation related things in your life?
Scott Benner (9:13) Because, I mean, I know that I'm not a doctor and this is just a podcast, but a lot of people a lot of people come on here and talk about ADHD. (9:21) So I start to wonder about, like, you know, autoimmune inflammation, other things that are impacted that don't get characterized or categorized as autoimmune, but seem to really go hand in hand with a lot of people on here. (9:35) Is there anything else that you
Sam Morrison (9:36) can That's interesting.
Scott Benner (9:37) Yeah. (9:37) Anything else you can look at and think, oh, that fits that generalized box?
Sam Morrison (9:42) Of something that could be connected with autoimmune or inflammation?
Scott Benner (9:46) Yeah. (9:46) Well, less autoimmune because you you said Crohn's and, you know, you have a type one in the family. (9:50) I'm just wondering, like, do you see other people like, do you listen to the podcast with any regularity?
Sam Morrison (9:55) Yeah. (9:55) Yeah. (9:56) Definitely, like, just my podcast listening goes in in cycles. (9:59) When I was first diagnosed, I listened all the time. (10:02) And, like, truly, the series for when you're first diagnosed was, like, unbelievably helpful.
Sam Morrison (10:10) Oh, bold beginnings? (10:12) Made me, like, such a fan, and there's such a lack of resources. (10:15) So it's so important. (10:15) And, like, if, you know, if you're listening and and you don't know about that, you should absolutely go check that out.
Scott Benner (10:21) Gotcha. (10:21) No. (10:21) It's a a bold beginnings you're talking about. (10:24) That series for, like, the newly diagnosed folks?
Sam Morrison (10:26) Yes. (10:27) Yes. (10:27) Yes.
Scott Benner (10:28) Awesome. (10:28) Oh, I'm glad it was helpful for you. (10:30) I just I'm saying there's been a lot of people on here. (10:32) Like, this is as big of an example as I can make is is that I have been stunned over the years by the number of people who are like, my uncle has bipolar disorder. (10:41) I haven't spoken to that many people that that that many people should have said that to me.
Scott Benner (10:47) So it just makes me wonder, like, is is if you have a big enough family and there's autoimmune and inflammation, like, you know, are there things that pop up over and over again? (10:57) But ADHD to me is one of them. (10:59) So are you you take interesting. (11:01) Yeah. (11:01) No.
Scott Benner (11:01) I think so too.
Sam Morrison (11:02) So doesn't it just feel like everyone has ADHD now?
Scott Benner (11:04) I mean, I don't know. (11:06) I don't know. (11:06) Like, I really don't. (11:07) Like, you know? (11:08) Yeah.
Scott Benner (11:08) What how does it impact your day?
Sam Morrison (11:10) My family has all kinds. (11:11) Well, we're just a bunch of anxious Jews,
Scott Benner (11:13) so we've got it all, baby. (11:15) Wait. (11:15) No one said futzing to you?
Sam Morrison (11:18) And no one yeah. (11:19) No. (11:19) You're the first one. (11:20) Never. (11:21) No one has ever said futzing.
Sam Morrison (11:23) They say cavelling.
Scott Benner (11:25) Oh, that's nice. (11:26) Listen. (11:26) Depends on where you're from. (11:29) How does the ADHD impact your day to day life before diabetes?
Sam Morrison (11:34) Oh, I mean, again, because I wasn't diagnosed or really I I were, like, medicated, I didn't think about it very much. (11:44) You just kinda come up with solutions subconsciously, I guess, or or sort of on your own to get by. (11:50) I mean, I got by in classes, and I was able to, like, hold down a job. (11:54) So, like, it it either wasn't severe enough to, you know, do something about or I was able to, like, sort of hack it somehow.
Scott Benner (12:03) Adapt and get around it. (12:05) Yeah. (12:05) Okay.
Sam Morrison (12:06) Just sort of realize what my what my brain wants.
Scott Benner (12:09) Are there still get arounds now that you have diabetes, or there's just some things that are too big to overcome?
Sam Morrison (12:14) Yeah. (12:15) I mean, I'm constantly not only am I constantly, like, trying to come up with ways to, like, hack my ADHD brain and get me to focus and, like, sit down and be productive and not forget things and remember important things. (12:29) But, also, like, I'm just becoming even, like, more conscious and aware of what those things are at, like, 31. (12:37) It it happens all the time.
Scott Benner (12:38) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (12:39) You know, some the other day, someone told me about, like, how much people with ADHD struggle struggle with object permanence. (12:46) And I was like, of course. (12:47) Of course. (12:47) I've done that my whole and I and I I you know, for whatever reason, that had never really sunk in with me.
Scott Benner (12:55) Explain object permanence. (12:57) Explain that to me. (13:00) The Kontoor Next Gen blood glucose meter is sponsoring this episode of the Juice Box podcast, and it's entirely possible that it is less expensive in cash than you're paying right now for your meter through your insurance company. (13:15) That's right. (13:15) If you go to my link, contournext.com/juicebox, you're gonna find links to Walmart, Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Kroger, and Meijer.
Scott Benner (13:27) You could be paying more right now through your insurance for your test strips and meter than you would pay through MyLink for the Contour Next Gen and Contour Next test strips in cash. (13:39) What am I saying? (13:40) My link may be cheaper out of your pocket than you're paying right now even with your insurance. (13:47) And I don't know what meter you have right now. (13:50) I can't say that.
Scott Benner (13:51) But what I can say for sure is that the Kontoor Next Gen meter is accurate. (13:55) It is reliable, and it is the meter that we've been using for years. (13:59) Kontoornext.com/juicebox. (14:03) And if you already have a Kontoor meter and you're buying test strips, doing so through the juice box podcast link will help to support the show. (14:12) Unlike other systems that will wait until your blood sugar is a 180 before delivering corrections, the MiniMed seven eighty g system is the only system with meal detection technology that automatically detects rising sugar levels and delivers more insulin as needed to help keep your sugar levels in range even if you're not a perfect carb counter.
Scott Benner (14:33) Today's episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by Medtronic Diabetes and their MiniMed seven eighty g system, which gives you real choices because the MiniMed seven eighty g system works with the Instinct sensor made by Avid, as well as the Simplera Sync and Guardian Force sensors, giving you options. (14:54) The Instinct Sensor is the longest wear sensor yet, lasting fifteen days and designed exclusively for the MiniMed seven eighty g. (15:03) And don't forget, Medtronic Diabetes makes technology accessible for you with comprehensive insurance support, programs to help you with your out of pocket costs, or switching from other pump and CGM systems. (15:16) Learn more and get started today with my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox.
Sam Morrison (15:22) It's it's basically just like we put stuff down, and we have, like, less of an ability to remember where we put stuff
Scott Benner (15:31) down No kidding.
Sam Morrison (15:34) Yeah. (15:34) If that makes sense.
Scott Benner (15:35) I mean, listen. (15:36) I try very hard to remember where I put things, and I don't know where anything is half the time. (15:41) So I am just thrilled when I get in my car and drive away and my wallet's there. (15:45) I'm like, woo
Sam Morrison (15:45) hoo. (15:45) Yeah.
Scott Benner (15:46) Because the amount of times ADHD? (15:48) I don't I mean, listen. (15:49) I'm sure people listening think I do. (15:51) I don't feel like I do. (15:53) So Mhmm.
Scott Benner (15:54) Yeah. (15:54) I don't really know how to put that. (15:56) Also, brother, just for context, I'm adopted, I'm not actually related to my brother by blood. (16:01) So so in case people were like, well, you said his brother has it. (16:04) Like, I really don't I have no trouble concentrating.
Scott Benner (16:06) I have no trouble sitting down doing what I'm supposed to do. (16:09) I just have always thought of myself as having more of, an artistic brain. (16:12) Like, I don't focus on things I don't wanna focus on.
Sam Morrison (16:16) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (16:17) But I can easily focus on anything. (16:19) And it doesn't have to be it can be as boring as, like, you know, pulling together receipts or doing, like, adult things. (16:26) Like, I have no trouble focusing on stuff. (16:28) I just I'm just good at not being burdened by things I don't wanna think about. (16:33) I don't know how to put that exactly.
Scott Benner (16:35) So I don't know. (16:36) Uh-huh. (16:36) You know, I should probably think more about it, but I probably can't because I have ADHD. (16:41) I'm just teasing. (16:43) I'd go over it, but something's stopping me, Sam.
Scott Benner (16:45) I don't know what it is. (16:46) No. (16:47) No. (16:48) I mean, I run a fairly complicated organization by myself, and I can tell you that Yeah. (16:54) Nothing's written down.
Scott Benner (16:56) Like, I don't have rules or things to follow. (16:59) I just get up in the morning. (17:00) I follow the flow, and I do what needs to be done. (17:03) I don't know how to
Sam Morrison (17:04) I don't know if that's more evidence for or against ADHD.
Scott Benner (17:07) Yeah. (17:08) I I couldn't begin to tell you. (17:09) I know that I do a I that if you followed me around for a full day, you'd be like, I cannot believe that guy's doing all this stuff by himself. (17:15) Wow.
Sam Morrison (17:15) Yeah. (17:15) I it's funny because it's like it's just this is actually more of, like, I thrive in chaos because that's where I live most of the time. (17:23) And then, you know, I procrastinate so much, and I I put things off to the last second, and then there's an emergency and, like, that twenty four hour emergency. (17:31) That's my, like, sweet spot. (17:32) That's where I get stuff done, and I have, like, my whole life.
Sam Morrison (17:35) Yeah. (17:36) But then, also, I need so much structure and, like, discipline to actually, like, do anything. (17:45) I don't know if I'm explaining this well, but, basically, they're like, does don't those seem like they're on opposite? (17:49) Like, I thrive in chaos, but also chaos is, like, the enemy.
Scott Benner (17:52) Yeah. (17:53) I have to let let's pick through this for a second and see if we can figure it out together. (17:56) So it is 1PM right now. (17:59) I opened my eyes at 7AM. (18:02) I, I visited the restroom.
Scott Benner (18:04) I took a shower. (18:06) Since then, I've done two loads of laundry, made myself breakfast, eaten breakfast, cleaned up the dishes, cleaned up the dishes from last night, cooked for my son, cleaned up his dishes. (18:18) I've had a meaningful conversation with my wife. (18:21) I've fed two dogs, taken them outside. (18:24) I've taken out the garbage, taken out the recycling, fed seven lizards.
Scott Benner (18:29) Please don't judge me. (18:31) I've made three pieces of social media for the podcast, had one conversation with an advertiser by phone, one conversation with an advertiser by text message. (18:42) I've sent over a bunch of information to somebody that I was supposed to. (18:46) I've signed two contracts, rewritten one statement of work agreement, and sat down and started to record with you.
Sam Morrison (18:54) And then you remembered all of it and recited it.
Scott Benner (18:56) So do I have ADHD?
Sam Morrison (18:58) Great. (18:58) I'm glad you came here to ask. (19:00) Welcome to my podcast where I diagnose people with ADHD. (19:03) Thanks for coming on. (19:04) No.
Sam Morrison (19:04) I I I have no idea. (19:06) Like, I can't tell you.
Scott Benner (19:07) I'm I'm with you too. (19:08) Like, is that the sign of somebody whose, like, brain is in a tornado and can just follow the tornado? (19:13) Because, also, none of those things were written down anywhere. (19:16) I just got up this morning and took care of the things I knew needed to be taken care of.
Sam Morrison (19:20) I mean, yeah, that sounds unbelievable and, like, something that you it sounds like you don't you it sounds like you're very productive person.
Scott Benner (19:26) If you have ADHD,
Sam Morrison (19:26) then you've, like, figured out a way around it. (19:28) But we need to focus on what's important here. (19:30) How the hell did you remember all of that with such specificity and recite it without a single hesitation? (19:38) This is the real talent.
Scott Benner (19:39) Isn't that my job to reach into my brain and, like, open the flow up and just let it happen?
Sam Morrison (19:44) Yeah. (19:45) It's my job too. (19:45) I'm not good at it, though. (19:46) That was that was impressive.
Scott Benner (19:49) Thank you. (19:50) Every conversation that I have with people until it gets going, when I'm having it, I think this is so choppy and uninteresting and people are gonna turn it off. (20:00) And then when I listen back to it later, I think this is better than 99% of the podcast I've ever heard in my life. (20:05) But once you get the faucet open for me, I feel like I'm performing at a different level once I start talking. (20:11) And I am not thinking about what I'm talking.
Scott Benner (20:14) I feel like there is a pathway from my mouth to my thoughts, and there's no there's no slowdown in between. (20:20) Some people would argue that's not a good idea, but
Sam Morrison (20:22) That's no. (20:23) My god. (20:24) That's the dream. (20:25) Yeah. (20:25) That's so beautiful.
Sam Morrison (20:26) You're in a flow state. (20:28) I mean, thank it's amazing that you found this. (20:31) I do this for a living. (20:32) I do this every night, and it's I'm in my head half the time. (20:36) And I'm always trying to figure out how to center myself and get into a state of mind like you're talking about.
Sam Morrison (20:41) So it comes so naturally to you that's, like, incredible.
Scott Benner (20:45) I am grateful for it. (20:46) I also I'll tell you what. (20:47) I've never tried stand up comedy, and I and I probably never would because I'd be so afraid to do it poorly that I think, you know, like I don't know. (20:57) Like, when I look out into the world, the content the content doesn't matter to me. (21:00) Like, when I look at stand up comedians, I think about people who appear like they're telling a story as if it's something they've known their entire life and yet are just making up in the moment.
Scott Benner (21:12) Like that, you know, like Dave Chappelle's very good at it. (21:15) Like, you know, just he feels like he's just talking, but then there's the part of you that realize that he's probably said this a thousand times. (21:21) I wouldn't wanna shit on the art form by by trying to do it. (21:25) Like, I think it's
Sam Morrison (21:25) Yeah.
Scott Benner (21:25) Incredibly brave for you to do. (21:27) Now I get up on stage in front of a lot of people and talk about podcasting or diabetes or stuff like that, and I have to tell you I do it with I I probably shouldn't say this out loud, zero prep. (21:39) And when people ask me, like, where are your slides? (21:42) I tell them if I needed slides, then I'm not the right person to be here. (21:47) I should be able to speak from the back of my head on this.
Scott Benner (21:50) But I don't know. (21:51) Like, what's the process of getting up on stage? (21:53) Like, is it like a one man show, or what is it you have coming up?
Sam Morrison (21:57) Well, what I have coming up is my solo show. (21:59) So, like, primarily, I'm a stand up comedian. (22:01) That's what I you know, how I make the bread and butter. (22:04) Mhmm. (22:04) That was not the phrase.
Scott Benner (22:06) That's it's either that's my bread and butter or how I make my living. (22:12) You could have gone with either.
Sam Morrison (22:14) No. (22:14) I'm gonna I'm gonna double down on it. (22:16) That's how I make my bread and butter. (22:17) It's a new phrase. (22:18) It's very Gen z.
Sam Morrison (22:19) You guys probably haven't heard of it yet. (22:21) But I'm mostly doing stand up, but then I also do these solo shows, and they're, like, more theater. (22:27) They're storytelling, and they you know, we have a whole design team in London. (22:32) Mhmm. (22:32) You know, my director, Amir Al Khadi, I'm working with, and it's been really fun.
Sam Morrison (22:38) And and we get to create something, like, a lot more meaningful. (22:42) And, yeah, it's it's it's we try to, like, combine the art forms of of stand up and theater.
Scott Benner (22:48) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (22:49) But really, you know, creating something new. (22:52) But, yeah, for the most time, I, like, get up on stage and just, like, tell jokes at a comedy club.
Scott Benner (22:56) Okay. (22:56) Yeah. (22:57) Yeah. (22:57) So is your show more like I'm trying to think of, like, side by sides, but the ones I'm coming up with, I feel like no one listening is gonna know. (23:04) Did you see Ari Shafir's Jew a couple years ago on YouTube?
Scott Benner (23:08) Is
Sam Morrison (23:08) it I haven't.
Scott Benner (23:09) No? (23:09) Or what about Neil No. (23:11) Neil
Sam Morrison (23:12) Neil Brennan.
Scott Benner (23:13) Neil Brennan's blocks. (23:14) Is it more like that? (23:15) Or
Sam Morrison (23:16) Totally. (23:17) Similar to Neil Brennan's blocks or, like do you know Mike Berbiglia?
Scott Benner (23:22) Sure. (23:23) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (23:24) Yeah. (23:24) It's it's sort of like a storytelling stand up show.
Scott Benner (23:27) Okay.
Sam Morrison (23:28) You know, this this particular show is even more theatrical. (23:32) And, yeah, it's super fun to, like, bring in those elements and yeah. (23:37) It's it's just it's so cool to you know, I've always done these solo shows sort of, like, at the I bring them to, like, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and do them, like, in a castle with absolutely no budget and now getting to, like, work with this whole creative team and all these producers. (23:53) It's it's such a a special thing, and it's, it's really cool.
Scott Benner (23:56) Sounds exciting.
Sam Morrison (23:57) I'm really excited.
Scott Benner (23:58) Yeah. (23:58) So when when's the first time you'd you've, I imagine, showed up at an open mic night? (24:03) How old were you then?
Sam Morrison (24:04) I tried it in college, probably 19 or 20. (24:08) I just tried an open mic at, like, a nearby bar, And then I I, like, tried it a couple more times in college. (24:17) I, like, did a couple mics when I was doing, like, a summer in New York City, but then I didn't really start till I graduated, which would have been twenty seventeen.
Scott Benner (24:24) Okay. (24:25) What's the degree you graduated with?
Sam Morrison (24:27) Government and theater.
Scott Benner (24:29) Have you used any I mean, have you used any of the government since then?
Sam Morrison (24:35) Well,
Scott Benner (24:38) no. (24:39) You never got a job with your degree?
Sam Morrison (24:43) No. (24:43) Do you have any other questions?
Scott Benner (24:45) Are your parents really upset about that?
Sam Morrison (24:49) Well, I you know, yes and no. (24:53) It's a constant push and pull. (24:54) I think for a long time, they were very open that they wanted me to go to law school and were trying to push that way. (25:00) But, also, they were very, like, supportive in many ways that I'm grateful for. (25:03) So I think they've sort of had their own journey with it.
Sam Morrison (25:06) But, yeah, you know, eventually, they've they've come around, now they're very supportive. (25:12) Nice.
Scott Benner (25:12) So when you're
Sam Morrison (25:13) Yeah.
Scott Benner (25:14) I don't know again. (25:14) Are your hands moving a lot or something? (25:16) You're touching the mic or something? (25:17) Yep. (25:17) They are.
Scott Benner (25:17) Yeah. (25:17) Yeah. (25:18) So no problem.
Sam Morrison (25:18) Keep calling me out.
Scott Benner (25:19) Oh, I don't worry. (25:20) I I will.
Sam Morrison (25:20) Great.
Scott Benner (25:21) I let it go for a while just so people could enjoy it. (25:23) Like, so would people I I'm so I'm I'm so sorry, Sam. (25:27) But, like, I did it so that the people listening would be like, oh my god. (25:30) Listen. (25:30) He is moving so much now.
Scott Benner (25:32) Yep.
Sam Morrison (25:34) It it really like, we're talking about an authentic experience here.
Scott Benner (25:38) Yeah. (25:38) No. (25:38) It should be.
Sam Morrison (25:39) I want you guys to have the full experience.
Scott Benner (25:40) When you're in college, you're like, well, my major's government because that's what my parents are comfortable with, and they want me to be an attorney. (25:46) And maybe I'll do that, but I really care about this, so this is my minor theater, or did it not occur to you at that time that way?
Sam Morrison (25:53) Like, again, yes and no. (25:55) If I, like, I I also was really interested in it. (25:59) I I didn't know what I wanted to do. (26:00) I, you know, I thought maybe I'd become a a lawyer, and I was sort of interested in, like, human rights and international law and that kind of stuff.
Scott Benner (26:11) Oh, it's interesting. (26:12) But somewhere along the way, you thought no?
Sam Morrison (26:15) Yeah. (26:16) Exactly. (26:16) Somewhere mean, it was really, like, like I mean, when I moved to New York, I was like, alright. (26:19) I'll try I got, like, a, you know, an ad sales assistant job or whatever and was like, I'll just try stand up comedy for, you know, six months, maybe a year, and see what happens. (26:30) Mhmm.
