Category: D-Stories

Posted on

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 5

Our team of amateur sleuths, Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle, MaryAnn Nicolay and Mr. Divabetic, heads to the Hawden House Museum to meet Loretta Hussey.  

The beautiful Hawden House museum is housed in a Greek Revival mansion that was built by whaling merchant and silver retailer William Hawden. Its collection highlights the history of Nantucket through the whaling and trading industries. (Closed for the 2020 season. All Historic Property grounds and gardens are open to the public and accessible during daylight hours.)

Loretta: Hey you in the pirate costume. Put on this sandwich board to help us advertise admission.

Max: Me? Why?

Loretta: Aren’t you from the temp agency to help us sell tickets!  All the whales’ teeth in our collection have been stolen. Tourists will stop coming when they find out our biggest attraction is gone!!

The first floor at the Hadwen House showcases the Nantucket Historical Association’s decorative arts. The very finest objects in the collection are on display in period rooms showcasing furniture, china and ceramics, textiles, and silver.

Tonya: Don’t you think your tourism will be more affected by Britannia Coffin’s murder?

Loretta: That woman! She’s always blamed me for what my great grandfather did.

Max: What did he do?

Loretta: According to Britannia he was responsible for the loss of her family’s whaleship Essex that left them penniless. I think she’s the one who stole the scrimshaw whales’ teeth. It makes perfect sense. They belonged to her!

Scrimshaw is the art of engraving images on ivory—whale teeth and bone and walrus tusks—a folk art practiced by men aboard whaleships during the nineteenth century. Sailors made scrimshaw in an amazing variety, including decorative objects, utilitarian devices, and jewelry. It is one of the earliest recognized American crafts and remains one of the most highly desired forms of folk art for collectors of Americana.

Max: Then why would she steal them?

Loretta: To collect the insurance money. She came in earlier today with some flimsy excuse about not liking how the whales’ teeth were displayed. She made me open the case so she could rearrange them. I’m sure she saw where I kept the keys.

Tonya: So why did you threaten her at The Kitchen Island store this morning? Didn’t you tell Britannia she would get what she deserved?

Loretta: Oh, that. I meant the baking competition. She was going to lose this time. That’s all.

Max: Really? After beating you ten times?

Loretta: Look, I’m not the only one happy that Britannia Coffin is dead. Goldie almost went bankrupt! She had so many legal bills from fighting that slip and fall scheme cooked up by Britannia and Peggy’s husband, Floyd.

Tonya: But wasn’t Britannia rich?

Loretta: Not anymore. Her last ditch efforts to save my family’s home from toppling into the Atlantic Ocean cost her a pretty penny.

Max: Peggy told us climate change was affecting the lobster business, but I didn’t realize it was also eroding the shoreline.

Loretta: It took my old neighbor’s house falling into the ocean for her to finally take action.

MaryAnn: She sounds like a lot of people living with diabetes. They put off managing their blood sugars until after they experience a serious health-related complication.

Loretta: Britannia’s problems were all her own fault! She just sat up in her house scheming and baking pie after pie after pie. Her sweet tooth led straight to her diabetes!

MaryAnn: That’s a myth! Eating too much sugar doesn’t cause diabetes. Diabetes is caused by something disrupting the body’s ability to turn the food you eat into energy.

Patricia: Couldn’t they move her house farther back from the cliff?  To save it?

Loretta: Moving a large foundation like that is very expensive. It would cost millions of dollars!

Tonya: Aren’t those stolen whales’ teeth worth millions of dollars?

Loretta: They are insured for $5 million dollars to be exact. They are scrimshaw whales’ teeth intricately carved by the famous artist Frederick Myrick.

The Nantucket Historical Association‘s scrimshaw collection is considered one of the most important collections in the world. Highlights of the collection include some of the earliest and rarest sperm whale teeth, engraved by the most famous of all scrimshaw artists, Nantucketers Frederick Myrick and Edward Burdett.

Mama Rose Marie: Well, something as big and unique as that shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Loretta: Oh no, they are smaller than you think. Some are no larger than this dinner plate from our historical collection.

Max: You mean that’s not a dessert plate you’re holding? It’s so small.

Patricia: American dinner plates have gotten much larger over the years along just like portion sizes.

MaryAnn: Plate size and portion size go hand in hand. Using smaller plates is a great tactic for eating less!

Tonya: Alright, let’s get back to the robbery and the murder – are the whales’ teeth the only things missing?

Loretta: No, a pearl handled pistol was also taken. You certainly have a lot of questions.

Tonya: We’re helping the police piece together a timeline for the murder.

Loretta: I heard the police are looking for some strange guy who was in the parking lot. Apparently, he might be the killer! Hold on, let me get that police sketch.

