The First Beat

Issue #1: Diabetes screenings and veggie frittatas and disability rep in romance, oh my!

HEALTH: Testing, testing! 💉 Not-so-fun fact: Millions of people in the U.S. are living with diabetes and don’t even know it. But what if a quick trip to urgent care could help change that? Recent research suggests urgent care clinics could be an untapped opportunity for earlier diabetes detection and prevention. With more than 100M Americans living in areas with limited access to primary care, many turn to their nearest clinic instead—yet routine screenings, like an A1C test, aren’t always part of the visit. Accessibility often means meeting people where they are—and sometimes, that starts with a simple diabetes screening at the local UC.

FASHION: To the max(imalism). Not to be confused with the clinical term, medical maximalism is all about diabetics embracing main character energy via their medical devices. Think: Bedazzling or painting a reusable pump cover or insulin pen, buying jewelry for your CGM, or putting on your best merch for a night out with the diabesties. 👯

TECH: Break a sweat. 💦 Scientists are developing sensors that measure the tiny amount of glucose naturally found in sweat, with the goal of creating a painless alternative to fingersticks. Now, these wearable devices aren't replacing your CGM or glucose meter anytime soon, but they're a sweat—we mean, sweet—glimpse into a future with fewer pokes, less diabetes burnout, and more comfy blood sugar monitoring.

So… salads might be off the table for a while. 😬 Good thing we have this vegetable frittata to keep us full.

SERVES: 4 people

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 eggs

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ¼ cup red onions, chopped

• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped

• 8-10 stalks asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped

• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.

2. Whisk together the eggs, half the cheese, salt, and pepper. Set the mixture aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe pan or cast-iron skillet. Add the onions, mushrooms, and asparagus. Cook for 3–5 minutes, until the vegetables soften.

4. Pour the egg mixture on top of the cooked vegetables. Place the cilantro and cherry tomatoes on top. Then, add the remaining cheese.

5. Bake, uncovered, until the center is set and not jiggly, about 10–15 minutes.

WHAT TO CARB FOR: 6g

OTHER NUTRITION NOTES: 3g of sugar, 11g of fat, 17g of protein

Psst! If you’re having this meal in the evening, pair it with a summer cocktail (or mocktail) and enjoy in parasite-free peace. 🥂

While we’re busy decorating our devices, here are a few other diabetic-owned brands to check out in honor of Disability Pride Month. 💙

1. Healthy Sites

2. Sugar Medical

3. Not Just A Patch

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was eight years old, and ever since, it has shaped nearly every part of my life—both the parts people see and the ones they don’t. It’s taught me resilience. It’s taught me grief. It’s introduced me to some of the kindest people I’ve ever met. And it’s also left me feeling incredibly alone.

That contradiction is where Bittersweet Beat was born.

Living with diabetes is exactly what the name suggests: bittersweet. There are moments worth celebrating—a night of steady blood sugars, an exciting research breakthrough, finding an endocrinologist who truly listens, meeting someone who just gets it.

But there are also the moments people don’t see: the burnout, the constant decision-making, the insurance battles, the mental load, the fear, the guilt, the shame, and the exhaustion of managing a condition that never takes a day off.

When I first imagined Bittersweet Beat, I kept coming back to one question: What did I need when I was diagnosed?

I needed someone to tell me I wasn’t the only one feeling overwhelmed. I needed honest and empathetic discussions about diabetes burnout. I needed practical advice without the medical jargon. I needed to be heard and understood and seen when I felt just as invisible as this disease.

Most of all, I needed community. That’s what I’m hoping to build here.

Bittersweet Beat is for everyone living with diabetes—not just type 1, but type 2, gestational diabetes, prediabetes, LADA, MODY, and every diagnosis that deserves understanding. It’s for caregivers, partners, healthcare professionals, and anyone who wants to better understand what life with diabetes actually looks like.

Each issue will bring together personal essays, interviews, practical guides, research explained in a way that actually makes sense, and conversations about the realities of this condition. Sometimes we’ll celebrate the wins. Sometimes we’ll unpack the frustrations. Sometimes we’ll simply remind each other that we’re doing the best we can.

This newsletter is deeply personal to me. It’s the project I wish existed when I was a scared kid learning how to count carbs and give myself shots. It’s the project I wish I’d had when diabetes burnout consumed my teenage years. It’s the project I wish existed for anyone who has stared at a glucose monitor, insurance denial, prescription receipt, or lab result and wondered: “Is anyone else going through this too?”

The answer is yes. Always yes.

Thank you for trusting me enough to spend a few minutes of your week here. Thank you for subscribing before there was even a first issue. Thank you for believing this community deserved something like this. We’re just getting started, and I have a feeling the best stories are yet to be told.

With so much love (and fruit snacks somewhere in my purse),
Chloe, founder & editor of Bittersweet Beat

READ: Blood sugar, spice, and everything nice science. 🔬 These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little romance, Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood. It’s got academic feuds, fake dating (with a twist!), and some T1D rep that rom-coms are in desperate need of. Speaking of rom-coms, we’ll officially be seeing this one on the big screen later. 🎬

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