Sam Morrison (26:30) And then pretty quickly, you realize that it's like an actual job. (26:33) You meet actual comedians, and you find out about different ways to make money, and it just sorta snowballs. (26:39) And then I got addicted to open mics, and then I I turned 27, and I was like, oh, I should take a vitamin.
Scott Benner (26:45) Do you while you're doing those open mics, do you have bits that you string together? (26:50) Do you have an act of some sort, or do you just stand up there and like, if you said to me right now, Scott, tell me how to pre bolus, I would tell you. (26:57) And twenty minutes from now, anybody who would heard me said it before would go, that's very reminiscent of when I heard him explain it to me. (27:04) It wouldn't have been exactly the same, but it would be pretty close. (27:07) Do you have, like like, if I said to you right now, like, start doing your act, could you just start?
Scott Benner (27:13) Or how does that you know, is is it that ingrained and practiced, or what were you doing back then, and how is it different now?
Sam Morrison (27:20) In OpenMic is really where you test out material. (27:23) So you're you usually, I go there, and it's not super prepared. (27:26) I'll have an idea. (27:27) I'll have a premise and a punch line, and I'll I'll test it out. (27:30) And if it starts to work, then I'll really, like, dig in.
Sam Morrison (27:33) I'll write it down. (27:33) I'll specify it. (27:34) I'll edit it and keep trying it over and over and over again. (27:38) Like you said, when you see a comedian, they've done this, like, a thousand times before. (27:42) And it's really the repetition process, and it's super specific, and it gets super ingrained in your body by the time, it actually, like, makes it into your act or your special or whatever, your type five or whatever you're doing.
Sam Morrison (27:56) Yeah. (27:56) Did did that answer your question? (27:58) Basically, like, you if told me to start doing my act right now, I
Scott Benner (28:00) I No. (28:00) No. (28:01) Not at all. (28:01) I'm just asking, like like, if if somebody's, like Oh, no.
Sam Morrison (28:04) I yeah. (28:05) Like,
Scott Benner (28:06) gun like, somebody walks in the room now, points a gun at you and says, do your act. (28:09) Would you just be like, hey, everybody, and then just roll right through it? (28:12) Or is it like that Is it that stuck in your head?
Sam Morrison (28:15) Yeah. (28:15) Totally. (28:16) I mean, it's I've done it a million times before. (28:18) And, you know, of course, it depends on the audience and, you know, I gather all my type one diabetes jokes for your podcast and And roll them out. (28:27) You know, if I had time to prepare, I would certainly be better, and I would have a a a more, like, conscious set list.
Sam Morrison (28:33) But if you just said start rolling through them right now,
Scott Benner (28:35) I You'd find it and find a flow to it. (28:37) What's the secret, or what have you found helpful that makes something that has been said a number of times feel natural? (28:44) Like, how do you accomplish that?
Sam Morrison (28:46) Oh, please tell me if you find out. (28:51) I don't know. (28:54) I mean, I I honestly like, I I've been really actually looking recently at, like, performance psychologists.
Scott Benner (29:01) Mhmm.
Sam Morrison (29:02) Because I I struggle with this, and I get in my head, and I'm realizing more than other comedians I get in my head. (29:07) But I think I think, like, if I'm centered before I go on, I really try to meditate before I go on, then I am sort of more able to, like, connect to myself and just have confidence in myself and let let it flow.
Scott Benner (29:23) Yeah. (29:24) Well, that's interesting. (29:25) And so it's a process to even get to that. (29:27) What makes you feel like you struggle with it? (29:29) Like, I mean, obviously, like, listen.
Scott Benner (29:31) You have this show. (29:32) Somebody must have come to you and said, hey. (29:33) We'd like to back the thing you're doing. (29:35) Right? (29:35) I don't imagine they did that because they saw you and thought, this is garbage.
Scott Benner (29:39) If you're having success, you're making a living and people are are noticing that and wanting to work with you. (29:44) What makes you feel like like, where does the uncertainty come from?
Sam Morrison (29:48) It's just that feeling when you're on stage and you're it's not like I'm bombing or it's not like I'm I'm missing punch lines or doing a terrible job. (29:58) Mhmm. (29:58) But it's it's you know, you you can feel it when you're in a flow state and you're connected to yourself.
Scott Benner (30:05) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (30:05) And you can feel it when you're in your head and you're thinking about how you sound and what you're saying.
Scott Benner (30:10) Hey. (30:11) Do you live in a diner in New Jersey by any chance?
Sam Morrison (30:18) I think that's my roommate in the bathroom.
Scott Benner (30:22) Is he busting tables? (30:24) Oh, no. (30:26) It sounds like forks going into a plastic tub to me. (30:30) That's great. (30:31) No.
Scott Benner (30:32) No. (30:32) No. (30:32) I'm I'm just teasing. (30:33) I leave it there. (30:34) I love it.
Scott Benner (30:34) I just don't say anything to them. (30:36) Just let it be. (30:37) Just once in a while, I feel like you're clearing a table and looking for your tip and, in the in the background. (30:43) Okay. (30:44) So Yeah.
Sam Morrison (30:44) I'll I'll I'll yell at the I'll yell at the staff after the show, and I'll I'll let them know.
Scott Benner (30:49) I told you to keep it quiet.
Sam Morrison (30:51) Was on the juice box podcast.
Scott Benner (30:53) Stop it. (30:53) He's gonna be like, the what? (30:55) You'll go, fair enough. (30:57) So where are you living right now?
Sam Morrison (31:01) I'm living in LA. (31:02) I moved here, about a year and a half ago.
Scott Benner (31:05) From?
Sam Morrison (31:06) From New York. (31:06) I was in New York for, like, seven, eight years, and then, I moved to LA. (31:10) Where are you based out of?
Scott Benner (31:11) I'm in New Jersey.
Sam Morrison (31:12) You're wonderful.
Scott Benner (31:13) I'm about an hour outside of Manhattan.
Sam Morrison (31:16) And, god, I would love to be in a diner in New Jersey right now. (31:19) Yeah. (31:19) I would not like to live in one.
Scott Benner (31:20) I I But I would
Sam Morrison (31:21) like to be in one.
Scott Benner (31:22) Yeah. (31:22) I actually, we still have one near here that is an honest to god train car. (31:26) So
Sam Morrison (31:27) Oh, that's so fun.
Scott Benner (31:28) Yeah. (31:28) It really is. (31:29) Although when you're sitting in it, you're like, there's a lot of air moving through the wall. (31:32) Like, are we outside?
Sam Morrison (31:34) Oh. (31:35) Oh. (31:35) Oh. (31:35) Oh, yeah. (31:36) So it's like an old authentic
Scott Benner (31:38) It really is.
Sam Morrison (31:38) Rail thin paper.
Scott Benner (31:40) Yes. (31:41) Like, you feel like you could run through the wall and be outside if you needed to be.
Sam Morrison (31:44) That's that's fun. (31:46) That's fun.
Scott Benner (31:47) What's the difference between the comedy scene in New York and LA? (31:50) Is there a vibe difference? (31:51) Is it, like Yeah. (31:53) I mean, anything? (31:53) Is the camaraderie different?
Scott Benner (31:55) Is there anything about it that that's striking?
Sam Morrison (31:58) My god. (31:59) They're so different. (32:00) I mean, they're as it's different as the cities are themselves. (32:03) You know, New York is sort of it's sort of like an old school, I guess, more like if you think of, like, a comedy club, brick and mortar, comedians in the green room busting each other's balls. (32:14) Like, I feel like that's very New York.
Sam Morrison (32:16) And you also, you can there are more comedy clubs in New York, and you can do more spots in a night just based off of the like, geographically. (32:24) So you can do the comedy seller. (32:25) You do three shows of the comedy seller. (32:27) You can walk around the street. (32:28) You can do Greenwich Village comedy club.
Sam Morrison (32:29) You can do the grizzly pair, and then you can go across town and do New York Comedy Club, and that's all in one night. (32:34) And now, you know, that joke that you did at the open mic, you have five reps on and you have so much data of audience member what they're reacting to that you can really work out a bit. (32:43) Yeah. (32:43) And so it feels like New York is like this this, like, training ground.
Scott Benner (32:48) Almost like a batting cage. (32:50) Right? (32:50) Like, you can go in, take some swings, then come back, see a different pitcher, do it again without having a bunch of gap of time in between.
Sam Morrison (32:57) Yeah. (32:57) Yeah. (32:57) Yeah. (32:58) Yeah. (32:59) It's super similar.
Scott Benner (33:00) I cut you off. (33:00) LA is?
Sam Morrison (33:01) LA is just more spread out. (33:03) And so, usually, you're doing one usually, it's just one show a night. (33:07) There's less shows. (33:08) Mhmm. (33:09) And, of course, like, writing and acting and filming is the priority here.
Sam Morrison (33:13) And so a lot of people are focusing on that, And there's a lot more casting directors at shows. (33:20) There's a lot more industry here at shows. (33:22) And so it's just it's just a totally different feel. (33:24) You know, for for better or for worse, people are are also hanging out at the shows in LA more because they're not running around the corner to do another spot. (33:32) Right.
Sam Morrison (33:32) It's it is more, I think, a more relaxed vibe, and the scene just has a slightly different feel. (33:38) It's it's yeah. (33:39) It's a it's a totally different vibe. (33:41) I don't know if I explained that the
Scott Benner (33:42) best. (33:43) Doing you're doing great. (33:44) And I have, I have a question about the the comedy goers and the comedians. (33:48) So place to place, are comedians different coast to coast? (33:53) Like, are their goals different?
Scott Benner (33:54) Is it more like again, mind, knowing nothing about this, I would think, like, New York is more like Dave Attell and LA is more like Chris Hardwick. (34:06) Like, that kind of vibe, or is it not the case? (34:09) Are there people with different sensibilities on either coast? (34:12) And if so, are they changing their act to meet the audience, or are they going with what I would probably think of as, like, the Howard Stern, like, idea when he started, you know, spreading his show across the country? (34:27) Because he I don't you're not old enough for this.
Scott Benner (34:30) But when Howard Stern, he was in New York and then they put him in Philly and then they put him in Boston and they kept simulcasting the other markets. (34:37) Yeah. (34:38) And people would come to him and say, well, you're gonna have to change your act because that won't play here in Wisconsin. (34:44) And he said, bull people are people, and he kept doing what he was doing. (34:48) Like, do you find that that's true, or do you have or can you not tell the same joke to New York that you can tell to LA vice versa?
Sam Morrison (34:55) Yeah. (34:56) Audience wise Mhmm. (34:57) Totally different. (34:58) I mean, New York and LA actually are somewhat similar just because they're such large metropolises. (35:04) Why am I saying words I've never said before
Scott Benner (35:06) this whole a couple more you don't know. (35:08) Go ahead.
Sam Morrison (35:09) Yeah. (35:09) So I was I was feeling so sardonic while I was touring last year. (35:15) No idea. (35:16) Yeah. (35:16) The audiences are so wildly different.
Sam Morrison (35:18) And based off geography, based off venue, I mean, the Edinburgh Festival, you're getting tourists from all over the world. (35:26) Sometimes they don't speak English, so then you have to change your act.
Scott Benner (35:29) You do. (35:30) So that's the question. (35:31) It's like, you give them a different joke. (35:33) Like because I know I know me. (35:35) I'd be like, screw you.
Scott Benner (35:37) This is the joke. (35:37) Like it or don't like it. (35:38) But I maybe I wouldn't make it very long doing it that way. (35:42) Like like Yeah.
Sam Morrison (35:43) You do that to, like, work on your like, sometimes I'll do that if it's you know, it depends on the gig. (35:48) It's really you gotta how much do you care about doing well at this gig and how much do you care about developing the hour that you're you're currently working on? (35:55) So sometimes I'm like, yeah. (35:56) This is the joke that I wrote last night that I'm really excited about, and I have a thing I'm taping on Friday. (36:01) I I need to try this joke even though I know it's gonna bomb in Wichita.
Scott Benner (36:06) Yeah. (36:06) Give it a shot. (36:07) How would you describe your comedy? (36:08) Like, if you were handed out leaflets in New York and you wanted me to come in and listen, like, how would you say, like, oh, Sam's here. (36:14) Like, here's what you're getting from him.
Scott Benner (36:19) Is this terrible? (36:21) Every time I do a speaking engagement, somebody's like, can you write a bio for yourself? (36:24) And I go, no. (36:26) I don't understand who I am at all.
Sam Morrison (36:27) Why am I so bad at this? (36:29) Yeah. (36:29) It's really my job is to sell myself. (36:31) It's so embarrassing that you're like, how would you describe yourself? (36:35) And I'm like,
Scott Benner (36:35) I don't know. (36:36) I'm 31. (36:37) I'm gay. (36:37) I'm diabetic. (36:39) You figure it out.
Sam Morrison (36:40) Leave me alone. (36:41) Like, it's it's yeah. (36:42) I'd say in the comedy clubs, it's like, high powered, like, or high powered. (36:49) Like, high energy, really, really sort of, like I I try to, like, write as tightly as I can and get as many punch lines as I can.
Scott Benner (36:57) Okay.
Sam Morrison (36:58) And it's, you know, it's it's, storytelling, and it's sort of, or sorry. (37:06) The the solo show is obviously more storytelling.
Scott Benner (37:08) Right.
Sam Morrison (37:09) And this probably would have become, you know, most known for. (37:13) But in my act, it's, honestly, it can be very gay. (37:18) It can be very, like, sort of irreverent, even, intellectual sometimes. (37:22) Don't know if I'm selling it well.
Scott Benner (37:23) No. (37:24) That's very awesome. (37:24) Let me act like your mom for a second.
Sam Morrison (37:26) I'm, like, pretty
Scott Benner (37:27) Sam, sit nerdy Sam,
Sam Morrison (37:28) past couple years.
Scott Benner (37:29) Sam, sit still. (37:30) Put your hands on your lap. (37:32) Okay. (37:32) Yes. (37:33) Yes, papa.
Scott Benner (37:34) Yeah. (37:34) So but so wait a minute. (37:36) So very gay, very thoughtful. (37:41) You're crossing a line. (37:42) Is that what you're saying?
Sam Morrison (37:43) Said thoughtful.
Scott Benner (37:43) Well, I mean, use the different word.
Sam Morrison (37:45) Thoughtful. (37:45) It is reckless. (37:47) It is reckless, and it is queer.
Scott Benner (37:50) Okay. (37:50) Fair enough. (37:51) Reckless and queer. (37:52) Let I mean, I'd put that right on the poster. (37:54) I don't know why your poster says anything but that, to be perfectly honest with you.
Sam Morrison (37:58) It doesn't. (37:58) It says reckless and queer. (38:00) It's me posing sexy with my glucose monitor.
Scott Benner (38:04) And do you find that there are a lot of type ones in the audience, or do you just find that the the messaging about, like, I have an invisible illness, like, resonates with people?
Sam Morrison (38:15) Now there are. (38:17) Type one diabetics have shown up.
Scott Benner (38:20) Nice.
Sam Morrison (38:20) It's awesome. (38:22) It's unbelievable, actually. (38:24) I mean, like, I never I was just, a comedian, and then this happened to me Mhmm. (38:28) In the and at 27. (38:31) So, of course, I talked about it.
Sam Morrison (38:32) I mean, it's such a funny disease. (38:34) Like, it's life threatening, but it's managed with candy. (38:37) It's like there's all these, like, contradictions of what this is, and you're just, like, constantly almost dying, and I'm, like, learning how to do all this stuff. (38:44) And, like, I also just, you know, I like to complain. (38:48) You know?
Sam Morrison (38:48) It's
Scott Benner (38:48) so cool.
Sam Morrison (38:49) I have a microphone. (38:50) Same. (38:51) And now I
Scott Benner (38:51) have My favorite thing. (38:52) That right?
Sam Morrison (38:53) Oh, my That's favorite probably why we do this.
Scott Benner (38:56) I'm not Jewish, but I could be. (38:59) And, I just I love
Sam Morrison (39:00) I'm so sorry to hear
Scott Benner (39:01) that. (39:01) I love to complain. (39:02) It's my maybe my favorite thing to do. (39:05) So
Sam Morrison (39:06) Yeah. (39:06) Right? (39:07) And, like, this is something that's hard to complain about because it's so much context and, like, you have to explain what diabetes is, and no one understands the difference between type one and type two, and no one has any idea, like, what you actually go through. (39:18) And then you go on stage, and you can, like, explain it all. (39:21) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (39:21) And, like, actually, people are,
Scott Benner (39:23) like Contextualizing.
Sam Morrison (39:24) Interested. (39:25) Yeah. (39:25) Yeah. (39:25) And you know? (39:26) And then, you know, I
Scott Benner (39:28) I'm sorry. (39:28) You just made such a great point. (39:30) Right? (39:30) You're busy telling people, like, you don't understand insulin. (39:33) Too much of this, and I'm gonna die.
Scott Benner (39:34) Too little of this, and I'm gonna die. (39:35) Like, this is, you know Right. (39:37) Life or death. (39:38) By the way, I'm in trouble right now. (39:39) Can do you have a Mike and Ike in your pocket?
Scott Benner (39:42) And, like Right. (39:43) Wait. (39:43) What? (39:44) Like right? (39:45) Like, what what a silly answer to such a serious statement.
Scott Benner (39:48) Like, I'm gonna pass out and die. (39:49) Is there any chance you have sweethearts? (39:51) Like, what? (39:52) It's Yeah. (39:53) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (39:53) It's so
Scott Benner (39:54) It does seem
Sam Morrison (39:55) silly. (39:55) You think
Scott Benner (39:56) of it like that.
Sam Morrison (39:57) It's so embarrassing. (39:57) I'm like, I'm gonna die. (39:59) Oh, thank god I have these Sour Patch Kids. (40:02) Like, is yeah.
Scott Benner (40:04) It's my stupid while you're doing it. (40:06) You feel stupid. (40:07) Right? (40:07) Ridiculous disease. (40:08) Yeah.
Scott Benner (40:08) Yeah. (40:08) It's a ridiculous
Sam Morrison (40:09) It's just like a Willy Wonka esque disease.
Scott Benner (40:13) Oh, here's a piece of chocolate. (40:15) No. (40:15) Chocolate won't work quickly enough. (40:17) I really do need Well, I never thought of it that way.
Sam Morrison (40:20) Protein content. (40:22) Yeah. (40:22) It muddies it. (40:23) And, like, you can't explain all this. (40:25) I mean, as much as you can and, like, you should, of course.
Sam Morrison (40:29) You know? (40:29) And I try as much as possible to, like, explain, you know, when I go to get low blood sugar. (40:34) But we've all been in meetings and been like, oh, no. (40:36) I'm 50 and running out of the room coming back with, like, chalky glucose tablets coming out of our mouths. (40:43) We're shaking.
Sam Morrison (40:44) Just like, keep going. (40:45) I'm fine. (40:45) Like, you just can't. (40:47) Sometimes you I don't know. (40:48) Maybe you shouldn't listen to me, and you shouldn't do that.
Sam Morrison (40:49) But, like, sometimes in life, I you know, you just don't have the ability to explain.
Scott Benner (40:53) I take your point. (40:54) I really do. (40:55) Especially, because I've seen my daughter try to, like, all of her common sense in the world when her a her when her blood sugar is eighty, ninety, a 120 would tell her, look. (41:03) If I'm 50 and I'm getting woozy here, I would not push through this. (41:06) I have to do something.
Scott Benner (41:07) But you put yourself in a in a setting, and then all of a sudden, your decision making skills aren't quite as good. (41:13) And you, yeah, heard people talk about it all the time. (41:15) You're like, no. (41:15) I can make it through this. (41:17) Even though as they're saying it later, they go, I realize I'm not actually in control of pushing through a 50 blood sugar.
Scott Benner (41:22) But it feels like in the moment, no. (41:24) I can do this, which is, you know, again, also ridiculous. (41:28) The whole you're Sam, you're right. (41:30) The whole thing is silly from a certain perspective.