Mama Rose Marie: Oh, Bartholomew, look at the time!! We have to get to the boat for the baking competition.

TO BE CONTINUED 

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast, Kill Me Madam, cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

RELATED DIABETES WELLNESS  INFORMATION

The Diabetes Plate Method is an easy “formula” that helps you eat right with every bite. READ MORE
The plate method is a simple, visual way to make sure you get enough non-starchy vegetables and lean protein, and limit the amount of higher-carb food that has the greatest potential to spike your blood sugar. READ MORE
How to practice portion size. Your fist is roughly the size of a cup or a medium-size piece of fruit, such as an apple. When it comes to lean protein, the palm of your hand (without the fingers) equates to about 3 ounces of meat, seafood, or poultry. READ MORE
Posted on

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 4

Before Millicent Merriweather can get a good look at Max, our team dashes out the door and runs across the parking lot to the Treasure Island Antique Shoppe, where the owner, Goldie Highcastle, is busy sweeping up shards of broken porcelain from the floor.

SOUND EFFECT: store bells

Goldie: Ahoy Maties! Welcome to Treasure Island Antique Shoppe: the finest heirlooms from the Seven Seas, at rock bottom prices guaranteed. Hey, how about a sword to go with your outfit, Mr. Tall, Dark and Haggard?

Tonya: Actually, we’re here about the murder.  Did you see what happened? Your store is awfully close to where they found Britannia Coffin’s body.

Goldie: I didn’t see a thing. But Britannia did come in here earlier. She brought me this box of sugar substitute as a peace offering. She said it spiked her blood sugars, I wonder if that’s true?

MaryAnn: Artificial sweeteners generally don’t raise blood sugars. But research shows that they can change gut bacteria with prolonged use. And that can lead to weight gain.

Goldie: Really? Why is that?

MaryAnn: Gut bacteria in your intestines digests foods and produces chemicals to help you feel full.

Patricia: Artificial sweeteners can also change your taste preferences over time increasing your desire for sweets. Lowering your stress levels and staying hydrated can help.

Goldie: But if I like something sweet. What else can I use instead of this sugar substitute?

MaryAnn: Try a plant-based sugar alternative like Stevia. Or for a little sweetness add cinnamon, especially in coffee.

Tonya: Can we get back to Britannia? Why was she here?

Goldie: Oh right, she brought in a box of things she wanted me to sell on consignment. Some of Loretta Hussey’s family antiques. I didn’t see anything I liked so she said she’d go home and come back with more.

Tonya: And what time did she come back?

Goldie: Sooner than I hoped for. All hell broke loose when she got back. Loretta Hussey was in here looking at my collection of cat o’ nine tales! I don’t know who she was planning to flog.

Mama Rose Marie: Oh, my!

Goldie: Britannia walked in smiling like a Cheshire cat. It’s as if she knew Loretta would be here. Britannia Coffin loved making Loretta’s life miserable.

Tonya: What happened?

Goldie: Well! When Loretta saw her father’s prized porcelain lobster claw was in the box of things Britannia had brought me to sell, she went berserk. She snatched it out of the box and started running for the door. Britannia tripped her with her poles and started whacking Loretta with them. But, one of her poles hit the lobster claw and shattered it into a million pieces. Loretta looked like she wanted to kill her.

Mama Rose Marie: That seems like an overreaction.

Goldie: The next thing I knew Britannia Coffin was dead.

Max: Wait, aren’t those Britannia’s walking poles in your umbrella stand? She left without them?

Goldie: Look, I had to stop her from breaking everything in the store. I wrestled them away from her.

SOUND EFFECT: Phone rings

Goldie: Excuse me. Hello, Treasure Island Antiques Shoppe where you’ll find the finest heirlooms from the Seven … Oh no! Loretta, that’s horrible!!! (to them) I can’t believe it! There’s been another robbery. Someone broke into the Hawden House Museum across the street!

TO BE CONTINUED 

 

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast, Kill Me Madam, cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Posted on

KFC is Selling Fireplace Logs That Smell like Fried Chicken

Today Kentucky Fried Chicken announced the return of its fireplace logs which, of course, smell like those 11 secret herbs and spices.

The fan-favorite is exclusively available at Walmart starting today.

“In a year of unpredictability, nothing is more comforting than knowing that you will once again be able to cozy up next to a fried-chicken scented fire while enjoying the mouth-watering taste of KFC’s world-famous fried chicken,” the announcement declares.

The chicken is sold separately, but the logs are a partnership with fireplace-fuel Enviro-Log—and they’re made with recycled materials, for an eco-friendly bent. Walmart’s online store lists the regular price as $19.98 but is offering the logs for only $15.88 apiece.

