New Product Alert: Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes

Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes are a delicious meal or snack replacement with no added sugar! With 60% more protein and a cleaner label than other shakes, Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes deliver the nutrition you need to help manage your blood sugar.

These shakes contain a unique blend of slow-digesting carbohydrates, quality protein and healthy fat in each 8-ounce serving, which several leading registered dietitians suggest may help you manage your blood sugars – and help reduce blood sugar spikes, too.

Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes are sweetened with zero-calorie Splenda sucralose and are packed with protein from microfiltered milk protein, a high-quality protein that, due to filtration, is higher in protein and lower in milk sugar than traditional milk.

Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes contain 60% more protein than many of the leading shakes; specifically, each 8-ounce shake provides 170 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrate, 16 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber.

“They taste really good! I’ve never found any meal replacement products to be effective for me in the past. However, these shakes actually do seem to work as appetite suppressants for me,” wrote C. Spurgeon on Amazon.

“I compare the taste to Glucerna and it isn’t as good. I assume it meets the nutritional requirements for diabetes and it is less expensive than Glucerna,” wrote Judy J. on Amazon.

Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes Are Available in 3 flavors:

Milk Chocolate: a rich and velvety chocolate profile

French Vanilla:  a perfect smooth and creamy milkshake

Strawberry Banana:  a tasty balance of both strawberry and banana.

Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes are grab-and-go breakfast option and/or a snack in-between meals.

 

 

 

Enjoy Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcast Anniversary Special with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”– Ms. Patti LaBelle. She’s encouraging you to have a ‘NEW ATTITUDE’ about living with diabetes! Guests include: Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OB-GYN, Luther McRae, Mama Rose Marie, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Seveda Williams and Terri Seidman.

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 Virtual Cooking Party with special guest Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ on Zoom on Thursday, August 13, 2020, 7 – 7:40 PM, EST on Zoom.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but you do want to make healthier food choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are heavy in nutrition but light in calories.

During this virtual Cooking Party on Zoom, Chef Robert Lewis will prepare a recipe that won’t compromise your diabetes wellness.

Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic, is a nationally recognized author and motivational speaker who is passionate about helping people learn to live a healthier lifestyle. Chef Lewis graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 1976. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1998. Thus began his motivation to create great tasting dishes that are easy to prepare. He travels the country speaking on the benefits of healthy eating not only for people affected by diabetes, but also for anyone who would like to eat and live a healthy lifestyle. 

REGISTER NOW – IT’S FREE 

Don’t Miss Divabetic’s Virtual Cooking Party with Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’

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 Virtual Cooking Party with special guest Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ on Zoom on Thursday, August 13, 2020, 7 – 7:40 PM, EST on Zoom.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but you do want to make healthier food choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are heavy in nutrition but light in calories.

During this virtual Cooking Party on Zoom, Chef Robert Lewis will prepare a recipe that won’t compromise your diabetes wellness.

Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic, is a nationally recognized author and motivational speaker who is passionate about helping people learn to live a healthier lifestyle. Chef Lewis graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 1976. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1998. Thus began his motivation to create great tasting dishes that are easy to prepare. He travels the country speaking on the benefits of healthy eating not only for people affected by diabetes, but also for anyone who would like to eat and live a healthy lifestyle. 

REGISTER NOW – IT’S FREE 

 

Enjoy Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcast Anniversary Special with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”– Ms. Patti LaBelle. She’s encouraging you to have a ‘NEW ATTITUDE’ about living with diabetes! Guests include: Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OB-GYN, Luther McRae, Mama Rose Marie, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Seveda Williams and Terri Seidman.

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Thirty One

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 31, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Maria Callas from January 2020.  We’re talking about ways to help minimize the drama in our daily diabetes lives.

Maria Callas changed the way we listen to opera—and charged the ambition of the singers who followed her.  Her ability to interpret a wide variety of different roles truly set her apart, establishing her as a phenomenon, an operatic diva. She was able to fully exploit the dramatic strength of her low vocal range as much as the high and bright notes of her high range.

Opera takes any type of dramatic story and tries to make it more exciting and more believable with the help of music. Symptoms and situations related to diabetes are often dramatic and come on very suddenly. But how do you react to them? Are you ‘drama queen’?

