Tag: sport

Savannah’s Story – A TDFC Story

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in diabetes, Football, sport

A story from our community shared in the words of Natalie the mother of Savannah. We hope you can connect with their story and we want to thank them both so much for getting in touch to share what they’ve been through. It’s an incredibly powerful post and we hope you all can resonate with their experiences… Over to you Natalie:

“At the tender age of six, Savannah’s life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I remember the day like it was yesterday. Savannah was struggling to breathe, and her energy seemed to have vanished into thin air. With a call to 111, followed by a swift ride in the ambulance with those flashing blue lights, we found ourselves at Northampton General Hospital. The journey was frightening, but little did we know, it was also the beginning of Savannah’s incredible resilience and bravery.

In the children’s ward, surrounded by compassionate nurses and caring doctors, Savannah began her journey of understanding and managing her diabetes. Despite the challenges she faced, Savannah’s optimism shone through like a beacon of hope. I’ll never forget the relief on her face when she discovered that even with diabetes, she could still indulge in her favourite breakfast of pancakes and Nutella and still play football! That smile of hers could light up the darkest of rooms!

As we returned home armed with needles, insulin, and bags full of information, we knew that our journey was just beginning. Learning to navigate the intricacies of managing diabetes was like embarking on a rollercoaster ride full of highs and lows. From monitoring her food intake to keeping an eye on her activity levels, Savannah showed incredible maturity beyond her years.

There were bumps along the road, and we found ourselves back in the hospital a couple of times. But through it all, the unwavering support of the Northampton Diabetes team kept us going. Their 24-hour support line became our lifeline, even during family holidays when we called our dedicated nurse for guidance.

Despite the challenges, Savannah never lost her spark. She faced each day with determination and grace, bravely enduring the countless injections and finger pricks that became a part of her daily routine. As a parent, I couldn’t help but marvel at her resilience and strength.

Savannah’s zest for life knew no bounds. Despite her diagnosis, she continued to pursue her passion of football with unwavering enthusiasm. From scoring goals on the football field with NN29 Titans in Podington to representing MK Dons, Savannah’s spirit remained unbreakable. Her recent achievement of reaching 100 goals for the Titans club is a testament to her tenacity and dedication. Her goal is to become a professional footballer and she is well on her way at the tender age of 8!

 

As Savannah’s journey continues, I am filled with awe and gratitude for the incredible young girl she has become. She is not just my daughter; she is my inspiration, my hero. And with that infectious smile of hers, she reminds me every day that no matter what challenges life may throw our way, we have the strength and courage to overcome them together. ”

Thank you so much again to Natalie and Savannah for sharing your experiences with us, and if you want to share your story to feature on our website, please do get in touch with pictures and videos!

Team TDFC

 

2023 at The Diabetes Football Community

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in Uncategorized

Well what a year it’s been! We probably say that at the end of most years, but a year is a long time, and we get involved with so many projects across a year, as we bring the year to a close it always feels like our chance to take a breath and reflect on what’s happened!

This year, instead of writing up a blog post for you to read about what’s been going on, myself and Peachy brought back “The Diabetes Dugout Podcast” following a period of 622 days since our last episode! We’ve made a few changes behind the scenes to help us with virtual content and we’re now in a place to bring back the pod on a more regular basis! So, if you enjoy listening to me and peachy talk to guests and discuss Football and Diabetes, get ready for more episodes in 2024! We’d also really appreciate you getting in touch to let us know who you’d like us to speak to and what topics you’d like us to discuss. All feedback is useful!

With all that being said, here is the podcast episode summarising 2023 below but to give you an idea of what we discussed, and in what order, here’s a few bullet points around the structure of our conversation, to help you with where you might want to tune in or pay particular attention to!

  • Our first Family day and Adult session.
  • Our first ever Women’s Team fixture.
  • DiaEuro 2023 in Poland. The Men’s team headed off to the European Futsal Championships for People with Diabetes again.
  • Our Diabetes Awareness Event in Essex. 
  • Our new merchandise with Harlequin Teamwear.
  • Our New director joining the organisation – Rhian Holland
  • The plans for 2024.

CLICK THIS LINK TO WATCH ON YOUTUBE.

We hope it’s an enjoyable listen and watch, and as always thank you for the continued support for everything we do. We couldn’t do it without the community backing our work!

And lastly, I just wanted to wish you all a happy end to 2023 wherever you are and a happy Christmas to all those celebrating!

See you in 2024.

Chris

 

Match play demands: how does football impact blood glucose levels?

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in diabetes research

Ask the expert – we put your questions to a leading expert in type 1 diabetes, exercise, and nutrition. Thank you to JDRF and Matt for the support in the creation of this content. For more information, support and resources from JDRF, click here

A REMINDER – this blog post is written by a healthcare professional but no changes should be made to the treatment of your condition without consultation with your own Diabetes team. 

Author: Dr Matthew Campbell | PhD ACSM-CEP MIFST RNutr FHEA BSc hons.

Read time: 10 minutes

 

Introduction

During a football match, you will find yourself walking, jogging, running, sprinting, jumping, dribbling, striking the ball, changing direction, as well as coming into contact with the opposition (and possibly arguing with the referee). This places a significant demand on our body’s physiological energy systems as it tries to cope with repeated changes in exercise intensity1.

 

How does the body use blood glucose during exercise?

The body requires energy to exercise, and this is generated by breaking-down various fuels. The main fuels used for exercise are carbohydrate and fat. Everyone (including professional footballers) has enough fat stored away to the meet the body’s fat-derived energy requirements for a football match. However, for higher intensity exercise the body relies more on carbohydrate but has only a limited storage capacity. Carbohydrate is stored in the form of glycogen – bundles of individual glucose molecules packaged together. During exercise, muscles convert stored glycogen into glucose which is then converted into energy. Muscles are also able to extract glucose directly from the blood to help meet their energy demands, and as exercise intensity and duration is increased more and more glucose from the blood is pulled into muscle – this can cause low blood glucose levels, even in people without type 1 diabetes.

 

Why do people with type 1 diabetes have an increased risk of hypoglycaemia during exercise?

