Steadfast Care Planning
Steadfast Care Planning is for people who want to learn how to best plan for their longevity including how to navigate extended care, long-term care insurance options, and other challenges that older adults face. Join Kelly Augspurger, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® and long-term care insurance specialist as she has thought-provoking conversations with industry professionals. Tune in as Kelly guides you on how to plan for care to live well.
Steadfast Care Planning
Navigating Diabetes with Kelly Schmidt
🎙️ We all know someone who is suffering from diabetes, whether it be Type 1, Type 2, or even Type 3. But how much do we actually know about the different types of diabetes and could we be at risk of developing diabetes ourselves? If so, how can we manage our nutrition and lifestyle to either avoid a diabetes diagnosis, or manage our blood sugar levels through diet and lifestyle choices to ease the effects of a positive diagnosis?
✨ In this conversation Kelly Schmidt, a diabetic dietitian with Kelly Schmidt Wellness, shares invaluable tips for older adults living with diabetes, focusing on how they can not only manage their condition but truly thrive.
🍳 Kelly discusses the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, highlights the importance of nutrition, stress management, and sleep, and offers practical advice on advocating for your health as you age.
💡 Don't miss out on Kelly Schmidt's invaluable advice for living well with diabetes. Whether you're managing Type 1, Type 2, or simply want to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, this episode is packed with tips and strategies to help you thrive!
In this episode they covered:
🔹 Kelly Schmidt’s Background and Passion
🔹 Current Diabetes Statistics in the U.S.
🔹 Types of Diabetes
🔹 Managing Blood Sugar and Diabetes
🔹 Older Adults and Diabetes
🔹 Specific Nutrition Tips
🔹 Heavy Metals and Their Effects
🔹 Challenges and Solutions for Older Adults
🔹 Final Advice for Healthy Living
🔹 How to Contact Kelly Schmidt
📽️ To watch this episode: https://youtu.be/lk9L7VXNtsI
🔗 For more information about Kelly Schmidt and Kelly Schmidt Wellness, please visit:
📲 https://t1dfunctionalnutrition.com
📲 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyschmidtrd
📲 https://www.instagram.com/diabeticdietitian
#KellySchmidtWellness #KellyAugspurger #DiabetesManagement #DiabeticDietitian #SteadfastCarePlanning
For additional information about Kelly, check her out on Linkedin or www.SteadfastAgents.com.
To explore your options for long-term care insurance, click here.
Steadfast Care Planning podcast is made possible by Steadfast Insurance LLC,
Certification in Long Term Care, and AMADA Senior Care Columbus.
Come back next time for more helpful guidance!
Kelly Augspurger [00:00:02]:
Hey, everyone. Welcome to Steadfast Care Planning where we plan for care to live well. I'm Kelly Augspurger, long-term care insurance specialist, and your guide. With me today is my long time friend, Kelly Schmidt, a diabetic dietitian with Kelly Schmidt Wellness. Kel, welcome. Thanks for being here.
Kelly Schmidt [00:00:18]:
Hi. I love seeing both our names up there. It's so fun. And who knew, decades ago, we'd be podcasting today?
Kelly Augspurger [00:00:25]:
I know, I love it. This is so exciting. Kel and I have known each other, I think, since we were 5, so it's been a long time. There was like a little gap in between when we were growing up and then we reunited in high school. But, yes, we go way back. And Kel is here to share with us tips for older adults living with diabetes, how they can not only manage their disease, but thrive.
Kelly Schmidt [00:00:45]:
Yeah.
Kelly Augspurger [00:00:45]:
So really excited, Kel, can we jump right in?
Kelly Schmidt [00:00:48]:
Sure.
Kelly Augspurger [00:00:48]:
And before we get into the nuts and bolts of treating diabetes, Kel, briefly tell us why you're so passionate about helping people with diabetes.
Kelly Schmidt [00:00:56]:
Sure. So I have Type 1 diabetes, and I've had Type 1 since 1991. And that actually happened on my 8th birthday. And it was scary, it was isolating. And I think things happen for a reason. I don't wanna say I have a reason why I have Type 1 diabetes, but I do think I was meant to have this disease to help others pave the way and make it a little less hard. However, when I was diagnosed on my birthday in second grade, my teacher also had Type 1 diabetes. So I think if I were to be diagnosed at any point in time, it'd be very helpful to have someone in the classroom to help me along.
