How I Start My Day as Someone Living With Diabetes: Nikki’s Routine

Nikki practices self-care first thing in the morning with soothing music, pet therapy, and a smoothie.

Written by Marisa Taylor Karas | Reviewed by Preeti Parikh, MD

Updated on January 9, 2023

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Nikki Nurse, who is living with Type 2 diabetes, begins her mornings with technology and self-care.

Her virtual assistant wakes her up, turns on her lights, and tells her the news and weather before playing jazz music.

Then, Nikki does some pet therapy with her cat and dog. She also makes sure to use a lavender essential oil in a diffuser to give her a sense of calm.

To keep her eating healthy, she’ll make a nutritionist-approved smoothie with a lower glycemic index and sip it from a gold straw. “That really does make me feel like I want to continue doing these healthy choices,” she says.

You can read more about Nikki’s experience with Type 2 diabetes here and how she manages her A1C here.

Additional Medical Contributors

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• Nikki NurseNikki Nurse is a writer, wellness advocate, caregiver, and content creator based in Brooklyn. She covers fitness, nutrition, mental health, and personal development.

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References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Type 2 diabetes. 

Ein, Natalie, et al. (2018). Stress and Health. The effect of pet therapy on the physiological and subjective stress response: A meta-analysis.

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