Author: Mr. Divabetic

Max Szadek, aka Mr. Divabetic, is the executive director of Divabetic, LLC.
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Karyn White Spreads Joy At City Winery

Last night, I saw Karyn White at City Winery in New York.

For those too young to remember, there was a moment in the late 80s when Karyn White was right up there with the best of Janet Jackson, Jody Watley, and Miki Howard. She became the first female artist to have her first three solo releases hit #1.

Her iconic R&B singles: “Superwoman,” “Secret Rendezvous,” “The Way You Love Me,”  and the Billboard Hot 100 number one single “Romantic” are part of the soundtrack of my life.

I was looking forward to the concert, but I was a bit hesitant. Karyn White disappeared from the music industry as quickly as she arrived.

Her career took off like a rocket after signing to Warner Bros. Records, where she was paired with Babyface and LA Reid on her debut album. Karyn  White hit the jackpot.

Her platinum-selling debut made her a star right out of the gate, quickly becoming recognized as one of the best releases of the New Jack Swing era.

She worked with Jimmy Jam and future husband Terry Lewis on her sophomore album, Ritual of Love.

Sadly, lOL reports her absence from the industry was partly due to a terrible divorce from the love of her life and icon, Terry Lewis, and her mother’s death. On the upside, she started an acting career.

Back to seeing the show. I arrived at City Winery feeling a bit apprehensive. Recent lackluster Miki Howard and Regina Belle performances will do that to you.

However, I’m happy to say that from the moment Karyn White stepped on stage, she had me. She was so exuberant and enthusiastic about being in New York and performing. I couldn’t help but feel her joy even though I was sitting in the back row. Her voice was strong, vibrant, and full of emotion, And at 60, “The Queen of New Jack Swing” held her own with two much younger backup vocalists.  New Jack music isn’t kind to the knees of people over 50, but she turned it out.

I yelled, “YASS, QUEEN!”

I’d love to restructure her setlist, add a few cover songs, let go of her dancers and dress her in a fabulous gown.

If Karyn. White’s in town, I recommend going to see her!

We’re celebrating Divabetic’s 12th Year Anniversary of Podcasting with musical inspiration from Babyface and music from his A Closer Look album courtesy of SONY Music. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, Ivan Hampden Jr., and Collage Artist Tom Cocotos. Hosted by Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek.

Our musical inspiration, Kenneth Edmonds, known professionally as Babyface, has written over 250 top-10 R&B and pop hits, working with Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, and Whitney Houston.

“The blessing of being able to write music and let the music speak for itself is you let the melodies and the lyrics and the groove talk to people instead of me talking to people,” says Babyface.

What makes Babyface so great? His ability to craft a song that touches our emotions captivates our ears and perfectly harmonizes every word. It’s a rare gift that not many people have in music.

“I would say that I’ve been lucky. Being blessed and not really ever giving up,” says Babyface.

Thank you for allowing us to be part of your diabetes wellness journey! We’re looking forward to sharing more insight and advice on diabetes self-care from experts and peers, along with more great music in the next year!

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First Ladies And The White House

 
I attended the discussion because I’ve been to the White House twice. I went on a public tour as a child with my family in the 70s when the White House was open to the public. Last year,  I visited again when my boss, Itzhak Perlman, was invited to perform at the first-ever  Rosh Hashanah reception at the White House.

Leslie Stahl started the conversation by saying she felt First Ladies are incredibly courageous because they are constantly scrutinized about how they look, what they say, and what they do. She reasoned their unelected power is cause for concern for many Americans. Many historians believe the First Lady is the only person the president trusts, so her perceived versus her actual power is a bone of contention.  It appears most First Ladies hide their power to avoid public scrutiny. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy admitted she didn’t want people to think she wielded power like Eleanor Roosevelt did. 

According to the Author, several First Ladies were very powerful. Mimi Eisenhower got behind civil rights, Mary Lincoln backed emancipation, Mimi Eisenhower fought for  Civil Rights, and Lady Bird Johnson might have been photographed throwing wildflower seeds on the highway ‘to keep America Beautiful’, but behind closed doors, she ushered in the first of many important environmental protection laws.

