Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1788: Born to Run - Part 1

Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Zach (Pharmacist, Educator, Endurance Runner, Foster Parent; diagnosed with LADA/Type 1 Diabetes, 9 months prior)
Date: March 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging and insightful episode, host Scott Benner welcomes Zach, a pharmacist, educator, researcher, devoted runner, and foster parent who was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (LADA). The conversation unfolds around Zach’s transition into life with diabetes, his passion for endurance running, fostering, and how knowledge, confidence, and community have shaped his early diabetes journey. Together, Zach and Scott discuss practical diabetes management, psychological strategies, exercise adaptation, and the realities of navigating daily life with Type 1.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing Zach: Diagnosis and Personal Life

• Zach shares his background: pharmacist, educator, university researcher, husband, dad, and endurance runner.
• Nine months prior, he joined the “Type 1 club” after a diagnosis of LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults).
• Juggling many roles, including being a foster parent, Zach exemplifies a proactive, energetic approach to life.
• Quote:
  • "I'm a husband, a dad, an endurance runner, and a foster parent. And as of about nine months ago, I joined the type 1 club after being diagnosed with LADA." – Zach (03:18)
• Discusses early rising habits as a tool for productivity as a busy parent and runner.

2. Life Rhythms & Work-Life Balance

• Scott and Zach compare their daily routines, night owl vs. early riser.
• Scott highlights his role as the family “grocery bitch” and how late-night downtime is his sanctuary.
• Importance of personal routine and “me time” within a hectic household.

3. Fostering: Motivation and Experience

• Zach and his wife’s long-term desire and deliberate steps toward becoming foster parents.
• The emotional and practical journey of welcoming their first long-term foster child shortly after Zach’s diagnosis.
• Quote:
  • “Our current foster child is our first long term placement, so it's been a relatively recent endeavor.” – Zach (08:02)
• Motivation rooted in faith, gratitude for past mentors, and a value-driven desire to support children in need.

4. Diagnosis Story: Athlete to Type 1

• Subtle early warning signs: a slight A1C uptick (5 → 5.7), which most would dismiss, and classic symptoms (frequent urination at night, fatigue).
• Pivotal incident: dramatic glucose spike (459 mg/dL) after a race and a meal, confirmed with a home glucometer.
• Considered lab results, personal history, and sought advice from pharmacist colleagues before seeking medical intervention.
• Quote:
  • "I felt terrible. During the event, my heart rate shot up to over 200, and I just... something wasn't right." – Zach (09:16)
  • "When I saw 459, I gasped. My kids were watching a movie. They thought I'd hurt myself. They didn't know what was going on." – Zach (11:10)

5. Nutrition: Personal and Family Shifts

• Zach describes his mainly plant-based diet—crediting his wife’s choices—and notes he was initially resistant.
• Over time, he observes benefits for health and diabetes management.
• Quote:
  • "I was definitely opposed at first, but... I can see the benefits myself on this side of my diagnosis." – Zach (12:55)

6. Attitude Towards Diabetes: Embracing Change & Building Confidence

• Thanks to his healthcare background, Zach had theoretical knowledge but had to build personal confidence and overcome fear post-diagnosis.
• Major tools for developing confidence:
  • Community and stories from the Juicebox Podcast (“Bold With Insulin” philosophy).
  • Learning about pre-bolusing and the “bump and nudge” method—practical wisdom from both Scott and the podcast community.
• Quote:
  • "So much of diabetes is trial and error, figuring out what works, how much insulin to do for what meals and when, those sorts of things. And then relearning exercise. That's probably been the single biggest change for me.” – Zach (18:01)
  • "A lot of it over the last nine months has just been confidence building." – Zach (18:01)

7. Impact of Plain Language and Accessibility in Diabetes Education

• Scott and Zach agree that simple, direct explanations are more effective for the general community than technical jargon.
• Scott reflects on “accidentally” coining accessible terms like “bump and nudge,” which break through the “expert blind spot” that complicates medical teaching.
• Quote:
  • "As you learn something... it becomes a kind of automated thought process for you, and you forget those intermediate steps that are needed... and in so many ways, that is actually more effective in terms of educating others." – Zach (22:48)
  • "I'm basically Captain Exposition for diabetes." – Scott (23:26)