In people without type 1 diabetes, insulin levels are regulated and are reduced in response to exercise. This enables two things; firstly, it limits muscle tissue from extracting excessive amounts of glucose from the blood; secondly, lower insulin levels allow the liver to release more glucose into the blood2. Think of this as trying to fill a bucket with a hole in the bottom… if the liver can release enough glucose into the blood to meet the rate at which glucose is being removed by muscle (and other tissues) then blood glucose levels will remain stable. If the rate at which glucose is removed from the blood exceeds the rate at which blood glucose is being replaced, then fatigue, reduced performance, and potentially hypoglycaemia will ensue. Importantly, in type 1 diabetes, insulin levels are the result of the previously administered dose and/or background insulin. This means that once in the body, insulin is unregulated and does not decrease in response to exercise. This results in two things; firstly, higher insulin levels promote excessive glucose removal from the blood; secondly, higher insulin levels prevent the liver from releasing sufficient glucose into the blood to meet demand. This will result in hypoglycaemia.

 

Does playing football mean I will have a hypo?

Although most people associate exercise in type 1 diabetes with hypoglycaemia3 – i.e., the ability of exercise to lower blood glucose to potentially dangerous levels – not all forms of exercise lower blood glucose acutely4-8. Whereas continuous or prolonged aerobic-based exercise (like running a 10K or half-marathon at a steady pace) carries with it a heightened risk of hypoglycaemia8, high-intensity types of exercise (like lifting weights or sprinting) often cause a short-term rise in blood glucose levels4,6,9. Intermittent types of activity which involve repeated bouts of high-intensity activity interspersed with lower and moderate intensity activities, like football, tend to produce more stabilised glucose levels during the activity5,10-13. For example, Figure 1 below illustrates the average change in blood glucose levels during 45-minutes of a simulated match in people with type 1 diabetes. Compared with running (red trace), a simulated first half of football (blue trace) tends to, on average, induce a lower drop in blood glucose levels even when the total amount of energy used (termed energy expenditure) is similar5. Note however, the long bars that stretch above and beyond each data point – this illustrates the amount of variability around the mean response; in other words, it demonstrates how much people can vary in their response to the average…. It’s quite a bit!

Figure 1. The impact of different types of exercise on blood glucose levels during and immediately after a simulated first half of football running (blue trace) and continuous running (red trace) in people with type 1 diabetes. Hashed area indicates exercise period. Figure reproduced from Campbell at al14.

 

Ok, but how are glucose levels maintained or even increased during football?

Although insulin is a very important hormone for blood glucose regulation, other hormones also play important roles. Intense activity produces a marked increase in the release of stress-hormones9, like adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol which can help preserve (or even increase) glucose levels during, and for a short-time after, exercise. This is illustrated in Figure 2 where cortisol levels were shown to be elevated in response to 45-minutes of a simulated match (blue trace) compared to continuous running (red trace) in people with type 1 diabetes. Cortisol – which is produced and released by the adrenal glands on top of the kidney – as well as adrenaline, is also partly responsible for those glucose rises that you might see with pre-match nerves or a poor night’s sleep15.

Figure 2. The impact of different types of exercise on blood cortisol levels during and immediately after a simulated first half of football running (blue trace) and continuous running (red trace) in people with type 1 diabetes. Hashed area indicates exercise period. Figure reproduced from Campbell at al14.

 

How do stress hormones increase glucose?

These stress-hormones stimulate the body to break down stored glycogen into glucose2. In the muscle, glycogen broken down into glucose is simply converted into energy because this tissue lacks a special enzyme that prevents glucose being released into the blood. The culprit for increased blood glucose levels is the liver. Unlike muscle, the liver has a special enzyme that enables the conversion of glycogen to glucose for release into the blood. With high levels of stress hormones circulating, the liver is stimulated to increase its release of stored glucose2. In contrast to football, continuous moderate-intensity activity achieves only achieves a modest increase in stress-hormones5 meaning that they have only a minor impact on glucose levels.

 

How long will the effects of stress hormones last?

Although these hormones can have dramatic effects on blood glucose levels, they are usually very short lasting – for example, adrenaline is usually cleared from the blood within 5-10 minutes16. Importantly however, the hormonal and metabolic responses during repeated intense bouts are additive when recovery intervals are short17. This means that in a typical football match (especially those that are physically demanding, and for certain positions like wingers or attacking wingbacks) that there is likely insufficient time for full clearance of these hormones from the circulation before the next high-intensity bout. This means that you could see a gradual rise in glucose levels over each playing half.

 

How long will it take my glucose levels to normalise after football?

Hormones act for a relatively short time meaning that once levels drop, their influence on glucose levels will also be short-lasting. Although football might confer a lower risk of hypoglycaemia during and immediately afterwards, there is still an increased risk of developing hypoglycaemia later after exercise, so much so that the risk of developing late-onset hypoglycaemia seems to be comparable to other forms of exercise like running or lifting weights5. Read our other article to learn more about post-exercise hypoglycaemia and how to avoid it.

 

Are there other factors that can affect blood glucose levels during exercise?

Yes. Lots. Of course, with all aspects of type 1 diabetes, blood glucose responses to any form of exercise will to some extent vary from person to person, and from match to match. Your own physical fitness, technical ability, playing position, tactical role, style of playing, as well as ball possession of the team, quality of the opponent, importance of the game, seasonal period, playing surface, and environmental factors like humidity and temperature18 (to name but a few) will all influence both performance and diabetes management. As such, careful planning of training, nutrition, and insulin dosing strategies are required in preparation for training and match days in optimise performance and manage diabetes effectively and safely.

About Matthew

Matthew is an internationally recognised research scientist specialising in exercise, diet, and type 1 diabetes. He also provides consultancy and diabetes coaching to people living with type 1 diabetes and those that support them.

Matthew has a PhD in nutrition and exercise metabolism, is author to over 150 research publications and holds honorary titles with the University of Cambridge and University of Leeds. He is a certified clinical exercise physiologist accredited by the American College of Sports Medicine, a registered nutritionist, and a member of the Institute of Food Science and Technology. He also provides consultancy to professional bodies and professional athletes including NHS England, the World Health Organisation, and TeamGB.