Studies have shown that taste and smell are closely linked. Food-related odors have also been shown to increase rated appetite, and induce salivation and release of gastric acid and insulin. Not only does the smell of food make you hungry, but it makes you hungry for that specific type of food.

A study from the University of California, Berkeley, and published in Cell Metabolism found that one’s sense of smell is linked to weight gain. The findings suggest that the odor of what we eat may play an important role in how the body deals with calories. If you can’t smell your food, you may burn it rather than store it.

Are you always feeling hungry?

When blood glucose levels remain abnormally high ( hyperglycemia) for long periods of time, glucose from the blood cannot enter the cells – due to either a lack of insulin or insulin resistance – so the body can’t convert the food you eat into energy. This lack of energy causes an increase in hunger.

We’re honored to celebrate Luther Vandross and his musical legacy as well as raise awareness for eating disorders and diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) on our annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast.

Guests include ‘Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes’ Author Dr. Michelle May, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, R & B Singer Alyson Williams, ‘Here & Now’ Songwriter and Entertainer Terry Steele, Seveda Williams, Luther Vandross Historian Leon Petrossian and Luther Superfan John Price.

Throughout the  podcast we will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Busy Body’ courtesy of SONY Music. On ‘Busy Body’, Luther Vandross’ third album features ‘Superstar’,  ‘For the Sweetness Of Your Love’, and the duet with Dionne Warwick entitled ‘ How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye’.

 

Posted on

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 3

Britannia Coffin’s death was NO accident. The police have determined that she was murdered! Britannia’s body was discovered near the dumpster in The Kitchen Island parking lot, and it was covered in cash! Apparently, the store was also robbed. The police found Millicent Merriweather, the Kitchen Island store shop owner, locked in the storeroom. The store’s cash register had also been emptied. 

This is big news! The death of a member of one of Nantucket’s founding families coupled with this robbery has the whole town buzzing. And everyone, except Max, is glued to the TV and radio for the latest updates. 

Max: Oh, well, I bet  the competition is going to be canceled. We’d better pack up and head back to New York.

Tonya: Max, we can’t leave now. You might have been the last person to see Britannia Coffin alive.

MaryAnn: That’s true. An eyewitness reported seeing a suspicious man with Britannia in the parking lot right before she was killed. The police think he’s the murderer!

Patricia: That sounds like it could be you!

Max: But I’m innocent.

Mama Rose Marie: Son, if you are a suspect in one more murder, we’re going to have to buy a getaway car!

Patricia: Hey, Max, what are those receipts sticking out of your pocket?

MaryAnn: Let me see, this one’s an herbal pain reliever. They seem harmless on TV but they can interact with other medications and cause problems.

Patricia: I advise my patients to always consult with their doctors before buying them.

MaryAnn: And this receipt is for Botox injections.

Max: What? That’s not mine. I don’t know where that came from.

Patricia: Botox isn’t just for wrinkles, silly. It’s also used to ease hand and foot pain caused by nerve damage. Given her health issues, it must be Britannia’s!

MaryAnn: There’s a list of dates, times and numbers on the back of this receipt. It looks like Britannia must’ve been logging her blood sugars.

Patricia: Good for her! Diabetes and data go hand in hand. Without data it’s hard to know what to change and where to focus on in your self-care management.

MaryAnn: Keeping your blood sugars within a range can help alleviate pain related to neuropathy.

Tonya: Wait! Maybe Britannia stuffed these receipts in your pocket on purpose. They’re clues! In my book, Fixin’ to Die, my character, Kenni Lowry nabs the culprits and solves the murder using clues just like these.

Mama Rose Marie: We should turn them over to the police.

Max: No, if we go to the police they’ll find out who I really am and then it will be all over the papers just like it was in New York.

MaryAnn: It’s a good thing you put on that pirate costume before anyone recognized you.

Max: This can’t be happening again. My baking career won’t survive another scandal.

Tonya: Then, our only option is to stay and solve this murder.

Max: Tonya. (pause)  I swear you left my food processor in New York just so something like this would happen.

Mama Rose Marie: Stop bickering you two and let’s put on our thinking caps. Max, who else was in the store when you were there?

Max: Just the owner and Britannia. Britannia was at the cash register when I walked in. Then, Britannia and I left together to go to her car.

Patricia: What about in the parking lot? Did you notice anything unusual?

Max: I got too distracted by all the shiny new food processors in her trunk. Oh, Wait!  As I was leaving, Britannia took a box out of the back seat and headed across the parking lot to the antique shop.

Tonya: What was in the box?

Max: I didn’t notice. I was in a hurry to get back to the prep kitchen.

MaryAnn: Hold on a second, didn’t Peggy tell us Britannia rarely left her house because of her neuropathy?

