Our Divabetic Mother’s Day Celebration embraces an Old Hollywood aesthetic to encourage you to shine the spotlight on you and your diabetes health!
Sure, it can be difficult at times to enjoy the holidays when you’re living with diabetes especially if you feel like you can’t enjoy the foods your actually preparing for your family and friends! Why not take the opportunity this Mother’s Day to change your mindset as well as your family’s about what healthy tastes like?
One of our favorite experts,‘The Decadent Diabetic’ aka Chef Ward Alper shares this Oscar worthy menu for a Divabetic Mother’s Day Celebration.The Decadent Diabetic’s menu includes Cucumber Soup, Smoked Salmon & Brie Omelet, Roasted Asparagus and Tart A Citron. Below is Chef’s Ward Alper’s recipe Stanwyck Smoked Salmon and Brie Omelet. (We will be posting a different dish from his marvelous menu each day throughout the upcoming week).
Stanwyck Smoked Salmon and Brie Omelet Recipe by the Decadent Diabetic
(Serves 2, Carbohydrates 4 grams per serving)
Chef’s note: This dish is as simple to make as it is elegant to serve. Great for a weekend breakfast, brunch or lunch.
Ingredients
4 eggs very well beaten and frothy
Salt and pepper to taste and your doctor’s recommendation
2-3 Tbsp. Liquid (milk, cream, sour cream, or yogurt)
Combine the eggs, salt pepper, liquid, and shallot or scallion and whisk until light and frothy. Heat the butter in a skillet. Add the eggs to the skillet and lower the heat to medium high. Allow the mixture to start to set. Start bringing in the sides to the center rotating the pan to allow the liquid to fill in the empty spaces.
Add the cheese and smoked salmon to the top of the omelet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and continue to cook until the omelet puffs up (about 2-3 minutes). Sprinkle with capers and serve.
If you don’t keep capers in your pantry, try asparagus tips in their place.
Our entree’s diva inspiration, Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress who had a 60-year career in film and television, best known for her strong female roles in films, such as Double Indemnity. In 1937, Stanwyck’s talent as an actress was recognized on a grander scale as she was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Stella Dallas (1937).
She would come to be nominated three more times for the films Ball of Fire (1941), Double Indemnity (1944) and Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)—each time for best actress in a leading role—however, she never won the award. In addition to the recognition she received from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Double Indemnity, she was lauded by critics for having what’s considered one of her greatest roles as seductress and murderer Phyllis Dietrichson in the popular noir film
Make a scene. For easy ooh factor, use a white tablecloth, white dishes, and just one or two rich metallic accent colors (gold or silver, never bronze).
Add a touch of Old Hollywood to your table and honor the legendary icons of Hollywood’s silver screen and share your favorites with your grandkids. Flowers and centerpieces should be tall enough to talk under or short enough to talk over.
In Old Hollywood, a party’s success wasn’t just about what was being served but also who was being served with lots of style.
Tori Avey printed out pictures of her favorite silver screen stars and put them in decorative frames from Michael’s and placed one at each seat. READ MORE
Opposites Attract! Let the glamour and style of ‘Old Hollywood’ inspire you to embrace New Diabetes Technology. Barbara Stanwyck’s gorgeous costumes in the film, ‘Lady Eve’ sparked our search for diabetes technology worthy of the silver screen. It’s sleek design and ease of use make it the perfect accessory for our Divabetic Old Hollywood Mother’s Day Celebration.
Dexcom‘s new “complication” to its Apple Watch compatibility allow your data to now be displayed right on the main watchface! There are four different ways to view your glucose data there, ranging from 1 to 6 hour trend graphs.
Currently, the new capability is only for the G5 Mobile app and Apple Watch, as the company hasn’t yet updated the Follow app that lets users share their results in real-time with family members or others. Word is also that this new feature doesn’t work with every single watchface, so if you have a unique model it might not yet be possible to make the glucose data display on the main watchface.
One of our fabulous members from the Divabetic community, Taryn McQuain Bentaous, who is living with type 2 diabetes and sells Mary Kay Cosmetics, shares her favorite ‘Old Hollywood’ shade lipstick to help you feel like a diva!
“I choose Poppy Please from our Gel Semi-Matte Collection,” says Taryn. “It feels wonderful to wear, and the matte finish reminds me of old Hollywood. It reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, my favorite old movie!”
For the past twelve years at our Divabetic live events, on our podcasts and inner blog we’ve been promotinga ‘New Attitude’ about living with diabetes to help you ‘Keep Your House A Home’ by learning to prevent a diabetes health-related complication from occurring.Now we’re sharing our decade’s worth of our ‘diva brand of diabetes outreach’ advice and suggestions with you so that you won’t have to avoid the holidays in order to take charge of our diabetes.