If you are interested in learning how to improve your type 1 diabetes management around exercise, contact Matthew at: matt@t1dcoaching.co.uk

References

  1. Dolci F, Hart NH, Kilding AE, Chivers P, Piggott B, Spiteri T. Physical and energetic demand of soccer: a brief review. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2020;42(3):70-77.
  2. Marliss EB, Vranic M. Intense exercise has unique effects on both insulin release and its roles in glucoregulation: implications for diabetes. Diabetes. 2002;51(suppl_1):S271-S283.
  3. Cockcroft E, Narendran P, Andrews R. Exercise‐induced hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetes. Experimental physiology. 2020;105(4):590-599.
  4. Turner D, Luzio S, Gray B, et al. Impact of single and multiple sets of resistance exercise in type 1 diabetes. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports. 2015;25(1):e99-e109.
  5. Campbell MD, West DJ, Bain SC, et al. Simulated games activity vs continuous running exercise: a novel comparison of the glycemic and metabolic responses in T1DM patients. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports. 2015;25(2):216-222.
  6. Yardley JE, Kenny GP, Perkins BA, et al. Effects of performing resistance exercise before versus after aerobic exercise on glycemia in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes care. 2012;35(4):669-675.
  7. Hasan S, Shaw SM, Gelling LH, Kerr CJ, Meads CA. Exercise modes and their association with hypoglycemia episodes in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care. 2018;6(1):e000578.
  8. Campbell MD, Walker M, Trenell MI, et al. Large pre-and postexercise rapid-acting insulin reductions preserve glycemia and prevent early-but not late-onset hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes care. 2013;36(8):2217-2224.
  9. Fahey A, Paramalingam N, Davey R, Davis E, Jones T, Fournier P. The effect of a short sprint on postexercise whole-body glucose production and utilization rates in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2012;97(11):4193-4200.
  10. Guelfi K, Ratnam N, Smythe G, Jones T, Fournier P. Effect of intermittent high-intensity compared with continuous moderate exercise on glucose production and utilization in individuals with type 1 diabetes. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology And Metabolism. 2007;292(3):E865-E870.
  11. Guelfi KJ, Jones TW, Fournier PA. The decline in blood glucose levels is less with intermittent high-intensity compared with moderate exercise in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes care. 2005;28(6):1289-1294.
  12. Bussau V, Ferreira L, Jones T, Fournier P. A 10-s sprint performed prior to moderate-intensity exercise prevents early post-exercise fall in glycaemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia. 2007;50(9):1815-1818.
  13. Bussau VA, Ferreira LD, Jones TW, Fournier PA. The 10-s maximal sprint: a novel approach to counter an exercise-mediated fall in glycemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes care. 2006;29(3):601-606.
  14. Campbell MD, West DJ, Bain SC, et al. Simulated games activity vs continuous running exercise: a novel comparison of the glycemic and metabolic responses in T1DM patients. 2015;25(2):216-222.
  15. Briançon-Marjollet A, Weiszenstein M, Henri M, Thomas A, Godin-Ribuot D, Polak J. The impact of sleep disorders on glucose metabolism: endocrine and molecular mechanisms. Diabetology & metabolic syndrome. 2015;7(1):1-16.
  16. Goldstein DS, Eisenhofer G, Kopin IJ. Sources and significance of plasma levels of catechols and their metabolites in humans. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 2003;305(3):800-811.
  17. Bogardus C, LaGrange BM, Horton ES, Sims E. Comparison of carbohydrate-containing and carbohydrate-restricted hypocaloric diets in the treatment of obesity. Endurance and metabolic fuel homeostasis during strenuous exercise. The Journal of clinical investigation. 1981;68(2):399-404.
  18. Al‐Qaissi A, Papageorgiou M, Javed Z, et al. Environmental effects of ambient temperature and relative humidity on insulin pharmacodynamics in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2019;21(3):569-574.

Chris Bright Reviews 2021 at TDFC

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in Uncategorized

Well, here we are… On the cusp of 2022 after a year which followed probably one of the toughest years of many people’s lives. I think at this stage of the pandemic so many of us have lost someone we know or know of and I just want to add to the condolences if you’re one of those people who have lost a loved one during the last year to COVID or anything else. My thoughts are with you.

There’s no doubt that at TDFC we’ve faced some big challenges in the last year. From company finances, to ongoing restrictions which curtailed many of the project ideas we had, through to the challenges of supporting our community during a period of uncertainty, pressure and ultimately fear. It’s been tough to move forward but move forward we have. Because for me, that’s the mindset I’ve always had, when you want to make something happen and there’s a barrier in the way, you don’t run away from it, you find a way to leap over it and that’s how we’ve approached 2021. We’ve tried our best to adapt and overcome the challenges we’ve been faced with. It’s not been easy, but nothing worth doing in life is made easy for us.

So, we’ve given it a good go.

With the start of 2021 in the UK being a period of lockdown, much of the support we could offer was via our online tools. So, we maxed this out as much as we could. We had great engagement in the Men’s whatsapp group which continues to be an incredible resource for support, awareness and troubleshooting around type 1 Diabetes. This year we’ve had discussions on the impact of vaccines on our Diabetes, the effect of COVID on our condition and how long it may have impacted on people, all the way through to the performances of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal (too often a conversation in my opinion!). It’s incredible to see and as the founder who envisaged this idea in 2017, to see how we’re able to help so many people in this way is mind blowing sometimes. We’ve changed lives and we continue to influence the way the healthcare system views peer support, and for this I’m always grateful. Our community, our vision and our direction.