Sam Morrison (41:34) I mean, at least that's yeah. (41:36) That's how is it? (41:37) But that that that is such a good point. (41:38) And, also, I've I kind of forgot I'm on a diabetes podcast. (41:42) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (41:42) You you shouldn't push through
Scott Benner (41:43) a 50 No. (41:44) No. (41:45) No. (41:45) You don't listen. (41:46) No.
Scott Benner (41:46) Sam, listen. (41:47) I think it's fairly obvious.
Sam Morrison (41:49) I know you put a disclaimer at the beginning. (41:51) But of all the episodes, this is not to be taken. (41:53) That's medical advice.
Scott Benner (41:54) No. (41:54) I think twenty minutes ago, people realized they're not listening to you about anything, but that's not really the point. (41:58) That's not why you're in their life. (42:01) You're there to make them to make them laugh and make them smile. (42:04) Can we be halfway serious for a second?
Scott Benner (42:07) No. (42:07) Of course. (42:08) What's it like dating and having diabetes? (42:11) I mean, do you decide like, is it first date? (42:15) Is it third date?
Scott Benner (42:16) Is it I like this person? (42:17) I'm gonna tell them. (42:18) Is like, when do you let them in and give them some background about what's happening to you?
Sam Morrison (42:24) Well, I mean, I'm lucky that I talk about it on stage. (42:27) And what I was actually gonna say is when the diabetics come is that when I started posting online, people were, like, so enthusiastic about it. (42:35) And then, like, you know, I just had a couple viral videos, and people started showing up like crazy. (42:41) But, unfortunately, like, yeah, if you look at my Instagram, usually, I have some video where I'm, like, making a joke about my glucose monitor. (42:50) So that part for me is you know?
Scott Benner (42:53) Oh, they kinda come preeducated that way.
Sam Morrison (42:56) They kinda come preeducated. (42:57) Yeah. (42:57) I mean, I come into the date, I'm like, girl, you know if you don't, then you need to You'll figure it out pretty quick.
Scott Benner (43:04) Yeah. (43:05) Yeah. (43:05) Also, I didn't realize you were fishing in the pond where you were working, but that makes sense too. (43:09) Right? (43:10) I mean, some
Sam Morrison (43:11) Am I doing something?
Scott Benner (43:12) No. (43:12) Like, some guys show up, and they're they think, I think Sam's funny. (43:15) I think Sam's cute. (43:16) I'm gonna take a shot at Sam later. (43:18) Right?
Scott Benner (43:18) Like, that happens too.
Sam Morrison (43:19) Oh, I hope so. (43:20) Yeah. (43:20) Oh, I mean, like
Scott Benner (43:21) That's the only reason you're doing this is what I'm saying.
Sam Morrison (43:24) Yeah. (43:24) That's what was gonna say. (43:24) I mean, that's the real reason you post online. (43:26) It's just you have the
Scott Benner (43:27) Thursday I'm not a comedian. (43:29) I just set up my own Tinder. (43:30) That's all.
Sam Morrison (43:35) Yeah. (43:35) I actually thought you were when you said the fishing comment, I thought you
Scott Benner (43:38) What did you think I meant? (43:41) You were making
Sam Morrison (43:42) I thought I was, like, playing with the the mic cord again.
Scott Benner (43:44) Oh, no. (43:45) You're definitely playing with the mic cord, but I've given up on that, Sam. (43:47) What I was saying was is that you're using the audience as a dating pool is what I
Sam Morrison (43:52) was saying. (43:52) I think I think I need to, like I think it's, like, slapping against the table when I'm just, like,
Scott Benner (43:57) Wait. (43:58) What's slapping against the table, Sam? (44:01) Scott. (44:01) See, I can be funny.
Sam Morrison (44:03) Scott. (44:04) Scott. (44:05) Scott, leave it for the DMs, please. (44:08) No. (44:09) The mic the mic cord, I think, is
Scott Benner (44:11) Oh, it's hitting the table when you're moving. (44:12) Yeah. (44:13) Yeah. (44:13) I think
Sam Morrison (44:13) it might be just hitting the table a little bit.
Scott Benner (44:15) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (44:15) Because I am, against all of my natural impulses, sitting still.
Scott Benner (44:19) Yeah. (44:19) No. (44:19) It is incredibly noisy, just so you know. (44:21) Although the silverware stopped, I assume you texted him.
Sam Morrison (44:24) I didn't. (44:25) I'm sure they just figured it out. (44:26) But, yeah, sorry. (44:27) I'll I'll I'll try to I'll try to fix this.
Scott Benner (44:29) You apologizing is not necessary. (44:31) I think this all like, I've never had a more on brand conversation than the one I'm having right now with you. (44:36) I think this is perfect. (44:37) Don't worry
Sam Morrison (44:38) about so much.
Scott Benner (44:39) Yeah. (44:39) No. (44:39) Of course. (44:39) How does someone approach you to put a show on in London? (44:43) Like, that's fascinating to me.
Sam Morrison (44:45) Yeah. (44:45) I mean, was a long journey. (44:47) From Edinburgh, I did the show at the New York Comedy Festival. (44:52) And then from there, an Off Broadway theater picked it up. (44:55) And it ran off Broadway for a little while, and, you know, it got good reviews.
Sam Morrison (44:59) And then a commercial producer picked it up, and we toured it a little bit. (45:03) And now we're going to London.
Scott Benner (45:04) That's awesome.
Sam Morrison (45:05) It's really yeah. (45:06) I mean, theater is a totally different world than stand up and one that, honestly, I do not understand.
Scott Benner (45:12) Right.
Sam Morrison (45:13) And not certainly not as well as as stand up. (45:15) But it's, it it yeah. (45:17) You you work with a commercial producer, and they raise money. (45:21) And it's it's, it's a whole machine.
Scott Benner (45:23) Yeah. (45:24) How long does it run for again? (45:25) Tell me when it starts and how long it runs.
Sam Morrison (45:27) March 5 through April 4.
Scott Benner (45:30) Okay. (45:31) And and the theater name?
Sam Morrison (45:32) Underbelly Boulevard in London. (45:35) It's called Sugar Daddy. (45:37) Yeah. (45:37) I I think those are the the basic details.
Scott Benner (45:39) I'm gonna have to ask Arden's best friend went to college in London. (45:43) She just got she just graduated and came back. (45:45) I'll have to ask her if she knows it. (45:47) Because, she went out I'm gonna, every Wednesday night, for something they called wavy Wednesday. (45:53) I don't think that that, is a thing their parents would have been happy about.
Scott Benner (45:56) But she was out in London all the time. (45:58) So I'll have to ask her if she knows the theater. (46:01) This this is very cool. (46:02) Like, let me kinda, like, pivot a little harder into the diabetes for a second. (46:06) So when you're diagnosed at 27, you're not really Mhmm.
Scott Benner (46:09) You know, paying great attention to your health, but you suddenly start. (46:13) So I guess first, what were the signs that you had type one, and what were the Mhmm. (46:18) The first couple weeks like, and where did you make a decision to, like, go, oh, wow. (46:23) This is pretty serious.
Sam Morrison (46:24) Signs were, you know, the same ones that, seems like everyone has. (46:28) I was peeing all the time, and I had this weird medley taste in my mouth, and I was just exhausted all the time. (46:33) And I'm I honestly my primary probably saved my life. (46:37) I told her that I was peeing a lot, and I don't think that you know, I didn't make a big deal out of it. (46:43) I just told her I was peeing a lot.
Sam Morrison (46:45) And and, know, it goes in these waves, which is really kind of you know, it would it would get get better because my blood sugar, for some reason, I think because I was in honeymoon, would, like, stabilize. (46:55) Then it would get worse, and I'd be like, it's better right now, but I was peeing a lot, like, a month ago. (47:00) And she was like, you don't have it? (47:02) You know? (47:03) Likely not.
Sam Morrison (47:04) There's a not a lot of, symptoms that point to it, but I'm gonna test for type one diabetes. (47:10) And then I got a call that night from the lab technician, and they actually said you might have some diabetes. (47:18) Oh, just a little. (47:19) I love I love that so much.
Scott Benner (47:22) That would agree.
Sam Morrison (47:23) They said your blood sugar is 600. (47:25) You might have some diabetes. (47:27) And, of course, I had no reference for what 600 is, so I was like, alright. (47:31) It's not so bad. (47:32) It's just six I don't know why I turned it to Trump.
Sam Morrison (47:35) I don't know. (47:35) It's not so bad. (47:36) It's just 600.
Scott Benner (47:37) Everyone agrees.
Sam Morrison (47:38) Just a little. (47:39) Yeah. (47:41) Just a little diet. (47:42) Yeah. (47:43) So I
Scott Benner (47:43) Just a little diet beads.
Sam Morrison (47:44) That big of a
Scott Benner (47:45) deal. (47:45) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (47:45) They said you have some. (47:46) They said you have some.
Scott Benner (47:47) Yeah. (47:48) I've got plenty of space where I don't have any apparently. (47:50) That's that's that's fantastic.
Sam Morrison (47:53) Congrats.
Scott Benner (47:53) What did they do? (47:54) Just your doctor just ran an a one c or a or literally just or just a blood glucose? (48:00) Do you remember?
Sam Morrison (48:00) Yeah. (48:00) Think it was just a blood glucose.
Scott Benner (48:02) Wow. (48:02) Well, 600 definitely is some. (48:04) That's some.
Sam Morrison (48:05) Yeah. (48:06) That is
Scott Benner (48:06) some. (48:06) And then what do you do? (48:07) You call the doctor? (48:08) The doctor sees the labs and goes, oh, hell. (48:10) Go to the hospital, or where where does it go from there when you're an adult?
Sam Morrison (48:13) Yeah. (48:14) I actually went back into my primary, I believe, the next day, if I'm remembering everything correctly. (48:20) I'm also trying to remember it correctly because I told this story on a different podcast, and now I'm like, oh, no. (48:26) People are going to be comparing the ER stories and be like, he was lying.
Scott Benner (48:30) I don't if that happens, Sam, you're way more famous than I thought you are. (48:34) So go ahead. (48:35) Like I
Sam Morrison (48:36) don't think so. (48:37) No. (48:38) Just just the, anxious Judaism coming up. (48:41) Yeah. (48:41) So the I think I went to my primary, and she then was like, you need to go to the ER.
Sam Morrison (48:46) Okay. (48:46) And then I went to the ER, and they, you know, did all the things at the ER, which is mostly just keep you hanging around and make sure you don't pass out. (48:54) And then eventually, a nurse comes in, and it's like, here's how you inject yourself with insulin. (48:58) And you're like, what the heck did you just say to me?
Scott Benner (49:01) Why is that happening? (49:03) Oh my gosh. (49:04) And then does does it all like, even at that age, do you call your parents, or where do you go for your support in the moment?
Sam Morrison (49:10) Unfortunately, my mom was in New York City and accompanied me to the emergency room.
Scott Benner (49:16) Oh, Sam. (49:17) That's the most Jewish thing you're gonna say today. (49:19) That's lovely.
Sam Morrison (49:20) It's truly oh my god. (49:22) No. (49:23) I mean, I'm so lucky. (49:24) My mom's my mom's catching a lot of strays here. (49:26) Not my intention.
Scott Benner (49:28) Speaking of catching strays, let's go back to your dating. (49:31) But that was
Sam Morrison (49:32) a stressful day.
Scott Benner (49:33) Oh, so you you're at the doctor's office. (49:35) You're like, hey, mom. (49:36) Listen. (49:37) Here's the situation I'm in. (49:38) Like, come with me.
Scott Benner (49:39) Or did she invite herself?
Sam Morrison (49:41) Yeah. (49:42) Certainly not come with
Scott Benner (49:43) me. (49:43) Oh.
Sam Morrison (49:43) Certainly, here's what's going on, and then she just magically poof appeared out of nowhere.
Scott Benner (49:49) Well, listen. (49:50) It's nice when people love you, isn't it?
Sam Morrison (49:52) Yeah. (49:52) No. (49:53) I
Scott Benner (49:53) mean Yeah. (49:53) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (49:54) Every every time I get a call at 3AM I think especially getting diagnosed older, you realize how lucky you are to have people calling you at 3AM as annoying. (50:02) I think if I if I was 14 dealing with this, I probably my mom and I wouldn't have a relationship. (50:08) But, you know, just feel like the angsty teenager, I just can't imagine your mom constantly monitoring your blood sugar. (50:17) It's gotta be such a difficult dynamic.
Scott Benner (50:18) Yeah. (50:19) No. (50:19) I I believe it absolutely is for a lot of people. (50:21) And then you're saying, but luckily, at an older at an older age, you can you can appreciate the value and somebody will have in your back and and willing to help you out, especially at times when they they'd rather be sleeping as well.
Sam Morrison (50:34) Absolutely. (50:35) Yeah. (50:35) Absolutely. (50:36) Well,
Scott Benner (50:36) okay. (50:37) So you get your diagnosis. (50:38) Do they give you CGMs? (50:40) Do they give you pumps? (50:41) Like, what's the context you begin your journey with?
Sam Morrison (50:45) It's so interesting. (50:46) You know, last night, my dear friend just got out of the hospital, and she was diagnosed with MS.
Scott Benner (50:55) Oh
Sam Morrison (50:55) gosh. (50:57) And she was, like, in her home for the first time. (51:00) And she's, like, the most resilient, funny person. (51:03) She's a comedian. (51:04) Kylie Mincin, check her out if you can.
Sam Morrison (51:06) It reminded me so much, not to, like of course, you cannot compare these diseases. (51:11) But it reminded me so much of when I first got diagnosed and you're sent home from the She just has, a packet. (51:18) Mhmm. (51:18) Like, a printed out packet that they send home with, like, a WebMD definition of MS. (51:24) And, like, that's what
Scott Benner (51:25) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (51:26) They give you when you leave the the emergency room with type one diabetes.
Scott Benner (51:30) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (51:30) And I didn't have a, I didn't get to see a specialist. (51:33) I I don't remember for how long. (51:35) It felt like months. (51:37) And in that time in between was, like, the most difficult. (51:40) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (51:41) And that's the time where I'm talking about, like, listening and looking for resources online and, like, I just, like, was so again, I'm using words I don't usually use, flabbergasted Mhmm. (51:51) That there wasn't more support, and that you just I I was just like, this is unreal. (51:56) I'm just, like, guessing how much insulin to give myself. (51:59) I'm injecting. (51:59) I have no idea if anything working.
Sam Morrison (52:01) I, like suddenly, I was, like, scared to eat carbs in general. (52:05) It
Scott Benner (52:05) was Yeah.
Sam Morrison (52:06) Yeah. (52:06) It's just such a scary and, like, confusing, disorienting time where you're just like one thing Kylie said, you know, last night, she it was actually really funny. (52:16) She, like, she gets a limp now, and so she has to, like, do everything different. (52:21) And she, at one point, just goes, everything feels like a trap, which was funny in the moment even though it might not sound like it. (52:29) And I remember that I was like, that's what it feels like to get diagnosed with type one diabetes with absolutely no guidance, and you're just sent home from the hospital with, like, an insulin pen, needles, and a packet.
Scott Benner (52:42) How am I supposed to sleep, eat? (52:44) Like, everything feels like a trap. (52:46) Like, everything that you start to do, you don't know how to approach it any longer. (52:51) Is that the idea? (52:51) Yeah.
Scott Benner (52:52) Yeah. (52:53) Wow.
Sam Morrison (52:53) So And also just, like, the lack of of guidance on on you you just have to learn everything new again. (53:00) Right. (53:00) You have to learn how to do everything. (53:01) Take your dog out. (53:03) Go you know, it's it's all different.
Scott Benner (53:05) Yeah. (53:05) And the second time you read through the so you have MS packet, you realize there's nothing helpful in here at all. (53:11) No. (53:12) Right.
Sam Morrison (53:13) So you have MS is Comma.
Scott Benner (53:15) You have MS. (53:16) Yeah. (53:16) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (53:16) Yeah. (53:16) The sequel to so you think you can dance? (53:18) Yeah.
Scott Benner (53:20) Those people definitely can't dance. (53:22) But I, no. (53:23) I just I I feel that a lot because I think, honestly, I think that the dynamic of how the world actually works versus how it feels like it should work has a light shown on it after people are diagnosed with stuff like this. (53:36) Because how is there not a person, an entity thing that happens next? (53:42) Like, how how would I find myself listening to a podcast to try to help myself?
Scott Benner (53:46) That seems insane.
Sam Morrison (53:48) It is insane.
Scott Benner (53:49) Really does. (53:50) Like, if you're trying to, you know, build a doorframe and you end up on YouTube, cool. (53:54) But, like, you shouldn't be there learning how to put your insulin pump on. (53:58) I know that that's how the world works now and we've all kind of accepted it, but that really is nuts. (54:03) It's nuts that a a person in a position of a, you know, authority in a medical facility called you and said, hey.
Scott Benner (54:10) It seems like you have some diabetes. (54:12) Like, how do you have a job? (54:15) Right? (54:15) Like, that that stuff is is really I find it off putting, honestly. (54:20) For me, there's no more of an adult moment than around a number of different things.
Scott Benner (54:24) This, politics, anything really, anything that, you know, is kind of bigger that you didn't understand when you were younger. (54:31) Anything that you look up one day and think to yourself, like, how are we all alive? (54:35) Is this all just held together with, like, duct tape and bailing wire? (54:40) Like, are we just lucky the Earth's not spinning off its axis right now? (54:44) Like, that's how it ends up making me feel.
Scott Benner (54:46) It's just like I think It
Sam Morrison (54:48) really is.
Scott Benner (54:49) Society is existing by mistake is what it feels like. (54:52) Is that
Sam Morrison (54:52) That's such a yeah. (54:53) That's such a good way to put it. (54:54) It does feel like it feels like we just, like, tripped and, like, got lucky that there's, like, some semblance of a health care system. (55:01) It just doesn't feel, like, intentional at all. (55:03) It feels all disconnected from each other.
Sam Morrison (55:05) It feels like we're so many people are one major health crisis away from having no money and no support, and it's just such a fickle system that's held up by, like, GoFundMe's.
Scott Benner (55:21) Same feeling I have when, like I listen. (55:23) As much as I understand this would fit in the thimble, but the Earth is only staying at the right temperature because we're a certain distance from the sun. (55:30) Right? (55:31) And they say, like, if it if it was just a little farther apart, then the Earth would just be like a frozen ball. (55:36) It wouldn't even work.
Scott Benner (55:37) Right? (55:37) I feel like that about society. (55:39) Like, are we just, like, like, one bumped thing away from zombies and fire and it all just is over? (55:47) Do I think that's gonna happen? (55:48) I kinda don't because, obviously, society's been around for, you know, a good long time and it seems to work.
Scott Benner (55:53) But what is that unseen mechanism that keeps this thing that's on, like, a razor's edge from tipping one way or the other? (56:02) Like, it just doesn't feel like it feels weird that it balanced and it works. (56:06) And then when you get into smaller situations, like, you know, your doctor's office calls you and says something completely out of pocket that just they should not say, It really is like, I don't know. (56:19) It's it's off putting to me. (56:20) Also, I used out of pocket as a send up to the girl who went to school in London.
Scott Benner (56:24) That's only for her. (56:25) She would only know that if she was listening. (56:27) So I am now doing humor for just one of the tens of thousands of people who are listening right now. (56:33) I mean, I don't wanna be, like, overly dramatic, but, like, it just feels like we're lucky the whole thing is standing half the time. (56:41) And your story makes me feel that way.
Sam Morrison (56:44) It it yeah.
Scott Benner (56:45) Yeah. (56:45) I'm sorry. (56:46) That kinda Consolidate myself. (56:47) Yeah. (56:48) I should have asked you more about gay sex or something.
Scott Benner (56:49) That would have been more fun. (56:50) But
Sam Morrison (56:51) Finally. (56:51) I mean, I've been thinking it the whole time.
Scott Benner (56:54) Sam's like
Sam Morrison (56:54) Why isn't he asking me more about gay sex? (56:57) So here's how two men have sex. (56:58) Everyone go ahead and sit down if you're listening. (57:01) The one of the men.
Scott Benner (57:03) Hope hopefully, the cuter one. (57:04) Now listen. (57:06) No. (57:06) But but how does that hit you? (57:08) Like, how does it isn't it just so strange that if you just fall on the other side of that razor, like, maybe you don't get the the information you need?