Our Divabetic Mother’s Day Celebration embraces an Old Hollywood aesthetic to encourage you to shine the spotlight on you and your diabetes health!
Sure, it can be difficult at times to enjoy the holidays when you’re living with diabetes especially if you feel like you can’t enjoy the foods your actually preparing for your family and friends! Why not take the opportunity this Mother’s Day to change your mindset as well as your family’s about what healthy tastes like?
One of our favorite experts,‘The Decadent Diabetic’ aka Chef Ward Alpershares this Oscar worthy menu for a Diabetic Mother’s Day Celebration.The Decadent Diabetic’s menu includes Cucumber Soup, Smoked Salmon & Brie Omelet, Roasted Asparagus and Tart A Citron. Below is Chef’s Ward Alper’s recipe for Catalina Cucumber Soup. (We will be posting one recipe each day throughout the upcoming week).
(4 8 ounce servings, Net carbohydrates: 6 per serving)
Ingredients:
1 medium to large sweet onion Sliced (thick or thin, your choice)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
2-4 cloves crushed and chopped garlic (depends on how much you love garlic)
1 – big stalk of celery, roughly chopped
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
2 Tablespoons flour
1 ½ quarts Low sodium chicken broth
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh dill (1 if you use dried)
3-large Cucumbers
3-4 heaping tablespoons sour cream
Chef Ward Alper’s Preparation:
Note: No need to finely chop any of the vegetables in this recipe. They will all be blended smooth at the end.
Peel the cucumbers and using the tip of a teaspoon, remove all of the seeds from the cucumbers Chop roughly.
In a good sized soup pot sauté onion in olive oil or butter until soft but not brown. Add salt and pepper about one minute into the process.
Add garlic and flour. Cook for one minute or so. Slowly add the chicken broth stirring so as not to have lumps. Add the juice and zest of the lemon.
Add ½ of the cucumbers to the broth. Simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat.Remove from heat, let cool, and then add the remaining portions of the cucumbers, reserving some if you wish for garnish. Using an immersion blender, whip the soup until smooth.
Add the sour cream. Blend to combine.
Note: Quickest if you have an immersion blender stick, but it works in a processor. Just do it in small batches.
Let cool in the refrigerator overnight!
While your soup’s cooling why not turn up the heat with a touch of Old Hollywood glamour?
Spokesmodel, Author and Diabetes Advocate Doris Hobbs (‘Rich In Love’) beautifully captures the essence of Old Hollywood in this vintage ensemble.
“A type 1 diabetic since 2014, I follow the strength of my father who has been living with type 1 diabetes since the age of two. His determination to take control of the illness has shaped my mission,” says Doris.
Doris is living proof that living with type 1 diabetes doesn’t have dim your dazzle!
She adds, “We, as a society, have a tendency of suppressing our fears, as mastering those can be difficult and takes large amounts of will and courage to look in the mirror and say, “I will succeed; I can do this!”
You don’t need to be a red carpet Old Hollywood bombshell to harness the power of black clothing because it matches everything! It’s great for mixing and matching, for layering or for helping your ‘Revenge’ red lips standout.
MAKE UP TIP: Grab a lipstick brush and your favorite shade of red to apply a gorgeous red lip, completing the Old Hollywood glam look. To clean up the edges and define your lips, dip a concealer brush into just a pinch of concealer and outline your lips, paying particular attention to the corners and the cupid’s bow for extra crisp definition.
The key to achieving a classic, glamorous Old Hollywood look and style of entertaining lies in the details. We all know that the little details that make the ordinary become extraordinary can be daunting! But the first detail to achieving the glamorous life of your favorite Old Hollywood actress, Loretta Young, Grace Kelly or Norma Shear is focusing on you and your diabetes health!
Prioritize means “to put in order of importance”.And as a busy mom, grandmother and/or daughter with diabetes you must continually do this over and over again, making choices based on the priorities you have built. If you aren’t clear on your priorities I believe you will continually run into trouble trying to balance everything. Do you know what your priorities are for yourself and your diabetes health? Are you living your daily life with those in mind? I think a great way to get an handle on what those priorities are is to take a walk outside alone without your iPhone. Take a minute to smell the Spring flowers and when you get back from your walk, sit down and make a list.
“ If you’re not organized, you can’t find what you need to cook anything, says Susan. “A for meal preparation. That means instead of stuffing certain items in your cupboard or fridge just because you found a space where it fits, organize by use instead. Group similar items together and keep healthy snacks in plain view.”
Do you have a few empty make-up bags from a give-away or promotion?
Susan suggests “to stay organized, use a medium-size makeup bag for blood glucose-checking supplies and a different one for fast-acting sources of carbs, such as glucose tablets. Keep your supplies close to you in style!”