In amongst that vision has always been to shed a spotlight on the incredible people involved in football living with Diabetes. Storytelling is one of the greatest gifts that we all have available to us and the power a story can have, if told in the right way, can be profound. We’ve told stories on our social media, through our blog and in the media before but we felt with the growth of podcasts, it was time to start telling stories using this popular medium. So, during the early part of 2021, myself and peachy launched The Diabetes Dugout to do just that. We’ve interviewed people from the community, told stories from people involved in professional football and most importantly shed a light on our condition which educates others. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope those who have tuned in to the episodes have done too (I even got to speak with the legend that is Gary Mabbutt MBE!) … It’s a resource now that we will always be able utilise and if you haven’t checked it out, search for The Diabetes Dugout on spotify or apple podcasts or head to www.thediabetesfootballcommunity.com/the-diabetes-dugout

As the early part of 2021 turned into spring and summer, the impact of the vaccine was felt widely across the UK with life returning to something which looked a little bit more like our previous normal. This allowed myself and the teams to get back to playing. We opted to bring the UK Men’s team back together but outdoors throughout the summer to maximise the safety of the players. It proved to be really well received and the guys welcomed the sessions back with open arms. We had a number of new attendees who had found our work during the pandemic who came to experience the environment we create for the first time. The below podcast link outlines how that session played out, so make sure you go and check that out because I think it really demonstrates what it’s all about:

UK MEN’S TRAINING SESSION PODCAST EPISODE

Whilst myself, I got to make my comeback to playing competitive Futsal after the pandemic and after my post-concussion syndrome. I was back playing for Birmingham Futsal club in the National Futsal series, where for the first time in the sport’s history in England, games were being shown on TV through FreeSports and then live on BT Sports later in the year. The sport finally had the coverage it deserved, and it was great to be back doing what I do. I even got to get on the court alongside an Aston Villa legend in Stiliyan Petrov who I’d grown up watching as a teenager at Villa Park.

 

Another group which also got back playing this year was our TDFC London team. They were back on the Futsal court and just like the wider men’s team, their numbers had grown during the pandemic. Honestly, this group has given me so much pride this year with the way they’ve come together as their own community as well as how they’ve performed on the court. They’re enjoying themselves, supporting each other and they’ve even managed to feature on Channel News Asia TV too (video below)! They’re an incredible example of the TDFC ethos spreading and expanding. This hub idea is something I hope to see more growth around in 2022 and beyond as we reach more corners of the UK and beyond.

 

 

But alongside this growth in the men’s groups, we’ve seen the development of the Women’s project for the first time in TDFC history. We now have a great group of Female leaders shaping the strategy & direction of the TDFC Womens project as we head into 2022. The team now have their first date in the diary for a meet up in Worcester on March 12th (Yes right next to International Women’s Day!) to really push this and keep an eye out for the girls appearing on social media in 2022 as they look to grow the awareness of the project. We have to also thank the incredible team at HerGameToo who we partnered with to support this project and they’ve since provided us with really generous donations to help the girls get going! So, a huge thank you to everyone at HerGameToo and to Caz and Amy specifically who I’ve spoken to.  You’re doing an incredible job!

 

 

Alongside the success of creating the women’s project, I also had the chance to celebrate The People’s Award at the QIC Diabetes awards. The award was given to me as an individual but for me it’s all about the way the community came together during the pandemic to provide the guidance, moral support and positivity we all needed to get us through a challenging time whilst living with Diabetes. I’m just the fortunate one who created this idea but the voices within our project and community win awards like this, not me. Nevertheless, as a project it was wonderful to be recognised in an awards ceremony designed to celebrate the excellent care provided by healthcare professionals in the Diabetes sector, so for us it was brilliant to raise awareness of our project to more and more of the professionals up and down the country who work tirelessly to make our lives easier. Check out the result of the award below and one of the pictures… It was also pretty cool to meet the voice of Strictly Come Dancing Mr Alan Dedicoat.

 

 

https://www.qualityincare.org/diabetes/awards/results/qic_diabetes_2021_results/the_peoples_award

Awards help us with awareness, and I can’t deny that, however they’re not something I dwell on too much. I’ve always had this saying coached into me since I was as a kid “you’re only as good as your last game.” Obviously, this relates to my Football background but it’s true of life too, we’re only as good as we are right now in the moment, what we’ve achieved or done has already been written and what’s to come is now our focus. This always helps me to get me focussed on what’s next. In 2021, I’ve had a couple of great opportunities on behalf of TDFC to help position ourselves to influence “What’s next” for the overall Diabetes Community. Firstly, I was invited to become part of a steering group to help expand peer support across England with NHS England at the heart of leading it, with the vision of those of us with the condition very much helping to steer the ship. TDFC is recognised and commended widely by those in healthcare teams up and down the country, so it was really exciting for us to be invited to be involved in pathing the way for wider adoption of peer support in the healthcare structure and treatment pathways of the future for people with Diabetes. This project is just gathering momentum so keep an eye out on developments in this area in the next few months. Whilst this project has been gaining traction, I’ve also been working away with Professor Gyozo Molnar from the University of Worcester on the first academic publication related to my research on The Diabetes Football Community ( If you haven’t come across the research before check out the blog post by clicking here). We’ve now submitted our first draft to the editors and will await amendments in preparation for final submissions & publication later in 2022/ early 2023. Another important step having our community’s example being utilised within academia to inform the next generation of researchers and policy makers within the healthcare industry regarding the impact of peer support.

But as always…. We’re a long way from being finished.

To begin 2022, we have the exciting launch of The Diabetes Awareness education program for schools, aimed at kids aged between 5-11. Our hope is that this will raise awareness of the condition, whilst encouraging healthy lifestyle choices and understanding the differences between the 2 main types of diabetes. An awareness program to help make Diabetes a bigger, more understood conversation for the next generation, as we attempt to tackle the longstanding stigma and stereotypes many of us have faced over many years with the condition. It’s an exciting development and if you want to find out more or point your schools in the direction of it head to www.ajbactiveminds.co.uk

Below are some pictures from our recent trip to Everton in the community to promote the work and to talk about future links for the programme.

This isn’t our only foray into education & resources for 2022 as we’re hoping to develop further resources and CPD opportunities for those involved in football, so watch this space! Ideas will be progressing in the early part of 2022 and as always if you want to help or support us please do get in touch.

Whilst on the participation front, we’ll be delivering futsal sessions for our men’s and women’s teams in 2022 and I hope for the first time we will be doing something for a kids participation day (I’ve said this a lot but the pandemic did put pay to this idea for a while!)…. Who knows, we may even manage to participate in DiaEuro 2022 if the pandemic allows us a safe time to do so….But as always we have lots of ideas to focus on.

