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Finding a thoughtful gift for a friend or family member who lives with diabetes can be hard. That’s why I created this guide!
Diabetes gifts used to be less exciting than getting socks for Christmas, but now there are so many beautiful, useful, or just plain cool diabetes products available that I really want to share them with you!
How I picked the diabetes gift ideas to include
All the items in this guide are things that I either already own or that I would be excited to unwrap myself.
We deal with diabetes 24/7, so why not add a little color, technology, information, and fun to make our everyday diabetes management a little less clinical and a little more tolerable?
I update this guide whenever I find a new product that deserves to be on it, so it’s always the Ultimate Guide to Gifts for Diabetics, no matter when you’re reading it.
If you use a product that you think I should include, please leave a link in the comments below so that I can check it out.
Think before you buy: Life with diabetes can be overwhelming sometimes, and not everyone will appreciate getting a diabetes-related gift on a day that should be all about fun, family, and friends. If in doubt, I suggest you buy a gift that is useful for people with diabetes without being made specifically for people with diabetes (like the foot massager or Apple watch).
Diabetes accessories from Myabetic
We look at our testing supplies, insulin pens, and CGMs every day, faithfully carrying them around wherever we go.
The girls at Myabetic decided to make that experience a little less medical and ugly looking by creating beautiful high-quality (vegan leather) diabetes supplies carrying purses and cases in a variety of colors.
Here is a 10-second video of me with my Myabetic bag:
They even have options for men (who may prefer cases that are a little less feminine) and children, so they have us all covered. I love my Myabetic purse and Dexcom case and use them every day!
You can use the code DIABETESSTRONG to get 15% off all your Myabetic products!
Diabetes purses and cases from Sugar Medical
Sugar Medical is another company that has set out to make diabetes cases and purses stylish accessories.
Most of their products are made of fabric, which means that they are fairly affordable but the quality is still high (check out my favorites, the Diabetes Triple Zip Purse and the Insulated Travel Bag).
You can see how I use my Sugar Medical bag when traveling in this short video:
A lot of the cases and purses have an insulated pocket for insulin and come with a unique feature which is the Sugar Medical Test Strip Trashcan.
It’s a small slit in the case or purse where you put your used test strips so they end up in a small separate compartment. That means no more test strip graveyard in the bottom of your cases or purses.
You can use the code DIABETESSTRONG to get 10% off all Sugar Medical products!
Diabetes accessory belt from Spibelt
Spibelt (Small Personal Item Belt) is a fanny pack specifically made for people living with diabetes. It’s great for storing your diabetes essentials when running, working out, or just jumping around. Their medical line belts also have holes for pump tubing!
I don’t wear an insulin pump but this is my go-to belt when I go for a run or hit the gym and don’t have any pockets.
The belt doesn’t move or bounce around when you run as some other belts do. When I run (which isn’t often) I use this and bring along my phone, blood glucose meter, ID, glucose tabs, and keys.
You can buy the Spibelt on Amazon.
Medical ID jewelry from Lauren’s Hope
I really like jewelry (who doesn’t?), so why not combine a pretty necklace or bracelet with a potentially lifesaving medical ID tag? That’s what the creator of Lauren’s Hope set out to do and the results are amazing!
Wearing some sort of medical alert identification is obviously a smart choice for people living with diabetes (or anybody who might end up in a situation where they need medical help), and if you want a beautiful and discreet way to do it, jewelry from Lauren’s Hope is the perfect option.
This is a great gift idea for a special person in your life!
You can see my Lauren’s Hope medical ID bracelet (and my Myabetic bag) in the image below:
Medical ID accessories from MyID
MyID takes medical IDs to a whole new level as most of their products feature a wearable QR code (Quick Response code, very similar to a bar code) making it easy to access your medical information in a digital format.
You decide what information to include in your profile and when your code is scanned, that information will be shared with EMT or hospital personnel.
MyID has a lot of different options including watch sleeves, bracelets, ID tags, wallet cards, and stickers.
The most basic wearable MyID is a medical ID sleeve that you can wear on your watch. That’s my favorite as I can wear it with my favorite watch.
You can visit the MyID store to see all their products.
Here is a video of how I wear my MyID watch sleeve:
A smartwatch that works with continuous glucose monitors (CGMs)
If you wear a Dexcom CGM like me, being able to see your blood sugar readings directly on your wrist is absolutely brilliant, and both Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Garmin offer that solution.
Only Apple and Garmin have official Dexcom apps but you can download an unofficial clockface to FitBit (see how in this YouTube video) and that works just as well.
The person wearing the Dexcom still has to bring their iPhone with them and they need to be no more than 6 feet from the phone for this to work.
You can read my review of the best smartwatches for people with diabetes to learn more or buy one of my recommended smartwatches here:
I use a Fitbit with the Dexcom app displayed on the home screen, as you can see here:
A foot massager
Most people enjoy a foot massage, and for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, getting a foot massage might even benefit blood sugar levels, increase blood circulation, and alleviate some of the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
So why not add a foot massager machine to your wishlist? Most of the foot massagers available are small enough to easily be stored away in a closet when you don’t use them and all the installation required is that you plug it into an electrical outlet.