Kelly Schmidt [00:01:28]:
But you would think my passion comes from my own autoimmune disease of Type 1 diabetes and struggles and triumphs. But I would say when we were in high school, my dad really went through it. My dad, aunt, and uncle had Type 1 diabetes. And it was interesting to watch the disease and people you cared about, people that were older, people who knew better, people who were your heroes. And as I mentioned, my dad had a lot of complications. So he had everything from a heart attack, to retinopathy, to ulcers on his feet. And I remember early February in 2002, my dad had a kidney and pancreas transplant. And that dual transplant at Ohio State University was overwhelming.
Kelly Schmidt [00:02:07]:
Just one, it was such an opportunity for more life. When you have a transplant, you're almost guaranteed 10 more years for that organ specifically. But also, I didn't realize how sick he was. And as that 17 year old in the waiting room for hours and hours, I was deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up, and what college I wanted to go to, and what major to claim. And in that moment, I decided, I want to be a dietitian, to change the world one day at a time for people like him. So that even made me a little emotional.
Kelly Augspurger [00:02:34]:
Yeah, I know, and that's what you're doing, Kel, and she's doing it so well. I know at the end she'll tell us where people can find more information about her, but she is doing that indeed, and is having a very large impact amongst people, amongst Americans in dealing with Type 1 diabetes. Kel, I know there's some different statistics out there, one of which that there's 38 million people in the United States that are living with diabetes, and over 29 million diagnosed and over 8 million undiagnosed, which that was surprising to me. And then about, is it 29% of older adults, that would be 65 plus, have diabetes, which means that's like 16 and a half million people. So this affects a lot of Americans in the United States. And, Kelly, we know that there are different types of diabetes, right? There's Type 1 and Type 2. So tell us, what's the difference between Type 1 and Type 2?
Kelly Schmidt [00:03:25]:
Yeah, and I'll even layer on to the stats you just shared. Basically, the takeaway is there's a lot of people with diabetes, and that those statistics are, a majority of them, are speaking to Type 2 diabetes, which is more of a metabolic form of diabetes. But it's so common that when people are like, "Oh, my mom, or dad has Type 2 diabetes," the metabolic form, people aren't phased because it's quite common, and that's kind of scary. And just because it's common doesn't mean it's okay. Just because it's average doesn't mean it's okay. It's hard, it's inflammatory, it doesn't feel good.
Kelly Schmidt [00:03:58]:
So, there's Type 1 diabetes. As I've already started to lead, I have Type 1 diabetes. That's an autoimmune form of a disease where the body's attacking certain cells of the organ which kill off those cells and create that disease. So I have Type 1 diabetes. It's an autoimmune disease which can't be necessarily prevented. There's some form of a genetic stressor and some form of a leaky gut that's related to all autoimmune conditions. But then in Type 2, that's more of a metabolic condition. That's where genetics are strongly at play, but then also lifestyle is a much heavier factor.
Kelly Schmidt [00:04:33]:
I don't want to create any confusion, but people might even hear of Type 3 diabetes. Type 3 diabetes is more of a dementia, Alzheimer's form, because Alzheimer's disease is so much related to blood sugar. So, for anyone listening today, the advice I'm going to give can be very relatable to every single american, because 3 out of 4 Americans on a daily basis have blood sugar spikes, and those people don't have diabetes. But the way our society is right now, we are not set up for success, for healthy labs, healthy blood sugars, and more. And I would say the biggest insults to spike blood sugars, number 1 would be stress. When we're stressed, our cortisol's high, and that can make our blood sugar high. So I think stress should always be managed the best as possible. And one success with that is drink your water and get your sleep.
Kelly Schmidt [00:05:20]:
When we sleep, we're better versions of ourselves. And I do believe sleep is the secret sauce of health. And then, of course, looking at our food. But again, stress forces us, or leads us to make those healthier food choices. Stress leads us to less time to make healthy food in the fridge and so much more.
Kelly Augspurger [00:05:36]:
For sure, Kel, I see this play out in my daily life, right? Like, if I'm more stressed out, I'm probably gonna go grab that unhealthy snack versus what I should eat instead, or maybe a drink that maybe I shouldn't have instead of just water with maybe a little bit of lemon in it for flavor. So, yeah, if you're stressed out, it is easy to lean to those things that sound and taste really good, but they're not good for us.
