
Hosted by Stephanie Guignard · EN
Ditching Diabetes is the podcast for women ready to break free from blood-sugar chaos and reclaim their health—without the overwhelm. Hosted by Stephanie Guignard, NP, also known as The Diabetes Maven, this show blends science, strategy, and simplicity to help you reverse insulin resistance, balance hormones, and finally feel in control again. From GLP-1 medications to meal prep, mindset, and faith, each episode gives you the tools and truth to ditch diabetes for good. 🎧 Subscribe and join the movement toward freedom, confidence, and vibrant health.

Connect with me:If your doctor has ever told you your blood sugar is normal and you walked out still feeling off, this episode is going to explain why. I'm Stephanie, a nurse practitioner and type 2 diabetes coach who lowered my own A1C from 8.1 to 5.4, and I want you to understand what your numbers actually mean, not just whether they fall inside a standard reference range.In this episode I'm breaking down the full picture: fasting blood sugar, post-meal spikes, and A1C together. Because looking at just one number in isolation is exactly how early blood sugar problems get missed for years. You deserve to know what optimal looks like, not just what's technically "not diabetic yet."In this episode:What fasting blood sugar, post-meal glucose, and A1C actually measureThe difference between a "normal" lab result and a truly healthy numberThe blood sugar patterns that signal a problem long before a diagnosisWhat I look for in my own patients' labs and why it mattersJoin the Ditching Diabetes community: https://www.skool.com/diabetesmaven/aboutInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/diabetes_maven?igsh=eGx6MWlzeGVoYXA2&utm_source=qrNewsletter:https://diabetes-maven.kit.com/thesweetspotListen on Spotify/Apple: https://open.spotify.com/show/6gMqgLwPqnCEW6umlWhwHX?si=nvNBYNFpQWWlP0HJRNMIughttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ditching-diabetes-with-diabetes-maven/id1824314901

If you're on a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Wegovy, or you're thinking about starting one, this episode is going to give you what your doctor's appointment probably didn't. I'm Stephanie, a nurse practitioner and type 2 diabetes coach who lowered my own A1C from 8.1 to 5.4, and I want you to actually understand what's happening in your body when you take these medications.In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly how GLP-1 medications work to lower blood sugar, what that means for your A1C, and why the medication alone is only part of the picture. Whether you're already on a GLP-1 or still deciding if it's right for you, this episode gives you the clinical clarity you deserve.In this episode:How GLP-1 medications lower blood sugar at the cellular levelWhat to expect for your A1C on a GLP-1Why blood sugar control still requires more than just the medicationWhat I tell my own patients before they start

The standard advice keeps most women stuck. I'm Stephanie, a nurse practitioner who lowered my own A1C from 8.1 to 5.4, and in this episode I'm sharing what actually moves the needle on blood sugar control and A1C reversal. If you're done just "managing" type 2 diabetes, start here.

Just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and feeling overwhelmed? In this episode of Ditching Diabetes, Stephanie, a nurse practitioner, type 2 diabetes coach, mom of six, and someone who lowered her own A1C from 8.1 to 5.4, walks you through what to do first.We talk about what type 2 diabetes actually means, which numbers matter, how to start checking your blood sugar without spiraling, what to eat for breakfast, why a 10-minute walk after meals helps, and why medication is not a personal failure.If your doctor told you to “eat better and move more” but did not give you an actual plan, this episode will help you take the first step without losing your mind.Inside this episode:What type 2 diabetes means in plain EnglishWhat A1C tells you and what it does notWhy breakfast is the best place to startHow to check blood sugar without using it to shame yourselfWhat to ask your provider after diagnosisWhy medication can be a tool, not a failureWant help putting this into practice? Join Stephanie’s Skool community for real-life blood sugar strategy, food support, labs, habits, and diabetes education without the shame. The link is in the show notes.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your heart is already in this conversation. Most women don't find out until something scary happens. I don't want that for you. In this final installment of the lab series, I'm walking you through the cardiac markers that actually matter, what your numbers mean, and the supplements I use personally and recommend to my patients. We're talking hs-CRP, Lp(a), ApoB, homocysteine, fasting insulin, and exactly what to do with all of it. Your doctor has 15 minutes. I've got more than that. Let's use it.

In this episode of Ditching Diabetes, Stephanie opens up about her own Function Health lab results and explains why three nutrient markers matter for blood sugar, inflammation, and long-term metabolic health: homocysteine, omega-3 index, and vitamin D. She breaks down what these labs mean in plain English, why standard lab panels often miss them, and what listeners can ask their provider about if they are managing prediabetes, diabetes, insulin resistance, or inflammation.

Most people leave their annual physical with two blood sugar numbers and zero real answers. In this episode — Part 1 of a three-part deep dive into my 80+ Function Health lab results — I'm covering the four markers that paint a complete metabolic picture: A1C, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and cortisol. One of these is almost never ordered by a standard doctor. One is controlled more by stress than by food. And together, they can reveal what's really happening in your metabolism years before anything shows up as a diagnosis. Let's get into it.

The episode discusses microvascular damage and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the context of type 2 diabetes. It explores the impact of high blood sugar on the body's blood vessels, nerves, eyes, kidneys, and heart, and provides three strategies to slow down AGE accumulation. The host shares a personal story about her father's experience with diabetes complications, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and lifestyle changes.TakeawaysMicrovascular damage and AGE accumulation are key factors in the development of diabetes complications.Maintaining stable blood sugar levels, reducing dietary AGEs, and regular exercise are effective strategies to slow down AGE accumulation and prevent complications.Chapters00:00 Strategies to Slow Down AGE Accumulation

What actually happens inside your body when you're diagnosed with type 2 diabetes? In this episode, we break down the real biology behind a type 2 diagnosis — from how insulin resistance develops at the cellular level, to what's happening in your pancreas long before your blood sugar ever shows up as a problem on a lab test. We cover why chronically elevated blood sugar damages your heart, kidneys, nerves, and eyes — and more importantly, what you can actually do about it. Because managing type 2 diabetes isn't one-size-fits-all. Your carbohydrate threshold, your glucose response to food, your lifestyle levers — they're all individual. This episode gives you the foundation to start working with your body instead of against it.

Stop checking your blood sugar after you eat. Seriously — what are you going to do with that number now?The check that actually gives you control happens before the meal. And once I started using it that way, everything changed — fewer spikes, better recovery, and a real path toward lowering my A1C.In this episode I tell you the story of the day I ignored my pre-meal number, ate into an already-elevated blood sugar during my luteal phase, and hit above 180. Then I give you 4 tips to use your pre-meal reading as a real-time decision-making tool — plus a full breakdown of CGMs, including over-the-counter options you can get right now without a prescription.🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on personalized blood sugar and metabolic health.