The Diabetes Diaries

Rachael Sood
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Medicine

The Diabetes Diaries is a podcast hosted by Rachael Sood, a practicing diabetologist outside of New Orleans, Louisiana and founder of the Diabetes Collective. Each episode, she sits down and talks with world leaders, experts, advocates and real people sharing their stories - all in the diabetes space. From the latest technology, cgm, pumps to groundbreaking medicine and personal journeys - this is a podcast that brings the full picture of diabetes to life that anyone can understand.   Subscribe and join a community that won’t settle for less than the best. 

  1. 3d ago

    Are we transplanting stem cells to cure T1D? Apparently on the other side of the world, yesss! - Dr. Abdulmohsen Bakhsh

    Send us Fan Mail Sometimes the best conversations happen when you least expect them right?!!! In this episode, Rachael records a podcast in a hotel lobby coffee shop, while the tail end of a hurricane rainstorm sweeps through Philadelphia. Recorded impromptu, as our guest also happened to be waiting out the storm which delayed travel.  Meet Dr. Abdulmohsen Bakhsh, a physician and Diabetologist from Saudi Arabia who is, quite literally, the first in the world to be officially trained in stem cell transplant therapies. After receiving his medical training in Saudi Arabia, he completed advanced fellowship training at the University of Toronto in Canada, in diabetes technologies and stem cell therapy — the only program in the world training physicians in advanced stem cell therapy. Dr. Bakhsh is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Alfaisal University and was recently awarded the Young Investigator Award from the Gulf Association of Endocrinology & Diabetes, where he delivered a lecture on preventing DKA in type 1 diabetes — work from a Diabetes Canada–funded program exploring how ketone monitoring can identify people at risk, and how education works best when it's designed with patients, not just for them. His research focuses on immunotherapy and prevention in type 1 diabetes, and today he talks about his role as a co-investigator in clinical trials spanning immunoprevention in type 1 diabetes, plus stem cell and islet cell transplantation — the science that could one day change what living with type 1 diabetes looks like entirely. Recorded live from the Breakthrough T1D Clinical & Research Congress in Philadelphia — and a hotel lobby rainstorm you'll hear in the background as a bonus. This conversation is as raw and authentic as it gets, because literally it only happened by fate.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

  2. Oct 15

    Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) for Type 1 Diabetes? And a crisis of trust with the ADA? - Dr. Michael Haller, Pediatric Endocrinologist, USA

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachael interviews internationally renowned T1D scientist and clinical trialist, Dr. Michael Haller. He shares details about what's happening behind the scenes in the diabetes research world when it comes to new therapies for T1D, even at a global level.  Dr. Haller answers questions about IV infusions of Teplizumab and various forms of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). They talk about a clinical trial called "Safeguard", which has been fast-tracked by the FDA, aiming to study a different human version of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG).  Dr. Haller also opens up on details surrounding events that occurred during the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Annual Scientific Sessions in June 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The story actually went VIRAL in the press; even making it to the front page of the New York Times. This was after several very prominent scientists were escorted out of the conference for distributing peer-reviewed published journal articles. Since that time, a formal boycott on the ADA has been called, asking for an internal review of the events that occurred. Now, over 1000 physicians and scientific leaders have signed the boycott, yet nothing has changed. So the diabetes community continues to search for answers.  Rachael asks Dr. Haller, "What exactly happened since you were there?" And if this boycott is honored, "Will it improve the lives of people living with diabetes?" This is the FIRST time any physician has freely spoken on camera about what actually happened, so it's an episode you WON'T want to miss.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

  3. Oct 14

    Stem cells turned into islet cells: An age of Renaissance for the diabetes community - Dr. Aaron Kowalski, CEO of Breakthrough T1D

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachael podcasts live at the inaugural Breakthrough T1D Research Clinical Congress in Philadelphia, October 9-11, 2026. She interviews Dr. Aaron Kowalski, the CEO of Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), about the organization and how they are funding and supporting research that ultimately will lead to cell therapies. Aaron describes details about the Vertex clinical trial, which is evaluating if infusing stem cell-derived islet cells in people living with type 1 will relieve them of their insulin dependence. It turns out, it's already worked in 10 people! And now we are just waiting for the trial to finish and release results on 38 more. Aaron is a person living with Type 1 diabetes, and even helped bring the first insulin pumps to market. Yet ironically, he states, "I believe I'll be taking my pump off" in this lifetime. Aaron even describes what the launch of commercially available cell therapies might realistically look like and provides an estimated timeline.  If you're someone that has lost hope or ever doubted if "the cure for type 1 is almost here?", then this episode breaks it down clearly so you can understand and feel confident that we are very very close and living in a Renaissance age for Type 1 diabetes.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

  4. Oct 10

    The Beginning of Ending Type 1 Diabetes - Dr. Thomas Danne, Chief Medical Officer International Breakthrough T1D

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachael kicks off season 2 of the Diabetes Diaries, at the Inaugural Breakthrough T1D Clinical & Research Congress (CRC2026), happening October 9 - 11th, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was a Live podcast on site, where over 1000 medical leaders from over 31 countries, gathered to present and share research with the mission of ending Type 1 diabetes. Rachael has a candid interview with the chief medical officer of the organization, and pediatric endocrinologist, Dr. Thomas Danne. Danne has been a practicing physician for over 40 years and has trained and practiced in Germany, serving as president of both the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes and the German Diabetes Association. He answers questions about what "breakthroughs" are coming for treating type 1, and what that will realistically look like once rolled out. Dr. Danne describes cell therapy and who it's intended for, plus details that the organization has for a future where people with Diabetes might live insulin free.  To any person living with Type 1, or a parent whose child was recently diagnosed, this is a conversation about plans for the next generation that you won't want to miss.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