Speaking of giveaways, pampering gifts like products from PEAK 10 SKIN®are always a great treat to any Mom…at any age! Whether it’s your daughter, sister, daughter-in-law, wife or your Mother, women love things that make them feel pampered and special. PEAK 10 SKIN® have a couple different gift sets that we put together with Mom’s in mind, but they will also custom design a gift for the Mom’s in your life. For custom gifts, simply call or email us. Beautiful gift wrap available , too! Remember, all of products are professional spa quality and are paraben FREE, gluten FREE, cruelty FREE!
PEAK 10 SKIN® is offering this Special 30% Discount Offer to our Divabetic community (use the Divabetic coupon code: divabetic (all lowercase))
Don’t forget to use your coupon code: B2B(40% off)
PEAK 10 SKIN® recently repackaged the new SOOTHE hand cream in a pot for ease of use. The product was too thick to come out of the tube with ease. It comes in 2 sizes; 2oz/$18 and 4oz/$28. These could be perfect gifts as well. These prices are BEFORE your discount is applied.
Making a Mani/Pedi kit of SAVE MY SOLE & SOOTHE hand cream would be fabulous! If you get the 2oz of each, that would be a $36 retail/$21.60 for you!
Dr. Michele Summers Colon known as ‘The Holistic Podiatrist’ shares the healthiest height and style for stilettos, a common dilemma women with diabetes, on April’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.
Dr. Michele says to avoid stiletto shoes that are made of cheap products (such as plastic) and pointy toe styles. She recommends purchasing stilettos made of good quality leather with an open toed shoe box,and a little front platform. A style with a front platform is better for you because the platform lowers the angle between your ankle and the ball of your foot therefore decreasing pressure on the ball of your foot.
April’s INSTANT WINNER Challenge posed the question, “Shoes with high heels should be no more than …”?
Over 50 women entered our INSTANT WINNER Challenge about the proper height of high heels forApril’s Diabetes Late Nite. Unfortunately most of the women guessed the wrong answer – including me! My research stated that the correct heel height should be 2 inches high. However, Dr. Michele Summers Colon strongly recommends that high heels should be no more than 1 1/2 inches high.
“ A 1 1/2 inches high heels would be a kitten heel or a flat. Or you have find a shoe with a 2 inch heel but with a little platform in the front,” says Dr. Michele Summer Colon.
Did you know the high heel made its way to the Western fashion scene in the late 1500s as part of a craze for all things Persian?
Those early heels were aimed at men and modeled on the riding boots of Persian cavalry. By the mid-1700s, however, they had become a woman’s shoe. Today, American women spend $20 billion annually on high heels, but the shoes haven’t been altered in a meaningful way for decades!!!
High heels cram toes into a tight pocket, directing excessive amounts of force to the heels. Sarah Jessica Parker, who was famous for wearing them, had to swear off them after her foot rebelled by growing a protective layer of tissue. But most women have long accepted the pain.
“My patients come to me and beg me to fix their feet,” says Michele Summers Colon in an interview with Bloomberg Business Week. She recently started 34 Minute Shoes—a reference to how long women can stand in normal heels without pain—which is also rethinking the heel.
34 Minute Shoes, Cole Haan, and others have focused on adding extra cushioning or creating a more customized fit around the foot. The Thesis team has zeroed in on the steel shank, a strip of metal a few inches longthat’s at the heart of most shoes. In high heels, its purpose is to provide the strength needed for the wearer to stand at an angle.
When a woman is walking in high heels, the end of the stiletto jams into the ground and sends a shock up through her heel. Standing still is just as bad, because about 90 percent of the pressure is on the toes. The extra give in the Thesis shank helps spread that load by allowing the foot to sit more naturally in the shoe instead of tilting forward or backward.
A physician, surgeon, health coach, yoga teacher, anatomy instructor, author and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon has treated many women living with diabetes.
“They ask me to operate on them and inject them—anything so that they can keep wearing high heels, she says. “Women remain willing to put up with an awful lot of pain in the name of fashion. “They give lingerie a run for the money in terms of being a highly sexualized fashion accessory,” she says. “That’s at the heart of why [stilettos] are so popular and persistent and have become the archetypal grown-up women’s shoe.”
Are you ready to wear a Turban?Evetta Petty, owner of Harlem’s Heaven Hat Shop shares advice on how you can make this style trend work on your terms. READ MORE
Diabetes Late Nite featuring music by Chinese pianist Lang Lang. Guests include Grammy Award winning artist, Lisa Fischer (featured on Lang Lang’s ‘New York Rhapsody’ album), the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from Lang Lang’s ‘New York Rhapsody’ album courtesy of SONY Music. The album includes all-time classic Rhapsody in Blue, as well as Empire State of Mind, Moon River, New York Minute, Tonight, Spiderman Theme and many more. LISTEN NOW
We know many people in our Divabetic community don’t like to celebrate the holidays because they feel they may disrupt their diabetes care. But with a little pre-planning and guidance from your healthcare entourage you can still enjoy Easter related festivities without failing your diabetes.