Scott Benner (57:18) Like, you could be in a completely different place today.
Sam Morrison (57:20) So, I mean, it makes you think about these big questions, I think, that we're we're thinking about or at least it does to me. (57:27) I mean, you know, I think when you face death and you realize how fickle everything is and and it all sounds just like when you were talking, was like, oh, yeah. (57:36) It's just because it's like, this is evolution. (57:38) Like, in its both basic form, I think it's just like natural selection. (57:42) And, like, that's the reason it's it's all moving forward.
Sam Morrison (57:44) It's just because, like, it's just like that's what we're wired to do. (57:47) We're wired to, like, survive, and that's kinda it. (57:50) And then we're trying to put these, like, health care systems on top to make it make sense. (57:55) And, you know, obviously, some countries have figured out health care system better than others, but it, it does feel like yeah. (58:05) I don't know what I'm saying.
Sam Morrison (58:06) But, basically, I don't know. (58:07) When you face death and when you have these things, you realize I mean, like, if I if my doctor didn't catch it there, I could have ended up in in DKA and, you know, not here today or or any of these things.
Scott Benner (58:19) Sam, it surprises me as you're saying that when I'm trying to go through my memory that I don't know how many people have accurately talked about their diagnosis as a moment right before I was going to die. (58:29) And that's a completely accurate description of it, and no one seems to think of it that way or at least articulate it that way when I'm talking to them. (58:37) Like, you I think you might be the first person who said that. (58:40) Like, I was close to death and blah blah blah. (58:44) Like, I Well, that's the whole disease, though.
Scott Benner (58:47) Yeah. (58:48) I mean, the whole time
Sam Morrison (58:48) The whole disease is, like, almost dying constantly. (58:52) Constantly.
Scott Benner (58:52) Yes. (58:53) Yes. (58:53) Yeah. (58:53) Right. (58:53) Right.
Scott Benner (58:54) It does feel like you're driving without your seat belt on on the Autobahn with one hand on the wheel and your head out the window. (58:59) And you're like, I wonder if something's gonna like, if the sign's gonna clip me in the face. (59:02) Totally do.
Sam Morrison (59:03) And then, like, the only way to fix it is, like, eating gummies. (59:06) And you're like, what? (59:08) No. (59:09) I I I it's so funny when you have that, like, low blood sugar, and I know some people experience it differently. (59:14) But, like, mine, I'm like, oh my god.
Sam Morrison (59:17) Like, I not only do I need to eat the kitchen, I'm like, I gotta I gotta I gotta get up, and I gotta, like it's, like, so intense.
Scott Benner (59:25) Right.
Sam Morrison (59:26) And it just it just feels it really feels like an emergency. (59:30) It really feels like the house is on fire. (59:32) Yeah. (59:33) Yeah. (59:34) And it's just so funny that, like, orange juice is the it's just such a, like no.
Sam Morrison (59:38) You don't do any of the things that you feel like you should do. (59:41) You just eat drink orange juice and sit down and shut up. (59:46) And you're like, this can't be right.
Scott Benner (59:48) It's funny because there are times when I've seen, like, a parent describe it as, like, a cookie saved my kid's life today. (59:55) And there's times when I've seen it told, you know, in a story where I'm like, wow. (59:59) That is accurate. (59:59) And there's times when I think people have done it to be hyperbolic, but still one way or the other. (1:00:04) It is actually true.
Scott Benner (1:00:05) Like, what an odd thing to think that a gummy bear is what saved your life. (1:00:09) But you're really spot is is this gonna be in the show? (1:00:12) Is this kind of biting, commentary gonna be in the show that I come to in London? (1:00:16) By the I've never been to London. (1:00:19) So I won't be coming is what I was saying.
Scott Benner (1:00:21) But
Sam Morrison (1:00:23) There is some there is some, I have a story about my diagnosis. (1:00:27) I, you know, I have quite a bit of material about type one diabetes, you know, a story of of one low blood sugar where I was, like, attacked by steagles.
Scott Benner (1:00:36) What'd you just say? (1:00:37) Steagles? (1:00:39) Seagulls. (1:00:39) Seagulls. (1:00:40) Oh, I thought thank god because steagulls is what?
Scott Benner (1:00:43) Oh my god, Sam. (1:00:44) This is apropos of nothing. (1:00:45) But, during one of the strikes early on in the NFL, I believe the Eagles and the Steelers came together and played as one team for a while, and I believe they called them the Seagulls. (1:00:54) I'm not sure. (1:00:55) Which is, I thought, like, what an odd reference, but you I just misheard you.
Scott Benner (1:00:59) Sorry.
Sam Morrison (1:01:00) Yeah. (1:01:01) No. (1:01:01) I went low blood sugar because I was attacked by a combination of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers. (1:01:06) And that was running from them,
Scott Benner (1:01:09) and I just burned up all my sugar. (1:01:11) So I think that hey. (1:01:13) It's believable. (1:01:14) Sam, listen. (1:01:15) And it would make
Sam Morrison (1:01:15) a great solo show.
Scott Benner (1:01:16) I just wanna say, and I mean this with a lot of love, I believe if the Steelers and the Eagles were chasing you, you would not run away. (1:01:22) What do you think of that?
Sam Morrison (1:01:23) If the Philodope well, it depends. (1:01:25) Is it Jason Kelsey? (1:01:26) No. (1:01:27) I'm I'm sitting down and you just do whatever you need to do. (1:01:30) You know?
Sam Morrison (1:01:31) Is he catnip? (1:01:33) Oh, catnip? (1:01:34) Scott.
Scott Benner (1:01:36) I don't know.
Sam Morrison (1:01:37) Oh, I haven't sorry. (1:01:38) I haven't heard catnip. (1:01:39) It sounds like such like a forties queer way to talk. (1:01:42) Thank I absolutely love catnip. (1:01:44) I think of, like, an old queen in a bar, like, oh, look at that catnip.
Sam Morrison (1:01:48) I need
Scott Benner (1:01:49) more people to describe me as an old queen in a bar. (1:01:52) That hasn't happened yet, but I'm hoping for that. (1:01:55) I try to explain to my daughter sometimes, and she's like she'll say, like, this guy's attractive, and I go, I will I believe you, but I don't know that to be true. (1:02:04) And I can't substantiate it at all. (1:02:06) Like, if you I just go with, like if someone says attractive man, I just say Brad Pitt because I know that women find him I know women find him attractive, so I just think, well, he must be attractive.
Scott Benner (1:02:17) I am. (1:02:18) I have no ability to, like, suss out what guys are attractive and what guys aren't. (1:02:22) And I'm always wrong, if my wife or my daughter ask me. (1:02:26) Always.
Sam Morrison (1:02:27) Yes.
Scott Benner (1:02:29) So
Sam Morrison (1:02:29) Well, it it's a skill we can work on together.
Scott Benner (1:02:31) I don't know what I'm gonna do with that skill, Sam. (1:02:33) But, but I I mean Well,
Sam Morrison (1:02:37) you go to gay bars, hang out, say things like catnip. (1:02:40) There's all there's a whole world out there.
Scott Benner (1:02:42) Do you think I should have a cigarette on a long extension while I'm saying that? (1:02:45) Like, one of those
Sam Morrison (1:02:49) Yeah. (1:02:50) I think you should actually have a cane
Scott Benner (1:02:51) that opens perhaps. (1:02:53) And, yeah. (1:02:53) Yeah. (1:02:54) Yeah. (1:02:54) I don't know where that came from either.
Scott Benner (1:02:56) Probably most of the dumb things I say are probably because the thing that occurred to me to say was wasn't appropriate for the podcast, so I had to go to something else usually. (1:03:04) Yeah. (1:03:04) Yeah. (1:03:04) Yeah. (1:03:05) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (1:03:06) Yep. (1:03:07) Jason Kelce is catnip.
Scott Benner (1:03:09) Jason Kelce is an attractive man, you're saying?
Sam Morrison (1:03:11) Yep. (1:03:12) Yep. (1:03:12) Yep. (1:03:12) Yep. (1:03:13) That's my type.
Scott Benner (1:03:13) That's your type. (1:03:14) Big, burly, the beard. (1:03:17) Is that the the whole thing? (1:03:18) Gay bears. (1:03:19) Okay.
Sam Morrison (1:03:19) I got it. (1:03:20) Expect to come onto the podcast and explain the gay bear community, but let's go for it. (1:03:24) Okay.
Scott Benner (1:03:25) I mean, what did you expect to talk about? (1:03:27) I don't know.
Sam Morrison (1:03:27) Honestly, mostly about this combination team of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. (1:03:32) I'd love to get back on topic, please.
Scott Benner (1:03:33) Yeah. (1:03:34) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (1:03:34) You said they joined in 1999?
Scott Benner (1:03:36) I oh god. (1:03:37) This would have been in, like, the forties, I think. (1:03:38) And I don't think we should dig into this at all, but, I do think I might call your episode Steagles.
Sam Morrison (1:03:44) Yeah. (1:03:46) Sure.
Scott Benner (1:03:47) Sounds like whatever. (1:03:48) It doesn't matter.
Sam Morrison (1:03:49) I think I think people are probably gonna tune out from all the cord whipping going around anyway. (1:03:55) So sure. (1:03:55) Call me when you want.
Scott Benner (1:03:57) Well, not if I did a good enough job of making them think you're pantsless and it's something else because I tried to make other people think the noises were other things.
Sam Morrison (1:04:06) No. (1:04:06) Seriously. (1:04:07) Like in a New Jersey diner.
Scott Benner (1:04:08) Yeah. (1:04:08) Yeah. (1:04:08) So but anyway, I don't know how we got that. (1:04:11) Oh, the eagles were chasing you. (1:04:12) Blah blah blah blah blah.
Scott Benner (1:04:13) Okay. (1:04:13) Go back to seagull. (1:04:14) What was the story about a seagull? (1:04:16) Oh, sure. (1:04:18) Great job.
Scott Benner (1:04:19) Thank you.
Sam Morrison (1:04:19) Great job. (1:04:20) I am not easy to focus.
Scott Benner (1:04:21) I can't believe I found that, actually. (1:04:23) I was really lost about how we got to Jason Kelce for half a second.
Sam Morrison (1:04:31) Yeah. (1:04:32) The seagulls I I won't do the bed because it won't really make sense in this context. (1:04:35) But, basically, I was going low blood sugar, then I was attacked by seagulls. (1:04:38) And so, like, I had to I had to outrun these seagulls. (1:04:41) It was like, I had to then explain type one diabetes to seagulls that were attacking me, and I just had one thing.
Sam Morrison (1:04:47) It's real. (1:04:47) It's a true story. (1:04:48) I just had one little thing of glucose tablets, and they, like, really wanted it. (1:04:53) And so I had to somehow get out of this situation. (1:04:55) You'll have to come to the show to see how.
Scott Benner (1:04:57) Oh my god. (1:04:59) I am I am absolutely enchanted by that. (1:05:01) What an idea of you standing on a boardwalk I'm imagining and getting low and being like, it's okay. (1:05:07) I can save myself with this piece of candy, and then birds descend on you and try to take it from And then you're trying to whip them away with a low blood. (1:05:15) Oh my god.
Scott Benner (1:05:16) It's awesome. (1:05:17) Just, running away, which
Sam Morrison (1:05:18) makes it worse because then you of course, I'm trying to, like, manage because I don't wanna of course, running makes you go more low, and so I'm like
Scott Benner (1:05:25) And that's going through your head.
Sam Morrison (1:05:27) Exerting energy. (1:05:29) I I, like, I really was like, I'm gonna die running away from zero.
Scott Benner (1:05:34) Was that actually going through your head as you're running? (1:05:36) Like, I shouldn't exert myself?
Sam Morrison (1:05:38) Of course. (1:05:38) I was I was pan I mean, I was low blood sugar. (1:05:41) I was so anxious, and I was, like, shaking. (1:05:43) And then when I I mean, exercise also really affects me. (1:05:48) And so I knew that if I started running, it you know?
Sam Morrison (1:05:51) Yeah. (1:05:52) The insulin would combine with the exercise, and I I was terrified.
Scott Benner (1:05:57) Oh my gosh. (1:05:57) I
Sam Morrison (1:05:57) mean, I I gen it was a I mean, of course, it's a funny story now, but, like, at the time, I was genuinely terrified.
Scott Benner (1:06:04) Yeah. (1:06:04) Not in the moment. (1:06:04) It's more like now it's funny, but back then, it actually felt like the birds. (1:06:09) Like like, you you Right. (1:06:10) Yeah.
Scott Benner (1:06:10) Yeah. (1:06:11) Exactly. (1:06:11) Would you mind if when I put your episode up, I do an AI rendering of you running from seagulls in that old car from the birds movie with a a glucose tablet in your hand? (1:06:25) Is that okay?
Sam Morrison (1:06:26) As long as I can use it for every single piece of promo.
Scott Benner (1:06:30) Okay. (1:06:31) Here we go. (1:06:31) Please. (1:06:32) I'm already writing the AI prompt in my head. (1:06:35) So just think actually, I might
Sam Morrison (1:06:37) If you want, we can send you we have, like, promo materials from the show, and we did some with, like, seagulls as, like Oh.
Scott Benner (1:06:44) Well, then I would just prefer graphic style. (1:06:46) Prefer the easier route. (1:06:47) Just send me that. (1:06:48) Yes, please. (1:06:49) Okay.
Scott Benner (1:06:49) I'm not looking to work. (1:06:51) You know what I mean? (1:06:51) I love too that there's people out there, like, now going, like, is he saying that writing an AI prompt for an image generator is work? (1:06:57) Because if he is, I wanna make a podcast too. (1:07:01) Alright.
Scott Benner (1:07:02) Well, listen. (1:07:03) You were fantastic, Sam. (1:07:04) This was terrific, and I'm so happy that you reached out. (1:07:07) You're also the second person to say Jason Kelce to me in the last hour and a half, which is odd because I don't hear that name very frequently. (1:07:14) And my son came into me right before he I think he left to get his haircut, not that that matters.
Scott Benner (1:07:18) But he goes, hey. (1:07:19) You gotta check out that Kelce podcast today. (1:07:21) They interviewed the little kid who, on the way out of the Eagles playoff loss this year, like, some a cameraman caught him from, like, a local news group. (1:07:30) This is young I mean, the kid's, like, maybe 12 or 14 years old, and he is just ranting and raving. (1:07:35) Like, I wanna see this coach fired.
Scott Benner (1:07:37) He should be flipping burgers tomorrow. (1:07:39) The kid was, like, going off. (1:07:41) And the Kelceys apparently had them on their podcast and then asked him, you know, what would you like to see the new, offensive coordinator do? (1:07:49) And the kid had, like, cogent ideas about play calling and structure and stuff like that. (1:07:53) And apparently, my son's like, you have to watch it because they're staring at him.
Scott Benner (1:07:56) Like, how do you know about all this? (1:07:58) And I said to my son, was like, so wait. (1:08:00) What's happening? (1:08:01) He goes he goes, Travis Kelce. (1:08:02) He's like, do you study film, like, from football?
Scott Benner (1:08:05) Like, how do you know this? (1:08:06) And I said to my son, do you think they know it's not that difficult? (1:08:09) And the rest of us were able to figure it out pretty quickly. (1:08:11) We just don't play football. (1:08:13) He he was treating the kid apparently as if he had come up with, like, the cure for some, like, long suffering disease, and and the kid's just like, no.
Scott Benner (1:08:23) It just makes sense to, like, go that way. (1:08:26) So Yeah. (1:08:27) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (1:08:28) I mean, I'm always I never know. (1:08:30) It I I it does feel so complicated when I watch football. (1:08:34) Mhmm. (1:08:35) It does feel a little bit like wizardry.
Scott Benner (1:08:36) Yeah. (1:08:37) But at the same time, don't you sometimes think, like, well, they ran left and it worked. (1:08:40) Why do they keep running right now? (1:08:43) I think that's kinda how the kid was, like, you know, laying it out. (1:08:47) But I think the funny part is that, I guess, Travis was, like, mesmerized by his genius.
Scott Benner (1:08:52) And I thought, like, maybe Travis has bumped his head one too many times. (1:08:55) You know, like, I don't I just can't be that hard. (1:08:57) You know what I mean? (1:09:00) Anyway, all the
Sam Morrison (1:09:01) football definitely has.
Scott Benner (1:09:02) Yeah. (1:09:02) Oh, a 100%. (1:09:03) Yeah. (1:09:03) Yeah. (1:09:04) My favorite meme is Travis Kelce with his last girlfriend and with Taylor Swift in the same thing.
Scott Benner (1:09:12) And I forget what the wording is, but it's something like, in this picture, he looks like one thing. (1:09:16) And in this picture, he looks like a guy who cries after intercourse because of how his how his how his clothing has changed so drastically. (1:09:24) If you've never seen that, everyone go find that one. (1:09:26) It's hilarious.
Sam Morrison (1:09:28) Yeah. (1:09:28) Yeah.
Scott Benner (1:09:28) Yeah. (1:09:28) I'll go. (1:09:29) Sam, thank you. (1:09:30) Get out there immediately and find it. (1:09:32) Tell people about your, you've got a website again, where they can get tickets, all that, please.
Sam Morrison (1:09:37) Yep. (1:09:37) March 5, Underbelly Boulevard in London, Sugar Daddy. (1:09:40) Yo. (1:09:41) You can come check me out on, Instagram at samuel h morrison. (1:09:43) If you're not, in London, I have a tour alert, which basically just means I text you if I'm coming to your city, and I won't text you more than that.
Sam Morrison (1:09:51) I never sell people's data. (1:09:53) It's so helpful for me, as a touring comedian because it's really hard to rely on the algorithms. (1:09:59) I'm sure, Scott, you've experienced this a little bit
Scott Benner (1:10:00) Yeah.
Sam Morrison (1:10:00) To, like, get to people when I'm coming to your city. (1:10:03) And I get so many messages that are like, when are you coming to Louisville? (1:10:05) And I'm like, I was there two weekends ago. (1:10:08) And so if you sign up for this thing, you go to the link in my bio or to my website, www.samuelmorrison.com. (1:10:14) I'll text you when I'm performing in your city, and that's it.
Sam Morrison (1:10:17) And that's it. (1:10:17) That's also just a huge help for me. (1:10:19) So it takes ten seconds.
Scott Benner (1:10:21) So if Everybody, if you found Sam delightful, go find him delightful some more in, where he's putting out his stuff.
Sam Morrison (1:10:28) Thank you so much again, Scott. (1:10:29) Really, I I mean, I I don't just say that that series when I first got diagnosed, and, you know, I've I've truly been listening for years now. (1:10:36) So this was so fun and such a delight, and I'm so glad how sort of chaotic and perfect this conversation was. (1:10:44) It was a really fun time. (1:10:45) Thank you for having me.
Scott Benner (1:10:46) It's my pleasure. (1:10:47) And, actually, you just made me think. (1:10:49) I usually cut the recording off, and then people say a ton of nice stuff to me afterwards. (1:10:53) And I think, like, oh, I should've let it run for that. (1:10:55) But now, I'm I'm gonna do that because that was great.
Sam Morrison (1:10:58) Yeah. (1:10:58) I'm gonna be such a bitch to you once this turns off.
Scott Benner (1:11:00) I can't wait. (1:11:01) Well, I'm gonna hit stop now so you can yell at me. (1:11:03) Ready? (1:11:09) I'd like to remind you again about the MiniMed seven eighty g automated insulin delivery system, which of course anticipates, adjusts, and corrects every five minutes 20 four seven. (1:11:19) It works around the clock so you can focus on what matters.
Scott Benner (1:11:24) The Juice Box community knows the importance of using technology to simplify managing diabetes. (1:11:29) To learn more about how you can spend less time and effort managing your diabetes, visit my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox. (1:11:40) Having an easy to use and accurate blood glucose meter is just one click away. (1:11:47) Contournext.com/juicebox. (1:11:51) That's right.
Scott Benner (1:11:52) Today's episode is sponsored by the Contour NextGen blood glucose meter. (1:11:58) Okay. (1:11:59) Well, here we are at the end of the episode. (1:12:01) You're still with me? (1:12:02) Thank you.