Kelly Schmidt [00:05:59]:
Yeah, or a quick hit of energy. But yeah. Type 1 is autoimmune. Type 2 is metabolic, for the most part. And people who have Type 2 diabetes tend to be overweight, but not always. People can be average weight, a decent BMI, although I think BMI has its weaknesses. But just because someone's overweight doesn't mean they have Type 2 diabetes. And just because someone's an ideal weight doesn't mean they're not at risk.
Kelly Augspurger [00:06:20]:
Okay, so blood sugar, that's the big key here. So even if you don't have Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 diabetes, you still might have blood sugar that fluctuates, right? Goes up and down throughout the day. And so the best way to handle that, Kel: Stress and diet.
Kelly Schmidt [00:06:35]:
Yeah, stress, diet, sleep. Stress, diet, sleep hydration. Yeah, major in the majors. And I would call those four of the majors.
Kelly Augspurger [00:06:42]:
Okay. The Steadfast Care Planning podcast is sponsored by AMADA Senior Care. AMADA provides complimentary consultation with a senior care advisor to find the right care, from in-home caregiving to community care, as well as long-term care insurance claim advocacy, and unique support partnerships for financial advisors to address family transitions and generational retention. To learn more, visit www.SteadfastWithAmada.com. So, and obviously for my podcast, most of what we're talking about really is geared to more older adults, like 65 plus. And I know a lot of your clients are a little younger than that, Kel, but you certainly have a vast array of knowledge and wisdom just in diabetes in general. So, yeah, even if an older adult hasn't been diagnosed with diabetes, talk to us about the importance of that nutrition and blood sugar, and what are some things that they can do to manage those?
Kelly Schmidt [00:07:40]:
Well, yeah, I think being educated on symptoms of high, or low blood sugars. High blood sugars can lead to symptoms like consistent thirst, frequent urination, moodiness. Although moodiness can be related to a lot of things. That can be related to high blood sugars, even consistent cravings for sugar. So even though the blood has a lot of sugar in it, that sugar is not in the cells. So the brain thinks the cells are starved of energy. So the brain is saying, "Grab more sweets, grab more simple carbohydrates. Grab more carbohydrates." Although the brain's not saying those words, that's just what we tend to reach for.
Kelly Schmidt [00:08:15]:
So those are symptoms, but also low blood sugars can come from high blood sugars. Not to create any confusion, but if you can't go from one meal to the next without being hangry, or shaky, that can be a sign of low blood sugar. So I think it's important to know the symptoms and signs. And then I think, always build a healthy plate. As we age, we actually need more protein with aging. And also as we age, people tend to want less protein because they might feel protein sits in their stomach. It's harder to digest. It might be less of a craving.
Kelly Schmidt [00:08:44]:
But knowing the power of protein quality, protein can go a long way for healthy aging, for healthy bones, healthy muscle mass, and blood sugar stability. So protein can help blood sugar stay stable. And that's a key tip all around.
Kelly Augspurger [00:08:57]:
Is there a general rule of thumb of, like, you should have this much protein per day? Like, if you're a man, if you're a woman, if you're this age, if you're this age. What do you suggest?
Kelly Schmidt [00:09:07]:
I think everyone using their own hand is a good measuring tool. And the palm of your hand, the width and thickness is an ideal amount per meal. Now, a lot of people are not putting a steak in their cereal bowl like breakfast.
Kelly Augspurger [00:09:19]:
What about breakfast?
Kelly Schmidt [00:09:20]:
Yeah, it's the most protein depleted meals. So that's where I really position eggs. And people are like, "Well, Kelly, what about cholesterol?" And there's so much to debunk on the 1970's, 80's information on that. We all should be low fat and fat free, and also that cholesterol in eggs is bad for our heart. I would first say an egg is Mother Nature's multivitamin. There's over 90 vitamins and minerals in there, so don't fear eggs. And cholesterol in food does not directly relate to cholesterol in the body. When someone has high cholesterol levels, I always look at what is their blood sugar? It's usually a sign of high insulin and usually a sign of spiked blood sugars, rather than people eating too much shrimp and eggs.
Kelly Schmidt [00:09:58]:
But with breakfast, think through ways you can have more protein in that meal. And that could be greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, quality sausage. So everyone's like, "Well, isn't sausage processed?" When it comes to nutrition, we want to make sure we're eating whole food ingredients, not necessarily overthinking how that food came together. So, yes, sausage will be more processed and minced and then formed and whatnot, but you really just want to look at the ingredients and say, "Okay, does it say pork, chicken, or beef or whatever the protein source is?" And then is it spices, or is it sulfites, nitrates, chemicals, citric acids, and so forth. We want to remove all that chemical factory. We want to have things that are really preserved with celery salt, or things that we can pronounce, or understand.
