Steven Zortman MPH, RN, PMH-BC, CDCES
Father. Educator. Advocate. Person living with type 1 diabetes.
Host of the podcast Talk Diabetes with Steve.
Steven’s story
When Steven’s daughter Riley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, life changed in an instant. The hospital room became a whirlwind of fear, sleeplessness and unfamiliar information — and he and his wife felt overwhelmed, exhausted and scared. They didn’t yet know what they needed, or how to move forward.
Everything shifted when their diabetes educator walked in. She brought clarity, steadiness and compassion. She met them where they were, answered questions they didn’t even know how to form, and made the impossible feel manageable. She reminded them that they were not alone.
“I’m going to become a diabetes educator.”
It wasn’t a career decision — it was a calling. From that day forward, Steven committed himself to supporting families through the same journey: early screening, prevention, technology adoption and the minute-to-minute realities of life with type 1 diabetes.
As both a father to two extraordinary children — Riley and Andrew — and as someone living with type 1 diabetes himself, Steven understands the emotional and physiological weight of every high, every low and every moment of uncertainty. His work is personal, lived and deeply grounded in the compassion first shown to his own family.
Becoming a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist allows Steven to give back the same support that once held his family together. Every class he teaches, every person he counsels, every moment he shares is done in honour of that educator who changed everything — and in solidarity with the families who live this relentless condition with courage, resilience and hope.
This is why Steven does this work. Because education saves lives. Because support transforms families. Because no one should face this journey alone.
Steven Zortman & GNL — a partnership of lived experience, compassion, and a commitment to better T1D care
Steven’s Connected Care resources sit alongside the wider work of The Glucose Never Lies® — a project built to make type 1 diabetes clearer, safer and easier to navigate. Together, these resources complement the education available across the GNL and our evidence-informed guides, blending scientific rigour with the lived realities of diabetes.
Explore freely. Share widely. No one does this alone.
Connected Care resources
The Glucose Never Lies® is proud to host Steven’s Connected Care resources until his website launches. These guides are practical, evidence-informed and built from lived experience. Each section below has a featured resource you can preview, followed by the full list of tools in that category.
Important disclaimer: Diabetes technology changes fast. Device settings, algorithms, compatible apps and regulatory approvals may shift after publication. These guides are educational tools, not substitutes for manufacturer instructions or clinical guidance. Always confirm key decisions with your care team.
1. Pump, CGM & app overviews
Featured resource:
Insulin Pump, CGM & App Guide
A single-page comparison of major AID systems and their linked CGMs and apps — targets, minimum fills, TDD requirements, weight limits and simulator options in one place.
More in this section:
- Continuous Glucose Monitor Guide – Dexcom, Libre, Guardian, Simplera, Instinct, Eversense and more, with wear times, warm-up periods, app links and indications.
- Quick Guide to Starting a CGM – step-by-step on apps, data sharing and follower set-up for Dexcom and Libre systems.
2. Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems
Featured resource:
Omnipod 5 – SmartAdjust overview
A focused summary of how SmartAdjust works: prediction horizon, micro-bolus logic, adaptive basal, targets, Activity Mode and transitions between Manual and Automated modes.
More in this section:
- Tandem t:slim X2 – Control-IQ+ – targets, automatic corrections, Exercise and Sleep activities, temporary basal and extended bolus options.
- Tandem Mobi – Control-IQ+ – same algorithm engine in a smaller pump, including quick-bolus behaviour and activity ranges.
- iLet Bionic Pancreas – Go Bionic – weight-based set-up, single CGM target, meal announcements (Usual/More/Less) and autonomous basal/correction/meal dosing.
- Sequel twiist – Loop-powered AID – safety limits, correction range, pre-meal targeting, absorption times and workout ranges.
- MiniMed 780G – SmartGuard – auto corrections, Meal Detection Technology, SmartGuard targets, temp targets and manual-mode support.
3. Sites, sets & travel
Featured resource:
Infusion Set Guide
A cross-manufacturer overview of infusion sets for Tandem, Medtronic, Omnipod, iLet and twiist — cannula type, insertion angle, tubing length and recommended change frequency.
More in this section:
- Travelling with an AID system – which pumps and CGMs can go through body scanners, metal detectors and X-ray, laid out in a simple grid.
4. Apps, carb counting & next-gen displays
Featured resource:
Carb Counting Apps
A concise comparison of key carb-counting and nutrition apps — MyFitnessPal, Calorie King, Figwee, Carb Manager and Fooducate — with notes on databases, logging and tracking features.
More in this section:
- Next-Gen Glucose Monitoring – Sugar Pixel, Glowcose, Sugar Dash and Glucose Projector; devices that mirror CGM data around the home for quiet, constant visibility.
The Glucose Never Lies® resources
Steven’s Connected Care resources sit alongside the wider work of The Glucose Never Lies® — a project built to make type 1 diabetes clearer, safer and easier to navigate. Together, these resources complement the education available across the GNL Podcast and our evidence-informed guides, blending scientific rigour with lived experience.
Explore the full GNL ecosystem:
- GNL Type 1 Diabetes Guides — foundations, insulin, nutrition, exercise, insulin resistance, sick-day rules and more.
- GNL FAQs — practical, evidence-informed answers to the questions people with T1D ask every day.
- The GNL Podcast — deep dives with world-leading experts and lived-experience voices shaping the future of diabetes care.
- Automated Insulin Delivery Systems (AID) — algorithm behaviour, settings, limitations and practical real-world use.
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) — system comparisons, accuracy, regulation, display issues and troubleshooting.
- Steven Zortman’s Connected Care Library — clinician-built tools for choosing and using diabetes technology.
Explore freely. Share widely. No one does this alone.
Connect with Steven
LinkedIn: Steven E. Zortman
TikTok: @steven_dne
Podcast: Talk Diabetes with Steve
Email: talkdiabeteswithsteve@gmail.com
Support the GNL
Support the GNL Podcast
Explore freely. Share widely. No one does this alone.
Prefer a Podcast?
These resources sit alongside the GNL Podcast and Talk Diabetes with Steve. These Podcats blend scientific rigour with lived experience to deliver education that matches the realities of life with type 1 diabetes.
