OrganizedWisdom Health Blog

Diabetes Feature: 10 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts

OrganizedWisdom's Diabetes Feature this week is on diabetes patient experts who share their experiences and expertise with others in the hope of helping others through their journeys with diabetes. Along the way, many share great insights, nutrition tips, and inspirations that are helpful to anyone. Read on to be encouraged by ten patient experts with type 1 diabetes who don't let this disease define who they are, but do face the daily challenges of managing this disease and share their discoveries and realities along the way. 

1. @ninjabetic George Simmons, aka the Ninjabetic, is a type 1 diabetic who blogs about life with diabetes, music, fatherhood, and more. Why Ninjabetic? As he says, “it takes being a ninja to live successfully with diabetes.” Check out his helpful blog. You’ll find that George is a proponent of Camp Carb, uses orange glucose tabs for lows, and is planning to get his exercise routine going again after his Cinderella musical performance. Break a leg George!
   
   
2. @blogdiabetes Tony Rose started Blogging Diabetes to help others learn more about living with diabetes from an online community and resources he shares. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 12 years ago. He has teamed up with Quality Health and shares his blog posts with their readers. He is also the author of DSA Insights, a blog dedicated to business analytics and data visualization topics.
   
   
3. @BernardF Know where to turn for quality new diabetes technology reviews? Well, Bernard Farrell’s Diabetes Technology Blog is just the place. Read reviews on glucose monitors, blood sugar meters, diabetes software, the new insulin patch-pen, and more. Bernard also mixes things up with posts on living with diabetes. As an example, see his interview with Kris Freeman, the reigning US National cross-country champion. Bernard educates while living in the hope that “every day brings the possibility of a cure.”
   
   
4. @sstrumello Scott Strumello authors Scott’s Web Log while he consults, speaks, writes, and lives with type 1 diabetes. He urges people to keep the hype of “junk science” in the media from interfering with real hope and science. His blog is insightful and informative. Gotta love the profound Wil “Printcrafter” diabetes quote posted on his blog. Curious? Go check it out!
   
   
5. @leeannthill Lee Ann Thill is a registered board-certified art therapist who combines an artistic approach with her writing on diabetes. The Butter Compartment blog is filled with great diabetes insights, photos, and illustrations. As an artist, she has a creative approach to her health writing and mental health advocacy. Her new Friday Food File gets two thumbs up!
   
   
6. @MatthewTendler Type 1 diabetic and mHealth innovator, Matthew Tendler, authors the iPhone Health Technology blog to share innovations and reviews in the mobile diabetes arena. As co-founder of MYLEstone Health, he is responsible for Glucose Buddy, the free diabetes and blood sugar application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. He turns technical information into informative, helpful, and interesting blog posts. He has dedicated his career to “making a true difference in the lives of people with diabetes.”
   
   
7. @amblass Allison Blass started Lemonade Life to chronicle her “life as a twentysomething living with diabetes.” I’m partial to her “My Patchwork Quilt” blog post. Allison has quite the background in giving of her time and talents to further support those with diabetes, especially teens. As a d-teen advocate, she founded dLife’s Diabetes Teen Talk, coordinated the Diabetes Online Community, and hosted Teen Talk on Diabetes Station. She’s a JDRF’s Online Diabetes Support Team member and has written for various Diabetes publications. Hats off to this fantastic diabetes advocate and patient expert!
   
   
8. @Dorkabetic Hannah loves to write and share her “dorky life with diabetes.” She writes with a playfulness, vulnerability, and honestly. She never professes to be an ideal diabetes patient, but she shares her struggles in a way in which many will identify. Her Dorkabetic blog is filled with musings of glucose levels, insulin pumps, movies, writing desires, Paper Spaceships submissions, and any “nerdy thing” of interest.
   
   
9. @diabetiville Mark Clifford blogs on grassroots efforts to promote diabetes awareness and support for those affected by the disease. He founded Global Diabetic Awareness communities. See his Diabetiville blog and video channel. You might just be inspired to start a Diabetiville Bicycle Club or other grassroots effort in your area. 
   