Patricia: She sure did!  Maybe Peggy lied to us to protect someone?

Tonya: You mean like her husband, Floyd? Peggy said his lobster business wasn’t doing well and the news reports  said Britannia Coffin was rich. Money is always the top motive for murder in my novels!

MaryAnn: Well, if Peggy wasn’t lying to us, then Britannia must have had a pretty compelling reason to leave her house this morning  if she was in pain.

Mama Rose Marie: Whatever’s in that box might tell us. We’d better head over to the antique shop and find out.

Max: No, no, no! This is exactly why I left New York. Please, I don’t want to get mixed up in any more murders.

Tanya: Too late. Let’s retrace your steps and get to the crime scene.

Narrator: Our team heads over to the Petticoat Row Shopping district where The Kitchen Island store is located. 

The women-run retail district, Petticoat Row, on Centre Street was an entirely post–Civil War institution, which developed in the 1860s and lasted into the 1930s. It comprised between two and twelve businesses at a time and involved about thirty female proprietors in all. While whaling created conditions that led some island women to enter the commercial sphere, it was actually the economic and population disruptions that followed the collapse of whaling that brought Nantucket women into the paid workforce in significant numbers.

The Kitchen Island is a quaint baking store packed with tableware, cooking tools, appliances and recipe books as well as delicious pastries. The stylish owner, who just happens to be one of the Decadent Desserts on Deck sponsors, is Millicent Merriweather. 

SOUND EFFECT: store bells

Narrator: After exchanging pleasantries, our team gets down to business with their investigation. 

Tonya:  Millicent, was Britannia in your store for any particular reason?

Millicent: She was bargain hunting for a new zester.

MaryAnn: If she loved a bargain, I’ll bet she also saved money by buying generic medications like Metformin for her diabetes. It’s just as safe and effective as the brand name but it costs a whole lot less.

Millicent: Oh who knows; all she wanted to talk about was entering her famous lemon meringue pie in today’s competition.

MaryAnn: Are you sure? The Perky Pie Princess told us Britannia had dropped out.

Millicent: And you believed Peggy? I wouldn’t trust anything she had to say about Britannia. Especially after what happened between them.

Max: I don’t trust her either after that crack she made calling me an amateur baker. But go on, tell us what happened?

Millicent: Peggy’s husband Floyd was involved in one of Britannia’s slip and fall scams. He lied on the stand. Britannia is the reason Floyd did jail time.

Mama Rose Marie: The big house really changes you; I should know.

Max:  Mom, what are you talking about? You were behind bars less than an hour.

Mama Rose Marie: Well, an hour in the pen feels like a lifetime.

Tonya: Do you two mind? Can Millicent finish what she was saying?

Millicent: Paying off the fines almost made Floyd lose the family’s lobster business. To make it worse, Britannia walked away scot free thanks to her high-powered lawyers.

Max: She sounds pretty devious to be scamming people with phony slip and fall lawsuits given her condition.

MaryAnn: Her neuropathy would make her more prone to fall. So how did they prove it was a scam?

Millicent: It turned out Britannia wasn’t using her Nordic poles that day like Floyd testified. The judge threw out the suit because Britannia hadn’t taken the necessary safety precautions.

Mama Rose Marie: Mmmm. My Bridge partner also suffers from neuropathy. Her doctor wants her to check her feet daily but she has difficulty bending over.

Patricia: Her doctor is concerned she could develop a bad infection if she cut her foot. A hand mirror can remedy that. By placing a mirror on the floor you can easily see the bottom of your feet.

Tonya: Anywho. . .was anyone else in the store with Britannia?

Millicent: Loretta Hussey. I overheard Britannia tell her to make room on her mantle for another second-place ribbon!

Patricia: Oooo! That must’ve made Loretta mad.

Tonya: Yeah, but mad enough to commit murder?

Millicent: She was furious. Britannia never missed an opportunity to ruffle Loretta’s feathers. Just last week Britannia announced she was going to sell all the Hussey family treasures. There’s motive enough for murder right there!

Patricia: What would give Britannia Coffin the right to sell Loretta Hussey’s family possessions?

Millicent: Britannia used to be married to Loretta’s older brother. She got the house and everything in it in the divorce settlement. Britannia was heartless. I heard Loretta say, “You’ll get what you deserve!” as she stormed out of my store.

Tonya: But wait! Wasn’t Britannia‘s murderer the same person who robbed you?

Millicent: Maybe – I did tell the police I saw a strange man in the parking lot right before Britannia was killed! He should be at the top of the list of suspects, right next to Loretta!

Max: Oh, no. That strange man had to be- (Tonya cuts me off)

Tonya: -Just one more question.