Over the past 200 years, the White House has been the residence of 44 presidents. Transforming the presidential home into a mansion worthy of welcoming foreign dignitaries and other honored guests often fell on the nation’s First Ladies. 

About a month beforehand, President John Adams moved into the new  White House in Washington DC; it was unfinished. The president and First Lady Abigail Adams made six rooms comfortable and had others prepared for official entertaining using furniture shipped from Philadelphia.

The First Ladies who had the greatest impact on the White House refurnishing were Dolley Madison, Mary Todd Lincoln, Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, and Pat Nixon.

In 1809, President James and Dolley Madison moved into the nearly completed White House that contained worn furnishings from past administrations. Mrs. Madison employed Surveyor of Public Buildings Benjamin H. Latrobe to refurbish the State Floor, and he custom-designed furniture for the Oval Office. She redecorated today’s blue room in yellow. She was known to stand in the middle of the room to greet guests so she could be the center of attention while her husband, who was quiet and small, stood in the corner.

On August 24, 1814, British forces invaded Washington, D.C., and set fire to the White House. The responsibility of rebuilding the White House fell on the new president, James Monroe, and First Lady Elizabeth Monroe. Their goal was to restore the dignity and grandeur of the President’s House as a conspicuous symbol of a strong, united country. However, the President and First Lady were considered to be snobs. She refused to return social calls, and the two often spoke to each other in French at State Dinners, to the dismay of their guests. They ordered the elegant French Empire furnishings to furnish the White House, which didn’t bode well with the American public.

President Andrew Jackson’s 1829 inaugural reception turned into an exuberant drunken party, breaking china and soiling seat cushions.  A $14,000 appropriation was used to repair and refurbish the interior and replace the broken dishes and glassware. Even though the public perception was that Andrew Jackson was spendthrift, he spent $45,000 for new furnishings, an enormous sum at that time.

First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln exceeded the $20,000 budget for furnishings because the White House was in such bad shape when she moved in. President Abraham Lincoln was furious with his wife when he discovered her spending spree included a French porcelain dinner and dessert service, carpets, French wallpapers, draperies, and an ornate and laminated mahogany bedroom suite with the infamous Lincoln Bed. He redirected funds for the White House gardens to public programs to pay back the difference.  

Other tidbits: War hero Ulysses S. Grant and First Lady Julia Grant‘s questionable taste was described as  ‘late Mississippi Steamboat.’ Their gaudy makeover, with its grand gas globe chandeliers, became a symbol of the dark side of the Gilded Age after scandals related to his presidency surfaced.
 
Theodore and Edith Roosevelt brought significant changes to the White House out of the necessity of accommodating their six children.  Although Edith Roosevelt was also considered a snob, she understood the role of the First Lady and created the First Lady gallery section in the White House. 

First Lady Helen ‘Nellie’ Taft smoked, drank, gambled, and surfed! She also drove. She created a cherry orchard and suffered a stroke. 

On this Divabetic podcast, Clarence Waldron talks about his stroke and recovery, working as Senior Editor and Writer of Jet Magazine, and his memories of Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin.

Clarence’s story is an excellent reminder of why it’s essential to ACT F.A.S.T. if you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke. The acronym FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time) has been used by the National Stroke Association, American Heart Association, and others to educate the public on detecting stroke symptoms.

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy visited the White House as an eleven-year-old girl. She was disappointed by the frayed curtains and lack of luster in the home. She also was upset she didn’t receive a booklet or book after the tour.

As First Lady, she began an extensive program to revive the historic character of the White House. She formed a Fine Arts Committee to advise her on acquiring authentic period furnishings, and Lorraine Waxman Pearce was hired as the curator of the growing collection. She created the first visitor guidebook, published by the White House Historical Association. A call for donations by Mrs. Kennedy led to a great influx of authentic furnishings, including three original chairs from Monroe’s Oval Room suite and a chair made for the East Room in 1818—an Act of Congress in 1961 extended legal protection to these and all White House objects.

Tibit: Since you can’t throw any furnishings from the White House, it’s all stored in storage units around Washington DC. 

