Hello Friends, (Extremely Jim Nantz voice) h

I've had diabetes for 21 years. I've read the studies, tracked the data, and tried most of the things. But nothing caught me off guard quite like learning that something I've been doing since birth — breathing — might be one of the most underused tools in my diabetes management arsenal.

This month on the Insulin Sensitivity Playbook series, I sat down with Nick Heath, PhD and T1D — better known on Instagram as The Breathing Diabetic — and I came away from that conversation genuinely changed. Not hype, not woo-woo. Science.

People with diabetes have measurably lower heart rate variability (HRV) and poorer nervous system regulation than non-diabetics. That's the bad news. The good news? Two minutes of slow breathing can bring those numbers back up to the levels of someone without diabetes.

Two. Minutes.

Nick has spent years reading the research, translating it into plain language, and practicing every day. His takeaways are clear:

Chronic stress — physiological and psychological — is a constant companion when you live with T1D or T2D. CGM alerts, unpredictable blood sugars, and the mental load of never truly clocking out all tax your nervous system. Breathing gives you a direct lever to counteract that. It's not going to replace insulin or good food choices. But it's free, it's always available, and the research is solid.

As Nick put it: "Everything in your body needs oxygen. So of course the way you breathe affects your pancreas, your heart, your blood pressure. It's not magic — it's just that everything needs oxygen."

Three months in on mouth taping, and my sleep quality and recovery scores are genuinely better. I'm also building a morning breathing practice — 10-15 minutes before I reach for my phone. On the days I skip it, I notice the difference.

For overachievers (I see you): you're not going to levitate. There's no "perfect" breath. Just show up, slow down, and breathe through your nose. Consistency over intensity — every time.

This one is worth your full attention. Nick is a researcher who actually lives this stuff, and the conversation got real in ways I didn't expect. Episode 347 of Diabetics Doing Things — The Insulin Sensitivity Playbook: Breathing with Nick Heath — is out wherever you listen.

Find Nick at @thebreathingdiabetic on Instagram or at thebreathingdiabetic.com.

Keep it locked,
Rob
Diabetics Doing Things

Rob is speaking in Dallas at the Type One Together “Team Together” event on April 18.

Team Together is a full-day gathering created just for parents of children with type 1 diabetes. A place to feel understood, connect with other parents who get it, learn alongside one another, grab a drink, share a meal, and take a meaningful break from the nonstop responsibilities of diabetes care. This is not your average T1D event—it’s something special.

Tickets here

Rob is also the closing keynote at this year’s Diabetes & Mental Health conference on May 5 with his talk “Mind in Range: Mental Health tools for the Moment you’re in.” It’s a virtual conference, so you can hear this talk from anywhere: Register here.