Packing My SPIbelt, T1D Style

I’m Basma, and I have had type one diabetes for 19 years. I am very transparent about my diabetes on my social media accounts and talk about how much goes into managing an autoimmune condition. I always make sure I have my supplies, but never want to feel like diabetes can’t be “cute.”

That’s why I love my SPIbelts so much! They allow me to compactly carry so much without being heavy or bulky. The belts come in tons of different styles and designs that are versatile and easy to wear anytime and anywhere!

As a type one diabetic of 19 years, there are critical accessories that I always need to carry with me.

Here’s a list of what I stash in my SPIbelt (my favorite belt is the Luxe!):

  • My ID and cash/cards: I always make sure I have my ID on me, and money is important, especially when traveling.
  • Chapstick/lipgloss: I carry my Carmex lip balm tube in Cherry or my Fenty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow.
  • My insulin pen: Very necessary! I need my insulin when I eat carbohydrates, or when I need to correct high blood sugar, so I can’t leave the house without this!
  • Extra pen needles: I typically carry 2 or 3 extra pen needles with me to make sure I can change out my current needle when I need to.
  • Glucose gels: I always make sure I have these on me in case my blood sugars drop. These are the easiest to carry and quickest to treat with.
  • My phone: I can’t leave the house without my phone. You may have noticed I didn’t mention a glucose meter to check my blood sugars with! That’s because I can see my blood sugar readings on my phone because I wear a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) called the Dexcom. It gives me real time blood glucose values and trends every 5 minutes that I can also check from my iWatch
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