In 1970, First Lady Patricia Nixon and the Committee for the Preservation of the White House began a program to furnish several of the rooms with American decorative arts. She massed the largest collection of Americana artifacts, including hundreds of pieces of furniture, nineteen chandeliers,  china services from past administrations, and carpets to the White House. She also opened the White House to the blind and people with disabilities. She allowed night tours of the White House so that people who worked 9 to 5 could still visit. She also amassed the biggest collection of Americana artifacts during her tenure. 

Nancy Reagan was crucified for the refurbishing she did in the public and private quarters of the White House. The American people wrongfully accused her of spending excessive taxpayer dollars on redecorating and a new state dinner and dessert service with 220 place settings, each with nineteen pieces. But the receipts show she used private funds. When I visited the White House, I liked her china pattern the best even though I didn’t care for her. I will never forget the horrific way President Reagan and First Nancy Reagan turned their backs on millions of gay men during the AIDS crisis.

Lesley Stahl shared some hot gossip about Nancy Reagan. When Barbara Bush showed up for a luncheon at the White House in a red dress, Nancy told her to go home and change. Apparently, ‘red’ was Nancy’s color, which meant no one else could wear it. 

Lesley Stahl wrapped up the discussion by asking Author Carl Sferrazza Anthony whether or not marriages improve in the White House. He answered, “for the most part.” However, he noted that the Hoovers had a strained marriage during his presidency. 

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

We’re sharing excerpts of interviews from our favorite Divabetic podcasts over the years. This excerpt is from our Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Turnaround podcast with Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel singer Pat Lacy.

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Patti LaBelle’s New Attiude About Living With Diabetes

I coined the phrase “Divabetic” watching Patti Labelle on stage during a Luther  Vandross Tribute show in New York City in 2003. She said, “Diabetes doesn’t have me. I have diabetes.” Her bold, outspoken attitude about living with diabetes inspired me. I wish more people would adopt her approach and speak about living with diabetes. Informing your friends, co-workers, and family members about how to treat high and low blood sugar levels doesn’t just help you. It helps them, too.

Talking about diabetes isn’t always easy. But opening up could help you with coping with diabetes if you need it. If I had known more about my boss, Luther Vandross‘s type 2 diabetes, maybe I could have helped prevent his stroke from occurring.

Hopefully, Patti LaBelle’s iconic song, New Attitude, can inspire you to talk about your experience living with diabetes.

It can be hard to get started, or it’s just not the right moment. Maybe it’s easier to deal with your diabetes alone.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

Clarence Waldron talks about his stroke, recovery, working as Senior Editor and Writer of Jet Magazine, and his memories of Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin.

Twenty years ago, Clarence interviewed Luther’s mother, Mrs. Mary Ida Vandross, for Jet Magazine after Luther suffered a stroke due to mismanaged type 2 diabetes.

Clarence’s story is an excellent reminder of why it’s essential to ACT F.A.S.T. if you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke. The acronym FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time) has been used by the National Stroke Association, American Heart Association, and others to educate the public on detecting stroke symptoms. Earlier treatment results in a greater chance of recovery, a reduced likelihood of permanent disability, and a lesser need for extensive rehabilitation.

You’ll quickly hear Clarence’s upbeat attitude and ferocious appetite for music and divas have served him well during his recovery. Throughout this podcast, we feature music from Aretha Franklin’s Get It Right album and Luther Vandross’s Live At Radio City Music Hall 2003 20th Anniversary Edition album courtesy of SONY Music.

We’re sharing excerpts of interviews from our favorite Divabetic podcasts over the years.

This excerpt is from our Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Turnaround podcast with Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel singer Pat Lacy.