As usual though, we’re going for it. We don’t sit back and wait for things to happen at TDFC, we strive for positive change and that’s what will be doing in 2022. But, we can’t do this alone and these efforts aren’t always the easiest to fund or find a way to deliver, so if you could help us financially to continue to do what we do, please head to our donate page: www.thediabetesfootballcommunity.com/donate or head over to our patreon page to subscribe to exclusive content www.patreon.com/thediabetesfootballcommunity

However before I finish, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to the incredible TDFC team behind the scenes…. You all know who you are but a special mention to the man who helps keep us on the straight and narrow, my fellow podcast host, director and really good friend Jon Peach who’s made a huge difference to me in the last year since stepping onto the board. Thank you mate!

But most importantly to me, I wanted to end this blog with the views of our community… So I reached out to them on WhatsApp and I simply said to them finish this sentence:

Being part of TDFC in 2021 has been…..

“Informative, really helpful and great knowing I’m not alone. Great Football banter too.”

“An arm of support I didn’t really know I needed until times got hard. Support, guidance and laughs.”

“The most supportive and helpful tool I have used to help manage my T1D since first being diagnosed, whilst also feeling part of a special with a great bunch of lads.”

“A useful source of information and humour, at a time where both have been hard to find elsewhere.”

“A great source of comfort and knowledge in a subject that’s lacking in information in the public domain.”

“Really great and useful. Helped me through some struggles and getting to know people in the same situation.”

“A big eye opener into how good of a community we have. The support has been amazing and being a part of TDFC is something I highly recommend people get involved with.”

“Inspiring and encouraging! It’s amazing to be connected to so many people who understand what I go through every day, and all through football.”

“Like being part of a family, I’ve enjoyed bringing diabetes and football together to raise awareness and inspire others.”

“A great experience allowing me to connect with other girls within football living with type 1 whilst working on inspiring others. Can’t wait for what the next year will bring.”

“So far brief! But for the short time I’ve been part of TDFC, it has been great knowing there’s a whole group of people who share your passion and understand the difficulties of diabetes. Having that support system is incredible and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve in 2022.”

“The continuation of a fantastic support network for all things diabetes and football (could even change that to sport!)”

And their responses continue to show me why we do what we do. Happy New year everyone here’s to another year of changing the perception of Diabetes.

Chris

Back in the saddle by Tim Ward

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in diabetes, Football, sport

Guess what, it’s been a weird 18 months hasn’t it, but as the restrictions end and some form of normality returns it was great to get the message from TDFC HQ that the futsal sessions are back on and a couple of summer meet ups are in the diary. Get in!!

As many us will know (especially if you’re a parent or carer) you must wear different heads daily, nurse, best friend, coach, Darth Vader. All of which had to been worn in increasingly difficult lockdown circumstances. Having worn all of these (including the new Key stage 2 teacher head) I was driving down to Worcester for the session thinking I haven’t worn the futsal keeper/skipper one for over two years.

A light bulb moment that almost felt like imposter syndrome, as if I was stepping into someone else’s shoes. I’d felt a little like this going to the first ever meet up back in 2018 when I felt like the old guy who had come for the dads v lads’ game. Believe me that feeling disappeared almost instantly in 2018 and the same in 2021.

The reason why, it’s easy, it is the people. The strength and support of community is powerful. Something you don’t (or I didn’t at least) realise until you’re involved, meeting and listening to others, simply having a chat, a laugh or empathising with the issues they are encountering. The WhatsApp group that all who join TDFC are invited to has been fantastic in keeping in touch with everyone but meeting up with some old and new faces, getting the boots on and simply having a game, that is a life saver.

I have family down in Worcester, so we decided to make a day of the first session and catch up, so the Ward clan turned up on mass at Worcester FA HQ.

The meet up followed the usual routine the hello’s, how are you doing, nice to meet you, take the mickey out of each other and have a laugh (mostly at my lockdown barnet), yes Tob’s I know the barbers are open now but I’m going full Zlatan! 😊

There were loads of new faces and although I didn’t get to chat with everyone it was great to meet you all, apart from Bryn who megged me 3 times, you mate, can stay in Aberystwyth next session!

The presentation and discussion with Chris and Jon that opened the session was a real eye opener with the differing level of access to diabetic support across the country, be that physiological support, CGMs, pumps, and dietary & lifestyle advice offered was frighteningly varied, far from consistent and really not great to see. The tireless work Partha Kar and others are doing to remedy this is vital for people with type 1 across the country.

A special shout out to Mo Ismail, who has been an absolute legend throughout the pandemic and well ever since I’ve met him. His advice and guidance (he’s a qualified Pharmacist and T1D brother working in the NHS) on all the questions posted in the group has been a real source of inspiration and support and the recognition he received during the session is well deserved! Well done and thank you pal from us all.

After the presentation and discussion, it was down to the pitch for the futsal, but first media duties for me and Mo discussing the project with Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire, who have provided us with some great support to get back on our feet. It was great to chat about TDFC and the return to playing and training.

The training was great as usual (apart from the megs) and it’s always nice to learn as well as get chatting to Tom about Goalkeeping and his master’s Studies in the USA too!

I coach academy and grassroots football, so I am on a pitch most days of the week but being out there playing and being coached is such a release, you don’t know how much you miss it.

A nice end to the day was having my picture taken by Chris from Reaction Photography of me with Brighty and my boys all of us in TDFC kit, I think they are expecting to be on the flight to Bosnia now for the next DiaEuro.

It was great to be back to see some old and dear friends and make some new ones. I can’t wait to catch up with the rest of the lads and keep meeting new people within TDFC.

In a thousand different ways the day was a real family affair.

We are back… Diabetes Futsal Returns!

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in Uncategorized

It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to write this, but…….. WE ARE BACK! This weekend coming, we will be resuming our Men’s Diabetes Futsal sessions at the Worcestershire FA headquarters after a gap of 15 months due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.

It’s been a tough break for us all. We know so many of the group took a lot from the sessions in the past and we’re hoping to bring back all of that positivity, engagement and support to our upcoming sessions. We know there’s a lot of excitement amongst the ranks from existing and new players to the project so we can’t wait to get back out there!