“Don’t let diabetes dim your dazzle!”
We asked several experts, Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ and Karline Ricketts, CEO/Master Stylist to share their favorite recipes and hair tips to encourage you to celebrate a Divabetic Easter in style without compromising your diabetes health.
Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ loves to bake! While she was attending cooking school she began creatingdiabetic-friendly recipes for breads, cakes and other desserts by swapping out the sugar, blending the flour and cutting the milk carbohydrates after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,. Here’s one of the Diabetic Pastry Chef’s most requested recipes:
3/4 cup Whey Low D Granular, or dry sweetener of your choice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
Directions
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and beat until combined and Whey Low or other sweetener is dissolved.
Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fill 12 paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven approximately 20 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
Frosting Ingredients
1 cup milk
5 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup trans-fat-free shortening
1 cup sugar, Whey Low D Granular, or other dry sweetener of your choice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
In saucepan combine milk and flour.Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thick paste forms, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
In mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat butter, shortening, sweetener, and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk mixture. Beat at least 10 minutes. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
Please note: a tub of sugar-free vanilla frosting can be substituted for this frosting recipe.
Topping Ingredients
1 bag sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes
green food coloring
sugar-free or low sugar jelly beans
12 pipe cleaners (can be purchased at cigarette/cigar store or drug store)
Directions
Color the coconut flakes with the green food coloring. Spread on top of frosted cupcakes and press down a little. Scatter several jelly beans on top and gently press down. Bend the pipe cleaners and stick into the sides of the cupcakes as handles.
Stacey Harris has transformed more than 200 desserts into diabetic-friendly delights. COOKBOOK
Is Wearing An Easter Bonnet Harmful to Your Hair?
Topping off your Easter best with a bonnet or hat is as ‘sweet’ as adding frosting to a cupcake but can it damage your hair?
Karline Ricketts, CEO/Master Stylist, opened her first salon in West Palm Beach, FL over 30 years ago to provide an upscale client environment for a growing ethnic consumer market. Karline offers these tips for wearing a hat responsibly:
Style your hair a bit fuller than you normally would before you put on a hat to keep some of the volume when you take it off.
Never put a hat on your wet hair. Doing so may cause tension, breakage and the ultimate case of hat head when the hair is dry.
Give your hair room to breathe. Wearing a tight hat causes the hair to get greasy at the roots but dry at the ends. When the hat rubs against dry hair, it may cause it to break. A tight hat will put pressure on your head (it should feel comfortable and not pressed against your head), crush your curls and make your scalp sweat, making the situation worse.
Wear a satin cap or scarf underneath your hat to prevent your hair from breaking and dryness and to preserve your hairstyle or choose hats with a satin or silk lining.
Don’t miss Fabulous 2017, an evening of extraordinary elegance benefiting Divabetic, presented by Karline’s Salon on Saturday, May 20, 2017, 7 PM.Enjoy magical night of culture and community, colors and curls, and trend-setting fashions in a spectacular runway show. BUY TICKETS
Don’t Let the Parade Pass You By!
I’’ll be raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Sunday, April 16, 2017, 12:30 PM
Tune in to Facebook Live (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds live from the Red Carpet with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, diabetes advocate, Laura Laria and hat designer, Evetta Petty and more!
I’’ll be raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Sunday, April 16, 2017, 12:30 PM
Don’t let the parade pass you by! Tune in to Facebook Live (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds live from the Red Carpet with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP and hat designer, Evetta Petty and more!
Never been to the New York Easter Parade?
“Sunday best” gets new meaning during this annual procession, wherein participants show off elaborately constructed hats— shaped like gigantic Easter baskets, the NYC skyline and the Coney Island Cyclone! The tradition started in the mid-1800s, when high-society ladies would promenade in their Easter finery after church, and has since evolved into a showcase for millinery.
While most of the hats on display at the Festival will be outrageous you can still add an extra touch of magic, refinement, and/or edge to an outfit with a much modest sized hat.
What’s one big hat trend for Spring/Summer 2017?
“With access to Cuba, its retro influence is having a powerful impact on the fashion industry,” according to Evetta Petty, the owner of Harlem’s Heaven Hat Shop in New York City. “There are colorful exotic prints that are mixed with natural raw elements.Rich, graphic, brilliant patterns paired with kitschy accessories like bold voluminous necklaces and bangles as well as tassels, pompoms, and ruffles for an updated vintage look.”
Hats are also an important staple for the summer season, since they help to shield us from the sun.