Jill Weisenberger is recognized internationally for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes, and prediabetes. She worked as a nutrition counselor, diabetes educator, and health coach in hospitals, research, and private practice settings. Jill helps leverage resources, recipes, and scientific insights to find better ways to improve eating and smart living, reduce the risk of mismanaged diabetes health-related complications, and support better health. Jill Weisenberger is the author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, 2nd edition, Diabetes Weight Loss Week By Week, 21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Your Heart, and The Overworked Person’s Guide To Better Nutrition. Additionally, she offers the Prediabetes Meal Planning Crash Course, Prediabetes Turnaround, Type 2 Eating Guide, and a Stick With It Video Course. Gospel Singer

Pat Lacy, who has worked with The Sounds of Blackness and Luther Vandross, shares her experience living with type 2 diabetes and how she modified her lifestyle to take charge of her health. This podcast features music from Pat Lacy’s upcoming gospel album, I’m Taking You To Church.

Click this link for the full Prediabetes & Type 2 Diabetes Turnaround podcast.

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Divabetic Podcast Sound Bites: Jill Weisenberger

We’re sharing excerpts of interviews from our favorite Divabetic podcasts over the years.

This excerpt is from our Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Turnaround podcast with Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel singer Pat Lacy.

Jill Weisenberger is recognized internationally for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes, and prediabetes. She worked as a nutrition counselor, diabetes educator, and health coach in hospitals, research, and private practice settings. Jill helps leverage resources, recipes, and scientific insights to find better ways to improve eating and smart living, reduce the risk of mismanaged diabetes health-related complications, and support better health.

Jill Weisenberger is the author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, 2nd edition, The Beginners’s Guide to What to Eat with Type 2 Diabetes, Diabetes Weight Loss Week By Week, 21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Your Heart, and The Overworked Person’s Guide To Better Nutrition. Additionally, she offers the Prediabetes Meal Planning Crash Course, Prediabetes Turnaround, Type 2 Eating Guide, and a Stick With It Video Course.

Gospel Singer Pat Lacy, who has worked with The Sounds of Blackness and Luther Vandross, shares her experience living with type 2 diabetes and how she modified her lifestyle to take charge of her health. This podcast features music from Pat Lacy’s upcoming gospel album, I’m Taking You To Church.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

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How Much Sugar Is In Starbucks Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino?

Starbucks Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino combines apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar in your brew to taste apple pie filling.

You might assume you’re ordering something healthy because it contains oat milk, but think again: Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccinos pack a big sugar punch!!

According to the Starbucks website,  a Grande size Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino contains 60 grams (or 15 teaspoons) of sugar. Additional nutrition information: Total Carbohydrates: 70 grams, Calories:420

Oat milk is a non-dairy milk alternative like soy and almond milk. An 8-ounce glass of oat milk contains 4 grams of protein compared to dairy milk, which has twice as much: 8 grams of protein in every 8-ounce glass.

But this grain-based milk is gluten-free, and many brands are free from the major allergens.

Oat milk and dairy milk also differ in carbohydrate content. Original varieties of oat milk can have up to 24 grams of carbohydrates per serving, while dairy milk has 12 grams.

Expert Tip: The American Diabetes Association recommends you look at the Total Carbohydrate instead of the Net Carbson the Nutrition Facts label. The total carbohydrate on the label includes all three types of carbohydrates: sugar, starch, and fiber.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends eating no more than 12.5 teaspoons of sugar daily, or about 50 grams (the same amount found in Starbucks’ super popular Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte and a 16 oz. bottle of Coke!).  You are having a day’s worth of sugar in one drink!

Limiting added sugar consumption to 10 percent of a person’s daily total calories is the idea. Americans get about 16 percent of their calories from added sugars on average.

How Much Added Sugar Are You Drinking?

America’s #1 Energy Conductor, Kathie Dolgin aka High Voltage, shows how much added sugar is in popular drinks in this video – it’s shocking!! 4.2 grams equals a teaspoon, but the nutrition facts round this number down to four grams. Using this equation, you can easily look at any drink to see how much sugar it contains.

We’re talking about ‘THE SWEETEST TABOO’ aka ‘SUGAR’ with musical inspiration from Sade on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast.

Guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Tameka Milline, Catherine Schuller,  Kathy Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’, and Stephanie MacKendree. Throughout the podcast, we play music from The Essential Sade album courtesy of SONY Music.

Over time, consistently taking in more sugar will lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up glucose from your blood, leading to prediabetes.