Millicent: Anything. The sooner Britannia’s killer is caught, the happier I’ll be.

Tonya: Can you think of anyone who would rob you?

Millicent: No. Like I told the police, whoever it was grabbed me from behind and in these high heels, I lost my balance and fell over. Next thing I knew, I was blindfolded and shoved in the stockroom.

Patricia: You know, flats are better for your back and your feet. No one needs to wear 5-inch heels.

Max: But those shoes ARE fabulous!!  Do they hurt?

Millicent: What can I say – “Pretty is Painful.” But wait, you look kind of familiar. I think I’ve seen you before. Take off that eye patch!

Mama Rose Marie: Oh, Bartholomew! Look at the time! You promised to take me to the antique shop across the parking lot. Let’s go!

TO BE CONTINUED 

 

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast, Kill Me Madam, cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

HEALTH TOPICS

A new study suggests that Botox, or botulinum toxin, may offer successful relief for neuropathy, not just one form, but two.

 

Posted on

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 2

The island of Nantucket is known for its cobblestone streets and weathered grey-shingled cottages, but the island also distinguished itself for being the only place in the United States that was effectively run by women.

With their husbands out to sea for up to four years at a time, the whaling wives ran a variety of businesses located in the area known as Petticoat Row. 

Today Peggy’s Pie Shop is hosting an event for the contestants, and everyone, including Max and his pals, are eager to learn some tips that might improve their chances of winning. 

Peggy: Our goal this morning is to achieve the perfect pie crust. Too much mixing or over baking can ruin your creation. Baking is all about precision.

Tonya: So is Murder.

Max: Keep your voice down. She might hear you.

Peggy: Is there a question in the back?

Max: Yes, how can I stop my key lime pie crust from getting soggy?

Peggy:  Oh, that’s easy – you should use blind baking. Our Decadent Desserts on Deck reigning champion, Britannia Coffin, swears by it. Her award-winning pie crusts are never soggy.

Max: I’d better write this down. What is blind baking?

Peggy: Sometimes it’s called pre-baking, it’s the process of baking the pie crust without the filling. The trick is to  line the bottom of the crust with pie weights, it will prevent the pastry from puffing up in the oven.

Tonya: Excuse me, what did you say the champion’s last name is again?

Peggy: Coffin.  C-O-F-F-I-N.

Tonya: Holy Smokes, Max! I mean “Bartholomew.” This is your lucky day!

Peggy: Why’s that?

Tonya: “Bartholomew” here loves facing ‘STIFF’ competition!

Peggy: Sadly, Britannia’s not competing this year. But she has agreed to come, poles in tow, and crown our new champion.

Max: Oh, I think I met her! That sounds like the woman who sold me the food processor.

Peggy: I bet she loved your costume. She has a thing for Johnny Depp.

Max: Oh, no, I wasn’t wearing this when I met her. Why does she carry around ski poles?

Peggy: Actually, they are Nordic Walking poles. Britannia suffers from neuropathy due to her diabetes.  She uses the poles to help her maintain her balance.  Her constant pain makes her so irritable. She says it feels like she’s stepping on pins and needles when she walks.

Patricia: Chronic peripheral neuropathy is the most common diabetes health-related complication. High blood sugar levels cause damage to the nerves in the hands and feet.

MaryAnn: And it can affect every part of a person’s life; walking, sitting, and even sleeping.

Tonya: There must be something she can do.

MaryAnn: Well, believe it or not exercise can help.

Peggy: She’d laugh if you told her that. She barely leaves her home. Just standing is painful. That’s why she’s not competing this year. Are all of you competing?

Tonya: Oh no! We’re here to help Maa —- uh, “Bartholomew,” in case a dead body turns up. His baking is known for killing more than taste buds!

Peggy: Good heavens! (more shocked)

Max: Ignore her. She has a morbid sense of humor.

Peggy: We can use a few laughs. Everyone is shocked that Britannia is not defending her crown. Well, except for her arch rival, Loretta Hussey. She and her ten second-place ribbons are overjoyed!

Mama Rose Marie: Ten? Oh, that must be so frustrating to lose ten times to the same person.

Peggy: Their families have been feuding since Nantucket was the whaling capital of the world. Our yearly baking competition only fuels the fire.

Max: What about you? Are you entered?

Peggy: Ha! I’m a Professional baker. We are not allowed to compete. And anyway, I’ve got too many pie orders to fill. Right now, we really need the money. My husband Floyd’s lobster business is sinking fast and these weather conditions aren’t helping one bit.

Tonya: The storms must be really bad to scare away the lobsters.

Peggy: No, it’s the warming waters caused by climate change that are forcing our lobstermen out of business. Just like the petroleum industry destroyed whaling a century ago.