  5. Oct 7

    Louisiana House Representative radio interview on the State of Diabetes - Rep. Michael Echols

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachael goes live on a radio show! With Louisiana House majority leader, Michael Echols's.  His show "Echols @ Eight" has been running for almost 20 years and can be found on Talk 540 KMLB — News Talk 105.7 FM and 540 AM, Monroe and iHeartRadio.  He gets straight down to business and talks about current events, policies, and healthcare issues directly affecting residents in the State of Louisiana. Mr. Echols serves as a Louisiana house representative, and has served on the health and welfare committee and brought many bills into legislation, affecting insurance and PBM (pharmacy benefit manager) reform. He is running for a seat in Congress at the federal level in Washington Washington DC this November 2026. He and Rachael sit down to discuss the state of diabetes, what people should expect and how bad is it really going to get? Rachael talks about differentiating between type one and type two diabetes and acting early in order to avoid hospital, admissions, DKA, or heart attacks or strokes. She also explains what the Eledon trial is, and the relevance it has on the cure for type 1 diabetes.... which is coming - and what she believes will be cell therapy that will change the game.  You don't want to miss this episode if you really want to hear how Nurse practitioners are on the ground running, literally leading expertise and changing the landscape of healthcare and medicine globally.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

  6. Sep 30

    Broadway Dancer gets misdiagnosed and tells all - Kyle Banks, Founder of Kyler Cares

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachael podcasts with Kyle in front of a Live audience in New Orleans, Louisiana for a city luncheon. Kyle Banks is a famous broadway dancer, and was originally misdiagnosed when he began with symptoms of Type 1 diabetes. He tells his story of how he lost a rapid amount of weight, and danced across Broadway stages, fighting high blood sugar almost to the point of no return - no one could give him answers or help him. He finally got well, and then turned his experience into a large non-profit organization, "Kyler Cares", which today has served thousands of children of color and families disadvantaged with diabetes - providing them with support and education that they otherwise would never have received. Listen in as Kyle shares his story of misdiagnosis, in hopes that this will never happen to anyone ever again.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

  7. Sep 11

    International Metabolism Expert: The Real Reason America is sick and why no one's fixing it - Dr. Amit Gupta

    Send us Fan Mail Is America facing a metabolic crisis, yet why is no one talking about it? In this episode of The Diabetes Diaries, Rachael Sood sits down with Dr. Amit Gupta — Medical Director of the Centre for Diabetes Care in Greater Noida, Chair Elect of the American Diabetes Association's Public Health and Epidemiology Interest Group, and one of the most respected global diabetes experts in the world with over 60 national and international publications. Dr. Gupta breaks down why 90% of the American population is living with sub-optimal metabolic health, who is truly responsible for the metabolic crisis we are facing today and what needs to change before it gets worse.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

  8. Sep 2

    Diabetes during pregnancy and breastfeeding; an Expert T1D coach tells all - Lauren Bongiorno, Founder of Risely Health

    Send us Fan Mail Can you have a safe and healthy pregnancy with Type 1 diabetes? In this episode of The Diabetes Diaries, Rachael Sood sits down with Lauren Bongiorno, founder of Risely Health, the leading Type 1 diabetes virtual health coaching company, who has lived with Type 1 diabetes since she was just seven years old. Lauren breaks down everything you need to know about preparing for pregnancy with Type 1 diabetes from getting your A1C below 6.5 or manageable at least, before trying to conceive. Then talks about managing insulin resistance as it triples during pregnancy and then what navigating tighter blood sugar ranges actually looks like.  Lauren opens up about her experience breastfeeding with Type 1 and what nobody tells you about the postpartum period. She shares her own personal pregnancy story, including the traumatic 42 hour labor, the emergency C-section, then revealed her baby spent four days in the NICU which gave her postpartum anxiety (which had nothing to do with diabetes and everything to do with being a new mom). If you have Type 1, and are thinking about starting a family or may be pregnant, this is the most important conversation you will hear.  https://youtube.com/@thediabetescollective?si=6gvVGtd5Um9XSb4u https://www.instagram.com/thediabetescollective?igsh=bGI5bno2NnUwNmp3&utm_source=q https://www.facebook.com/share/14mrAd3kbVj/?mibextid=wwXIfr https://www.tiktok.com/@thediabetescollective?_r=1&_t=ZT-97f3bZc8GU9

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Diabetes Diaries is a podcast hosted by Rachael Sood, a practicing diabetologist outside of New Orleans, Louisiana and founder of the Diabetes Collective. Each episode, she sits down and talks with world leaders, experts, advocates and real people sharing their stories - all in the diabetes space. From the latest technology, cgm, pumps to groundbreaking medicine and personal journeys - this is a podcast that brings the full picture of diabetes to life that anyone can understand.   Subscribe and join a community that won’t settle for less than the best. 

Information

  • Creator
    Rachael Sood
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Diabetes Diaries
  • Show Website
    The Diabetes Diaries