Prediabetes means your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

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How Many Albums Did Luther Vandross Sell?

According to the Insider.Com‘s List of the 20 R&B artists who have sold the most albums, Luther Vandross placed seventh. He has sold 27 million albums.

With thirteen studio albums, seventeen compilation albums, and fifty-nine singles to his credit, he has outsold Mary J. Blige, Prince, Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Usher, and Stevie Wonder, among others.

Luther’s biggest-selling album, Give Me The Reason, was released in 1986 and sold over 2,600,000 copies.

Divabetic’s Luther Vandross Tribute podcast features Lisa Fischer, Jason Miles, Jeff James, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, and Chuck Flowers and music from Luther’s Give Me The Reason album.

By the time Luther Vandross headed to the studio to record his fifth album, Give Me the Reason, in 1986, he’d become one of the most successful soul singers of the first half of the eighties. His four previous albums have been either certified platinum or double-platinum in America.

For Luther Vandross’ fifth album, Give Me the Reason, the album comprised nine tracks, including the hits So Amazing, There’s Nothing Better Than Love, Stop To Love and Give Me The Reason.

The top three R&B artists by record sales are #1. Michael Jackson, #2. Mariah Carey, and #3.  Whitney Houston.

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It’s a Berry Good Year For Fruit!

Believe it or not, the notion that fruit is not safe when you need to watch your A1C is a popular diabetes myth that has been debunked repeatedly.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), many types of fruit are loaded with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This powerful nutrient can help regulate blood sugar levels, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Strawberries have the lowest amount of sugar per 1-cup serving compared to popular fruits such as apples and oranges, with about 7 g per serving, according to the USDA. “Strawberries can be the perfect low-calorie solution for someone with a sweet tooth,” says Mitzi Dulan, RD, Kansas City-based author of The Pinterest Diet: How to Pin Your Way Thin. “Research suggests that eating strawberries may help our bodies better use insulin, which can lower the amount needed to manage blood sugar after eating.” Preliminary research published in May 2020 in Food & Function suggests that berries, including strawberries, may improve insulin sensitivity and help prevent diabetes and its complications.
According to the USDA, raspberries have 8 g of fiber per cup – essentially one-third of your daily value of fiber for women in one serving. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says women should aim to take 25 g of fiber daily. Raspberries also have a GL of 2, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.
 

With a few simple swaps, you can help live your best life while managing your diabetes. Our experts offer straightforward, simple, and fun swap ideas for drinks, medications, self-care, and fashion. Plus, we share style tips and words of inspiration to help you maintain a healthy habit.

Developing these habits isn’t always easy. Adapting to a new routine can be tricky, and it’s often tempting to want to return to old ways if we don’t see immediate results. One of the biggest mistakes people make when forming a new habit is taking on too much too quickly.  Focus on what’s working in your diabetes self-care plan before overhauling diabetes management. Instead of decluttering the entire house, why not focus on one room or closet? Why not focus on the calories you drink rather than everything you eat?  If you want to eat healthier, try replacing one dessert daily with a piece of fruit rather than cutting out sugar completely. If you’re going to get into hiking, start with a walk at lunchtime. Setting small goals you can achieve will help keep you motivated along the way.

Guests include Catherine Schuller, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RD, CDCES, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, MEd, NDTR, and Mama Rose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

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McDonald’s Phases Out Self-Serve Soda Fountains

According to the State Journal-Register of Illinois, McDonald’s plans to phase out the do-it-yourself stations, eliminating them over the next decade as franchise owners cite hygiene, theft, and consumer eating habits.

Slashing soft drinks from your diet is a quick way to improve your health and lose weight. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are the leading sources of added sugars in the American diet. Frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout, a type of arthritis. But giving up your soda habit isn’t always an easy task. While some people can function just fine without soft drinks, others need their fix starting at breakfast.

Soda Is Engineered To Make You Drink More 

According to Gary Wenk, director of neuroscience undergraduate programs at Ohio State University and author of “Your Brain on Food,” it’s all in the beverage’s design.” He believes your favorite soft drink brand is engineered with enough sweetener, caffeine, and carbonation to make you continuously want to grab and gulp.

