The 17 Best Diabetes Blogs of 2012

Best Diabetes Blogs

Diabetes is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. Several eloquent and compassionate people who face diabetes have chosen to write about their experiences in blog form, chronicling both their struggles and their successes. In addition to being compelling reading, these bloggers' stories bring together the online community of those whose lives are affected by diabetes.

After poring over many, many diabetes blogs, looking for the best of the bunch, here we have collected seventeen of the best diabetes blogs for you to read. We trust that you will find these bloggers' writings and experiences to be sources of both helpful information and hope.

Diabetes Mine

This self-described “diabetes newspaper with a personal twist” lives up to its name: Diabetes Mine is a virtual gold mine for all things diabetic.

Staffed by diabetes experts and diabetics alike, this site is the “It Spot” for diabetes news, education, advocacy, research, product info, and personal tales. From life as a diabetic traveler to deciding which glucose meter to select, Diabetes Mine has the diabetic reader covered. Living with type I or type II diabetes becomes less daunting (and way funnier) when checking Diabetes Mine becomes just as natural as checking your blood sugar levels.

Visit this blog at www.diabetesmine.com

Diabetes Self-Management

Diabetes Self-Management helps provide readers with exactly what the title suggests: support for leading a healthy life with diabetes. Health professionals and diabetic individuals contribute a wealth of educational posts on living with and learning to manage diabetes.

Having received over 300 awards in its nearly 20-year history, Diabetes Self-Management works hard to deliver reliable and relevant information on nutrition, exercise, medicine, and self-help. They also publish a number of print publications to help its readers stay abreast of the latest news and tips on life with diabetes. 

Visit this blog at www.diabetesselfmanagement.com

Loral Diabetes

Detailing Alan’s personal journey with type II diabetes, this blog deserves notice for its humorous and personal take on the challenge of the diabetic lifestyle. From an ode to his steamer saucepan to attempts to understand new medications and legislation affecting diabetics, Alan is frank, engaging, and a true enemy to the feelings of frustration and solitude many diabetics experience.

Alan shapes his blog with wit and personal ups and downs as well as thoughts and speculations about diabetes management and recent news. Loral Diabetes is a comforting treasure for diabetics everywhere.

Visit Alan's blog at loraldiabetes.blogspot.com

Texting My Pancreas

Texting My Pancreas is the witty online journal of Kim Vlasnik’s life with type I diabetes. Her blog details the ins and outs of diabetes, including insulin pump problems, late-night fast food runs, and the shenanigans that result from online diabetes companions meeting offline.

Kim, founder of the “You Can Do This” project, makes diabetes advocacy a big part of her life, reaching out to JDRF, the DSMA Advisory Board, and the Diabetes Advocacy program in her spare time. Texting My Pancreas is a down-to-earth, charming compilation of stories that will strike a chord with diabetics everywhere. 

Visit Kim's blog at www.textingmypancreas.com

Scott's Diabetes

The personal blog of diabetic Scott K. Johnson, Scott’s Diabetes pays tribute to the enormous struggles that accompany life with diabetes, both emotional and physical. His story is one that takes a touching look at the isolation and challenges that affect diabetics, but it is also a story of triumph and outreach.

Not only does Scott work hard to connect diabetic readers to education and research trial opportunities, he also keeps track of news and resources to share with his audience. Scott’s Diabetes gets a 10 for its raw, realistic, and inspiring take on life with diabetes.

Visit Scott's blog at www.scottsdiabetes.com

Diabetes Stops Here

Diabetes Stops Here is the official blog of the American Diabetes Association, and its goal is clear: to stop diabetes. A veritable cornucopia of diabetes news, personal stories, research, recipes, and tips, the site straddles the educational and outreach domains with a relevant post for just about every aspect of life with diabetes.

Whether you want to travel, bike, read books, cook, survive the holidays, or learn how to get involved with advocacy, the ADA Diabetes Stops Here blog is a great go-to resource. Stop by and help them defeat diabetes through prevention, education, and research.

Visit this blog at www.diabetesstopshere.org

A Sweet Life

A Sweet Life takes a look at diabetes from many angles. Dedicated to improving the health of diabetic readers, the mish-mash of talented bloggers on this site have something to offer diabetics of every background.

From funny tributes to research mice to no-holds-barred analyses of policies surrounding diabetic prescription drugs, A Sweet Life gives its readers a daily dose of humor, sarcasm, and touching personal stories. This multi-blog site gives voice to a host of fabulous diabetes writers and is a great landing place for a reality check and a bit of contact with the diabetic community.

Visit this site at asweetlife.org/category/blogs/

Diabetes Hands Foundation

The ultimate source for up-to-date info in the world of diabetes advocacy, the Diabetes Hands Foundation blog packs its pages with an artsy combination of videos, interviews, poetry, outreach, and community-building educational materials.

This blog is taking leaps and bounds toward accomplishing the goal of making diabetes less isolating, less challenging, and less intimidating. The Diabetes Hands Foundation’s blog is setting the standard for using social media and networking to bring camaraderie and diabetes management skills to the world.

Visit this blog at www.diabeteshandsfoundation.org/our-blog/

Diabetes Social Media Advocacy

Dedicated to providing support, education, and community for diabetics, the Diabetes Social Media Advocacy blog is running the world of diabetes online networking. By bestowing its support on the who’s-who of diabetes blogs and social media campaigns, the DSMA blog connects the greater Diabetes Online Community to successful Internet outreach and advocacy sites for diabetics.