We will be starting back on the 27th of June with another session planned in for the 25th of July as well so if you want to get involved please do get in touch!

For us these sessions will be about re-engaging with our community, getting our squad back together to play as well as welcoming new faces to the pitch. We should have a good laugh and a lot of fun which is what it’s all about.

We must also say a big thank you to The Tackling Inequalities fund created by Sport England and put into practice by Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire. They’ve supported us with funding and support to help get us back off the ground after what has been a really challenging period during the pandemic.

It’s going to be a really exciting month for us as the sessions get back underway whilst we also continue to grow the women’s arm of the Diabetes Futsal squads…. However, ahead of this first session we thought we’d invite one of the newest members of the community, who will be attending his first session this weekend, to describe how he’s feeling ahead of Sunday…. Over to you Bryn:

“I’m really excited to be finally meeting up with the lads from TDFC. Ever since I watched Chris’ story I just knew it was something I would love to be Involved in. So to be invited to training with them is really special.

I was so inspired by the work of TDFC I even held an active fundraiser for the charity through my sports coaching business ‘BMO Coaching’ – we managed to raise £377.50 for TDFC and £900 in total, which we shared with other local charities.

Living in the Welsh coastal town of Aberystwyth, I have only met a total of two T1D players that are still playing senior football so It’s going to be a fantastic experience playing / meeting with other T1 diabetics in a football environment.

I’m passionate about raising awareness and passing on knowledge about diabetes, especially throughout my area of Wales. I’ve been playing football with T1D for 20 years and I’m keen to show people that it doesn’t stop me from playing sport and doing the things I love.

The lads have been really welcoming on the group chat so I’m looking forward to a session with them to break the ice. “

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Bryn and isn’t it great to be back!

TDFC

Louise’s Story & the launch of TDFC Womens

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in Uncategorized

Hey! My name is Louise McCay and I am a 27-year-old type one diabetic with a passion for football & futsal.

At the age of 11 I was diagnosed with type one diabetes after my parents picked up on a dramatic change in my water intake. I had gone from having been forced to have to have a drink before school to literally downing pints after pints and never quite quenching my thirst. After a couple of days of monitoring this change in behavior my parents purchased a blood glucose meter and tested my bloods to find that they were 32 mmol. At this point we had very little knowledge of what this meant, how the body works and just simply the severity of high blood sugars. It didn’t help that I had ravaged through a bag of skittles after school too, so we decided to hold fire and test them again in the morning after fasting. Sure, enough when we tested them again in the morning, they were still super high, and it was an inevitable trip to the A&E…

“Can I still play football…?” – The first and only question I asked when the nurse broke the news of my Type 1 diagnosis to me. It may sound stupid to most of you considering the health implications of Type 1 Diabetes but at the age of 11 football was all I could think about and the thought of that being taken away from me tore me apart. This is why when I stumbled across The Diabetes Football Community (TDFC) I just HAD to get involved.

I have very recently become part of TDFC team to help focus on the women’s side of the game. The Diabetes Football Community is well established within the men’s game – driven and founded by Welsh Futsal International Chris Bright and I want to help make the women’s side just as established. I have joined Chris alongside Katie McLean, Lucy Wieland & Becky Upsher to help kick start and maintain TDFC Women’s.

I have played football since the age of nine with the majority of my childhood being spent at Watford Centre of Excellence before I set off to Bournemouth University where I continued to play. I now play locally for AFC Dunstable who currently sit in Tier 5 of women’s football as well as dabbling in futsal in recent months. When I was younger there was very limited attention and focus on women’s football as it was, let alone on type one diabetes in women’s football and until joining the team here at TDFC I have not knowingly come across another female player with type one. Without really realizing it at the time this made my whole experience in football different to the other girls around me, for many years I just wanted to play football and underestimated the impact my diabetes could have on my performance.


With so much more awareness and resources surrounding type one over recent years, I am learning so much more about control during exercise and more specifically during football. I believe that if there were resources and communities like TDFC around when I was younger it would have made a huge difference on both my control and performance. I would love to be able to make a difference and help other type one footballers excel at what they love most. I was so inspired by the stories, podcasts, resources and accomplishments of TDFC – which is why I got in contact with Chris.

The aim – Through TDFC Women’s we hope to raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes whilst also building a supportive and safe community for diabetics within football where you can meet other likeminded people. Our long-term aim of creating an all-female, all diabetic futsal team with the hope to enter competitions, inspire others and show the world that having diabetes doesn’t hold you back within sport.

Currently we are in the recruitment and awareness stage of the project which, as many others, has been on the back foot due to covid.
So, to kick start things, over the last few weeks we have:
– Set up our Twitter page @TDFCWomens which has already started to gain momentum and spread the word (go on… give us a follow!!)
– Created a core team to work with Chris and really bring the project to life
– In progress of planning our launch event!! Hoping to incorporate networking, learning and of course playing some ball – watch this space for more information and a pretty amazing venue.

Would you like to get involved!? We are actively looking for anyone who wants to get involved in any way, shape or form! Whether it be playing, coaching, helping out in the background or just being part of the online community.

If you want regular updates on what we have going on, have any questions or want to be part of the team, follow @TDFCWomens on Twitter or contact us by email – thediabetesfootballcommunity@gmail.com
We look forward to hearing from you and are excited to watch the TDFC Women’s journey unfold…

Zak Brown reviews 2020… Happy New Year Everyone!

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in diabetes research

Another leading member of The Diabetes Football Community and a veteran of the UK Diabetes Futsal squad wanted to share his views on 2020. Zak has been living a long way from home, with the pandemic unfolding in a completely different way in the country of his birth, to the country he’s been living in…. A really interesting insight from Zak and we want to wish you all a Happy New Year wherever you are in the world and thank you for all of your support. Over to you Zak:

“It’s obvious that many people will be glad to see the back of 2020. However, reflection is an important part of every cycle or transition to a new period.

And with any reflection, it is important to acknowledge the positives of the year just passed.

Despite challenging circumstances, I have seen so many friends on social media starting up a side-business this year, whether it be selling hand-made gifts, homemade cakes, or launching a company they had been thinking about for years, and had finally been given the time to turn a vision into action.