“Free refills are a big draw for people,” Kim Derringer, who operates three McDonald’s franchises in Springfield, Ill., told The State-Journal Register.

“I don’t see anything taking that away.”

Most People Don’t Know How Many Calories Are In Soda 

Even though it’s widely known that soda can contribute to weight gain, most adults don’t know how many calories are in a bottle of soda, a new study reveals.

The research, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and based on data from 3,926 adults, shows that eight in 10 adults — 84.4 percent — know that sugar-sweetened beverages can promote weight gain. However, nearly the same percentage of adults — 81 percent — did not know (or inaccurately stated) the number of calories in 24 ounces of soda. (There are 251 to 350 calories in a 24-ounce soda).

If you’re having a soft drink on occasion – say a few times per month – there’s no need for concern. But if you’re having more than one soda per day, you could be putting yourself at risk for health conditions, stroke, and dementia.

“The key is finding (another) beverage you enjoy,” Msora-Kasago said. “Unsweetened milk is always a great place to start because in addition to quenching thirst, milk provides many important nutrients such as protein and calcium.”

We’re talking about ‘THE SWEETEST TABOO’ aka ‘SUGAR’ with musical inspiration from Sade on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast.

Added sugar is everywhere. But do we understand the impact it has on our diabetes health?

You may think of sweets, chocolate, sodas, table sugar, and perhaps fruit if asked to name sugary foods. But sugar also appears in savory foods such as ready meals, soups, salads, sauces, and ‘healthy’ foods such as breakfast cereals and yogurt. Furthermore, starches such as bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes also convert to sugar in our bloodstream, having the same impact on our bodies. These ‘hidden sugars’ can add a surprising amount to our daily intake.

Guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Tameka Milline, Catherine Schuller, Kathy Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’, and Stephanie MacKendree. Throughout the podcast, we play music from The Essential Sade album courtesy of SONY Music.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

 

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Berry Parfait Recipe by Cookbook Author Holly Clegg

Over the past 20 years of Divabetic outreach, I have had the good fortune to meet so many sensational women. One of my favorite collaborators was  Cookbook Author Holly Clegg. Holly was a guest on several Divabetic podcasts and regularly contributed recipes to our Divabetic Holiday Entertaining guides. She was kind, gracious, and enthusiastic about our Divabetic outreach programming.

Sadly, Holly passed away from a long battle with cancer in 2019. She had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in August 2018. She was 64.

The best-selling cookbook author entered hospice care in June after her team of doctors at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston advised against continued treatment.

Beloved Advocate food columnist Holly Clegg to transition to hospice care amid cancer battle

During her cancer fight, Holly used her high profile to educate others on gastric cancers and, with her family, created the Holly Clegg Gastric Cancer Research Fund at MD Anderson to raise awareness of gastric cancers.

Her highly successful “trim & TERRIFIC” and “Eating Well” cookbook series have sold over 1.5 million copies.

She worked with experts at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association, writing as part of the series books on “Diabetic Cooking” and “Eating Well to Fight Arthritis.”

Approaching menopause, Holly enlisted friends to help test facial products made with everyday food. The winners are included in her “trim & TERRIFIC: Too Hot in the Kitchen” cookbook. It also had some “spicy advice” showcasing Holly’s infectious humor.

I smiled when I came across one of Holly’s recipes the other day. Below is one of Holly’s popular recipes she shared with us over the years.

Berry Parfait Recipe by Cookbook Author Holly Clegg

Light and delightful, strawberries or your favorite berries layered with a luscious cream cheese layer and ladyfingers.

Ingredients

2/3 cup seedless sugar-free raspberry preserves

1/4 cup orange juice

6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (8-ounce) container of fat-free whipped topping, thawed, divided

2 (3-ounce) packages of ladyfingers, split in half (24)

1 1/2 cups strawberries, stemmed and sliced

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix preserves and orange juice.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light. Mix in whipped topping, reserving 1/2 cup for topping.

3. Line the bottom of an oblong small dish with split ladyfingers. Layer with preserves mixture, cream cheese layer, and top with strawberries. Repeat layers with remaining ladyfingers, preserves, and cream cheese layer.