If you have diabetes, it’s important to avoid too much sun exposure and sunburn, particularly if you take certain medications, such as glyburide (brand names Micronase, DiaBeta, and Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), and glimepiride (Amaryl), as well as diuretics and NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and celecoxib [Celebrex] according to Diabetes Self-Management magazine.
People with diabetes should avoid sunburn because it can stress your body and raise your blood glucose. Wear a good sunscreen (we recommend PEAK PROTECTION sunscreen spray SPF29), lip balm that contains SPF, sunglasses as well as a hat when out in the sun and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
Most people don’t realize that while driving your neck, hands and left side of your face is exposed to sun!
“If you drive 1/2 hour or more per day to workthe sun is constantly beaming through the windshield on your hands,” says PEAK 10 skincare founder, Connie Elder.“Use sunscreen on the back of your hands and neck.”
I’ll be challenging people’s Diabetes Wellness IQ with games at the Easter Parade & Bonnet Festival. Test your knowledge with this question: Sunscreen doesn’t expire – True or False?
Answer: TRUE. Go ahead and throw out last summer’s bottle of sunscreen. Although sunscreens are usually labeled with an expiration date and have a shelf life of approximately two years, it’s important to buy a new bottle every summer to ensure that your skin is well-protected.
There are lots of amazing designs to try on this year but what’s the one trend that will set you a part from the other run-of-the-mill fashionistas in your town?
“The headwear industry welcomes the return of the turban with feathers and glitzy embellishments!,” says Evetta and adding, “also, wide brimmed hats with floral trimmings are a strong look this season.”
Have fun dressing for Sunny days and HAVANA NIGHTS.
We know many people in our Divabetic community don’t like to celebrate the holidays because they feel they may disrupt their diabetes care. But with a little pre-planning and guidance from your healthcare entourage you can still enjoy Easter related festivities without failing your diabetes.
From the annual Easter Egg Roll to eating iguana, turtle and the world’s largest rodent in Colombia, there are many different Easter traditions around the world to choose from!
Easter is the most important religious holiday in the Greek Orthodox calendar. Shops line their windows with brightly-coloured wrappings for Easter candles and chocolate eggs. Greek families sit down to a meal of whole roasted lamb or kid goat on Easter Sunday.
Germans like to decorate trees with hollowed-out, painted eggs for Easter. One elderly man has taken the art form to an extreme degree.
An old European tradition of tapping eggs together in a contest to see which is the strongest is enjoying a revival in Louisiana. The town of Marksville claims to host the oldest “egg-knocking” competition in the United States. Competitors pair up on the steps of the courthouse on Easter Sunday and knock the tips of two eggs together. If the egg cracks, its owner is out of the competition. The process continues until just one egg remains.
Instead of tucking into chocolate eggs, Colombians like to eat iguana, turtle and the world’s largest rodent for their traditional Easter dinner.
We say, whatever you and your loved ones may choose to do, “Don’t let diabetes dim your dazzle!”
We asked several experts, Cookbook Author, Holly Clegg, Wine & Spirits Expert Samantha Shaken Baker and diabetes advocate, author and model Doris Hobbs to share their favorite recipes, picks and fashions to encourage you to celebrate a Divabetic Easter in style without compromising your diabetes health.
With over 1 million cookbooks sold, Holly Clegg has become a culinary expert on easy, healthy and practical recipes through her nationally recognized best-selling trim & TERRIFIC® and her more health focused Eating Well cookbook series, including newly released 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY edition of Eating Well Through Cancer, (English, Spanish and Chinese editions), Eating Well to Fight Arthritis and Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association.Clegg who attended the Cordon Bleu Cooking School has appeared on Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, QVC, The 700 Club, USA Today, Cooking Light Magazine, Web MD, and Huff Post.She has consulted for Walmart, Teflon, The Coca-Cola Company, and hospitals throughout the country. Here’s Holly’s suggestion on to make a simple, impressive way to dress up eggs for Easter:
“These colorful Western omelet ingredients are piled on an English muffin and make this the ideal grab and go satisfying breakfast” says Holly.Egg beaters may be substituted for the egg and egg white combination.
Makes 6 muffins
1/2 cup chopped Canadian bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
2 eggs
5 egg whites
Salt and pepper to taste
3 whole-wheat English muffins, halved
1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
1. In nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook Canadian bacon 2 minutes or until begins to brown.Add onion and, green pepper sautéing until tender.Add tomatoes, cook 1 minute.Remove from pan, set aside.
2. In small bowl, whisk together eggs and egg whites.In same nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, scramble eggs.Season to taste.When eggs are almost done, stir in bacon onion mixture.
3. Meanwhile, toast muffin halves.Divide egg mixture to top muffin halves.Sprinkle with cheese.
Note:The prepared muffins may be refrigerated and reheated in the microwave or in oven preheated at 350°F. about 5 minutes or until well heated.