Scott Benner (1:12:02) I really do appreciate that. (1:12:04) What else could you do for me? (1:12:06) Why don't you tell a friend about the show or leave a five star review? (1:12:10) Maybe you could make sure you're following or subscribed in your podcast app, go to YouTube and follow me, or Instagram, TikTok. (1:12:19) Oh, gosh.
Scott Benner (1:12:19) Here's one. (1:12:20) Make sure you're following the podcast in the private Facebook group as well as the public Facebook page. (1:12:26) You don't wanna miss please, do you not know about the private group? (1:12:30) You have to join the private group. (1:12:32) As of this recording, it has 74,000 members.
Scott Benner (1:12:35) They're active talking about diabetes. (1:12:38) Whatever you need to know, there's a conversation happening in there right now. (1:12:42) And I'm there all the time. (1:12:43) Tag me. (1:12:43) I'll say hi.
Scott Benner (1:12:50) How would you like to share a type one diabetes getaway like no other? (1:12:54) Join me on Juice Cruise 2026. (1:12:56) You may be asking, what is Juice Cruise? (1:12:58) It's a week long cruise designed specifically for people and families living with type one diabetes. (1:13:03) It's not just a vacation.
Scott Benner (1:13:05) It's a chance to relax, connect, and feel understood in a way that is hard to find elsewhere. (1:13:10) We're gonna sail out of Miami, and the cruise includes stops in CocoCay, San Juan, Saint Kitts, and Nevis aboard the stunning Celebrity Beyond. (1:13:20) This ship is chosen for its comfort, accessibility, and exceptional amenities. (1:13:25) You're gonna enjoy a welcoming environment surrounded by others who get life with type one diabetes. (1:13:31) I'm gonna host diabetes focused conversations and meetups on the days at sea.
Scott Benner (1:13:35) There's thoughtfully designed spaces, incredible dining, and modern amenities all throughout the celebrity beyond. (1:13:43) Your kids can be supervised, there's teen programs so everyone gets time to recharge. (1:13:48) Not just the the kids going on vacation, but maybe you get the kickback a little bit too. (1:13:53) There's gonna be zero judgment, real connections, and a whole lot of sun and fun on juice cruise 2026. (1:13:59) Please come with me.
Scott Benner (1:14:00) You're going to have a terrific time. (1:14:02) You can learn more or set up your deposit at juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise. (1:14:08) Get ahold of Suzanne at cruise planners. (1:14:10) She will take care of everything. (1:14:12) Links in the show notes.
Scott Benner (1:14:13) Links at juiceboxpodcast.com. (1:14:15) Have a podcast? (1:14:17) Want it to sound fantastic? (1:14:18) Wrongwayrecording.com.
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#1784 Someone Peed in My Bed
You can always listen to the Juicebox Podcast here but the cool kids use: Apple Podcasts/iOS - Spotify - Amazon Music - Google Play/Android - iHeart Radio - Radio Public, Amazon Alexa or wherever they get audio.
Britney discusses her son’s T1D diagnosis, the importance of flexible insulin management, and using Trio. Plus, Scott unveils new calculators for baseline insulin settings and the Warsaw method.
Key Takeaways
- Mistaken Identity: Britney recounts the stressful month leading up to her son's Type 1 diagnosis, where his increased urination was initially blamed on the family cat.
- Clinical Perspective vs. Lived Experience: As a former ICU nurse, Britney discusses how hospital training focuses on "do not die" advice, which fell short during her son’s first illness, leading her to seek actionable management tools.
- Prioritizing Flexibility: Britney explains why being willing to try again after a high blood sugar and adjusting insulin aggressively to meet the actual need—rather than sticking to rigid clinical percentage increases—is foundational to their success.
- DIY Looping and A1C Success: Using the Trio DIY looping system, Britney’s son Henry has achieved an A1C range of 5.6 to 5.9, demonstrating the power of automated insulin delivery when combined with correct settings.
- Vibe Coding and Calculators: Scott previews a weight-based settings calculator designed to provide a realistic mathematical starting point for basal rates, carb ratios, and correction factors.
Resources Mentioned
- • Omnipod 5: Request a Free Starter Kit
- • Dexcom G7: Start Your CGM Journey
- • Cozy Earth: Use Code JUICEBOX for 20% Off
- • Juice Cruise 2026: View Workshops and Staterooms
- • Bold Beginnings & Small Sips Series: Foundation for Type 1 management.
Welcome back, friends. You are listening to the Juice Box podcast.
BritneyHi. My name is Britney. I am the mom of an eight year old who has type one diabetes.
Scott BennerHow would you like to share a type one diabetes getaway like no other? Join me on Juice Cruise twenty twenty six. It's a week long cruise designed specifically for people and families living with type one diabetes. It's not just a vacation. It's a chance to relax, connect, and feel understood in a way that is hard to find elsewhere. We're gonna sail out of Miami, and the cruise includes stops in CocoCay, San Juan, Saint Kitts, Nevis aboard the stunning Celebrity Beyond. This ship is chosen for its comfort, accessibility, and exceptional amenities. You're gonna enjoy a welcoming environment surrounded by others who get life with type one diabetes. I'm gonna host diabetes focused conversations and meetups on the days at sea.
Scott BennerThere's thoughtfully designed spaces, incredible dining, and modern amenities all throughout the celebrity beyond. Your kids can be supervised and there's teen programs so everyone gets time to recharge. Not just the the kids going on vacation, but maybe you get to kickback a little bit too. There's gonna be zero judgment, real connections, a whole lot of sun and fun on Juice Cruise twenty twenty six. Please come with me. You're going to have a terrific time. You can learn more or set up your deposit at juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise. Get ahold of Suzanne at cruise planners. She will take care of everything. Links in the show notes. Links at juiceboxpodcast.com. Nothing you hear on the juice box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. The episode you're about to enjoy was brought to you by Dexcom, the Dexcom g seven, the same CGM that my daughter wears. You can learn more and get started today at my link, dexcom.com/juicebox.
Scott BennerToday's episode is also sponsored by Cozy Earth. You can use my offer code juice box at checkout to save 20% off of your entire order at cozyearth.com. Everything from the joggers that I'm actually wearing right now to the sheets I sleep on, the towels I use to dry myself with, and whatever else is available at cozyearth.com. Just use the offer code juice box at checkout. The podcast is also sponsored today by the Omnipod five. And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free what'd I just say? A free Omnipod five starter kit. Free? Get out of here. Go click on that link. Omnipod.com/juicebox. Check it out. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Links in the show notes. Links at juiceboxpodcast.com.
The "Cat Crime Scene" and Diagnosis Story
BritneyHi. My name is Britney. I am the mom of an eight year old who has type one diabetes.
Scott BennerGood morning, Britney. How are you?
BritneyI'm doing well. How are you?
Scott BennerYou know, honestly, fantastic. Yeah. You know? Seriously. I don't know how it gets better to be perfectly honest with you.
BritneyWell, you don't have COVID.
Scott BennerSo I shook the COVID in, thirty six hours. Like, it was nothing. Couldn't stick to me. Maybe made my nose a little drippy. That was pretty well. That's not true. I had a I got a little woozy there once, but I was okay. Little yeah. Head pressure. You know what I'm talking about. Yeah. But I got through it pretty fast. What I was talking about more is it's the holidays. I had a nice holiday season. The family was around. I got a nice year coming up, planned. Hopefully, things go pretty well. I've buttoned up a lot of things with my health, so I'm feeling in tip top shape. And I, I make a podcast, so my life is not what I would call taxing by standard, standard measurements. So, yeah, I'm doing okay.
BritneyYeah. That's great.
Scott BennerTook me a long time to get in this position. For all of you who are like, you know, I work hard. I wanna tell you about the time, in my life for four years when I got up at 05:00 in the morning to drive to my job in a sheet metal shop where I made $4.50 an hour and had to ride a motorcycle because I couldn't afford car insurance, and that was even in the winter. So I put my time in. Alright? Now Scott's gonna put his feet up and make this podcast. Everyone else calm down. Stop complaining—I'm already imagining people complaining to me. Britney, why why you wanna come on a podcast and make the chitchat? What's going on?
BritneyI really love the podcast, and I would say it's probably the most helpful thing that I've encountered since my son's diagnosis. And not that I have anything groundbreaking to say, I don't think, but I really love listening to everyone else's stories, and maybe someone will like listening to mine is what I'm hopeful for.
Scott BennerBrittany, that's awesome. Also, I don't know that you won't say something groundbreaking, and don't tell them that upfront. They might switch off to another one. You know what I mean?
BritneyYeah. I have some really big news. How about we'll go with that?
Scott BennerYeah. Britney has the secret to what? Painless periods. Right, Britney?
BritneyYeah. Yeah. I do. I don't have painful periods, so that's great.
Scott BennerAnd we're gonna talk about that right after the ads. So how old was it? Was it your daughter? I'm sorry. My son.
BritneySo my son yep. He's eight year olds now, and he was diagnosed when he was seven and a half, so November 2024. Very fresh. Just over a year ago, and it's been kind of a wild ride.
Scott BennerOther kids?
BritneyI have an older son who is 11.
Scott BennerIs there a boy you're allowed to live in the house with you?
BritneyYes. I'm married and have been for, I I don't know, like, years, I think.
Scott BennerI don't know, like, thirteen years, I think.
BritneyI think. I I don't know. It's 2013, so I guess we're coming up on thirteen years.
Scott BennerYou think he hears that and he thinks, awesome. That's awesome.
BritneyHe has no idea—absolutely not.
Scott BennerWhich one of the boys did you get? Did you get the, the sweet ones with the facial hair? Did you get the one that can throw a ball real far and make money? Did you get the one who's dirty all the time, but somehow, like, gets everything accomplished? Which one did you get?
BritneyI think the third. He's, like, dirty all the time. He get he gets things done. He's very tall, so that's kinda great.
Scott BennerIs that what got you, the tall?
BritneyI think so.
Scott BennerDo you ever look back and think, I had so many more, like, feelings about my my intellect, what I what I what would get me. And you're like, you one day, you just look up and go, boy, that boy's tall. Yeah. Yeah.
BritneyThat's what I was going for. So—
Scott BennerI looked at Kelly, and I was like, her hip to waist ratio is awesome. Let's go. Oh, since then, I've learned other stuff about her that I like. I just—
BritneyYeah. I've learned other things about my husband that I like too, so that's great.
Scott BennerIs one of them that he makes babies with diabetes?
BritneyYeah. Turns out he has a lot of autoimmune in his family, and I didn't really think much of that until recently.
Scott BennerYou didn't bring that up on the first date, I bet.
BritneyNo. No. Definitely not.
Scott BennerCan I make a guess? Let me just guess. Okay. I propose nothing. Let's think. Well, his mom definitely has Hashimoto's.
BritneyI don't I don't think so.
Scott BennerWell lupus?
BritneyYou know, she had something with her thyroid, but I don't know if it was Hashimoto's.
Scott BennerOh, so I got thyroid. You how can you take that point for me? That was crazy, Britney.
BritneyOkay. Fine. You can have that.
Scott BennerAlright. Alright. Let's see. We have a cousin once removed with celiac, maybe type one, and a lot of people are anxious.
BritneyThere is no type one, but there are a few cousins with celiac, a cousin with MS, and then his dad, before he passed away, was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis.
Scott BennerWhat now?
BritneyMyasthenia gravis. I I don't really know what it is.
Scott BennerThat makes two of us.
BritneyBut I I know it's autoimmune.
Scott BennerAlright. Well, we'll try to figure that out. Nobody's anxious? Bit of anxiety all over the place?
BritneyI mean, yes. But, like, nothing diagnosed that I'm aware of. But I don't know if everyone's going around letting everyone know they're diagnosed with anxiety.
Scott BennerYeah. I mean but you can see it at Christmas is what you're saying. They used to call it type a.
BritneyYeah. Mhmm.
Scott BennerMG is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness that worsens with activity and improves with rest. So that doesn't set you up for a fun life. What's actually going wrong? Your immune system makes antibodies that interfere with communication between nerves and muscles, specifically at the neuromuscular junction. The signal gets weaker, so muscles tire out quickly. Common symptoms would be drooping eyelids, double vision, slurred or nasal speech, trouble chewing or swallowing, weakness in arms, legs, neck, fatigue that gets worse as the day goes on. Jeez. What makes it—Yeah. Better or worse? Exertion, illness, stress, heat, certain medications make it worse, better rest, sleep, proper treatment.
BritneyRight.
Scott BennerHow old was he when he passed?
BritneyLike, 75, I think. And I think he was diagnosed at 74. So it wasn't a long run with it, or maybe it was he had it going on and it wasn't diagnosed till later. I don't really know.
Scott BennerYeah. Do you have any idea if it impacted his life?
BritneyYes. Yeah. I don't know exactly how. We weren't super close with his dad, but—
Scott BennerHow could you be the guy who was resting?
BritneyYes. He was resting a lot.
Scott BennerOkay. So that's all happening. Now you make these babies. Everything's going along pretty well for a while. But then what happens? How do you notice the situation, and what steps do you take afterwards?
BritneyI guess we started noticing things a month prior to his diagnosis. The first thing was my husband wanted to get rid of our cat because he thought that the cat was peeing on the floor in my son's room. And it was happening a few times throughout a couple different weeks, and we finally came to realize that although he still wanted to get rid of the cat, it wasn't the cat's fault, and my son was waking up in the middle of the night thinking he was going to the bathroom and peeing on the new carpet in his room.
Scott BennerHere's the question. How big is the cat?
BritneyI mean, he was pretty big. He's since passed away too. But—
Scott BennerOh, are we making air quotes around passed away? Because it sounds like your husband wanted to get rid of this cat.
BritneyI mean, he really did pass away. It was unfortunate, but the cat was pretty big, and it wasn't always a ton of pee that was on the floor. Oh. But there was enough where, like, I would notice it in the morning and run upstairs with the little green machine and clean it before my husband noticed because I didn't want him to get pissed about the cat. So—
Scott BennerYou're the lawyer for the cat. You're like, we gotta fix this crime scene up so our guy doesn't take the fall here. Yeah. Because who would think that your kid's popping out of bed, whipping it out, and peeing on his rug?
BritneyYeah. Yeah. I mean, we're like, there's no way. And then one night, Henry, my son, came down into our bed, and he's like, somebody peed on my bed while I was sleeping.
Scott BennerMhmm. That's what I just said too.
BritneyOh, I'm like, okay. I think that maybe it's you. So, you this know, is kind of early in the school year. We're like, maybe he's stressed out. You know? I don't know what's going on. We went down to Boston for a Bruins game, and he was drinking tons of water. My husband said, I think maybe he has diabetes. And I said, like, you. He doesn't have diabetes.
BritneyAnd he's like, well, you feed him so many sweets. And I was just really offended. Oh my god. Jesus. Yeah. You guys were all revved up from the game. No. It was ridiculous.
Scott BennerHitting each other into the metaphorical boards talking about the where did the diabetes thing pop into your husband's head from? Because he went from—did he say, I think he has diabetes and we're still getting rid of the cat?
BritneyYeah. I mean, like, we've moved on from the cat at this point. We're like, okay. He's stressed at school or something, and that's why he's peeing on the floor. I don't know. But when he said that he thinks he has diabetes and and kind of, like, said it was because I have a sweet tooth and passed it along to them, I was pretty pissed.
BritneyAnd then I remember being in the car on the ride home from Boston, we stopped, like, eight different times. And so I was using—I was new to ChatGPT, so I started using it, and I'm like, you know, increase urination, increase thirst, but not type one diabetes because I was like, there's no way he has diabetes. So I'm like, oh, he has overactive bladder or a urinary tract infection, but definitely not diabetes. I should know better because I am a nurse, but I didn't know better. Mhmm.
BritneyAnd then we went to the doctor's office because I'm like, okay. We'll, you know, bring him in, and they'll probably give him meds for a UTI. And the first thing they did was add a blood sugar, and the tech didn't say anything. I said, oh, well, what was it? Like, of course, it's gonna be normal. He said, oh, 538. And that's when I knew, like, okay. This is diabetes. Although I still wasn't totally sold on that fact.
BritneyAnd when the doctor came into the room to say that's what it was, I said, well, what's your differential? Clearly cannot be diabetes. And she's like, there is no differential. He has type one diabetes.
Scott BennerWell, you prefer chocolate or sugary sugary candy? Which—like, you like a nerd or a m and m? What's your preference?
BritneyI like both all the time. One hand has the nerds. The other hand has the m and m's. We go back and forth. We really do go back and forth. Like, sometimes I have M and M's with the side of pretzels because I like to eat them, like, sweet and salty. Oh, I see. Yeah. Tell your husband from me that he's lucky that you're such a lovely person because if if my—if I would have said that to my wife, she would have said, I—I wonder how you're gonna enjoy living above a pizza place and sending us half your money for the rest of your life.
BritneyRight. I mean, I was having those feelings. So yeah. Oh my gosh. Well okay. Did he—he didn't rub it in, though. Right?
BritneyNo. Not at all. He wasn't in the doctor's office, like, looking at you. He just put his finger on his nose and eyeball on you. Right? Like, knew it. No. No. It's definitely not. Does he understand since then that someone's sweet tooth doesn't have anything to do with their type one diagnosis?
BritneyOh, yeah. Without a doubt. Like, I mean, I hammered it home to him and us did the doctors and yeah. I was like, this is nothing. This is not my fault. It's not his fault. It's nobody's fault. Like, maybe it's all the autoimmune on your family's side, but whatever.
Scott BennerWhen you say hammered at home, was it day 87 of no sex where he figured it out or where—where exact—
BritneyYeah. Like, right in the hospital. Like, because we got admitted right to the hospital from there from that doctor's appointment. But, you know, he wasn't in DKA or anything, which was great. So we had, you know, just a quick stay and a lot of somewhat okay education at the time. Mhmm. And then we went home. That's just a handful of months ago.
BritneyYeah. I mean, a year and three months ago, I guess.
Scott BennerReplaced the carpet or no?
BritneyNo. It was brand new. Pragmatic. I like that. You're like, hey. We cleaned it. It's fine. We did. I—I think it—it—I think it is fine.
Scott BennerAlright. I wanna find out about the rest of this. But first, if I don't ask this, it's gonna stick in my head. What killed the cat?
Scott BennerToday's episode is brought to you by Omnipod. Did you know that the majority of Omnipod five users pay less than $30 per month at the pharmacy? That's less than $1 a day for tube free automated insulin delivery. And a third of Omnipod five users pay $0 per month. You heard that right. 0. That's less than your daily coffee for all of the benefits of tubeless, waterproof, automated insulin delivery.
Scott BennerMy daughter has been wearing an Omnipod every day since she was four years old, and she's about to be 21. My family relies on Omnipod, and I think you'll love it. And you can try it for free right now by requesting your free starter kit today at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox. Omnipod has been an advertiser for a decade. But even if they weren't, I would tell you proudly, my daughter wears an omnipod. omnipod.com/juicebox. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Why don't you get yourself that free starter kit? Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox.
Scott BennerThe Dexcom g seven is sponsoring this episode of the juice box podcast, and it features a lightning fast thirty minute warm up time. That's right. From the time you put on the Dexcom g seven till the time you're getting readings—thirty minutes. That's pretty great. It also has a twelve hour grace period, so you can swap your sensor when it's convenient for you. All that on top of it being small, accurate, incredibly wearable, and light, these things, in my opinion, make the Dexcom g seven a no brainer.
Scott BennerThe Dexcom g seven comes with way more than just this. Up to 10 people can follow you. You can use it with type one, type two, or gestational diabetes. It's covered by all sorts of insurances and—this might be the best part. It might be the best part. Alerts and alarms that are customizable so that you can be alerted at the levels that make sense to you. dexcom.com/juicebox. Links in the show notes. Links at juiceboxpodcast.com to Dexcom and all of the sponsors. When you use my links, you're supporting the production of the podcast and helping to keep it free and plentiful.
BritneyOh, god. I don't know. We brought him into the vet because he wasn't really eating or drinking, and he had—it's not constipation. It was called obstipation, I believe. So, like, super impacted some re—for some reason. And they said that we could do, like, a big expensive surgery that's 2,000 to $5,000, but he's probably gonna need it again in the future. And so we said, "what is the cost to put him down?"