4. Carefully top with a thin layer of remaining whipped topping. Top with remaining strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Makes 16 (1/2-cup) servings

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 128, Calories from fat (%) 24, Fat (g) 3, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 9, Sodium (mg) 79, Carbohydrate (g) 23, Dietary Fiber (g) 1, Sugars (g) 11, Protein (g) 2, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 carbohydrate, 1/2 fat

Holly’s Tip: Use raspberries so you don’t have to cut the strawberries. This recipe works well in individual servings. Holly used to cut this parfait into fourths, so you have extra the next day and make four.

Mr. Divabetic shines the spotlight on author and chef Holly Clegg, in this half-hour special edition of Divabetic’s podcast. This fun-filled food frenzy will feature expert advice on quick, flavorful and healthy eating from Holly’s latest book, Too Hot in the Kitchen:  Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age. In addition to this women’s lifestyle cookbook, Holly has authored many others, including Holly Clegg’s Trim & Terrific Diabetic Cooking.  With nearly 1 million books sold, Holly reigns supreme when it comes to helping today’s busy person cook fast meals and fit into an overall healthy lifestyle.  Known as the “Queen of Quick,” Holly’s recipes are time, user and pantry-friendly. As a mother, wife, and published cookbook author, Holly appreciates the ability to create a tasty dish that is both convenient and healthy.

Cookbook Author Holly Clegg shares ways to ‘SPICE UP’ your meal plan with musical inspiration from the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz.

Celia Cruz was one of the most accomplished singers of the 20th century.   She was known for her powerful voice and her rhythm-centric musical style. Hailing from humble beginnings in the poor neighborhood of Santos Suarez in Havana, Cuba, her mother knew immediately that she was destined to be a singer.

Celia Cruz’s husband was a former lead trumpet player for Cuba’s legendary band La Sonora Matancera. He suffered from complications of type 2 diabetes and had a series of strokes before his death.

Podcast guests include Best-Selling Cookbook Author Holly Clegg, Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDCES CDN, and Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

Throughout the podcast, we will play music from Celia Cruz’s The Absolute Collection courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a  lot.”

 

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New York Fashion Week: Meet Hat Designer Evetta Petty

Evetta Petty, the owner and designer of New York City’s Harlem’s Heaven Hats, shares how she stays on track with type 2 diabetes while running a successful small fashion business.

She is known for her big and bold hat pins, and her hats have humor, whimsy, rhythm, and fantasy. Evetta’s motto is, “I’ll make a hat out of anything.” Her hats have captured worldwide attention and have been worn to the Kentucky Derby and Royal Ascot in England.

Evetta designs an extensive line of hats and accessories. She travels to cities like Tokyo, Rome, Hong Kong, and New Delhi, looking for unusual textiles to create a more global headwear experience.

Her hats have been worn by many celebrities such as Patti LaBelle and Star Jones, and featured on TV shows like Anderson Cooper Live and The View. She has created hats for movies, fashion magazine covers, and editorials such as Essence, Jet, and Italian Vogue, it, Mujer Unica, Vibe, Fashion Affair, and The New York Times.

Get a sneak peek at Evetta Petty’s 30th Year Retrospective Fashion Show during New York Fashion Week and hear how she’s living with type 2 diabetes in style in this video.

New York Fashion Week (NYFW) provides leading designers worldwide with an unrivaled global platform to showcase their collections bi-annually every February and September.

For several years, Harlem’s Heaven and Divabetic partnered on a successful faith-based diabetes outreach program, Hat Boxing. Participants enjoyed a Diva Hat Fashion Show, Guest Speakers and a Hat Boxing Decorating Contest. Competitors entered their decorated hat boxes with messages about diabetes and diabetes self-care to win a crown from Harlem’s Heaven Hat.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your successes and struggles of living with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible.

Coming Soon! Divabetic’s first e-book, Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes, by co-authors Dr. Janis Roszler PhD, LMFT, RDN, CDCES, FAND, and Donna Rice MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FADCES, available on Kindle.

 

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