How I Stopped Panicking Over High Blood Sugars (and You Can Too)

If you’ve ever stared at your glucose monitor with a sinking feeling, you’re not alone.

As women of colour navigating wellness, culture, and chronic health conditions like diabetes, we often carry silent shame around numbers that were never designed to reflect us in the first place.

I’ve lived with Type 1 Diabetes for over 30 years — and I want you to hear this loud and clear:

You are not a bad diabetic. Your blood sugar reading is not a moral failure. It’s just data.

Let me walk you through the three habits that helped me stop spiralling and start leading a life of rhythm, balance, and cultural joy.

Why Blood Sugar Spikes Don’t Define You

The first thing I had to unlearn? That a high blood sugar meant I had “failed.” We’re so often taught to equate wellness with perfection. But diabetes isn’t a clean formula — especially when you’re juggling culture, career, family, and hormones.

Here’s what I do instead when my blood sugar is high:

My 3N Method: Name it. Note it. Neutralise it.

• Name it: Acknowledge the number without judgment. "Okay, I’m at 15.2mmol."

• Note it: Reflect. Did I eat something new? Is it stress? Hormones?

• Neutralise it: Take a correction dose, hydrate, walk — and move on.

This method lets me respond, not react.

It brings calm back to my body — and compassion back to myself.

Habit 1: Don’t Let Blood Sugars Shame You

I used to feel deep guilt when my sugars were high. But I realised: That guilt didn’t help me heal. It just added stress — and stress spikes your sugars further. Now I treat it like a moment. Just a data point. And I talk to my body like a friend:

“Okay babe, that was a blip. I’ve got you. Let’s go forward.”

Habit 2: Stack Micro Habits, Not Rigid Routines

Instead of obsessing over strict routines, I built little rituals into my day:

• A short walk after every meal (great for digestion and glucose drops)

• Pairing carbs with fats or protein (e.g., oats with peanut butter + olive oil)

• Drinking water before meals to give insulin a head start

• Stretching or doing squats while waiting for insulin to activate

These are small, repeatable things — but they change everything.

Habit 3: Design Your Day for Calm, Not Control

One of the biggest shifts? I stopped chasing control and started designing calm.

• No phone first thing in the morning

• Prayer, breathwork, hydration, insulin — in that order

• Meal prep twice a week so decisions don’t drain me

• Planning my gym outfits so I look forward to moving

A regulated nervous system supports regulated blood sugar.

The more peace I build into my day, the more my body responds with trust.

Why Cultural Representation in Diabetes Matters

Here’s the thing...Most diabetes advice isn’t built for us. Our cultural foods, family dynamics, and ways of gathering aren’t reflected in standard protocols. How do you portion your food “correctly” when an auntie is offering you another lump of nshima with love? Where do you learn how to set gentle boundaries around food, or integrate your heritage into your healing? This is why I share my story — to create space for us to do both: Own our health and honour our culture.

You Deserve Wellness Without Shame

Whether you’re Type 1, Type 2, or pre-diabetic, you deserve a life that feels soft, whole, and joy-filled.

You are not broken.

You are not failing.

You are simply learning — and your body is doing her best.

So be gentle. Be wise. Be rooted.

And if you’re looking for a place to start…

• Download my free 21-Day Wellness Tracker — a gentle reset with micro habits, cultural meal tips, and rituals that work.

• Share this post with someone who’s been silently struggling. They deserve softness too.

  
  

Love

Kaajal x

FAQ:

Q1: Can I still eat cultural foods with diabetes?

Absolutely. The key is pairing them with protein and fat, timing your insulin, and finding your personal rhythm — not avoiding your roots.

Q2: What if I don’t have time for long routines?

You don’t need them. Focus on 2–3 micro habits that feel doable and repeat them consistently. Consistency > perfection.

Q3: What if I still feel like I’m failing?

Start by changing the story. Your glucose is not a grade. It’s feedback. The more kindness you show yourself, the more your body will trust you back.

Watch my full video on this topic to hear the full story and all three habits in action