8. Adapting Running & Exercise with Diabetes

• Zach, an experienced college distance runner (steeplechase), discusses physiological and strategic shifts post-diagnosis.
• Early realization: combining insulin and exercise creates not additive but synergistic blood sugar drops (multiplicative effect).
• Now prefers fasted, morning exercise with no active insulin to prevent sudden lows.
• Notes that exercise variables (aerobic vs. high intensity, time of day) dramatically alter management strategy.
• Quote:
  • "I realized that not... an additive effect of insulin and exercise. It's really a synergistic effect, almost like a multiplicative effect when you combine the two... I realized it was a powerful tool. But... this could get dangerous really quick if you're not careful." – Zach (25:23)

9. Spontaneous Exercise, Varying Contexts, and Algorithmic Support

• Zach asks about handling unexpected activity, like a family game after a meal/bolus.
• Scott’s candid take: sometimes this is “just the game”; be vigilant, anticipate trends, and intervene early to prevent lows. Technological solutions (algorithms, closed loop systems) help but aren’t magic.
• Quote:
  • "Instead of running around the house with a garden hose, what if we just didn't light the house on fire?" – Scott (28:34)
• They discuss the importance of accepting limitations, psychological tolls, and long-term sustainability.

10. Community, Support, and Acceptance

• Both acknowledge how stories and support from others—especially those who model acceptance, persistence, and strategic vigilance—make a critical difference.
• The conversation explores the psychological journey from vigilance to potential burnout, emphasizing the need for self-awareness and acceptance.
• Quote:
  • "At the heart of what you're talking about is acceptance. Like accepting that, okay, this is part of life, and I feel like I'm there." – Zach (36:35)

11. Foster Care: Boundaries, Values, and Emotional Impact

• Zach discusses the balance between making an impact and setting boundaries for his family.
• Fostering is a “process”—uncertainty, emotional highs and lows, and “relinquishing control.”
• Quote:
  • "When we make these kind of big life decisions, so much of it I think should hinge on how much does it align with our values." – Zach (40:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On diagnosis and shock:
  • "When I saw 459, I gasped. My kids were watching a movie. They thought I'd hurt myself." – Zach (11:10)
• On education and support:
  • "The benefit of me not having a classic education... I had to force myself to explain (things) to myself... And I think that's what makes it accessible for people." – Scott (22:10)
• On managing spontaneous exercise:
  • "I think it's more about vigilance, honestly. And I don't know that people want to hear that—but, like, I think that you stop problems again by just never letting them occur as best as possible." – Scott (30:23)
• On community and learning:
  • "Confidence comes from hearing other people accomplishing a thing that at the time is frightening to you because it seems very unknown." – Scott (21:12)

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 03:18 | Zach’s background & diagnosis story | | 09:06 | First symptoms & glucose discovery | | 11:10 | The moment of diagnosis: shocking blood sugar reading | | 17:13 | Running history & transition to exercise with diabetes | | 18:01 | Confidence-building, “bump and nudge” method | | 21:12 | Role of stories in building diabetes management confidence | | 25:23 | Realizations about insulin and exercise synergy | | 28:34 | Scott’s analogy: prevention vs. reaction (“garden hose”) | | 30:23 | Handling spontaneous activity and vigilance | | 36:35 | Acceptance and adapting to long-term diabetes management | | 39:20 | Foster parenting motivations and values | | 43:42 | Emotional aspects and long-term outlook in foster care |

Tone & Language

• Warm, candid, supportive, and occasionally humorous—typical of Juicebox Podcast’s relatable, no-nonsense style.
• Emphasis on “boldness,” experimentation, and learning from real-life experiences—both successes and stumbles.
• Both Scott and Zach use accessible, clear language, often eschewing jargon for real-world analogies and everyday speech.

Summary Takeaways

• Diagnosis can hit even the healthiest people and often presents itself subtly.
• Vigilance and adaptability are crucial in managing both diabetes and life’s other challenges.
• Community and shared stories make a huge difference, building confidence and practical wisdom.
• Exercise, especially for athletes, requires trial, error, and humility—it's a partnership between insulin, activity, and self-awareness.
• Acceptance and values alignment sustain both diabetes management and major life commitments like fostering.

Look for Part 2 to hear the rest of Zach’s journey and the ongoing discussion about navigating Type 1 diabetes with confidence and resilience.