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gauges. Along with using the glucose monitor, Reed's pit crew also has a person who is trained to deliver an injection of insulin, should his levels change during a race. The injection is pre-measured and there's a patch shaped like a target on Reed's driving suit, attached to his left thigh where the injection can be given during a pit-stop if necessary. To increase the chances that he'll never need an injection during a race, Reed's racing preparation begins with a regimen of eating healthy and exercise. "Working out and eating healthy helps when I'm inside the race car," said Reed. "I do a lot of cycling and I typically ride more than 100 miles a week. Nutrition is very important too. I don't think I would have taken this so seriously if I wasn't diagnosed. Overall it made me a better athlete." Reed's determination to maintaining a strict diet and exercise to keep his blood sugar in check is incredibly inspiring. Yet, it's not limited to boring, bad- tasting foods either. In fact, Reed knows how to measure his carb intake while training and knows enough about his diet to indulge now and then. "My guilty pleasure is pizza," said Reed. "I typically prepare for a race which happens on a Saturday. So Sundays are my cheat days and I don't stress about it. I also love to cook and I make a lot of gluten- free recipes and try to eat lower carbs around dinner time." Reed has gone on to win the Florida 500 in 2015 and is currently running fifth in the 2018 series. While he's busy trying to win races, Reed is also promoting awareness of diabetes. "I've definitely done a lot of campaigning about diabetes and have been to a ton of camps for kids with diabetes," said Reed. "I still have a lot of work to do as a driver, but it's also important for me to continue the advocacy side of my work, which is very rewarding to me." For more information on Ryan Reed and additional programs for those affected with diabetes, visit Lilly Diabetes at www.lillydiabetes.com. Reed eats a healthy daily meal plan, but admits it's okay to cheat with a slice of pizza once in a while, as long as his blood sugar levels remain within acceptable limits. 12 DiGEST THIS interview

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