And then all you have to do is sit back and enjoy a massage. That sounds like a wonderful gift to me.
You can find the perfect model for your present in my review of the best foot massagers for people with diabetes (or just buy the Shiatsu Foot & Calf Massager that I ranked as number 1 in my review.)
Lily’s chocolate
It has been a long-standing joke that diabetes chocolate, aka sugar-free chocolate, is so bad that you only gift it to people you don’t like.
But that has changed in recent years and I think that Lily’s chocolate is the gold standard when it comes to sugar-free chocolate.
Lily’s now offers chocolate bars, baking chocolate, chocolate-covered nuts, peanut butter cups (that will make you completely forget the full-sugared ones), and other candy options.
Different sweeteners are used in the variety of Lily’s products but they do not contain maltitol, maltodextrin, or dextrose.
You can buy Lily’s chocolate on Amazon.
4AllFamily Insulin cooling case
A 4AllFamily cooler is the perfect solution for keeping insulin cool while traveling or in hot places (like the beach). It was my top choice when I reviewed the best insulin coolers and travel cases.
I also did a full review and demonstration of the 4AllFamily cooler on YouTube.
They have a lot of different sizes, ranging from one-pen coolers all the way up to coolers that can easily fit 7 insulin pens.
I like this smaller one for shorter trips as it is super light and will keep my insulin below 79F (26C) for up to 16 hours. The temperature and how long it will keep it cold depends on the outside temperature.
But what makes 4AllFamily unique is the coolers that come with a USB lid.
If you get the portable medical fridge lid, it will convert your cooler into a mini fridge as long as it’s plugged into a power source. That means that it will keep your insulin 36-46F (2-8C) forever when plugged in.
You can buy the 4AllFamily coolers on Amazon.
Frio cooling cases
Frio cooling cases are brilliant for keeping insulin at the right temperature when you are traveling or just out in the sun. With a Frio case, you can be on the road for longer periods without having to think about access to a fridge.
The way this is different from other cooling cases is that there are no ice packs or fridges involved, you simply submerge the pouch in water and it will keep your insulin at the right temperature for at least 2 days.
And after the 2 days are up, you can just resubmerge the pouch in water and you have another 2 days of cooling, and so on.
You can buy Frio cooling cases on Amazon.
Shimmer for a Cure Jewelry
What I love about the Shimmer for a Cure collection is that it’s a combination of pretty jewelry and diabetes awareness.
The designer behind the collection lives with diabetes and collaborates with JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
The Skyline Royale Collection is designed “to empower and educate, bringing forth a message of strength and resilience to those living with diabetes” and includes necklaces, rings, earrings, scented candles, t-shirts, and much more.
My favorite pieces of the Skyline Royale Collection are the tennis bracelet and hoop earrings, but there are plenty of other options, and they’re affordable too.
You can check out the collection on their website.
Diabetes books
Knowledge is everything when it comes to diabetes, and expanding your knowledge will only make life easier.
All of these books are written by people living with diabetes that I highly respect and will give you more insights into the complexity of diabetes, exercise, yoga, and mental health.
- Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner
- The Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide by Phil Graham
- Bright Spots & Landmines by Adam Brown
- The Athlete’s Guide to Diabetes by Sheri Colberg
- Your Diabetes Science Experiment by Ginger Vieira
- Yoga For Diabetes: How to Manage Your Health with Yoga and Ayurveda by Rachel Zinman
You can also take a look at this list of the 21 best diabetes books for more ideas.
Donate to a diabetes organization
If you have all the stuff you need and just want to help other people with diabetes, maybe asking for a donation in your name could be an option.
I’ve listed 3 organizations that all work hard to help people living with diabetes, whether it’s through research, community-building, or raising awareness and fighting injustice.
If you are outside the US and would prefer to keep the donations within your home country, most countries have a national diabetes association you can contact and donate to instead.
- Beyond Type 1 (BT1) – Founded in 2015, Beyond Type 1 is the new kid on the block. They have built a community for people with diabetes (check out their app), provide education, and raise awareness about diabetes. All donations go directly to these programs. They also have really good information about diabetes-related subjects on their website. You can even find fitness advice written by yours truly.
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) – The JDRF is a global organization funding diabetes research. Local branches have extensive community activities, education, and advocacy programs. I’m personally involved with JDRFs Los Angeles Young Leadership Committee (YLC), a small fundraising and community-building group.
- American Diabetes Association (ADA) – The American Diabetes Association is the largest of the diabetes organizations. Their mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. You’ll find a ton of resources regarding everything diabetes-related on their website as well as local support.
As you can see, there are a lot of great diabetes-related gifts to put on your wish list. If I missed anything, let me know in the comments below and I will add it to my Ultimate Guide to Gifts for Diabetics!
Happy Holidays!
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