A More Flexible Approach to Nutrition and T1D with Rita Rubin, MS, RDN, CDCES

Rita Rubin, MS, RDN, CDCES,  joins Scott for a thoughtful and practical conversation about nutrition and type 1 diabetes—and how to make it a lot less overwhelming.Rita is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist at Blue Circle Health who has spent decades helping people navigate food, blood sugars, and the challenges that can come with both. In this episode, Rita and Scott talk about why nutrition advice can feel so complicated when you live with type 1 diabetes and how the constant stream of “shoulds” around food can lead to unnecessary shame, stress, and confusion.Together, they explore a different way of thinking about nutrition—one that replaces rigid food rules with curiosity, flexibility, and self-trust. Rita shares how small experiments with food can help people build confidence, why balanced meals can support both satisfaction and steadier blood sugars, and why “good enough” nutrition is often a healthier and more sustainable goal than perfection.If food has started to feel like a math problem, a test, or something to fear, this episode offers a gentler path forward—one where nutrition becomes another supportive tool in your diabetes toolbox.What You'll Learn* Why nutrition can feel especially overwhelming for people living with type 1 diabetes* How shame and judgment often get tangled up with food choices* Why there is no single “right way” to eat with type 1 diabetes* What “good enough nutrition” actually looks like in real life* Why small food experiments can be more helpful than a complete dietary overhaul* How predictable fallback meals can make daily life easier* Why learning to listen to your own body is an important nutrition skillKey Quotes* "What could be more personal than the food we choose to nourish our bodies with?" – Rita Rubin, MS, RDN, CDCES* "The biggest misconception is that we are all the same and we’re not." – Rita Rubin, MS, RDN, CDCES* "Make time to eat. Give yourself that gift of making time to have a meal." – Rita Rubin, MS, RDN, CDCES* "Listen to your own body. What is it saying to you? Rely on your own wisdom more than those external messages coming through everywhere." – Rita Rubin, MS, RDN, CDCESResources & Links* American Diabetes Association Food Hub - https://diabetesfoodhub.org* Blue Circle Health on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@BlueCircleHealth* Blue Circle Health (learn more / sign up) - https://bluecirclehealth.orgWhat is Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D?The US healthcare system makes it difficult, expensive, and often impossible for people with T1D to access the care, education, and support they need to live. Around the Circle: Living Well with T1D brings together voices from across the type 1 diabetes community to share real stories, expert insight, and practical support for living well with T1D.Hosted by the team at Blue Circle Health, a U.S.-based program transforming type 1 care, this podcast helps people go from just surviving to truly living well with type 1 diabetes. https://bluecirclehealth.org/.