SOUND EFFECT: phone ring 

Peggy: Hello? Peggy The Perky Pie Prin- Wait, wait, what? Oh No! That’s horrible! Britannia Coffin is dead! What do you mean she was the victim of a hit and run accident?  In the Kitchen Island parking lot. Oh Dear! Now the whole competition is up in the air.

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure’s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Posted on

Divabetic New Product Spotlight: Tessie’s Teas

Rose Hall is the founder of Tessie’s Teas, a company that pays homage to the wisdom passed down from her mother and celebrates her love of tea. She was our guest on October’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

Q: You worked for 20-years as a mental health therapist and social worker. Tell us about that experience: 

RH: I always felt that helping others in life’s most difficult situations is my calling. I worked in the department of psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, the Bronx, with dual diagnosis clients, who had mental health diagnosis and drug dependency. Through the years, I also worked with teens and children with behavior issues and situations of neglect. I found out that is heartbreaking gut-wrenching work.

Q: What inspired you to start a new career as an entrepreneur after you retired? 

RH: The positions I have held over 25 years have been overwhelmingly stressful, I was burnt out, I know my life’s purpose is to help people, but I needed to do it in a different way. I am an avid tea drinker who learned at an early age the benefits that can be derived from drinking herbs, spices, and roots. 

Q: Tell about your mother, growing up in Jamaica, and the Caribbean tradition of tea drinking that inspired you to start Tessie’s Teas. 

RH: We lived with my great grandmother who drank tea every day, all day it seemed. Any ailment, she had a tea for that. She would go out and pick some bushes and boil them and tell you to drink it down and you would be better that day or the next day depending on the symptoms. I watched her live a productive life well into her 90’s, and my grandfather drinking different teas daily lived to be 107. So, these personal experiences are the reason why I believe in drinking tea.

Q: Describe your teas – flavors, etc. and your two flagship all-natural teas with no additives, no preservatives, and no caffeine.

RH: We provide ginger rolled in honey with a little cane sugar to help with the crystallization process and have mint infused with raw cane sugar. Ginger and mint have many medicinal health benefits. They have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, digestive, and anti-viral aids while helping to boost the immune system. Mint helps with weight loss because it’s a natural appetite suppressant. I find if I drink a cup of mint tea before I eat, I eat less and feel full faster. We have customers who report losing weight from drinking our mint tea. The teas are instant – just add water, stir and enjoy. There are no additives, no preservatives, and no caffeine and they are healthy, delicious, and convenient.

Q: You traveled to over 10 countries sourcing tea and gaining an understanding of the tea business. Tell us about your experience.

RH: My best adventure was in Sri Lanka, which border’s India. My driver came to pick me up around 5:00 am because it’s a long trip up the mountain to the tea gardens. On the way up we passed an elephant orphanage in a rock quarry and experienced a remarkable scene when one of the elephants tripped on a rock and fell. The other elephants walked over to the fallen one and got done on their knees, used their shoulders as a team to push him up until he was standing again. It was amazing, I thought to myself imagine if all humans did that for each other, what would this world be like?

Q: How can people purchase your teas? 

RH: We have a website: www.tessiestea.com We’re also, on Etsy and Amazon.  

 

We’re talking about the symptoms, causes and prevention of stroke with musical inspiration from Angela Bofill  on this episode of Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the US. As many as 5 to 14 percent of stroke survivors have a second stroke within one year.

Angela Bofill suffered two strokes but neither stroke could take away her positive, humorous personality and her fighter spirit. After she lost the ability to sing, she returned to the stage for “The Angela Bofill Experience” in which she skillfully narrated her life story, while her band and other singers .

Podcast guests include Angela Bofill, Catherine Schuller, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Neva White DNP, CRNP- BC, CDE, and Rose Hall from Tessie’s Teas.

 

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Tea Party with special guests, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, Tessie’s Teas’ owner Rose Hall and Harlem Heaven’s Hats owner Evetta Petty on Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

FREE REGISTER – REGISTER NOW 

 

Posted on

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 1

It’s a bright and sunny morning on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Part of what makes Nantucket a unique historic gem is its place on the map; as Herman Melville wrote in Moby-Dick, it is “away offshore.” Max has just returned from running an errand to join his friends in a small prep kitchen overlooking the beach. He and our team are busy doing food prep for his new recipe for Nantucket’s Decadent Desserts on Deck Baking Competition. Everyone is hoping that Max will stay out of trouble long enough to win the cash prize with one of his healthy dessert recipes.  

Tonya: Hey Max, now that you’re back from your shopping errand, let’s take these aprons off and go sightseeing!

Max: There’s no time, I’ve got to prepare for the competition. Mom, can you turn on the oven?