Kelly Augspurger [00:10:38]:
Okay, what about protein powders?
Kelly Schmidt [00:10:40]:
I love protein powders, but they're good and bad, just like supplements. You know, there's ones that are third party tested, and then there's ones from the wild, wild west. Who knows what's in them? In 2016, the New York attorney general did a study on 3 supplements, and they pulled supplements from, oh, I'm forgetting the big names, and it's not really that important, but it's basic things like CVS, or Walgreens, or Target, very basic places that we would all reach for supplements. And they took those to a lab, and there were vitamin C on the label, but there's no vitamin C in the bottle. So you always want to make sure that supplements are third party tested. If anyone wants help with supplements, it's part of my witchcraft, I would call as my registered dietitian skillset, but Fullscript is a very reputable place to source supplements.
Kelly Schmidt [00:11:19]:
And Fullscript is kind of like an Amazon for vitamins and protein powders. But with protein powders, again, they are so helpful. And getting that protein, especially if you don't have a big appetite, especially in the morning, you can mix protein powder with oatmeal, you can mix it into that yogurt. Of course you can make a smoothie, but with protein powder, there's better than others.
Kelly Augspurger [00:11:37]:
What do you look for, Kel, in protein powders? What are things to stay away from in protein powders, or things to lean towards?
Kelly Schmidt [00:11:43]:
Yeah, a lot of people will want to look for labels like heart healthy and those type of labels, but really the skill set and knowing what you're fueling yourself with good nutrition is reading the ingredient list. The ingredient list is where you want to go and again, avoid the chemicals. But with protein powders, I think less is more. I'm a big Costco shopper, and I'll go to Costco and clients will be like, "Well, I get the Orgain there." Orgain, if you look at it, has at least 150 ingredients in it, and it is too much for the body to digest at once, or comprehend. So whole food is messengers to the body. And if we bundle every extract from every fruit, vegetable, chemical, protein into one little powder, what's that telling the body? It's a storm of confusion. So with protein powders, I think ingredient lists less is more and avoid those chemicals. My go to protein powder is one from Designs for Health.
Kelly Schmidt [00:12:28]:
It was tested for heavy metals. So again, I don't want to create fear. I know a lot of things, so maybe I'm sharing too much. But Designs for Health was tested for heavy metals compared to Vital Proteins, compared to Bulletproof. These other big label brands and Designs for Health was known to have the absolute least amount of heavy metals because things like rice protein powder, or vegetarian form, it might be really high in arsenic. So it's just good to know that you're talking to someone who knows their stuff and not someone who's just making a sale on a product, and so forth.
Kelly Augspurger [00:12:57]:
Kel okay, so heavy metals, let's just take a little detour here. Yes, please. Heavy metals, do you see a correlation between that and cognitive issues like Alzheimer's, dementia?
Kelly Schmidt [00:13:07]:
100%. I see a relationship with toxins. I see a relationship with toxins and blood sugars. I see relationship with toxins and blood sugars, toxins and hormones, toxins and cognition. So I think, again, the biggest insults in America is stress, sleep deprivation, and toxins. Those are the top three. And then we can talk about the food. As a dietitian, you know, that should be what I'm talking about.
Kelly Schmidt [00:13:28]:
But these top three are really driving the others. I have clients that are like, "Oh, I went to Europe for summer, and I felt great. I actually lost weight traveling, and I drank every day." There's a big difference of what's on their food, and what's on ours. So I think where your budget can allow. You want to shop for organic, you want to look at ingredients, look for whole real food as much as possible, but we need pleasure on the plate, life is short.
Kelly Augspurger [00:13:46]:
Yes, give us something tasty.
Kelly Schmidt [00:13:48]:
But just reach for more quality. Like I love my chocolate. I love paleo fine desserts. And just meaning, I'll take almond meal and chocolate chips and some eggs and vanilla extract and maybe some monk fruit instead of powdered sugar, and whip together a cookie. But there's ways to find ingredients, combine them together, and still get that pleasurable thing. But if you have nostalgia for a Twinkie, or whatever it may be, just don't have it every day.