“Glamour is the feeling of beauty, with an undertone of femininity, while looking like a lady, for all occasions,” Luxury Spokesmodel, Diabetes Advocate, Contributing Style Editor & Published Writer,Doris Hobbs explains. “Glamour is an illusion, a form of mystery revealing a fragile state that changes with time. Glamour, from my perspective, is defined as recreation from all facets of our lives. Perhaps the best way to describe it is with a ravishing red lipstick, a sensual hourglass silhouette, and style inspiration from such mavens as Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, and Jayne Mansfield.”
Vintage brooches are colorful, eye-catching sparkle and for a small investment, you get a big return style wise!
Did you know back in the day women wore “Scatter pins”, a matching set of two or more pins that were grouped together on a blouse or sweater?
If you love vintage brooches, there is no need to curb your enthusiasm because you think you wouldn’t get a chance to wear all the ones you find. There are plenty of ways to show them off!
DIVABETIC TIP: While alcohol can make blood sugar drop too low, certain beverages (such as beer or sugary mixers) can cause a blood sugar spike. What’s more, consuming more than one or two drinks can cloud your thinking and affect other food choices you make that day, which can also affect glucose levels.
What’s brunch without a little bubbly?
We asked Samantha Shanken Baker, who helps presents memorable food and wine events like the Annual Harlem Eat Up! to suggest a great tasting champagne for under $50. Samantha’s pick is G.H. Mumm Brut Champagne Cordon (retail $45) featuring a delightful notes of flavor—dried apricot, candied orange peel, nut and smoke. This very harmonious dry Champagne is still elegant and light-weight. The rich, toasty note lingers on the vibrant finish. Oh la-la!
DIVABETIC TIP: Heavy black pumps paired with lightweight white dresses can be an odd combination. If you wear a white dress in the spring , better options include natural toned or white sandals. If you choose to wear white in fall and winter, brown shoes still look better than black (and for sticklers to the rules, white shoes should be avoided after Labor Day). HOW TO WEAR WHITE
Why not enjoy a Coco Mimosa?
I love serving my guests mimosas at Brunch. The name of one of the characters. “Coco Mimosa”,from our upcoming Diabetes Mystery titled “Gypsies, Tramps & Peas” inspired this new tropical twist to a mimosa. It’s as easy as pie! Just splash some coconut flavored light rum over fresh orange juice and champagne.
DIVABETIC TIP: The weather is warming up and the cherry blossoms are in bloom – looks like spring has finally sprung! It’s the perfect season to jump start a walking program. It’s easy, safe, and inexpensive. It’s also relaxing and at the same time invigorating, requires little athletic skill, and does not call for club membership or special equipment other than sturdy, comfortable shoes. And it is fun and natural — good for your mind and self-esteem. LEARN MORE
Let a new walking shoe get you in the groove!
We love these striped spring flat mesh casual walking shoes (pictured above)! They’re breathable slip ons and reasonably inexpensive. BUY
According to the Who What Wear website florals are a big trend for Spring 2017. Sound familiar? Well, this time around, the scale, fabrication and mood is more exaggerated than ever! Designers are encouraging you to be in full bloom from head to toe—shoes included. From double doses of Rococo-style jacquard florals with ruffles and raw hems at Marques’Almeida to subdued, blousy ’70s bouquets at Chloé and neon carnations at Balenciaga, there is nothing standard about these arrangements. No ditsy prints here in this S/S 17 version of the fashion trend, thanks.
“Eat with color and you know you are eating healthy! This overnight sensation with bright colors and flavors will wake up those morning taste-buds!” says Holly.
Makes 8 (1-cup) servings
8 ounces ground breakfast turkey sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped
5 (8-inch) 98% fat-free flour tortillas, cut into quarters
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1. Coat 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large nonstick skillet, cook and crumble sausage until starts to brown. Add onion and bell pepper, cooking until sausage is done and vegetables tender. Add spinach, garlic and green chilies; cooking until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
3. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, half-and-half, chili powder, cumin and cheese.
4. Spoon one-third of sausage mixture in baking dish. Top with one-third tortilla quarters and one-third cheese and green onions. Repeat layers, ending with green onion. Pour egg mixture evenly over casserole and refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven 350°F. If using glass baking dish, place in cold oven and bake 50-60 minutes or until bubbly, golden brown and knife inserted into custard comes out clean.
DIVABETIC TIP: Want to get more for your money? Buying fruit and vegetables in season often helps! Prices usually come down when a fruit or vegetable is in season. In addition, the quality of the produce (taste, texture, freshness, etc.) is at its best. When you buy produce that is out of season (for example, buying berries in the winter), you are likely buying food that has been shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles. It is usually more expensive, less environmentally-friendly, and the quality not as good.