Secondly, I have seen some seriously impressive 5km, 10km and further run times from people who had barely ran those distances before. The ability to get out in the fresh air and to explore the local environment will always be free, and for that we should be grateful. It also shows how quickly we can improve at something if we just put the time and effort in.

My situation is different to most right now, as I moved to New Zealand at the end of 2019 from Sydney, where I had been working on an overseas visa for the previous three years. The events that were about to unfold meant that it turned out to be a fortunate decision in many ways, with New Zealand containing the virus for much of 2020. However, despite the relative freedom, it still affects me in a similar way to others as I don’t know when I can next fly home to see my family and friends (I was due to see them this Christmas).

The main challenge for me this year has actually been diabetes-related. The health care system here isn’t quite as advanced as in the UK, meaning diabetes care options are much more limited. For example, only one type of long-acting insulin is government funded (Lantus) and CGM is mainly self-funded here too. Due to my current visa status, I am not eligible for any discount on prescriptions. The full price of insulin, the thing that keeps me alive on a day-to-day basis is eye-watering at times, and certainly makes me feel some empathy for our friends across the Atlantic in USA, who deal with similar battles over the cost of their diabetes.

Despite these hurdles, I have taken a positive outlook and tried to address how I can combat this challenge. To save some money, I decided to cut back on a couple of other “luxury” expenses. However, I made sure I did not cut back on my diabetes care, as health is so important, therefore I tested as much as I usually would, despite the extra costs. This yielded a positive result, with my HbA1c resulting in 42 at my last check-up; the lowest it has been since diagnosis 14 years ago. I remain hopeful that my new visa will come through soon and that I can then access my insulin, test strips etc. at a more reasonable cost.

Looking ahead to 2021, our CEO at Sport Wellington summed it up quite well by wishing for a “dull and boring” 2021! With uncertainty set to continue for a while, “prepare for the worst, hope for the best” may be a good mantra to live by. For me personally, the current situation just re-iterates how happiness and health are essential to our livelihoods. So, I would encourage everybody to think about what makes them most happy? And think of how you can achieve this in whatever circumstances are thrown at you. And when we think about health, as people with Diabetes we have that extra aspect to think about; but remember that health is holistic and not just physical – mental, emotional, social and spiritual health are all contributors to our overall wellbeing.

Take care everyone and wishing you all a Happy New Year.

Zak Brown”

 

Guest Blog: T1 Level Daria – Nutrition & Fitness

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in diabetes, sport

It’s always great for TDFC to link in with others who share our passion for sport, exercise and overall fitness whilst living with Type 1 Diabetes. So it’s great that we could invite Daria to share some of her insight as someone highly engaged in an active lifestyle which encourages all of those things as well as a big emphasis on nutrition through her work… So no more words from us let Daria tell you about her work, experiences and her story.

 

“Fitness, nutrition and medication are the 3 pillars of diabetes management. Sport and exercise can affect blood sugars in different ways, depending on what type of activity is performed. We need to adapt our management to achieve best blood sugar results and top performance in sport. We can do this by altering our nutrition and medication around training sessions.

 

There are 3 types of exercise that diabetics are to be concerned about:

  • Aerobic (cardiovascular exercise): Steady running, walking, cycling, non-expulsive repetitive movement. This type of exercise will make blood sugars drop quite drastically and rapidly, if not accommodated for.
  • Anaerobic (resistance training): heavy weight training, variations of crossfit and similar. Adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones are released as a response to resistance training, which cause the liver to release some glucose into the bloodstream, causing blood sugars to rise.
  • HIIT Training: any form of expulsive movement or sprint training. Fight or flight (stress hormones) are released, as well which is likely to cause blood sugars to spike during the workout and then quickly drop after the workout.

 

Fuelling yourself correctly for workouts is not just important for blood sugar control, but is also essential for giving your muscles enough energy to move and perform in an optimum manner. Setting up a routine for each type of workout you perform will massively reduce stress levels, help avoid highs and hypos mid-session or mid-match, and make exercise much more enjoyable.

 

There is no one way that will suit everyone, but as an example, I want to share my ways of managing the different workouts I do. These are long-distance running and road cycling, spin and boxing classes, as well as my all-time favourite gym weight training. I don’t play football, unfortunately, but from the experience of supporting other T1Ds, I know that matches can be stressful, and that in itself can cause a hormonal spike, which will rise blood sugars. There is no way of getting out of this, accept for using insulin to prevent the rise.

 

The way I prepare for my training is by keeping the timing if the workout the same: in the morning, after breakfast, as I find my performance is a lot better and I have set-up my pre-training routines for that time of day. I also eat the same old bowl of protein oats for breakfast every day to make BG response more predictable.

 

For long-distance running and cycling: These always cause a drop in my blood sugars, which I will prevent by either reducing the bolus for the meal prior to the workout or by having a 15-carb snack just before the training session. Most commonly, I will go for a session straight after breakfast, reduce my meal bolus by 20%, have a bowl of oats with berries and go. This will hold me stable for around 1.5 hours of cardiovascular exercise.

 

For spin & boxing classes: For me these classify as HIIT training, and will spike my blood sugars. Prior to the session, I will either eat a 5-10 carb protein bar piece with 0.5u of insulin or do my regular bolus for my oatmeal breakfast, if done in the morning. After the workout, I will have another 10g snack to catch the drop. Insulin sensitivity still increases during HIIT, despite the hormonal response, so be careful not to inject too much insulin prior to training.

 

For resistance gym workouts: I tend to need my regular bolus for my oatmeal in the morning. While I get to the gym, the food will already settle in and the insulin will still be active. This helps eliminate the spike. I also do a longer cardio warmup to make sure that I start in the lower BGs, and have some space to rise from the training.

 

For recipes, meal ideas and tips for living and thriving with Type 1 check out @t1level_daria and www.t1leveldaria.com .”

 

We’d just like to say thank you to Daria for her contribution and please get in touch if you have any questions about this article or would be interested in contributing to it in the future.