   
10. @iam_spartacus Christopher Snider doesn’t let his diabetes define him. In his A Consequence of Hypoglycemia blog, he not only speaks as a type 1 diabetic, but also as a self-professed gaming addict, network engineer, and Hokie (Virginia Tech) alum. Christopher is an avid podcaster and has his diagnosis story, referred to as Origin Story, on his blog. Check it out.

Check back for the next Diabetes Feature on 10 more inspiring diabetes patient experts. 

If you know of someone who is worthy of our Patient Expert Award, please tweet your recommendation to @organizedwisdom in this format: "I recommend @[username] as a patient expert for @OrganizedWisdom or use our contact form. 

Other featured patient expert blog entries:

Follow Friday: Eclectic and Effective Group of Patient Expert
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts

by Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

Follow Friday: Eclectic and Effective Group of Patient Experts

This week, our featured patient experts are an eclectic group. A common thread is that each is an amazing health advocate who shares his or her experience and expertise to raise awareness, educate, and help others.  Since May is Stroke Awareness Month, it’s apropos to start with stroke survivor and awareness advocate Tedy Bruschi.
 

1. @TacklingStroke Just after winning his third Super Bowl, professional football player, Tedy Bruschi, suffered a stroke in 2005 at the ripe ‘old’ age of 31. Today, he has recovered fully and dedicates substantial time to raising stroke awareness with AGA Medical. He’s created “Tedy’s Team,” runners who raise money for the American Stroke Association and promote awareness of the warning signs of America’s third leading cause of death. AGA and Tedy are sponsoring a ReTweet Contest on Twitter that begins tomorrow. Check out Tackling Stroke’s Spread Stroke Awareness YouTube Channel and join in Tedy’s ReTweet Contest to raise stroke awareness. 
   
   
2. @Kairol For candid conversation about young adult cancer, Everything Changes blog is a must. Kairol Rosenthal was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 27. Since then she spent 5 years of research interviewing patients and healthcare professionals in the young adult cancer community. Her highly rated Everything Changes: The Insider’s Guide to Cancer in Your 20s and 30s book is the product of her research and experience. She frequently writes about the emotional impact of cancer, but also shares practical tips. Kairol is busy as a national spokesperson for cancer and an avid writer on the subject. If you are new to her blog, I'd suggest starting with her Top Ten Posts. You’ll get a flavor of her five-star approach to young adult cancer topics!
   
   
3. @Atlantamom If you are a new mom struggling with postpartum depression (PPD) or anxiety, you most likely will find Amber Koter-Puline’s blog very helpful. This PPD and anxiety survivor shares personal experience in dealing with perinatal mood disorders and shares quality resources related to pregnancy and the postpartum experience. Amber goes beyond sharing on her Beyond Postpartum blog to help new moms struggling with these disorders by giving of her time as a peer support provider and support group facilitator. If interested in postpartum support, contact Amber at Atlanta Postpartum Support Group or Postpartum Support International.
   
   
4. @PrisWarner Priscilla Warner has wrestled with panic attacks since she was a teenager and struggled daily after the Twin Towers fell. She admits to being in a “continual low-grade state of panic following 9/11.” In her Priscilla Warner’s Blog, Meditating My Way From Panic to Peace she poignantly shares her fears and some details from her EMDR sessions to help others who struggle with panic. Interestingly after 9/11, Priscilla, a Reform Jew, started on a provocative journey with a Christian woman and a Muslim women of Palestinian descent to explore their stereotypes, misconceptions, and prejudices about other faiths. This soul searching and quest to understand led to a NYT bestseller The Faith Club. For a brief overview, listen to the Faith Club women speak with Dr. Oz on Oprah Radio.
   