LISTEN NOW: Cook Book Author Holly Clegg podcast interview. With over 1 million books sold, Holly reigns supreme when it comes to helping today’s busy person cook everyday meals that are fast and fit into an overall healthy lifestyle.Known as the “Queen of Quick,” Holly’s recipes are time, user and pantry-friendly. LINK
What’s trending in Diabetes Wellness for Spring? Here are three recent diabetes and health & wellness headlines that caught our eye!
An amazing app that helps you improve your A1C!One Drop | Mobile provides real-time and historical blood glucose data and analytics to subscribers and their healthcare providers, allowing both to see relationships between specific health behaviors and health outcomes.
Go ahead, and laugh but I love the ‘Golden Girls’! So do a lot of other people. Over the course of seven seasons, the show racked up 68 Emmy nominations, 11 wins, and is one of only 4 shows in TV history whose principal actors all won Emmys for their roles. Despite Hollywood’s obsession with youth, The Golden Girls is still beloved by audiences thirty years after its premiere.
While the women exchange quips and get into fights, the overarching message of the show focuses on the importance of chosen family, and women supporting other women. Further, we see the women enjoying life after marriage.
Whether you identify with Blanche, Dorothy, Rose or Sophia, I think the ‘Golden Girls’ can help inspire you to improve your diabetes self-care. Over the years, I have hosted 3 podcasts loosely inspired by the ‘Golden Girls’ and a ‘Golden Girls’ inspired diabetes outreach program presented in Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA.
Why?
Let’s face it managing diabetes for women like the ‘Golden Girls’ presents a variety of challenges, ranging from increased insulin resistance and weight gain to sexual health issues and depression. As you age, you may be most aware of your new gray hairs and wrinkles, but aging causes changes throughout the entire body.
It used to be said that having diabetes aged people an additional 20 years. Today, thanks to better tools for managing diabetes and preventing and treating its complications, people with diabetes have the opportunity to live longer than ever before.
However, managing diabetes in the golden years presents a variety of challenges, ranging from increased insulin resistance and weight gain to sexual health issues and depression.
LISTEN NOW: Mr. Divabetic takes a ’50 Shades of Gray’ approach to talking about diabetes and aging during this lively hour of diabetes education and empowerment.
My guests include Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, FACOG, OB-GYN, “How To Fight FATflammation!”, Author Lori Shemek PhD, “The Secrets to Living and Loving With Diabetes” and “Sex and Diabetes” Janis Roszler, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND 2008-2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE), Humorist and Author “The Sweet Blessing: My Adventures in Diabetes” Trisha Porretti RN, BSN, CDE.
LISTEN: GOLDEN GIRLS podcast about ‘Diabetes & Food Choices’ as we Age. Guest, Jessica Issler, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, offers the golden rules of diabetes care with a focus on food. Using the original Golden Girls – Blanche, Sophia, Rose and Dorothy – as inspiration, Jessica reviews healthy food options for a variety of palates (including cheesecake!) and shares advice on counting carbohydrates.
“I had to write ‘Golden Girls’…I’ve never gotten excited about a network idea before, but this was compelling. I could write grown-ups.” — Susan Harris, creator of ‘The Golden Girls,’ September 1985
LISTEN NOW: Studio d podcast on the Golden Rules of Style based on the ‘Golden Girls’ with Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP. Let the four iconic ‘Golden Girls’ characters inspire you to embrace your inner diva with the style! Catherine provides practical style advice to help you achieve a Glam More, Fear Less mindset in your diabetes life.
Siren Care, located in San Francisco, has created digital Smart Socks to help with early detection of diabetic foot ulcers.
Smart Socks are made with smart textiles that can detect changes in temperature in different areas of the foot that could indicate that a potential problem.
Skin inflammation is accompanied by temperature rise and potentially is a life-threatening foot ulcer. Siren Smart Socks monitor foot temperature to catch injuries early before they turn into an ulcer.
The makers embed electronics directly inside of yarn to create smart textiles that are flexible, washable, and seamless; and, importantly, can be produced on standard weaving machines. By incorporating an integrated human touch sensor into the socks, they can know when you put them on. They turn themselves on and then search for your phone to begin monitoring your feet via the Siren app. When an injury occurs, the body mounts an inflammatory response that generates heat. By scanning the feet for hot or warm spots, injuries can be detected early in people with neuropathy who are unable to feel pain.
The Siren Smart Socks have undergone informal clinical testing at University of California, San Francisco, and the company is in the process of conducting a small, 30-patient trial right now.
Siren Smart Socks will be shipped starting in mid-2017! They are available for pre-order at www.siren.care.
LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Late Nite inspired by the diabetes life and music of Ella Fitzgerald. Guests include Ansley Dalbo, Susan Weiner MS, CDN, RD, CDE, Mama Rose Marie, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach and Poet Lorraine Brooks.
Meet the New York Haitian desiger, Paola Mathe who has been praised or making “colorful the new black” as reported by the New York Times.
Ms. Mathe is challenging the way women wear head wraps. “Why not wear a headwrap on the red carpet instead of just to cover your head to run errands?” she told NY Times reporter, Tariro Mzezewa. “It’s this beautiful, powerful accessory that promotes strength and power and culture.
Paolo Mathe is the founder of Fanm Djanm, which means “strong women” in Haitian Creole which could aptly apply to Haitian women living with diabetes who are pro-active about their health.
People living with diabetes of Haitian descent may have a tougher time managing their blood sugars than others, a study published in the journal Diabetes Care.
On average, Haitian patients’ A1C was 8.2 percent, versus 7.7 percent among African American patients, and 7.5 percent among white patients.
The A1C test is a blood test that provides information about a person’s average levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, over the past 3 months.
An A1C level below 5.7 percent is considered normal. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 percent signals pre-diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the A1C is over 6.5 percent. For many people with type 2 diabetes, the goal isto keep their three month blood sugar average (A1C levels) at or below 7 percent.
Moreover, nearly 25 percent of Haitians had an A1C level above 9 percent, which is considered poor blood-sugar management.
The reasons for the discrepancy aren’t clear, according to Dr. Varsha Vimalananda, of Boston Medical Center, and colleagues. Even after researchers accounted for factors like insurance coverage, doctor visits in the past two years and whether patients spoke English, Haitian patients were still found to be much more likely than African Americans and whites to have an A1C level above 9 percent.
This suggests that other factors are at work, according to Vimalananda’s team. One possibility, they write, is the high carbohydrate content of the traditional Haitian diet; another is that culture gaps between doctors and Haitian patients may in some cases hinder communication.
The Haitians had only about one-third of the risk of complications such as heart disease or clogged arteries in the legs. And they were roughly half as likely to have problems such as nerve or kidney damage.
LISTEN NOW: Do you like your diabetes education and empowerment flavored with pop culture? Check out our free monthly Diabetes Late Nite podcasts featuring expert advice, music, fashion, food, games and prizes.
“You shouldn’t walk in heels higher than three inches,” podiatrist Dr. Emily Splichal says. “Anything over the three-inch mark changes the biomechanics of how you walk—your strides are shortened, you can’t walk as fast, your body weight shifts to the ball of the foot, which throws off your center of gravity and stresses the knees and lower back.”
Two complications people with diabetes may be at risk for are poor circulation and the absence of sensation, according to John Giurini, DPM, Chief, Division of Podiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
“A platform won’t help matters—the effect is just as damaging”, Splichal says. Also harmful is a too-flat shoe, she cautions, especially if someone’s foot is naturally flat (little to no arch versus a high arch): “A little heel, like a one-inch heel, puts the foot into a more stable position.”
People with diabetes and specific foot deformities should buy shoes that match the width of their foot, perhaps with extra depth.Those with diabetes and severe foot deformities can get a custom molded shoe made, but Giurini says to only do this if it’s absolutely necessary.
The takeaway here is to shop for shoes with heels that range between one inch and three in height. “Avoid heels that are both too flat or too high,” she advises. “Avoid the extremes.”
It’s important that people with diabetes visit a podiatrist on a regular basis based on their risk for diabetes complications.If you’re at a higher risk for diabetes complications and already have foot problems, you should go more frequently.
LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Late Nite inspired by Gladys Knight & The Pips. We’re taking aboutsleep apnea, the dawn phenomenon, midnight cravings and a topic that’s keeping some of us awake at night; President Trump’s repeal of the Affordable Care Actwith my guests: Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’,TamaraSellman from SleepyHead Central,Mary Ann Hodorowicz, RD, LDN, MBA, CDE, CEC,the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.
We’regiving away a fabulous Divabetic Prize pack courtesy of Cabot Cheese, Nu Naturals and Dr. Greenfield’s in our INSTANT WINNER Challenge.
Sure, it can be difficult at times to enjoy the holidays when you’re living with diabetes especially if you feel like you can’t enjoy the foods your actually preparing for your family and friends! Why not take the opportunity this Mother’s Day to change your mindset as well as your family’s about what healthy tastes like?
Paolo Mathe is the founder of 
An A1C level below 5.7 percent is considered normal. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 percent signals pre-diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the A1C is over 6.5 percent. For many people with type 2 diabetes, the goal is
This suggests that other factors are at work, according to Vimalananda’s team. One possibility, they write, is the high carbohydrate content of the traditional Haitian diet; another is that culture gaps between doctors and Haitian patients may in some cases hinder communication.