With a corresponding presence on every social media channel available, the DSMA blog works hard to be the cutting-edge source of social media know-how behind the greater world of online diabetes outreach efforts.

Visit this blog at www.diabetessocmed.com

Bitter-Sweet Diabetes

Reminding readers that “Life with diabetes isn’t all bad,” Karen Graffeo weaves (or knits, as she would say) a poignant tale of real life with diabetes. From admitting her personal falls from the diabetes wagon to detailing her efforts at advocacy and praying for miracles, Karen brings a refreshing and honest point of view to her readers.

For diabetics who could use some encouragement for grappling with the real challenges diabetes brings, a perusal of Bitter-Sweet Diabetes should do the trick. Thoughtful and genuine, Karen’s diabetes blog is a true sweet treat for diabetic readers. 

Visit this blog at www.bittersweetdiabetes.com

TuDiabetes

The forum of all diabetes community forums, TuDiabetes.org is like Facebook, Wordpress, and Skype all in one – targeted toward diabetics. Members of the TuDiabetes community can blog about their experiences, questions, and concerns with an audience of thousands of other diabetics eager to read and reply.

As if that weren’t enough, TuDiabetes links up members with community events, poetry and blog contests, activism and fundraising efforts, and even live video chats. TuDiabetes also gets a big “Gracias” for being one of the only bilingual English-Spanish diabetes outreach sites on the web. 

Visit this site at www.tudiabetes.org/profiles/blog/list

Diabetesaliciousness

Kelly Kunik, the quirky insulin-challenged blogger behind Diabetesaliciousness, brings her wit and humor to an honest and poignant look at life with diabetes. Kelly covers it all, from beating the stomach flu with sugar-free juice to learning to be a confident diabetes advocate.

Having lost her sister to diabetes complications in 1991, Kelly has channeled her passion for life into writing and diabetes outreach – and her blog shows it. Full of its fair share of jokes, outrageous stories, personal experiences, and diabetes “ownership,” Diabetesaliciousness is oh-so-deserving of this award. 

Visit Kelly's blog at diabetesaliciousness.blogspot.com

D-Mom

As if being a mom wasn’t hard enough, D-Mom Leighann Calentine decided to start a blog and write a book about raising a child with type I diabetes! Nominated by Parents magazine as one of 2011’s Best Kids Health Blogs, it seems like this D-Mom is just getting started.

Leighann’s blog chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of parenting diabetic children, filling her pages with kid-approved diabetes recipes and recommended educational videos. From adjusting to life with a diabetic child to mastering the sugar-free birthday party, this D-Mom’s blog makes life easier for the rest of the D-Moms!

Visit this blog at www.d-mom.com

Diabetes Daily

Diabetes Daily is a comprehensive community forum and info source for diabetics seeking encouragement and tips from diabetic bloggers, the latest news, and recipes that even non-diabetics will salivate over. With a level of community participation that other diabetes sites envy, Diabetes Daily has taken it to the next level with its first course in the Diabetes Daily University.

Diabetes Daily is the place to go for real-time interaction with other diabetics grappling with pumps, blood sugar levels, the ups and downs of life with diabetes, and other health and lifestyle concerns. 

Visit this blog at www.diabetesdaily.com

Six Until Me

In raw and touching (and often hilarious) tributes to life with type I diabetes, Kerri Morrone Sparling has earned her spot as a top diabetes blogger with hard work and a longstanding commitment to reaching out to others. She started Six Until Me in 2005, and has since expanded her efforts to include a Flickr account of her Diabetes 365 photos.

When Kerri isn’t busy snapping photos of the quirky aspects of life with diabetes, she is writing her own story in a poignant documentary that makes life with diabetes much less isolating for all of her diabetic readers. 

Visit this blog at www.sixuntilme.com

Diabetes Stories

Riva Greenberg, a passionate diabetes educator and type I diabetic since 1972, embraces an unusual philosophy: use diabetes to get healthier. An award-winning online diabetes advocate, Riva works hard to share her knowledge and real-life stories of grappling with diabetes.

Riva explores the hidden gem in diabetes: a health-based requirement to eat well and stay active, living life to the fullest “not despite diabetes – but because of it.” An A1c Champion, Riva is dedicated to bringing hope, education, and the gift of understanding to diabetics everywhere.

Visit this site at www.diabetesstories.com

dLife

The ultimate resource for diabetic readers, dLife makes a diabetic lifestyle manageable – even easy. A comprehensive hub for diabetics seeking answers, news, and recipes, dLife goes above and beyond the call of duty. Their extensive list of podcasts, videos, quizzes, mobile phone aps, and dLifeTV episodes offers readers a wide range of tools for living a rich, well-managed life as a diabetic.

No matter your “type,” dLife has your informational needs covered. So hop onto dLife, mingle with other diabetics, and take advantage of the wealth of resources at your (pricked) fingertips.

Visit this blog at www.dlife.com

Learn More About Diabetes

As can be seen in the range of blogs discussed in this slideshow, people have an enormous array of experiences with diabetes, and there is a huge support network for those who deal with diabetes in their daily life. In addition to these blogs, you should check out Diabetes Still Isn't Easy, our diabetes blog at Healthline, which is written by Dr. Gerald Bernstein, an endocrinologist and the Director of the Friedman Diabetes Institute, as well as two of the Institute's resident nutritionists and diabetes educators, Megan Fendt and Lynn Polmanteer.

For more information about diabetes, visit Healthline's Diabetes Learning Center, which serves as a great resource for those who have diabetes, as well as those who care for them.