One of the most ask questions in the online diabetes community is in relation to managing blood glucose and exercise, fitness, or any physical activity when you live with type 1 diabetes. The challenge of exercise reducing glucose levels dramatically, even hours afterwards, and the frustration of having to replace the glucose burned with extra calories put people off for many years.But now we have more research and more knowledge on the science and exercise is less frustrating.

We have brought the expertise of Dr. Alistair Lumb, amateur cyclist James O’Reilly and former senior county GAA footballer, Kevin Nolan. Here’s a little of what we have in store.

 

 

DR ALISTAIR LUMB

Type 1 diabetes; Managing Blood Glucose and Exercise

Alistair is a Consultant in Diabetes and Acute General Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He is also one of the key organizers of the OneTouch Sports Weekend (formerly known as the Animas Sports Weekend) in the UK since it began. Thriveabetes exhibition coordinator, Christine Meehan, who has been an enthusiastic cyclist, runner, boot camp participant for many years, attended this event last October and said she learned so, so much from it.

 

 

JAMES O’REILLY

Diabetes & Exercise - My Personal Experience

James was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2006, when he was 19 and only developed a passion for cycling in 2013.

However, based on medical advice, he was only doing rides of up to two hours in duration and it was only out of curiosity that he did a google search for “professional athletes with type 1 diabetes” that he realized he could go beyond. He started following the NovoNordisk Team Type 1 professional cycling team and broke through that barrier.

In 2015, James was featured in an Irish Times article because he took part in the 2015 mHealth Grand Tour which involved a 1,500km cycle with 20,000 metres of climbing over 10 days with 26 riders, all with type 1 diabetes.

And in 2016, he took part in Team Novo Nordisk’s Development Camp. James wrote a blog post for Thriveabetes just before he went off on this trip. You can read more here.

Follow James on: Facebook  Twitter @semajoreilly

 

KEVIN NOLAN

Diabetes Doesn’t Stop You Type 1 Adult Panel

Kevin Nolan is a former Gaelic footballer for Dublin Senior team and continues to play for Kilmacud Crokes. He played on the team when they won the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for the first time in sixteen years. Kevin was named the man of the match in that game.

Four days after experiencing the euphoria of Dublin winning the 2011 All Ireland Football Final, he was diagnosed Coeliac disease. Three months after that, in December, he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. After weeks of sitting out training he did finally get back out with the team and played to another victory in 2013. He no longer plays at Senior level and is a teacher based in Lucan.

Follow Kevin on Twitter @KevinNolan7

 

 

 

THRIVEABETES CONFERENCE INFORMATION

Saturday, February 24th 2018 The Red Cow Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin. ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED Includes a hot lunch and refreshments valued at €25.

Additional Information;

Full Conference Programme and schedule

Venue Information (Getting there and Staying there)

Speaker Profiles (still waiting on a couple of speaker biographies and photos)

Register Here.

If cycling or football isn’t your thing here are a couple more Irish Sporting Role Models.

 

IRISH SPORTING DIABETES ROLE MODELS

Stephen Clancy Professional cyclist from Limerick diagnosed at 19, member of Team NovoNordisk aiming to make it into the 2021 Tour de France.

George Clancy, IRFU International Rugby Referee

Alan Sothern Irish international hockey player

Mary Flynn, dietician and show jumper dxd aged 41 DI mag Autumn 2010

Catherine Brady World Champion Kick

Kenneth Sweeney, Former Senior County footballer in Sligo

Alan Kernaghan Former ROI Footballer