Kelly Augspurger [00:14:13]:
Every now and then, not daily. The Steadfast Care Planning podcast is sponsored by the Certification for Long-Term Care CLTC, an in-depth training program that gives financial advisors the education and tools they need to discuss extended care planning with their clients. Look for the CLTC designation when choosing an advisor. If you're looking to become a CLTC, enroll in their masterclass and enter "Kelly" in the coupon code field for $200 off. Well, Kel, what challenges do older adults face with diabetes versus younger people? Do they have more challenges?
Kelly Schmidt [00:14:50]:
Of course. I think with aging, it's like a toilet paper roll. As we get older, there's fewer length to turn the wheel, and more and more things can show up. So I think with age, with time, there can be more complications, more risk, more setbacks. However, I think my biggest advice, where I can get really fired up is no matter what your age is, is advocate your needs. Especially in today's day and age.
Kelly Schmidt [00:15:15]:
In our conventional medical system doctors are burned out, doctors are spread thin, and there's a shortage, especially in endocrinology, which manages diabetes. I can tell you I just got off the phone yesterday. They're like, "Oh, I'm sorry, your appointment's canceled again," for my endocrinologist, and I was supposed to see my endocrinologist in July, so then I got bumped to August. Now I'm not seeing them until November. And I'm not alone with this situation, but I also know how to navigate my needs to make sure that my blood sugars are okay. But speak up. Outsource where you can. I know there's Medicare, Medicaid, and so forth that are guiding who we can see and what services we can get, but you can be your own best advocate, or you can empower a family member to help you along the way.
Kelly Schmidt [00:15:54]:
But if this doctor keeps pushing and canceling your appointments, find that next office, that other institution that can help you. And that's something I indeed did. But I want people to feel they can be empowered. They have the right to be organized. Show up to your appointment with questions. What can you do better? Why do you have the symptom? What can help resolve it? And it's not just a prescription pad. It can be nutrition, it can be stress management, it can be movement, it can be a number of things. But good questions lead to good solutions.
Kelly Schmidt [00:16:20]:
And people need to feel empowered to speak up.
Kelly Augspurger [00:16:22]:
Right. So, Kel, people living with Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3 diabetes, should they all see an endocrinologist in addition to their PCP? Is that pretty regular routine?
Kelly Schmidt [00:16:33]:
I would definitely say so. But some people, again, I'm going to push Type 3 diabetes out of the picture because someone with Alzheimer's disease will not be seeing an endocrinologist.
Kelly Augspurger [00:16:41]:
Okay.
Kelly Schmidt [00:16:42]:
They'll be seeing a neurologist and all the other things, but if anyone has a family member, or even genetics for Alzheimer's, just know blood sugar regulation is important. But for Type 1 diabetes, absolutely. We need endocrinologists, Type 2 diabetes, they might under the care of a PCP family medicine practitioner, but it's just really important to be consistent with those appointments for prevention. And of course, educate yourselves. Be curious of what's 1% thing you can do better for yourself today, to have more days, have more energy, have more quality of life.
Kelly Augspurger [00:17:10]:
So that you can thrive and not just survive.
Kelly Schmidt [00:17:12]:
Yes, absolutely.
Kelly Augspurger [00:17:13]:
Well, Kel, any final advice on what people can do, or how they can plan to live well? You just gave some really good tips.
Kelly Schmidt [00:17:19]:
Yeah, I think I gave a lot. I wish I could talk longer but our attention and time is so precious. I would go back to something I've already said, and that is to major in the majors. I think with aging, one thing I do see, especially with my perimenopausal clients and even menopausal clients, is sleep. Do all you can to get that sleep. Let it be even just a quality supplement with a blend of herbs of B-6, valerian, a lotus, and melatonin, but support your sleep. It is the secret sauce of health. And then next up, something that we all have accessible is to make sure you're well hydrated.
Kelly Schmidt [00:18:34]:
Those are two easy things to dominate daily, to better follow up to better nutrition choices, and more. And certainly follow me. I'm "Diabetic Dietitian" on most media outlets. I'm most active on Instagram. But follow me and I'm always happy to help and do all I can to add value to people's health.
Kelly Augspurger [00:18:35]:
Kelly has a fantastic social media presence, and she's putting out really good information and content to educate and inform people on how they can really live their best lives and, again, thrive and not just survive if they have blood sugar issues, or working on nutrition. But obviously, you focus specifically with people living with diabetes. Kelly, thanks so much for your time today. I really appreciated hanging out with you. I love you, and I'll talk to you later. Take care.
Kelly Schmidt [00:18:34]:
Love you, too, Kelly. Thank you for having me.