 

 

Managing Type 1 Diabetes for Football & Futsal in 2020…

Posted on by thediabetesfootballcommunity in Uncategorized

The new year is always a chance to take a fresh look at things and alter the path or journey we’re on…. At the start of every year I try to look at the context I’m surrounded by and set myself new goals or challenges which drive my motivation for what’s ahead.

But what I thought I’d do, to help some of you out there who might be thinking about starting a journey with Football/Futsal & Type 1 Diabetes or taking it up a level, is give you some insight around how I manage my condition. 2019 was a pretty good year for me with my sport so it’s probably a good time to share with you some of the ways I go about trying to get the best from my glucose levels to allow me to play to the best of my ability.

So I thought I’d outline some of the ideas, most of which I shared at the #SporT1Day conference, to hopefully provide some insight and support to anyone out there who might need it.

Here’s my general thoughts on what I try to do or think about for my management before any sport or exercise:

  • A plan of how to approach the sport/exercise/game – What type of exercise is it (interval, aerobic, anaerobic etc)? Intensity? Duration? Time of day? Timing of meals? Last Bolus?
  • Consistency of Routine – If it’s working, I keep using it.
  • Good night’s sleep.
  • Plenty of time between pre match meal insulin dose and starting the game (3 hours + ideally)
  • Lots of Testing – As much as you can or utilising a CGM such as the Dexcom G6 which has been the best I’ve used so far. This way you can learn about the effects of types of exercises, intensities, durations etc on your glucose levels.
  • Small adjustments of insulin & carbs to try and find the right glucose level for your best performance or for you to just enjoy it.
  • I aim for 7-8 mmols throughout the duration of any game to try and achieve my best performances.
  • Having my quick acting hypo treatments and insulin available and accessible for any adjustment I might need.
  • Consider the weather… Is it cold or hot? They usually play a part in how our glucose levels respond.
  • Am I in good general health? Have I been ill recently? Can play a part in less predictable glucose levels.
  • Keeping on top of my hydration… I find my levels drop more quickly if I’m dehydrated.
  •  Stress Levels – Do I feel nervous? Am I calm? Sometimes bigger games cause a bigger adrenaline spike in glucose levels. Do I need to account for this?
  • Have I fuelled up well before the exercise? Have I eaten enough calories/carbs in general for the energy I’m going to expend.
  • Always consider how much activity you’ve been doing around the particular sport or exercise you’re about to take part in, because the more active you are, the more sensitive to insulin you are!

Below are some of the generic details about my day to day management…

• My daily carb intake is around 180g. ( + or – depending on activity levels). I’m on MDI and CGM, No pump.
• Carb Ratios are roughly 1:15 g breakfast, 1:10g lunch, 1:7.5 g for dinner.
Much of what I’ve said above is linked to a generic way I tackle my Football or Futsal but there are some subtle differences I employ between the two because the intensity of the two sports is very different. This has a drastic impact on the reaction of my glucose levels and the way I manage them during and afterwards especially. So I’ll show you some of the key differences below:
Football (Example is preparation towards a Saturday 3pm Kick Off)
  • Aiming to be 7-8mmols to start the game and throughout.
  • Ensuring my pre-game meal & bolus is 3 hours before kick off.
  • Reducing pre-game meal bolus by roughly 10%.
  • Half time testing and adjusting based on level. If I’m below 9mmols I’ll take on 10g of carbs to cater for the second half dip and even more if my levels are below 5mmols. These choices very much depend on length of time you’re going to play and how hard the game is. If it’s a tough game with a lot of chasing then I sometimes have an extra 5-10g of carbs. If I’m over 13mmols I’ll take on a unit of insulin.
  • Post game meal I reduce my bolus by 25-50% depending on how much I’ve played and the intensity of the game.
  • I try to make my post-game meal both full of protein and carbohydrate to help with the recovery of glycogen stores and muscle growth/repair.
  • I will have a bed-time snack of 10-15g without a bolus to try and alleviate the nocturnal hypo risk. (If I’ve played a whole 90 minutes, I’ll scale all of this back if I’ve played less than that)
  • I don’t adjust my basal insulin because I use Tresiba, which is an ultra-long acting insulin and this will have no effect on my risk of a nocturnal hypo.

Futsal

  • I like to start the game at 5mmols if I can, because despite being lower,  I’m still likely to need a small bolus before the game or at half time to manage my levels rising as a result of the higher intensity and expected spike.
  • Because of the roll on, roll off substitutions within Futsal, there’s a lot more opportunity for adjustment. So I always come off from the court and immediately check my CGM and look for the trend arrows and glucose level.
  • I always tend to carry a bit of short acting insulin in my system because for me within Futsal, knowing I have frequent breaks and the likely impact of the intensity (levels rising), I’d rather be lower and taking on some glucose, as it reacts quicker than my insulin, than being too high and waiting for my insulin to kick in. The important factor for me is having a glucose level which allows for performance, not the number of adjustments I have to make.
  • I will always have a protein bar/snack post game of around 20g of carbs because I tend to have a sharp drop in my levels post game. Probably as a result of carrying short – acting insulin during my sport and the intensity.
  • I don’t make any bolus adjustments post – game to my meals. Again I’ll eat a meal heavy in protein and carbohydrate.
  • No basal adjustments as a result of using tresiba.
  • If I want a bed-time snack I’ll bolus for it with a small reduction of 25%.
Wales vs Northern Ireland - 2019 Home Nations Match 1 -62
I really hope that this is a useful post for people out there trying to tackle football or futsal for the first time, or who might be finding it challenging currently. If something from this article helps someone out there get more from their performance or just allows them to enjoy it more I’ll be happy!! Please give it a share if you can because I’m sure you’ll know someone who may also find this useful.
I’ve also added my slides from the #SporT1Day Conference to the bottom of this post if you wanted to see what I shared on the day, which also has much of this detail in.
Thanks for reading and I wish you all a happy and healthy new year! Please also be aware of the below disclaimer.
Chris
Disclaimer – Always remember that this a personal perspective and is not endorsed by a medical professional. So any advice or ideas you take from this post is at your own risk and should always be cleared by your diabetes team. 

Chris Bright Presentation 2019 ( #SporT1Day Conference )