Scott BennerOr here's the different question. And for those of you out here who are like, "I would have done this surgery." Britney's got a sofa she's got her eye on. Okay? Like, just decisions had to be made. Okay. Well, I'm so—I'm so sorry about this. That is really terrible, except for your husband who apparently hated the cat anyway. So it doesn't really matter.
BritneyYeah. I mean, he—he—kinda loved him, but whatever. Yeah. Look. So you—you—know, he's diagnosed. This is all happening. He's not in DKA, which is awesome. She's probably not in the hospital too long. Mhmm. But then you said you're a nurse. What kind of nurse are you?
BritneyWell, for the past ten years, I've just dealt with workers' comp, but I've worked from home. So, like a paperwork nurse, I guess. Oh. But prior to that, I was an ICU nurse. Okay. How long? Yeah. Only a few years. Like—like, four years, I guess. You should have said about as long as people tend to be able to take it, Scott. About four years, and then they get the hell out of there. Yeah. Except for the junkies. Right? The, the adrenaline junkies, they stay. Yeah. I don't get that. Yeah. So okay. So—okay. You've got a background. You've got an education and everything. Does that help you in the beginning? You said you got pretty good direction, but how do you figure out that the direction is not everything you need? What's that whole time look like?
BritneyWell, I would say I wasn't really set up for managing type one diabetes. I didn't even know it was autoimmune until we were diagnosed, which maybe that's embarrassing to say because I'm a nurse, but that's me being honest. I did not know type one was autoimmune. My experience with diabetes in the ICU was doing finger sticks, sliding scale insulin. I had a few people on insulin drips, but I didn't have much experience with it at all. Okay.
BritneyYeah. So, you know, going home, we have the do not die advice, and it was okay. I mean, we—we—left the hospital without a CGM but got one the next day when we came back for an appointment. Through research or through the the hospital suggesting it?
BritneyThrough the hospital suggesting it. So I guess it helped that I was a nurse, they were like, "you know how to do an insulin injection. You know how to do a blood sugar. Go home, and tomorrow, you're coming back for your first appointment with the endocrinologist." And at that appointment, we got the CGM. How did Henry accept what was happening?
BritneyHe was really sad about it. Sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. No. It's okay. You wanna talk about the dead cat some more? No. No? Okay. Alright. Henry, he was okay with it, but he was like, "okay. So I have to do a few shots and then it's gonna go away." And I think the forever thing was really hard. Yeah. For him or for you?
BritneyFor both of us. Yeah. It's okay. How are you doing? Are—are—you okay? Like, I mean, day to day, or is it still—friends, I just placed my order at cozyearth.com.
Scott BennerThey're today's sponsor, and I'm here to tell you about them. Use my offer code juice box at checkout when you buy, and you'll save 20% off of your entire order. That's everything in your cart at cozyearth.com. Save 20% with the offer code juice box. Now why am I excited? Well, I just ordered the Cozy Earth blanket. It's the viscose bamboo blanket. I'm super excited about it. It looks comfy as can be, and it's gonna go so well with the sheets that we already have from Cozy Earth.
Scott BennerNow, yeah, I'm a bit of a—a—Cozy Earth convert, I guess. I'm sitting here in my joggers. I used my towels coming out of the shower this morning. I slept on my sheets last night. Slept like a baby, by the way. Cozyearth.com. Pretty much have everything you want. Use the offer code juice box to save 20% at checkout on skin care, women's and men's clothing, bath and sleeping accessories. And don't forget, Valentine's Day is coming up quickly. Get those pajamas. Cozyearth.com. Use the offer code juice box at checkout to save 20% off of your entire order.
BritneyYes. I—am. I don't know why I'm crying. I guess sometimes I cry really easily, but yeah. Sorry. Alright. Don't be sorry. I'm good. Don't listen. You shouldn't—you should—Britney, you shouldn't feel sorry about that. It's—I mean, I could tell you any number of a thousand stories and make me start crying right now. Don't worry about it.
BritneyRight. Yeah. I mean, I cry all the time when I listen to the podcast. I like the silly things, happy things. But—yes. Somebody told me once that the tagline for the podcast should be "making women online cry" or "making women cry online." And I was like, I don't think that sounds good. Apparently, it's, one of the byproducts of what I do here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But it's all. Like, you know, things happen. You hear stuff that's similar to your story or brings up emotions, and you—you—know, it's sad. It just—it really is. Do you think he's as sad as you are right now? If he heard that story, would it make him feel the same way?
BritneyI don't think so. I think in the beginning, yes. Like, he would look at pictures on my phone and be like, "oh, that was before when I didn't have diabetes," and now pictures after that point in time or when I do have diabetes, and he used to get really sad about that. Mhmm. He's, like, fairly accepting of it now. Sometimes it's harder than other times. Like, last week, we had an upper endoscopy to see if we have a celiac diagnosis, and he's pretty stressed out about that now.
Scott BennerOh, the possibility of the diagnosis? Yeah. Which I think is probably pretty likely, but we don't know yet. So we are eating all the gluten for the time being. What is happening that's—that—that made you get the—the—testing?
BritneyWhen he was first diagnosed, they drew the labs to test for that, and it was suggestive of it. And then I put off really doing anything about it because he didn't have symptoms until his annual lab screening. The numbers went down, but still suggestive, so they said we have to do an upper endoscopy. That's what we've done so far. He doesn't have any stomach issues. I guess, occasionally, he does, but not really.
Scott BennerYeah. Well, maybe he has something they call silent celiac. Britney, I don't like that. But—No. I don't either. I don't like it. I don't like any of those. No. Okay. Well, I hope that that testing comes back positively for him in a way that, you know, keeps him from having to not eat bread anymore. Because how's he gonna have a lobster roll when he goes to see the Bruins play? You know what I mean?
BritneyI know. I know. Seriously. But—but then I'm like, if he's—this is probably gonna piss some people off—I'm like, if he has no symptoms, maybe sometimes he will have a lobster roll, but I guess— Oh, I—listen. I've learned my lesson about people with celiac. Yeah. I'm not saying that. That's Britney. Go find her. Yeah. Leave me alone. Yeah. I—
Britneymean, I've done a lot of reading, and it's like, in some countries, if you don't have symptoms, they say it's, like, controversial to say, "do a gluten free diet." So—I—I—don't know. I—I—don't know. I—just—one time suggested that maybe while a man was in the middle of a nervous breakdown about this, he could let his kid have a cupcake at a birthday party until he figures it out, and I got hammered. So I'm not saying that at all. Britney, go get her. Leave me alone. You're—she's in Boston. You can find her. Go. Go.
BritneyYeah. Exactly. No. Listen. I—I—take your point. You're in the middle of this new diagnosis here, you're—you're—trying to figure out, like, "am I hurting something if I do this?" And I'm sure—listen. I'm sure if someone comes back and says to you, "look, you're—whether his belly hurts or not, here's the damage, and here's what happens, you know, in the future if you keep doing this," I imagine you'll take that pretty seriously. I will. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I—hear what you're saying. Again, please do not email me about this. Oh, god. I—such a passionate group of people, which, by the way, good for you guys. I like—you're out there swinging for each other, but don't swing at me. I didn't say—Yeah. How long will it take to get the results?
BritneyI think, like, sometime this week. Oh, gosh. Yeah. I'm just ignoring the—I'm ignoring everything until I get an email or a phone call is how I'm approaching it. Do you think you don't have the bandwidth to get more news?
BritneyNo. I do. He does. I think my husband would really struggle with it, but I also think maybe my husband has celiac as well. So—Oh. Maybe we could all go gluten free together if we have to. Hey. Cut down on the toilet paper, Bill. Yeah. Why not? There's—there's—a positive to look at it that way. Why do you think your husband has it too?
BritneyHe has, like, constant stomach problems after he eats, and I just have a feeling that he probably has a touch of something too. Oh, I see. Go out to the restaurant, gotta run home afterwards? Yeah. Something like that. Mhmm. All you people out there who can hold your poop in, they don't know how lucky they are. They go to the restaurant, then they go to the movie. Yeah. Like fancy people. They just keep moving around the world—They—Right. Not looking for a toilet. Yeah. Well, listen. Maybe because I've seen this with diabetes a lot. Mhmm.
Scott BennerMaybe you go to your husband and say, "look. You know how you're struggling with all this all the time? That's gonna happen to him. Like, we could present, you know, a better—better—example for him, maybe make his life better. Wouldn't you—wouldn't you—like this not to be happening to you anymore?" Oh, yeah. He's on board. He told—he told Henry, like, "if you do have celiac and have to be gluten free, I'll do it with you." There you go. So—That's the spirit. He's a very good dad. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Henry, you ever call him Hank? No. No? Is it a family name?
BritneyNo. It's just like, guess, I like little old men names. So—Do you ever see, Goodfellas? I have not. Don't watch that movie. Okay. Because I think if you do, you're gonna start doing an impression of Joe Pesci saying Henry, and it's gonna ruin your life. Yeah. No. Okay. So I won't watch that. Don't. You'll just run around going, "Hendry. Hendry." And you're just gonna make you—and you—the kid's gonna be like, "what is happening? I got diabetes. Is this not bad enough? Now the lady's losing her mind." And, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. Seriously, don't do that because every time I hear Henry, that's all I hear is Joe Pesci.
BritneySorry. Okay. I won't watch that. Yeah. Also, maybe stop saying the name. You're freaking me out. Yeah. But oh, my gosh. That's a lot. So he's been sad in the past thinking of himself as—as—before and after. You think that's getting better. What about the other stuff? How is he with the devices, the changes, that kind of thing?
BritneyHe's really great about it. I mean, he hates to take off his Dexcom, but we use, like, a solution that kinda dissolves the adhesive, and it will slide off after a little bit. But he's really good about it. He has the g seven, and then he has Omnipod Dash. Okay. And he does awesome with it. Yeah. Yeah. He—does—does he play any sports?
BritneyHe does. He plays hockey. He plays soccer, lacrosse. He's a really active kid. Wow. That's awesome. And not having any trouble with all that? No. Yeah. The devices are not in the way or noticeable to him, so it works out really well. Mhmm. Do you think he's in any sort of a honeymoon? Or is— He—was—until, I guess, from, like, November 2024 to February 2025. He was definitely honeymooning, and then he had the flu. And then he definitely came out of honeymoon after that is what I believe. Okay.
BritneyYou know, he went from using, like, one point five units a day to six units a day to now, like, upwards of 15 to 20. Mhmm. Are you—i'm looking at your notes here. They're really interesting. But let me say this one thing, then i'm gonna dive into your notes. Okay. I think you should be doing voice over for a living. What is it you're—are you—Me? Yeah. My god. If you feel like a, a reassuring—slightly younger—mother figure in an eighties movie.
BritneyWow. I've never liked my voice ever, so that makes me feel pretty good. Yeah. That's insane. Like, if you told me right now that I should, you know, be nicer to my brother and go clean my room, I feel like I would go do it. Be nicer to your brother and go clean your room. I'm already so nice to them, though. Yeah. Okay. Well, be nicer. And my room does need a cleaning. How did you know? Yeah. Seriously, you have, like, such a lovely voice. You don't know that?
BritneyNo. No. In—in—fact, like, I feel like I'm pretty quiet around people because I don't like my voice so much. Brittany, you're making a huge mistake. Okay. Well, I'm gonna talk more then. Yeah. No. Do you have things to say that you don't say because you don't like your voice? I don't know. I think—I—think—i'm just quiet overall, but that's because something I'm working on in 2026 is making—i—feel like I make myself small a lot, and I'm gonna make myself, like, less small and say what I want and say what I feel. That's awesome. Do you have any idea why that happens?
BritneyNo. I—don't. No. I mean, I have—I—have an inkling, and I—I—think like, it's nothing against my husband by any means, but he's ten years older than me. So, like, when we started dating, everyone was—you—know, his friends that I would interact with were all older, and I always felt like I can't say things when I'm 22 and they're 32. And— You felt like you didn't have anything to add? Yeah. Like, where I was, like, too young to have, like, an opinion worth hearing. Mhmm. I think so. But now you're 35. Well, now I'm 40. So— 40? My goodness. Yeah. His time's ticking by. And—I—know. Yeah. And you—you—might have to trade him in soon. Right?
BritneyI mean, he talks about trading me in soon. So—He's kidding. He's kidding. He's—Sure—is. He's wonderful. Whatever. Yeah. He's wonderful. Yeah. Oh, wow. That's interesting. I—I—thought you're for sure gonna tell me, like, you had a domineering mom or something like that. No. I—don't know. No. Just—Yeah. Just that weird, like, feeling of, like, "I don't have a lot to add to this situation."
BritneyYeah. And—and, like, coming on the podcast, like, I—I—think I kinda started it with saying I don't have a lot of groundbreaking things, but, like, maybe I do. And I think I do because I think that I've been successful in diabetes because I'm flexible, and I think that's a little bit groundbreaking for people to hear. Maybe? I don't know. No. No. Don't—don't—say "I don't know" at the end. Just say and maybe say just say "I'm flexible, I think that's groundbreaking." Tell me why flexibility around diabetes is not the norm.
BritneyI guess people can see, like, "oh, when we have ice cream, we go to 500, and so ice cream is—is—off the table for my kid." And I'm of the mindset like, "okay, one time we went to 500, so clearly we need to do more insulin and time it better, and we'll try again." And I think that trying again and saying like, "Okay, well my carb ratio is this, but I anticipate this food's going hit a lot harder so I'm going to give a lot more insulin and have a good outcome." And I think that being willing to try different things has—has—helped us be really successful. That's excellent. And are you telling me that the direction you got from medical staff didn't lead to you being flexible or trying again?
BritneyYeah. Well, I would say that it was the February after his diagnosis when he had the flu, and I called the educators and I said, "you know, I feel like this insulin has gone bad. I'm trying a different pen. I'm doing all of these things, and nothing is enough. His blood sugar is staying sky high." And the feedback I got was like, "Okay, we can increase by 10% every week." And if I had listened to that, he would have been in DKA, I feel like. Like, he had an—an—a significantly increased need, and I decided to not listen to them and just meet the need. And I think—I mean, I got that from the podcast. Like, I just have to meet the need of what his blood sugar is telling me he needs for insulin. I'm glad it helped you. 10%, how much—like, what was his total daily insulin during that time? Like—like, one point eight units—a—day—or something crazy—like—by, like, point one eight and see if this doesn't tackle it.
BritneyYeah. Like, that was—that was—insane to me. And I—and—I think during that conversation, I was just, like, kinda smiling and nodding. "Like, okay. Okay. That sounds good." And then I'm like—"I'm—I'm—gon hit him with a unit right now, and i'll catch it when it starts to drop." And—Yeah. That's basically what we did. And I'm like—"okay. I'll kind of listen to what their guidance is, but I'm not gonna call them for what I need. I can figure this out." That quickly. You took one piece of advice from them that didn't make sense to you, and you—you—trusted your sophomore.
BritneyI did. And I think, like, one of my big skills is I'm good at figuring things out. Mhmm. So I'm like—"I can figure this out." And I also had the podcast that I was listening to, you know, Bold Beginnings, all the different series, and I'm listening to them on 1.5 speed. So I'm getting through them really fast, and it just all kinda clicked in my head. Like, they're saying one thing. That's—their—their—guidance is, like, "we have to tell people to move slowly." And I understand, but it wasn't—it—wasn't—what we needed at that time. You need actionable, like, real world advice for—for—your situation, not big picture—not big picture—stuff.
BritneyRight. Right. Like, yeah, like, maybe if we're noticing some highs, but they're not crazy, like, "let's move it up by 10% and see what it looks like." But I'm calling them saying, like, "this isn't working." Yeah. And that's—He's got the flu. And his blood sugar is this high. You should know that he needs more than 10% here. Right. And, like, I—I—went to the Facebook group at that point, and I said, "you know, my son's needs have increased by, like, 300%. Is this normal? What—what—are we doing?" And I had great feedback. Mhmm. It was so helpful. There's always gonna be somebody that just can't wrap their brain around moving drastically off of whatever the norm is. It just—I—think it shocks people. It scares them. I—I—saw a person the other day. She said, "can we please normalize?" By the way, if you start a store—if you start a sentence with, "can we please normalize?" I stopped listening to you. But—but—that—it's—okay. You keep using your Instagram y catchphrases. Yeah.
Scott BennerCan we please normalize not going to Facebook to ask medical questions? And I was like—you just came to a support group with 80,000 people in it. Right. They're saying that. With each other constantly and going, "you—we—shoudn't be doing this." First of all, you're not, and no one's looking for your opinion. Thanks. That's insane. Yeah. I don't know how you watch so many people helping each other so successfully and then say, "should stop doing this," especially after hearing your story that you just told. Right. Like, why—why—would you not ask people with real world experience, like, lived experience? "Hey. Are you guys having this problem? What should I do here?" Why—why—wouldn't you use that tool? Rules, Britney. Is the way society work? No. No. No. No. No. Stop it. Always follow the rules. Always walk right into the volcano if you have to. That's what I was told.
Scott BennerYeah. Wait. I don't know, but that's—that's—a tough perspective. If—if—you're a person who can't, like, see blatant things in front of you and adjust off of what somebody taught you one day, I actually feel sorry is the wrong word, but I—gosh. I hope you can overcome that because I'm not saying you should just run around ignoring every, you know, trusted source on everything, but you—you—could think about it a little bit. You know? Like, you don't have to just yell, "that's not what we're supposed to do. Everybody put your head down. We're gonna get yelled at." Then again, I don't know how that person grew up. Right. They might have been getting their head screamed off all the time by somebody who told them, "I'm smart and you're stupid and just listen to me." Right. I have no idea. You talked about feeling isolated around the diagnosis. What was that about?
BritneyYeah. I mean, we live in a pretty small town in Vermont, and there's not a lot of other type one diabetics around. We knew of one girl in high school with type one, but that was it. I would see people, like, they're like, "oh, how is everything going?" And I'm like, "oh, you know, it's pretty hard, but we're—we're—getting through it." And then the conversation kinda ends because they don't know what else to ask. Yeah. And I'm not someone who's—give a ton of information that maybe someone's not interested in hearing or isn't equipped to hear. Mhmm. And I also, like, didn't wanna scare people off. I don't want them to be like, "oh, we can't have your son over for a play date because, you know—Yeah—He might die in our care." And so I've really struggled with how much information to give. And I learned pretty quickly that too much information is overwhelming and just enough is what people need, but I also feel like I hadn't found people I could really talk about the successes and the failures with.
BritneyBut I've come to terms with my people are the Facebook group. It's your Facebook group and the Trio Facebook group. Like, those are people that I can bounce ideas off of, share with successes and failures. And in my real life, I guess it's a little bit isolating, but I'm okay with having an online community. Yeah. No. Listen. It doesn't matter where they come from. It really doesn't. Yeah. As long as you find the interaction that you—that—you—need and people who you can—with, you know, some certainty of trust and, you know, you know that they have perspectives that are similar to yours, and hopefully that means they understand what you're going through and don't judge it right away. Also, I don't—you're not—I don't know how you're supposed to trust people who don't have air conditioning. The people of Vermont don't make any sense to me at all. Buy an air conditioner. What is wrong with Vermont?
BritneyI feel like a lot of people have them now. We have them. We have them. I was there one time, and let me tell you something. I know everything about Vermont now, and they didn't have air conditioning. Okay. Well, I do. Are people getting—oh, you have—you—have fancy air conditioning? Look at you. You have chickens in your front yard in a trailer that's been converted into a coop. No. I don't. I don't. I would love to have chickens, but there's bears around, and so we don't. Bears? Yeah. Why don't you leave? That's what I'm saying. I don't know. Vermont's great. Like, I love that my kids can walk around in town and everybody knows them—or—you know? Mhmm. It's great. It's wonderful. The bears won't follow you. They don't do—I don't understand what a bear does. Like—but—
BritneyYeah. I don't know. They eat birdseeds, so we don't put bird feeders out until they're hibernating. There you go. Fair enough. Yeah. Yeah. Rock solid—see, you said you weren't gonna be full of advice. Don't put your bird feeders out till the bears are sleeping. Okay? Yeah. Let's get some—it's really good advice. Big ground breaking advice. Yeah. No. Listen. I bet you that's not a thing a lot of you—I—bet you a lot of people right now go, "I didn't know that." You know? Yeah. That's good. Just here for the big info. I'll be here for the big things. So when you found yourself surrounded by people who didn't understand, the isolated feeling came from not wanting to say too much to somebody who wouldn't understand for fear that it—there'd be some sort of retribution, not—I—mean, maybe the wrong word, but, like, impacts on your son that you didn't want.