Tonya: You mean we travelled all this way to Nantucket just to be stuck in a kitchen?

Patricia: He’s only here to escape the bad press surrounding Sweet Sally Buttercup’s murder.

MaryAnn: And to prove he’s a serious baker.

Mama Rose Marie: And not a deranged killer, isn’t that right, dear?

Max: Those wouldn’t be my exact words, Mom!

Tonya: Sweet Sally took one sip of your kale hot cocoa and dropped dead. Big deal!

Max: We’ve gone over this. It wasn’t me. A lunatic poisoned my kale hot cocoa. I didn’t kill her.

Tonya: Details, details. Why do you insist on splitting hairs? You’re notorious! There’s even a ‘Killer Cocoa’ Twitter account dedicated to your mishaps.

MaryAnn: Yeah, it has 5 million followers.

Max: That’s precisely why I registered under a different name: Bartholomew Maxwell. I’m keeping my true identity a secret so they’ll judge me on my recipe and not my ‘notorious’ reputation.

Patricia: Running away from your past is a big mistake. It always catches up with you.

MaryAnn: Besides, someone is bound to recognize you – your picture’s been all over the media.

Max: Not if I compete in this costume – dressed as a pirate.

Patricia: Wait a minute! You think changing your name and wearing that stuffed parrot on your shoulder along with that eye patch, wig and beard can keep you out of trouble?

Max: It couldn’t hurt. My Fruit Suit is like a magnet for murder! Besides this competition is on an old pirate ship. I’ll blend in.

Mama Rose Marie: Son, you have finally lost your marbles. What do you think, Tonya?

Tonya: I think if he’s going to walk around dressed like Blackbeard, we should all get to dress up and change our names. This recipe of yours better be dee-licious.

Max: I’m packing all the flavor of a classic key lime pie into my dairy and gluten free, vegan recipe with a pecan pie crust!

Patricia: Smart ingredients! Pecans are low in carbs and can also reduce the risk of heart disease.

MaryAnn: Plus, they’re high in fiber and contain lots of vitamins and minerals.

Tonya: First of all, Max, it’s “pecawns” not “peecans”. And, it sounds way too healthy to win a Decadent Dessert competition.

Patricia: Well, many desserts contain butter and dark chocolate which are low in carbohydrates.

MaryAnn: But they can also have loads of sugar and flour, which are high in carbohydrates. There are healthy carbs—ones that are high in fiber and low in sugar, like fruits and vegetables—and then, the not-so-healthy carbs.

Tonya: What about rice, potatoes and flour? My sister-in-law won’t go near any white foods.

MaryAnn: Rice, potatoes and flour can still be part of a healthy diet. The key is moderation. And potato skins are a great source of potassium and fiber.

Max: Who cares about potato skins?  My pie crust is made out of finely chopped pecans that are loaded with nutrients. That’s why I ran out to buy a food processor. It’s going to help cut down on my prep time.

Tonya: You didn’t wear this disguise out in public, did you?

Max: No, I stopped by a costume shop on my way back. Luckily no one recognized me at the local baking store. You wouldn’t believe the outrageous prices!  Good thing, I got a deal. Actually it’s a weird story. This eccentric lady with ski poles sold me this brand new food processor right out of her trunk.

Mama Rose Marie: What was she doing with ski poles in the middle of summer!?

Max: Beats me. But she was a real lifesaver! Since someone, dropped voice (Tonya!) forgot to pack mine!

Tonya: Eccentric sounds about right if she was selling food processors out of her trunk!

Max: She told me she wins a new one every year in the Decadents Dessert competition. Enough chit chat. I’ve got to soak these cashews for the pie filling before we leave.

Tonya: You mean we finally get to explore the island, Max?

Max:  No, we’re meeting up with all the other competitors at a Peggy the Perky Pie Princess’s baking seminar. She’s famous for preventing baking disasters.

Tonya: Can she prevent your type of disasters?

TO BE CONTINUED

Posted on

Divabetic Mystery Phrase #34

Can you solve Divabetic’s Mystery Phrase #34?

Our phrase is one of the primary functions of your kidneys.

Kidneys have many jobs besides filtering blood. They also make urine to keep bones healthy and make a hormone that controls the production of red blood cells. The kidneys also help regulate blood pressure, the level of salts in the blood, and the acid-base balance (the pH) of the blood.

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% percent of new cases according to the National Kidney Foundation. Current research suggests that control of high blood pressure is a key factor in slowing this disease.

How Diabetes Is Linked To Kidney Failure

Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Over time, poorly managed blood sugars can cause damage to blood vessel clusters in your kidneys that filter waste from your blood. This can lead to kidney damage and cause high blood pressure. If they are damaged, waste and fluids build up in your blood instead of leaving your body.