   
5. @motorcycle_guy Interested in healthcare standards initiatives? Meet Keith Boone, a patient with way more than just patient perspective when it comes to healthcare standards. Mr. Boone, a self-professed standards geek for a major healthcare company, writes commentaries on current and emerging healthcare standards. Keith is active in Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), HL7, ANSI/HITSP, and ISO standards efforts. He chairs or volunteers on various committees within the IHE, HL7, and ANSI/HITSP organizations. His Healthcare Standards blog is informative, practical, and of interest to those trying to keep up with the quickly changing healthcare standards landscape.

Throughout this upcoming week, I'll be featuring diabetes patient experts. Don't miss learning about who is blogging, tweeting, and committing precious time to share their diabetes experiences with others. 

If you know of someone who is worthy of our patient expert award, please tweet your recommendation to @organizedwisdom in this format: "I recommend @[username] as a patient expert for @OrganizedWisdom or use our contact form. 

Other featured patient expert blog entries: Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts

by Julie Bohlen, MBA, ELS

5 Trending Health Topics: Healthy Skin Edition

Who doesn't want healthy skin? These popular OrganizedWisdom Health WisdomCards reveal just how epidermis-obsessed we are.

1. "skin cancer pictures"
2. "skin diseases pictures"
3. "crestor sun sensitivity"
4. "rash after sunburn"
5. "thermage tummy"

Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts

Meet these patient experts who rise above when it comes to inspiring and providing support to others. These individuals not only share their experiences and expertise, but they raise awareness and offer insights so that others can identify and be better informed.

1. @breathinstephen Marathons and severe asthma—no way? Think again. Stephen Gaudet has lived with severe refractory asthma since birth. Beating most odds, he has walked his way into the record books by becoming the first person with documented severe lung disease to finish the Boston marathon. Just this past April, he finished it again to raise awareness about current asthma research. His Breathin' Stephen blog is simply inspiring. He chronicles his fitness routine and shares tips for the benefit of others. His message is clear—physical fitness is critical for people with chronic lung disease.  His approach is motivating and commendable.
   
   
2. @accarmichael Cofounder of CureTogether and chronic pain sufferer, Alexandra Carmichael, shares quality health resources. CureTogether helps people anonymously compare health data to make more informed treatment decisions. This community allows patients to help each other and participate in data collection. Last year, CureTogether was a winner of the Mayo Clinic iSpot Competition for Ideas that Will Transform Healthcare. Check it out!
   
   
3. @ADHD_Hunter Want help and direction with ADHD and coexisting conditions in the family? A good place to turn is the outstanding ADHD Hunter's Hunter in a Farmer’s World blog. Chris, aka ADHD Hunter, shares insights and quality information on his ADHD and other conditions that his family lives with on a daily basis. He credits Thom Hartman for the Hunter in a Farmer's World concept, but uses this concept to paint a picture for those without ADHD to better understand the condition and support those who cope with ADHD. His What is Good ADHD Parenting? and related parenting posts are especially insightful.
   
   
4. @CancerVoicesSA Cancer survivor and Cancer Voices SA executive, Ashleigh Moore, contributes quality cancer resources and encourages those affected by cancer to connect with others. Cancer Voices South Australia was officially launched by the Minister for Health, John Hill, in November 2007. Ashleigh promotes ‘Raising a voice for those affected by cancer’ through advocacy,
   involvement, awareness, and information.  Check out this helpful cancer support site.
   
   
5. @BipolarChica Mental health blogger, Cristina Fender, shares quality and personal bipolar disorder insights. Cristina breaks through the taboo barrier and journals about her feelings, thoughts, and experiences while living with this disorder. Her HealthyPlaces Bipolar Vida blog chronicles her life as she "tries to open the blinds and see the sunshine." While she professes to not always win that battle, she sheds light for others struggling with bipolar disorder. 