BritneyYeah. It was mostly that and, like, maybe a little bit of disappointment from people that I thought would show up, like, people that I thought would be like—"oh. Let's go to this diabetes walk." And I'm like—"okay." But they—they—weren't there. They're not—nobody has said that to me yet. And I'm like—"why—why—haven't you said it yet? Like, why haven't you, like, asked me more about what's going on?" How can I help? They say to you, like, "how can I help? Is there something I could understand?" You're talking parents even, extended family? Yeah. Yeah. So I guess I wanted some more from some people. Like, I just want another parent to have fruit snacks on them. Like, that would make my day if somebody I know is like, "oh, is Henry low? I have fruit snacks." Like, I'm just waiting for somebody to have fruit snacks.
Scott BennerDo you do that for other people in your life? I'm—i'm—always showing up for people in big ways. And maybe when I don't get that in return, it—not that I'm transactional in that way, but, like, sometimes I'm just like, "when does somebody show up in a big way for me?" I feel like I'm whining a lot, and I don't mean to be. I—well, with your terrific voice, it doesn't sound like whining, so you're fine. I guess what I'm asking is—is, like, you know, if that's how you are for other people, then there's an expectation that other people—I—I—think we all do that a little bit. Like, we—we—project how we are onto everyone else. Right? Right. But the truth is these people weren't doing that around anything else. But this thing seems so big that you thought, like, "this will get them off their"—Yeah. Yeah. But it—it—just hasn't.
BritneyIt just hasn't. And so that's where I've, like, come back around being like, "okay. The people online in the Facebook group, they can be my people, and I can be happy with that." And I do have one friend who I've never met who I text with a lot who is like a friend of a friend, and she has a 15 year old, and she's been really great to, like, bounce ideas off of and text with here and there. Mhmm. So I do have that person. That's awesome. Yeah. It really is. And you don't—I—I—mean, this is my perspective, but I don't think you need the regular walking around people in your life to understand it that much. Like, if you found some—because I think that fills the need for you. Like, someone understands. So you can't expect everyone to understand.
BritneyYou—it's so true. So true. What—what—do people who think the world's a simulation call the other people—non player characters? Is that right? You don't know this? I get you. You're out there. You're out in the woods. You know what? You're lucky you have the Internet. Does your—still, like, go boop boop boop when it turns on? Or—No. No? Okay. Whatever. It's not. I have, like, real deal Internet. Yeah. Get you. Now you're just bragging. Yeah. I just—I—think that those kind of those nebulous people that float through your life, it's—it's—okay if they—they—don't understand. I can—and I can also understand being disappointed if a parent or your sister or something like that isn't helping. But—Right. I—mean, maybe you could go to them and say, "I feel alone because of this. I really—it would mean a lot to me if you could just—if you could just learn a couple of little things. And is there something in your life that you'd feel good about if—if—I learn more about?"
Scott BennerLike, you know, is there a way we can both be, you know, this experience has made me realize that we need people and, you know, I'd like to be around for you more if I'm not. I—feel—like I'm doing this, but maybe that's not what you need. Is there something you'd prefer that I had knowledge about that would make you feel more comfortable around me and vice versa. I don't know. Like, depends on how far you wanna get into being a human being. You know? That is great advice. I—I—I—really like that, and I think I would use that with, like, a—a—person I have in mind. So—That's good. Yeah. They'll probably tie you a tree and smear maple syrup on you and let the bears eat you. But—Yeah. Yeah. Sounds great. And the bees. The bees.
BritneyThe bees too. What is that from? The bees. The bee. The bee. It's a Simpsons episode. The bees. The—bees. It's, like, 25 years old, but my reference. People are like, the way to reference a cartoon that was not our—that—i—i—i—have not been alive to hear. That's great, though. Anyway, find the episode of The Simpsons where mister Burns is yelling, "the bees." Is it mister Burns or is the system? I'm not a 100% sure, but the bees—the bees is, definitely worth looking into. Okay. I'll find it. My kids got into the Simpsons recently, so I don't know how appropriate it is for my eight year old to watch it, but he really likes it. I watched it, and I'm fine, mostly. Yeah. I feel like the same way. I think it's, like, 30 years old now.
BritneyYeah. I think you're right. Is it—the Simpsons celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2019. Oh my gosh. Wow. So it's 36 years old? Amazing. Alright, Britney. Do you know what television show the Simpsons first debuted on? It wasn't its own TV show. No. What—what—one? It was a sketch comedy show, and it was a little sketch that happened on—I'm giving you that's as—and that's as much as I'll tell you. Oh, why don't I get to know? Oh, alright. Fine. Was the Tracy Oldman show. Oh, okay. You don't even know what that is, do you? I've heard of it. That's awesome. I wish I was younger. Anyway, when you say here in your note that, you know, yes, I didn't know anything about diabetes even though I was a nurse, whatever. That's fine.
Career Shifts and Finding Purpose
Scott BennerMhmm. My eyes have been opening up about not just about the care, but about a career change. Like, what about diabetes has made you wanna change your career?
BritneyI love learning about it. I love all the tech. I—I—like, I'm in this—this—kind of silly job with workers' compensation that's a little bit boring, but it's really easy. But I think, I—I—mean, I would love to work for Dexcom, for Insulet. I don't know. I just feel like I need to go where my interest is, I love learning about diabetes, and I love being involved in it. And so at first I was thinking I want to be a diabetic educator, but I don't want to do that. And I'm thinking about nurse practitioner, but I also don't want to take out more student loans, so I don't know. I want to do something different. It's just hard to pull me away from, like, a very easy job right now that has a lot of flexibility that pays me well to take on, you know, loans or a pay cut, but it's just something I was thinking about. I think I gave you a lot of random notes in my notes.
Scott BennerIt's okay. I like your randomness. But is what you're telling me is that your son's diagnosis has maybe made you feel like your work life isn't purposeful enough?
BritneyOh, yeah. I mean, my work life is not purposeful, so I would love to have more of a purposeful work life, and I think that would be something involved in diabetes. What would stop you from looking into that? Oh, no. I look into it all the time. I just—I—guess, like, student loans, like, more schooling would be the biggest deterrent—or, like, a pay cut. And so—yeah. But just those things. Could you not do, like, some—I mean, you have your degree. Right? Could you not do some stuff, you know, in and around diabetes education and pile up your work hours that way?
BritneyI probably could. I also don't wanna go—I—I—like working from home. But you're like, "listen. I'd like to help people, but if I can do it from my house." Right? That's what I'm—that's what I'm going for. I mean, to—for me to drive, like, to the nearest hospital would be, a thirty five minute drive, and I've already worked there, you know, when I was in the ICU. And I don't know. I'm kind of looking for the perfect thing. But for the time being, I will just stay where I am, I guess. Do you stretch your legs online with that? Do you try to help people online? Is there a way you—you—feed that desire?
BritneyI guess. Like—so—I got into Trio, I guess, three or four months ago. Mhmm. And even though I'm new to that whole DIY looping, I love to, like, answer questions or, like, comment on things within that group. So I—I'm stretching my legs that way. Like, I'm interested in computers and—Very nice—Helping people navigate if I can. So—That's—that's—awesome. Getting it that way. Yeah. How long has your, son been using Trio?
BritneyJust three months—or, guess, November, December. Like, two and a half months, and it's been the most amazing thing that we've ever encountered with diabetes—Yeah—Next to your podcast. Oh, it's—for—I—I—i—find Trio to be awesome, personally. Yeah. Yeah. You listed as a one c—is it okay for me to say? Yeah. Five six. Is that right? Between five six and five nine since, after diagnosis.
Scott BennerWow. Okay. So what happened? He wasn't in DK when he was diagnosed, and then you kinda quickly figured out what put you in that range so early on, do you think? I mean, you had a little bit of, like, honeymooning at first. It helped you probably while you were figuring things out. But, like, if you had to say to somebody, "this is what I learned that stopped there from ever being confusion or high blood sugars that—you know, so much so that i had an a one c in the seven c eights." And I—think, what is it you think happened there? I know it's like a magic sauce for everybody, but what do you think it was for you?
BritneyI think that I was willing to keep trying. I guess what, like, what I said about the ice cream before, like—Mhmm—I could have one outcome that I didn't love and then try again a different way, like trying differently with timing and amount. And I think that I just wasn't afraid of insulin and that I learned to use insulin well. I think that's what it was. I mean, we were MDI for two months and then Omnipod five for nine months. And while I really liked Omnipod five, like, I was putting a lot of work into it. I was overriding the pump constantly. I was seeing the suggested bolus and kinda laughing at it being like, "no. Thank you. I'll do a little bit more." And I think just being flexible was was what allowed us to get these really good results.
Scott BennerOkay. That's awesome. It really is. Yeah. And you think that information came just out of, like, old beginnings in that series? Or— It really did. Yeah. I mean, there's a couple things that you said, like, you described, like, blood sugar on a football field maybe. Was—that—does that sound right? I mean, said a lot of Britney. I'm not sure. Or, like, maybe, like, if the football player is, like, running really fast, like, you might have to, like, push hard against it. Maybe—maybe that's a glucose tablet. And if it's, like, you know, drifting high, you're gonna give it a little bit of insulin. Or if it's running full speed high, you're gonna give it more insulin to help knock it down a little bit.
BritneyAnd I think that was all just conversations that I listened to you have during with bold beginnings, and and it was listening to that that allowed me to not say, "okay. Well, this is the two hour rule. He's had insulin in the last two hours. I need to wait longer." Mhmm. Like, no. If I saw a—a—huge spike, I said, "okay. Well, he needs more insulin. It's not stacking because he needs it. Like, we didn't give him enough up front, so let's give him a little bit more."
Equal Resistance and The Quarterback Metaphor
Scott BennerYeah. May I—for a minute, i'm gonna pontificate a little bit for half a second. Everybody settle in. So I feel like what you're telling me is that, basically, there's a—a—slew of t shirt slogan ideas that I've kinda, like, peppered into that stuff. Like, you know, "it's not—it's not—stacking if you need it." But the core idea of "meet resistance with an equal resistance" to keep things from moving away from where you want them to be—Right—That was foundational for you. So I think if I'm remembering correctly, it's also very interesting, by the way, that you—you—heard the story enough to understand it, but you don't have the details of it.
Scott BennerLike, I think I said, you know, "if your quarterback is getting sacked all the time—Right—You might need to keep in another lineman or a tight end to block a little bit because there's more force coming from the defense than your offense is able to resist." Yeah. And so try to think about that number and the insulin and the food as these two forces pushing each other back and forth off of a line and you're trying to stay on the line. So—That was definitely it. Not what I said. But I think it's beautiful that you didn't remember it exactly the way it was said because the idea there is—is that you don't—I—don't even think you live in Vermont. You don't even watch football, do you? I mean, I don't. My husband does. Yeah. Does. But what does he watch? The Patriots? Yeah. Or something like that. I—don't know. Mess. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But that's not what I'm saying.
Scott BennerWhat I'm saying is that, like, something that you didn't have full context for still made enough sense to you. Like, there's a line here. Some stuff is pushing up and some stuff is pushing down. And you know what? Once in a while, when it's pushing up, I gotta put more of the down stuff in even if it's not the right time because, obviously, I need to meet the need. Like, so what stuck to you was meet the need. Mhmm. It's not stacking if you need it. That's bolusing. Like, little ideas like that, and then you just synthesize them in your own life and apply them.
BritneyRight. That's exactly what it was. It was, like, using the technology but not relying on it. So, like, I think Omnipod five was great, but I couldn't rely on what it suggested all the time. Sometimes I had to override it or do something a little bit differently. So—Mhmm—Because of what I learned through the podcast. Sometimes you needed more blockers and it wasn't offering them to you, so you changed the play. Right. That's it. Yep. Exactly. Alright. Britney, are you here to say that people should just listen to me?
BritneyYeah. I think that's what they need to do. I'm gonna call my wife right now. Would you say that into the microphone at about thirty seconds? Please listen to Scott. Yeah. He has all the answers. I—by the way, i'm not—i don't care if anyone hears that except for Kelly because she will just come in and she'll be like, "listen to me. These people, they don't know you. If she lived with you, she wouldn't say that." That—that's—the second thing she would say. She's probably—she's probably—right. But no. I—mean, listen. In the end, i'm gonna bang this drum for as long as people are gonna listen to the podcast, I guess. Mhmm. It's all timing and amount.
Scott BennerYou need the right amount of insulin at the right time. That's it. You need to understand, you know, the impacts of your food. It's not all the same. One carb is not equal to the next. Not all the time. Yes. There are variables, and we're gonna wanna learn what they are along the way. But truth be told, if you attack most days with "put the right amount of insulin in the right place," that pretty much takes care of it. Yeah. I mean, that's—that's—all that it is. Like, every time I see somebody post a graph online, and they're like, "what happened here? Like, we went so high." It's like—okay. Well, you didn't use enough insulin or you didn't do it soon enough—or maybe you went low first, so it was too late. I don't know. I think you've simplified it with, like, timing and amount. That's what it is. So try again and just do—do—something differently.
The New Weight-Based Settings Calculator
Scott BennerYou even said something earlier about being flexible. And I thought, "oh, that's a nice idea." But what she's really saying is because I even hear your conversation in, "how could I distill it down more?" Right. But it's great that you understand it that way. I don't care how distilled or not it is for you. You have a thought and it works for you. That's all I want. Right. People should not listen to exactly what gets said and try to mimic it. They should listen to the bigger ideas and then apply them. Right. If they get lost, if it doesn't fit in their thinking, if they can't make sense of it, then you might have to, like, then you might have to just say, like, "well, i'm just gonna—i'm just gonna—believe what's being said here because i don't—i—i'm not synthesizing it to my thinking. So let's just use it like this." Mhmm. In the end, again, timing and amount, that's it. Just use the right amount of insulin at the right time. Does that sound super simple when it's not? It's not super simple. But it is if you realize that if your basal's right, if your insulin to carb ratio's right, if your insulin sensitivity is set up correctly, then guess what? Then that's a great starting place. And then it's a lot easier to bump and nudge these settings or your usage and get dialed in a little bit.
Scott BennerI can't even share this with you yet because I haven't even settled on the URL that it's gonna go on, but I think I've decided to share something. And so I'm—I'm—not a coder, Britney. There's a lot I don't understand. We can make a very long list of things that we don't—that I don't—understand. Okay? But I know how I think about diabetes. And, you know, you stop and listen to all these companies, you know, "we're gonna put out a system one day. You're just gonna put your weight in it and it's gonna do the rest." Right? That's eyelet cell right now. Right? You just—you—you—turn that thing on and you put your weight in and go. So you think what? The magic box knows from my weight. It's actually not magic at all. Right? So I made a calculator, okay, that you put your weight in the top, And it's going to give you starting spots for total daily dose for basal rate, for insulin to carb ratio, for sensitivity factor just by plugging in your weight.
Scott BennerSo I'm just gonna put in—I'm gonna put in a weight of a hundred and fifty pounds. That's it. It's all—it's all—done already, by the way. I typed one fifty, the whole calculator populated. It converts your weight into kilograms to do other math. Okay? There's an episode called—there's three episodes called—the math behind, the math behind insulin sensitivity, behind correction factor, behind basal. It would explain all that to you. But this thing says, okay. Hundred and fifty pounds, that's sixty eight point two kilograms. Here's what I know from that now. Your total daily insulin is about 37. Now that's if you choose a factor of point five five or a standard or moderate factor. Right? But this thing gives you the opportunity to say, "you know what? I'm more sensitive. I'm more resistant. I'm highly resistant." You just click on those things and it changes it for you. If you say I'm highly sensitive, it drops that to thirty point seven units a day. If you say I'm highly resistant, it puts it up all the way to sixty one point four units a day. It isn't telling you that's exactly how much insulin you're gonna use. It's telling you that based on your weight, this is—this—is what we can maybe expect. You know, be careful. Also, these are the formulas that your doctor uses when they try to figure out your basal rate in the beginning, when they try to figure out your sensitivity factor in the beginning.
Scott BennerSo anyway, I choose standard moderate—thirty seven and a half units a day is the estimated total daily dose, which is just sixty eight point two kilograms times point five five. That tells you that your calculated basal rate is about eighteen point seven five units a day or about point seven eight units an hour if you're using a pump. Keep scrolling down. Your insulin to carb ratio may be about 13.3. That's using the standard 500 rule. One unit covers 13.3 grams. If you go to the four fifty rule, which is more aggressive, it takes it to 12. There's a little drop down box there where you can make that decision for yourself. Your sensitivity factor at a 150 pounds, you know, at the 1,800 rule—48. One unit moves you about 48 points. You can—the little slider there, you can slide it a little bit one way or the other way, change the rule for the math. But—and are these numbers perfect for you? Definitely not gonna be. But— No. But they're a starting point for people and, like, a visual for people to see and understand.
Scott BennerYes. And then if you have a nice starting point, then you can say to yourself, "okay. Well, let's see how this works." And, you know, "if—oh, my basil's set the wrong way. My—you—know?" There's a little thing at the bottom here that says if your basil's set too low, your meal bolus will try to fill that hole of missing basil, and this makes carb ratios look wrong. Like, so it kinda gives you the idea of, like, know, if one thing's wrong, it's gonna make something else look wrong. Then it—it's—very clear. It says the math provides a starting line. You must perform basal testing, fasting periods to verify blood sugar, hold steady, like—and you have to click on a disclaimer to get into it. The thing's disclaimered out. Okay? That's perfect. I can't decide if I'm gonna put it online. I think I am. Well, why wouldn't you?
Scott BennerI—I—mean, because, like, you know, I—I—guess I'm okay. Like, I get—it—explains how the tool's built. Also, I want you to understand, it's not like I sat down and said, "I know this math. I'm gonna make this code do this thing." I just fed common ideas about how basal and everything else is figured out. You can find it anywhere on the Internet from hospital websites to, you know, all kinds of different places. And I don't know how to code it, so I basically built, like, three different calculators through something people call vibe coding, which, again—okay. Just understand—I—you go to, like, a large language model and you say, "look. Go learn everything you can learn about the, I don't know, the 1,800 rule for this and how people with type one diabetes would use it to get a starting point for this setting." It goes and looks at, a thousand different websites. It comes back and says, "this is the math. This is how it works. I understand it now." And I go, "okay. Can you build me a little embeddable calculator where people could figure that out for themselves?"
Scott BennerSo I made three separate calculators that all worked independently. And then I said, "is there not a way that we couldn't combine all these into one calculator and limit people's interactions so they could get this in?" And they said, "yeah. They could just put their weight in, and we could figure the whole thing out from that." And I was like, "cool. Make that." And then I used it and used it and used it and used it till I thought "this is working." And I'm not seeing any glitches, then I sent it to a friend and I said, "hey. Do you see anything here that doesn't look right?" They said there's one wording mistake right here. We made a little change. You know, sending out the five or six other people who have been using it. Seems to work for them okay. And, you know, that's it. But why do I bring all that up? I bring all that up because if you had your settings somewhere close to right and you understood—i'm gonna tell you that I think if you had that calculator and at the minimum, the small sip series from the podcast, I think you'd be off on a good way.
BritneyI think you're totally right. And I also think there's a lot of value to people who think they have their settings pretty good to use a calculator like that to see, you know, like, what's the next dial I might wanna turn to get things looking a little bit better. It may not prove true to you. Like, it might say, "oh, your daily basil is this." You might be like, "that's not right." Well, okay. That's good. Use your common sense and say "that doesn't sound right." Or if, you know, your daily basil right now is five units a day and the thing's telling you it's 12, I wouldn't go just yakking it up out of nowhere. Like—right? But, like, it might give you the idea of, like, "oh, I wonder if my basal's too weak. Like, is that a thing I could be looking at?" Is this another tool? Yeah.
