We recently connected with Eugenia Araiza and have shared our conversation below.
Eugenia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
Imagine being 16 years old and embarking on a journey to study abroad, filled with the excitement of exploring the world and learning a new language. Suddenly, you start feeling unwell—exaggerated fatigue, weight loss, excessive thirst, and frequent trips to the bathroom. These were definitely not part of your plan, but clear signs that something was wrong.
Well, that’s exactly what happened to me 28 years ago. At 16, I began experiencing these alarming signs, but being alone in a foreign country with unfamiliar customs and language, I struggled to decipher their meaning. The answer came the day after Thanksgiving. I found myself in a diabetic coma for two days, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Emerging from the coma, doctors attempted to explain this condition, which had limited information available at the time. Not only was the information scarce, but it was also in a language I could barely comprehend, and my parents couldn’t understand at all. My diagnosis changed my life.
Determined to understand and contribute to the diabetes community, I delved into learning more about diabetes. My goal was not just to acquire knowledge but to make a difference for people like me living with diabetes. After several years of work in the diabetes field, I authored my first book, “I am Different, and I Like It,” discussing diabetes acceptance through customizable illustrations, making it a unique and special book for each child.
Following that, I collaborated with Mariana, a psychologist also living with type 1 diabetes, to create the book “Once Upon a Time There Was Diabetes.” This book addresses diabetes burnout from both a professional and personal perspective. Life took me back to the USA, where I noticed a continued lack of information about type 1 diabetes in Spanish. In collaboration with the diabetes community and organizations like Beyond Type 1 and JDRF, we began developing materials not only translated but culturally appropriate for the Hispanic community in the United States.
Now, my books are included in the “Bag of Hope in Spanish” and “JDRF No Limits Teen Care Kit in Spanish,” resources distributed to newly diagnosed children and families in the United States. While there’s still a long way to go in disseminating accurate information in all languages, we’re making progress, and I’m proud to be part of that positive change.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Eugenia, and I am a Nutritionist, Diabetes Care Specialist, and Certified Health Coach specializing in bilingual diabetes care. Additionally, I have been living with type 1 diabetes since 1995. In 2019, I launched Healthy Diabetes, a project that encompasses educational resources and support for diabetes management.
One of my objectives is to empower those with prediabetes and diabetes, not only to achieve their glucose management goals but also to live fully engaged lives. I enjoy providing nutrition counseling and diabetes education both on an individual and group basis.
I have extensive experience working online with various types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, LADA, gestational diabetes, prediabetes), contributing to the prevention or delay of diagnosis and associated complications.
I am the author of “I am Different, and I Like It,” a book that emphasizes the crucial role of acceptance in life with diabetes. Additionally, I created “The Healthy Diabetes Journal,” a comprehensive tool that goes beyond daily glucose level recording. It captures crucial experiences for holistic glucose management, considering the body, mind, and the complexity of diabetes.
I am also the author of the recipe book “Sweet·N·Healthy,” a collection of sugar-free and low-carb desserts created by and for people with diabetes. This recipe book includes portion sizes suitable for glucose management, alternative ingredients, and carbohydrate counting tools, all supported and approved by a diabetes-specialized nutritionist.
I co-authored the book “Once Upon a Time There Was Diabetes,” addressing diabetes burnout from both a professional and personal perspective. Additionally, I contributed to the chapter “Assessment of Nutritional Status in Special Conditions” in the book “Assessment of Nutritional Status in the Human Life Cycle” by the Mexican Association of Members of Nutrition Faculties and Schools (AMMFEN). I collaborated in the translation from English to Spanish of Gary Scheiner’s book “Think Like a Pancreas” and Kim Gosselin’s book “Rufus Comes Home.” I translated into Spanish Julia Flaherty’s book series “Rosie Becomes a Warrior” and “Rosie the Type 1 Diabetes Warrior Goes to Diabetes Summer Camp.”
Over the years, I have been a speaker at various national and international conferences. I have also had the opportunity to collaborate on educational texts and materials with organizations such as Beyond Type 1, JDRF, the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Mexican Diabetes Federation, the Mexican Diabetes Association in Guanajuato, and universities including the Universidad Iberoamericana León, Universidad de Guanajuato, Universidad Cuauhtémoc Aguascalientes, and the College of Nutritionists of Guanajuato. Additionally, I have collaborated with the Diabetes Online Community and some diabetes management-focused companies.
I am committed to serving the Hispanic/Latino population touched by diabetes, driven by a constant desire for continuous learning, personal, and professional growth.
A fundamental aspect for me is advocacy work to bring the voice of those living with diabetes to the right places, striving for universal access to comprehensive diabetes treatment.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Over the years, I’ve come to realize that diabetes is not a limiting condition; instead, it has motivated me to surpass the boundaries of my diagnosis. Diabetes often carries stigma, fears, and yes, feelings of limitation. It’s undoubtedly challenging, but leading a fulfilling life and achieving much more than one might have without diabetes is not only possible but achievable, especially with access to the right information and resources presented in a language that is understandable.
Taking good health for granted is a common tendency when living without any health condition, and diabetes provides an opportunity to scrutinize your body, identify foods, activities, and even situations that may not be optimal, and make the necessary adjustments for improvement. Diabetes, despite its difficulties, can serve as an opportunity to prioritize and maintain good health, even when it may not initially seem so.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I believe in providing resources in the way I would have appreciated receiving them, and offering attention in consultations with the understanding that, while it may be routine for me, for the person receiving it, it means everything—especially in the case of recent diagnoses. It’s common for health professionals to lose touch and communicate from the standpoint of their knowledge or expectations, but it’s crucial to always acknowledge that what each of us encounters daily holds immense significance for the individual receiving the information.
Living with diabetes myself has made a substantial difference in how I approach my professional practice and how my clients experience it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.healthydiabetes.mx/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/healthydiabetes.mx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthydiabetesmx
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/eugenia-araiza-marín-4111841b1/
- Twitter: twitter.com/eugeniaaraiza
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@healthydiabetes
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0927ZBBMK/about?ingress=0&visitId=13a0494e-0ace-4bc4-80a2-c25369b5c9b5&ref_=ap_rdr
Image Credits
Eugenia Araiza