When your kidneys fail, dialysis keeps your body in balance by: removing waste, salt and extra water to prevent them from building up in the body. keeping a safe level of certain chemicals in your blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate. helping to control blood pressure.

Tips for Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy

  • Check your blood pressure regularly and keep it below 140/90 mm/Hg, but check with your health care provider for your appropriate target. Talk to your doctor about medicines and other ways to lower your blood pressure.
  • Stay in your target cholesterol range.
  • Eat foods lower in sodium.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables.
  • Stay physically active.
  • Take your medications as directed.

If you have diabetes:

  • Meet blood sugar targets as often as you can.
  • Have an A1c test at least twice a year, but ideally up to four times a year. An A1c test measures the average level of blood sugar over the past three months.

 

We’re talking about the link between hypertension and kidney function on this episode of Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from Angela Bofill.

Podcast guests include Angela Bofill, Catherine Schuller, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Neva White DNP, CRNP- BC, CDE, and Rose Hall from Tessie’s Teas.

Throughout the podcast we will feature music from Angela Bofill’s albums Angie and Angel of the Night courtesy of SONY Music.

Posted on

How To Correctly Monitor Your Blood Pressure At Home

“When you have high blood pressure your heart is working overtime, all the time, “says Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDE on October’s Diabetes Late NIte podcast. “Measuring your blood pressure is one of the best  non invasive tests that we have available to give us a window into how well the heart is actually functioning.”

The American Heart Association recommends home monitoring for all people with high blood pressure to help the healthcare provider determine whether treatments are working. Home monitoring (self-measured blood pressure) is not a substitute for regular visits to your physician.

How to use a home blood pressure monitor

Be still. Don’t smoke, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise within 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Empty your bladder and ensure at least 5 minutes of quiet rest before measurements.

Sit correctly. Sit with your back straight and supported (on a dining chair, rather than a sofa). Your feet should be flat on the floor and your legs should not be crossed. Your arm should be supported on a flat surface (such as a table) with the upper arm at heart level. Make sure the bottom of the cuff is placed directly above the bend of the elbow. Check your monitor’s instructions for an illustration or have your healthcare provider show you how.

Measure at the same time every day. It’s important to take the readings at the same time each day, such as morning and evening. It is best to take the readings daily however ideally beginning 2 weeks after a change in treatment and during the week before your next appointment.

Take multiple readings and record the results. Each time you measure, take two or three readings one minute apart and record the results using a printable (PDF) or online tracker. If your monitor has built-in memory to store your readings, take it with you to your appointments. Some monitors may also allow you to upload your readings to a secure website after you register your profile.

Don’t take the measurement over clothes.

Photo by Hush Naidoo on Unsplash

Why keep a blood pressure journal?

One blood pressure measurement only tells what your blood pressure is at that moment. A diary of multiple readings taken over time provides a better picture of your blood pressure that can help you partner with your physician to ensure that your treatments  to lower high blood pressure  (HBP or hypertension) are working.

If you have been prescribed medication to lower your blood pressure, don’t stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor, even if your blood pressure readings are in the normal range during home monitoring.

Posted on

Being Heart Healthy Doesn’t Have To Be A Drag!

Beloved Drag Queen Mutha Chucka, who is known for splashy costumes, striking hair and makeup, and humorous, politically pointed performances, is using her flair to promote heart health.

Back in 2016, Mutha Chucka landed in the hospital with a heart problem. Doctors diagnosed cardiomyopathy and “basically told me I was on death’s door,” Mutha recalled.

Today, Mutha Chucka exercises and eats lots of vegetables and not much red meat. Mutha, 58, is mindful of his family history of cardiovascular diseases. His grandmother had a stroke; both of his parents have high blood pressure; and his father has had high cholesterol and a heart attack treated with a stent.

As he strives to live a healthy life, he urges others to, as well. Mutha makes a point to educate the community about LGBTQ health and heart disease risk through charities, drag shows and online events.

“I just encourage everyone to take the best care of themselves,” he said. “It’s part of the persona of Mutha. I’m always telling everyone what to do.”

 

We’re talking about ‘HEART HEALTH & DIABETES‘ with musical inspiration from the rock band “Heart” on this episode of Divabetic’s popular Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults without diabetes.

People with insulin resistance or diabetes in combination with one or more of these risk factors are at even greater risk of heart disease or stroke. However, by managing their risk factors,  people with diabetes may avoid or delay the development of heart and blood vessel disease.

Guests include Author of ‘Nutrition & You’ Dr. Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, Glucose SOS founder Pamela Heyward and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Heart’s “The Essential Heart” album courtesy of SONY Music

Proudly powered by WordPress