Stay tuned as we feature other remarkable patient experts. If you know of someone who is worthy of our patient expert award, please use our contact form to recommend the Twitter profile of this worthy patient expert. 

by Julie Bohlen, MBA, ELS

5 Trending Health Topics: Health Questions You're Too Afraid to Ask

Some of OrganizedWisdom's most popular pages prove that while a lot of topics may be too taboo to talk about, no subject is too shameful to search. Furthermore, we're pleased to note that our physician experts never shy away from sharing helpful resources on any awkward ailment. For example...

1. "what does gynecomastia look like"
A lot of young men are uncomfortable discussing unwanted breast tissue growth. Good thing we have great resources for them.

2. "what does mouth herpes look like"
Learn how to spot a herpes sore, and find out how to lower your risk of contracting this contagious condition.

3. "how do you get chlamydia"
Find out exactly how this STD is transmitted, and how to avoid it.

4. "what does a penile implant look like"
If you're curious about the world of penile implants, look no further.

5. "what does gonorrhea look like"
Another sexually transmitted infection, gonorrhea has been on the rise in recent years. It's never been a better time to learn more about the signs and symptoms.

OrganizedWisdom Health Goes Mobile!

We're excited to announce that we've just launched a new mobile service for OrganizedWisdom Health.

You can now easily search for the very best health resources right from your mobile device (iPhone and Android to start).  Not only can you search for any health information you need from our knowledge base of over 1 million WisdomCards, but you can also find out what resources and content doctors and health experts are sharing by using the mobile service to sift and sort results by both expert type (doctors, nurse, health expert, health advocate, etc.) and also by condition so you can quickly find resources most useful to you while on the go. 

Additionally, you now have access to more than 2,500 doctors and health experts and can easily find which resources they are sharing and recommending online.

We'll be making improvements and adding features to help make searching for health information even easier no matter where you are. 

We're just getting started so give it a try and let us know what you think.

(Screenshots highlighting some of the experts featured on OrganizedWisdom)

 

OrganizedWisdom Adds Facebook "Like" Button

We're totally in love with like this week. The new Facebook "like" button, that is. You'll find it on almost every page of our site. So now you can let your friends know that you...

...like our slideshow on the 7 cancer fighting foods most people aren't eating

...like our WisdomCard that reveals everything you ever wanted to know about Jennifer Aniston's stint on the Baby Food Diet

...like what physician and social media guru Kevin Pho, M.D., is sharing about the impact of social networking on the medical community

And of course, when you're browsing our site, the "like" button will show you what other people found most helpful.

Recommending interesting health information has never been easier. What's not to like about that?

10 Trending Health Searches: Crisis-Everywhere-You-Turn Edition (April 26-May 2)

It seems no matter where you live, it's been a rough couple of days! Some of the top searches driving people to OrganizedWisdom pages tell the tale:

1. Boston Water Contamination
A water main breach lead to a boil water advisory for the whole metropolitan area and a serious run on bottled "watah" in the stores.

2. Is Cambridge Water Safe to Drink
Cambridge, MA was the only location spared with its own water supply, but media messages were confusing so people had to search to be sure.

3. Children's Benadryl Recall
Not even your medicine cabinet was safe last week. Yet another major OTC drug recall. Scary.

4. Infant Tylenol Recall 2010
See above. People had to search with the year, since the last Infant Tylenol recall happened just a few months ago.

5. Is Boston Water Safe to Drink
Well, now it is. The boil water advisory was lifted as of Tuesday morning.

6. Heidi Montag Plastic Surgery Legal
How did this get in there? We think The Hills star's new plastic surgery could be viewed a very un-natural disaster.

7. Children's Zyrtec Recall
Yep, even Zyrtec was part of the major recall of drugs thought to have their active ingredients in greater-than-usual strengths.

8. Which Children's Medications Have Been Recalled
You can imagine with all the brands recalled, people are wondering if they might have missed a few.

9. Nashville Flood Safety
Frightening storms and flooding sent people scrambling for safety tips.

10. Oil Spill Health Effects
As the BP oil spill creeps closer to land, Americans are starting to fear the eventual impact to their own health and safety.