Scott BennerCould I go ask my doctor? "Hey. You know, I found this calculator and it says this. How come my base"—and—and where does this all stem from? Everything I do on the podcast stems from some personal experience I've had. Right? Mhmm. But for this one specifically, when Arden was diagnosed, she was little. And I think her insulin sensitivity was like one to three fifty. Like, one unit moved her 350 points or something like that. And as she's growing and getting older and I'm figuring out that she needs more insulin and I'm really making more decisions upfront where I'm ignoring the settings and going more with the amount of insulin I see needed. Right? And things are working. So the doctor's like, "oh, things are working." You know, they never think about it again. One day—Right.
Scott BennerOne day I said—I swear to this—this, you know, person who just said all this to you, I go in the doctor's office. It's a couple years into it. I go, "what's the insulin sensitivity?" And they're like, "what?" And I'm like, "yeah. I don't really understand what that is." So I was a couple years into it. I didn't—I didn't—know what it meant. I—it—was to me, it was just a setting in her pump. I was like, "I don't under—like, this number hasn't moved since she was, like, four." Right. But you're moving every other number to try to make up for that. But I'm moving numbers all over the place trying to make up for it. But, like, I'm like, "what should this be?" And I remember the look of horror on the face of the person. They took the pump for me, and they looked and they went, "oh." And their face just said to me, "that number is nowhere near correct." Wow. And then I was like, "okay. I was like, where do you think it should be?" And they're like, "well, I—I—i'm not sure." And then they sat down and wrote some numbers on a piece of paper and gazinted a little bit and then moved it to another number. Mhmm. And now I realized that all they did was take the total daily insulin and her weight and a couple of other little ideas and rejiggered the numbers.
BritneyRight. Yeah. I mean, that's—but people—so people need that calculator. I mean, you think about people who start on, like, Omnipod five, and they're four months into diagnosis. And then, you know, six months later, they're like, "this pump doesn't work. Omnipod five is crap. I'm gonna go to Mobi instead." It's like—well, you probably need a hard reset of your pump with the right numbers for what you need now. Mhmm. And a calculator like that could be like, "hey. Let's reset your pump, and let's use these numbers and see if you're getting something better." No. It's—and—it's not crazy. Like, it really—and I just had a conversation like that with somebody recently. I think it motivated me more about the calculator. This person reached out and said the same thing. Like, "my—you—know, this automated system's not working for me and, you know, for my kid, and I think something's wrong." And I was like, "well, what are the settings?" He gave me the settings. I was like, "that doesn't sound right to me." Mhmm.
Scott BennerAnd then, you know, you realize that they, you know, they put those settings in, the kid on the pump, time has passed now, and the pump isn't doing what they needed to do. And, you know, I said, "well, I think you should go back into manual and try to, like, you know, reestablish some good settings." I said, "but you can't just do that. Those settings are way wrong." Mhmm. And that person did not know where to start, and I just said, "well, you know, let's take their weight and do this." They said, "oh, well, that—that—one number is way different than what they had." I said, "well, don't move it drastically. Like, just—yeah. Keep it in the back of your head. Start over again." You know? If you—it makes you more comfortable to call your doctor, call your doctor. Like, I—I—don't care. Like, you know, do—do—whatever makes you happy. But, like, don't wait three months for your next endo appointment that's gonna be twenty minutes long and expect all of these things to happen. Like, this is where people need to take some control of their own.
Scott BennerAnd—Yeah. Also, this—this—person is—is—out of their mind. They're not sleeping now. Right. If this goes on for two more months, then they go into a doctor's office. They're gonna sound like a raving lunatic. "I'm not sleeping—at the baby"—and then—yeah. Like—and—and the doctor's gonna be like, "oh, okay. I'm just trying to make it for lunch." No. No. You know, like, relax. They're gonna say, "well, well, you're getting low at 03:00. Why don't we turn your blah blah blah down at"—like—and that's not gonna help anything. Mhmm. Right? So—Well Anyway And I think this is also maybe a time when people are like, "oh, we have to do low carb because, like, the pump doesn't work with what we're eating, and we're told we can eat anything. We just have to dose for it." That's not true, so we have to do low carb. And low carb people, like, fine. Like, whatever works for you, but you don't have to be that. You just have to have better settings.
Scott BennerYou can take low carb out of it. Like, all the misconceptions start flying at you. Right. You know, like, "oh, the insulin must be bad. My sight's wrong." Right. I—you know, "the—I—don't—is it because i'm, you know, the phase of the moon? Is it"—you—know, like, I mean, you start seeing ghosts everywhere Right—And you can't figure out what's actually happening. Right. I just think that's a sad thing for people. Like, I'm not saying "plug your weight in and these numbers are gonna be exactly right. You know, pop them into your device or, you know, use your MDI this way, everything's gonna be hunky dory." But what I can tell you is—is—that it'll get you a lot closer than you are. Right.
Vibe Coding the Warsaw Method Calculator
Scott BennerAnd in that same vein, I—I—don't know if I have access to this one right now through a browser. I do. I also built—and—I—Jenny and I talked about it in an episode recently, so I guess I'm maybe gonna have to put it out in the world. I also built a—a—calculator that once you have those settings, okay—Mhmm—Take them and you drop them into this thing here. So insulin—the car—actually, do you know your kid's numbers off top of your head? Yeah. What's his carb ratio? In the morning, it's 18, and the rest of the day, it's, like, 34 to 36. Let's just say 18 and do a breakfast thing. Insulin sensitivity? Ish? Like, one twenty? One unit moves them a 120. Let's make the target blood sugar 90. I'm just filling in little boxes here. How many carbs are breakfast? Like, 60. Is there any fat in it? A little bit. Do you know how much? A few grams. A few grams. Let's say four. Is there protein in this thing? Yes. What? Do you know how much? Six grams. Mhmm. What's—what's—his current BG when he eats usually in the morning? Around, like, ninety two. Ninety two. Ninety three. Okay. Any insulin on board? Like, point four probably. Point four. And is his arrow—his trend arrow—usually stable, rising, or falling at that moment? Like—Stable. Okay. So—click button.
Scott BennerDoes 3.33 sound like about the bolus you would use in that situation? About the bolus? Yeah. Like, right around there, probably a little bit less, and then, like, the SMBs from Trio would take care of the rest Mhmm to take care of the rise. Yeah. Because I have my settings at, like, 80% of the recommended bolus, and then it kicks in over time. Okay. So if—if—I gave you that calculator and you didn't know what you were talking about and it told you at the end, "I would use a 3.33 unit bolus and wait about nine minutes to pre bolus," do you think that would go reasonably well for him? Yes. That's a calculator I made. Yeah. That's—that's—so helpful. That's what people need.
Scott BennerAnd trust me, something like that exists inside a—probably inside a—it—could exist inside of people's pumps. But if you don't know what you're doing, right, if you have no idea what you're doing and you sat down and said, "my kid weighs this much" and then took those numbers and moved it over into the other thing and said, "here's a meal I don't understand, you know, blah blah blah." And then it spit out 3.3 and you said to yourself, "oh god. I've been bolusing one and a half units for that." Right. Or—he gets low all the time and I bolus five units for that, but I don't pre bolus. Like, it would at least maybe, like, light a candle in your head and make you go, "Totally." You know? Yeah. Yeah. And by the way, we were to add more fat to this. Let's say that there was 15 grams of fat in this meal. Mhmm. I regenerated it. It now tells you to do a 3.33. Still wait the nine minutes, but it would like to see you do a point eight eight Warsaw wave.
Scott BennerBasically, like, it's a bolus for the fat and the protein in the meal, which would take the—the—total dose up to four point two two. It would like to see that that. So, basically, it's asking you to make a square wave or extended bolus over three hours of point eight eight. So three point three three up front with a point eight eight over three hours to deal with the fat. Mhmm. And it gives you little things at the end. You know, "insulin on board safety correction only subtracted. And there's something called ambiguity guard. The 10 to 70 range was checked, the Warsaw method is using one FPU." It discarded that because it's not touched. It's—it's—trying to show you how it's working a little bit. And trust me, as I'm talking here, I don't understand. But what I did do was teach it all about the Warsaw method and, like, let it go out. I sent it everything we had on the podcast. I sent it to websites that talk about it, three or four different places that talk about the math of the Warsaw method.
Scott BennerI did my best to make the large language model as much of an expert on the Warsaw method as I could, and then I asked it to combine it into this calculator. Maybe it's not right. I don't know. That's why, again, it has, you know, disclaimers all over it, and it's not—I haven't put it on the—on the—web yet. But what I can tell you is that there's a simple fat and protein calculator on the website now. Mhmm. Under guides, it's a fat and protein insulin calculator. It explains the Warsaw method in at—I—mean, it explains to the point where if you read all that, god bless you, because it's really broken down there. But at the end, it gives you four episodes where we talk about fat and protein that you can listen to if you want and a simple calculator to figure out the fat and protein and how you might use it. You have no idea how much email I get from educators out in the world who are like, "hey. Please, I keep sharing that link with people." That's awesome. Thank you very much. So—So—
BritneyYou know? I feel like the people who are going to that website or or using those calculators are people who are pretty proactive. But how do you get that into the hands of somebody who feels so—so—lost and isn't proactive about figuring it out? Like, what do you—how do you get—that—asked. You, being Scott, put your lazy ass on an airplane a bunch of times this year and go to a bunch of conferences where professional people are gonna be and stand around and banging the drum for telling people about this stuff. Yeah. And then, hopefully, it bleeds out into the world a little more because it does now. I mean, there are a lot of institutions that, you know, suggest the podcast to people. Right. And maybe my—honestly, my goal is I'm gonna stand at a table at a couple of professional conferences and talk to anybody who's willing to talk and tell them, "look. This is what I found talking to people. What would be wrong with showing them how to get their settings right and how to figure out maybe the impact of the fat and protein in their food because, i mean, really, that's what they're missing."
BritneyAnd do you think that, like, you could get that to maybe endocrinologist offices are—are—on top of it, and the educators that work there are on top of it, but is there a way to get into, like, primary care with people who are having their PCP manage their diabetes? Like, how do you get to them? Yeah. I—I—mean, listen. The only thing I've figured out about the Internet is that it—it—works at its own pace, and—Right—It—you don't know how it's working. So—Right—Word-of-mouth. All you have to do is help somebody and give them the confidence that the thing you told them was valuable and they will hopefully go tell somebody else about it. But other than that, there's no way. You can't—I've watched—I'll tell you what. It's a pretty big organization a lot—a—few years ago now, and they wanted to make a push for, you know, just a finger stick during with kids with flu symptoms. They tried really hard. I mean, they put a massive effort around it, put money and manpower, it didn't work. So—Yeah. I don't know how I'm supposed to go do that. So what I can do is I can help people—Right—To see the—you—know, what the bigger picture might be, hope that they, again, take the information, synthesize it for themselves, apply it to their own lives, have some success, and then it's been meaningful enough to them that they've—they'll—tell somebody else. Right. That's it. Yeah. Citizen—they call—I saw—I heard somebody call it citizen science recently. Oh. That's all fancy. I don't know what that means.
BritneyYeah. Okay. I like the sound of it. Yeah. Yeah. I just—you—you—gotta just try to help people, and hopefully, they'll try to help people. I think that really is a—I mean, you know, unless you wanna—you—know, I don't know. Can you imagine getting on the phone with a GP's office and saying, "hey. Do you have a lot of type, you know, ones in there that, you know, should be going to an endo, but they're coming to you instead and their a one c is 10? I think I could help them." And they're gonna be like, "goodbye." And, you—you—know, like, it's—what—do— I guess, like, I started listening to the ADA twenty twenty six episode this morning. Oh. And you were talking a lot about your friend Mike. And I'm thinking, like, "how do you get it to his doctor? Like, how do you—how—do you infiltrate those people who aren't getting what they need and having"—I don't know. I'm—I—just, like—I wish Mike's doctor had that information and shared it with him. Yeah. Me too. Yeah. I—appreciate that. I—I—yeah. I don't know the answer to that one, Britney. Yeah. World's not a perfect place. So—No. Yeah. Thank you. I think this is good place to stop, but I do wanna check to see if you have anything else that you wanna say or anything I missed that I should have brought up.
Self-Trust and Conclusion
BritneyNo. I don't think so. I mean, I hope that you can get something helpful out of this podcast. Or— Don't do that, Britney. Don't do that. Okay. Okay. Just say "I was awesome, and my conversation spurred on other good conversations, Scott. And you're fantastic, and I'm fantastic, and let's be done." It's all good. I'm proud of myself for doing this and—Good—I thank you for your time. Don't doubt yourself. Okay. I won't. I said somewhere recently, somebody called me—what—did they call me? Forget what it was. Egotistical. I forget. Does it sound egotistical that I forget what they call me? Whatever. No. No. Yeah. It does a little. Somebody said something about that about—and—I—and—I said, "look. I—I—don't know what happened to you in the past that didn't allow you to trust yourself as much as I trust myself, but i'm sorry for you." Mhmm. Also, it doesn't make me egotistical. Right.
Scott BennerI've explained 17 different ways in this conversation—I don't know what I'm talking about. I might not be right. If you're looking for absolutes, don't look to me. The disclaimer literally says, "this tool is for educational purposes only. The results are mathematical estimations that do not constitute medical advice. Please read our full disclaimer." If you click on that full disclaimer, here's what that disclaimer says about 20 different ways: "If I was you, I wouldn't listen to me. Okay?" But I'm still talking. Do what you want with it. I don't know what happened to me that I say, "look, i'm sharing how i feel and i'm not making any claims about it." And—but—what happened to you that makes you go like—"I'm sorry. I hope I shared something today that was maybe valuable." Hopefully, you can cobble together eight minutes out of this that, you know, like, that if I was you, I'd go figure out what that is. Right. Okay. I will. Trust yourself. Have you ever hurt anybody on purpose? What—I—don't know what you mean by that. You—have you ever, like, have you ever, like, maliciously hurt someone? Like, eavesdropped? No. Like, you know, like, like—i'm sorry. I'm not following. I think that answer answers my question. Okay.
Scott BennerDo you lie, as a regular, like, part of your life? Are you a big liar? No. No? Okay. And you don't—No—You don't—you—you—wouldn't—you—wouldn't screw somebody over to get $20 from them? Oh my god. No. No? Then—No—Then—okay. Then—what—do—you—what—do you think you're not doing then? I don't know, but I'm gonna start doing what I'm not doing. Do have an ethos, like, how you live? Not really. I—I—guess I just try to be kind to do the right thing, and I try to hold space for other people and listen to people and be helpful. I have—I—have literally two sentences I run my whole life with. What's that? I try to treat people the way I wanna be treated. Mhmm. And I don't lie unless I have to. Right. That's it. I agree with both of those things. Yeah. That's pretty much it. And what—what—would constitute having to lie? I don't know. Maybe the zombies are coming, and, I got a steak, and, my kids are hungry. And you ask me if you, if I got a steak, and I go, "no. No steak." Yeah. I can get on board with that.
Scott BennerYeah. But if—if—I had a steak and, there were no zombies and you said, "hey. Can I have some steak?" I'd be like, "yeah. Goddamn right. Let's have some steak together." Yeah. Yeah. Right. So, that's pretty much it. Like, I don't screw people over on, on purpose. I'm sure I've done things in the past that have not been, you know, good for other people. It wasn't on purpose, and it wasn't through ignorance. Like, if it happened, it was—it was—completely benign on my part. I don't run around screwing people over. I don't use my powers for evil. I've settled on here a million times. I don't know if you've heard it. "If I was a bad person, you'd know it because I'd have a lot more money, and I wouldn't be helping people with diabetes." Right. I would be one of those people who looks at the world and goes, "What can I extract out of this for me?" Mhmm. And instead, I say, based on those two sentences, I'd like to help other people if I can make a reasonable living at it and take care of my kids. So I have found a way to do that. I—again, if I was a lawyer or something like that, oh my god. You people would be in so much trouble. Or if I decided to start a cult— Yeah. I'd be having sex with your wives, and you'd be sending money to my account every day. What do think of that? You'd be—you'd—be an incredible cult leader. Thank you. I would be an incredible cult leader. I take that as a compliment, by the way. I just wanna say thank you. I really do. You should.
Scott BennerI'm gonna walk around all day thinking that. Listen. I have no inclinations like that. Like, none whatsoever, but there are people who do. You know what I mean? And you're not one of them. So don't question yourself when you're, I don't know, purporting who you are. You're a good person. I'm not gonna—I'm—not gonna question myself. Yeah. What should we call this episode? Oh, I don't know. Really? We wanna get rid of the cat. I don't know. Oh. The cat's peeing on the floor. That was so long ago with the cat peeing on the floor. It was. It was. Can I tell you something? If it had more to do with it, I love your son's statement. "Someone peed on my bed." I got—somebody just peed on my bed. "Somebody peed on my bed." I don't know what's going on here. Like, do people not lock the door? Like, what—Right—I'm counting on you guys, and—and—I got a guy in here peed on my bed. "Someone peed on my bed" is just strong title cost ability. I also like "the bees" for some reason. Okay. The bees work. The bees. The bees. But that's only because I know the episode. So— I'll know the episode later. I'll—I'll—watch it. I'm going "somebody peed on my bed." Yeah. Because metaphorically, someone peed on your bed. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. Britney, you're awesome. I feel like we could be friends. Well, thank you. I feel like we could be friends too. As long as there's air conditioning. That's all I'm saying. Yeah. There is. There is. I have AC. Is it—wait. Is there a real air conditioner? Like, it's outside. It's a big unit. It's hooked to a vent. No. It's not like—Is it jammed on a window? Central air. Oh my god. No. I don't have that. I don't have central air. I have, like, a heat pump that also functions for, like, AC and cooling. It doesn't sound like air conditioning. Can you get it down to a crisp 67 in that house? Yes. I can. It cuts all the humidity. Alright. Actually— It's great.
Scott BennerThe—the—reason most people don't have—or have it in the past had—air conditioning in Vermont as well, it is cold there most of the year. And even in the really hot months, it's more about humidity than heat. Right? Right. Yeah. Right. So if you cut the humidity, it's so comfortable and it's, like, lovely in here. Yeah. But still overnight with the humidity, I don't love it for the sleeping. No. God. No. I don't either. That's why we have the heat pump that gets rid of the humidity. I know there's lot of problems in the world, I should probably be focusing on one of those. But I just wanna tell you that, if I was lucky enough to be born somewhere with air conditioning, I'm not going backwards. So—Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's—Fair enough. My god. Alright, Britney. You're awesome. Hold on one second for me. Okay.
Scott BennerA huge thank you to Cozy Earth, a longtime sponsor. Cozyearth.com. Use the offer code juice box at checkout. You will save 20 percent off of your entire order when you use that code. Don't let me down kids. Head over there now. Get yourself some joggers, some towels, some sheets. Save yourself some money. Support the podcast. Make your life beautiful and comfortable all at the same time. Cozyearth.com. Use the offer code juice box at checkout. This episode of the juice box podcast is sponsored by the Omnipod five. And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free—what I just say—a free Omnipod five starter kit. Free? Get out of here. Go click on that link. Omnipod.com/juicebox. Check it out. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Links in the show notes. Links at juiceboxpodcast.com. Dexcom sponsored this episode of the juice box podcast. Learn more about the Dexcom g seven at my link, dexcom.com/juicebox. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of the Juice Box podcast. If you're not already subscribed or following the podcast in your favorite audio app, like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, please do that now. Seriously, just to hit follow or subscribe will really help the show. If you go a little further in Apple Podcasts and set it up so that it downloads all new episodes, I'll be your best friend. And if you leave a five star review, oh, I'll probably send you a Christmas card. Would you like a Christmas card? If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juice Box podcast private Facebook group. Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes. But everybody is welcome. Type one, type two, gestational, loved ones, it doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes and you're looking for support, comfort, or community, check out Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. If you're new to type one diabetes, begin with the bold beginnings series from the podcast. Don't take my word for it. Listen to what reviewers have said. Bold beginnings is the best first step. I learned more in those episodes than anywhere else. This is when everything finally clicked. People say it takes the stress out of the early days and replaces it with clarity. They tell me this should come with the diagnosis packet that I got at the hospital. And after they listen, they recommend it to everyone who's struggling. It's straightforward, practical, and easy to listen to. Bold Beginnings gives you the basics in a way that actually makes sense. Have a podcast? Want it to sound fantastic? Wrongwayrecording.com.
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