If there’s drama in multiple areas of your diabetes life, be honest with yourself—you’re the constant. Are you creating it? We don’t do anything repeatedly unless there’s something in it for us, so, what’s the payoff?

Every time we find ourselves immersed in something that seems overwhelming, we have an opportunity to learn how to deal with challenges better.

Guests include Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, Lorraine Brooks, American Heart and American Diabetes Association’s Know Diabetes By Heart Ambassador Rob Taub, Yoga for Diabetes Author and Director Rachel Zinman and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN,CDE.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Grandiose Stimmen: Maria Callas album courtesy of SONY Music.

 

 

 

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

https://youtu.be/sLcbfF9ypmM

Divabetic Mystery Phrase #27

Can you solve Divabetic’s Mystery Phrase #27? Our phrase is a great way to save time and money, as well as stay on track with your diabetes self-care goals.

Are you struggling with achieving your diabetes wellness goals?

Maybe you should consider planning your meals ahead of time. Experts agree that’s one of the key strategies for successful weight loss and/or tighter management of blood sugar levels is meal  planning.

If planning a whole week of meals ahead of time seems overwhelming to you then keep in mind that a few things prepared ahead of time will make it easier to eat healthy too.

Set yourself up for a week of delicious lunches without feeling guilty using meal-prep plans.  By prepping a week’s worth of lunches in advance (on Sunday, for example), you’ll avoid foods high in saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugar and calories and set yourself up for a week of diabetes wellness. Assembling meals ahead of time allows you to  portion sizes and ingredients, which can be beneficial if you’re managing a health condition—like type 2 diabetes—or trying to lose weight.
What should you eat? If you have diabetes, you should choose lean proteins, high-fiber, less processed carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables, and low-fat dairy.
Remember, if you weren’t packing any meals, one or two a week is a great start!
Setting small, realistic nutrition goals can also set you up for success. For example, try limiting sugar-filled drinks or setting a max number of days to eat out per week.
A registered dietitian can help you put together a diet based on your health goals, tastes and lifestyle. He or she can also talk with you about how to improve your eating habits, such as choosing portion sizes that suit the needs for your size and activity level.

 

Solving the Mystery of Your A1C 

Many people wonder how their hba1c number relates to their  blood sugar levels. After all, daily diabetes self-care management can be a jumble of numbers: weight, blood sugar levels, carbohydrate counts, fat grams, serving sizes, etc.  Hopefully, this handy chart will provide some clarification.

When it comes to the numbers, there’s no one-size-fits-all target. A1C target levels can vary by each person’s age and other factors, and your target may be different from someone else’s. If you feel your hbA1C number is on a higher side, say over 7 or 8%, do not worry! Knowledge is power. You can lower your hbA1C by creating your own personal self-care plan with your healthcare professional.

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Virtual Cooking Party on Zoom where everything you need to win is within your own home.

Whether you have had diabetes for a long time or have only recently been diagnosed, having a diabetes management plan and supplies in place are essential for living life to the fullest.

Don’t miss Divabetic’s virtual Cooking Party with special guest Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ on Thursday, August 13, 2020, 7 – 7:40 PM, EST on Zoom.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but you do want to make healthier food choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are heavy in nutrition but light in calories.

During this virtual Cooking Party on Zoom, Chef Robert Lewis will prepare a recipe that won’t compromise your diabetes wellness. Register Now

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Thirty

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 30, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s 6th Annual Mystery podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes, from September 2019.

“Our mystery podcast is the culmination of a year’s time spent creating characters, developing  storylines, choosing music and sound effects, and rehearsing with the full cast to educate people about diabetes in a fun, new way,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.

The mystery is set in the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s healthy culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges! Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape.

Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?

The cast of Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes features Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR), The Happy Diabetic Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Jillian Walsh, Wendy Radford, Dave Jones, Lorraine Brooks and Max Szadek.

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

 

 

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Twenty Nine

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 29, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Ricky Martin podcast from June 2019.

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes & Pride’ with musical inspiration from Ricky Martin.

Since Ricky Martin came out in 2010, he’s been a prominent voice for LGBT rights both in the U.S. and in his native Puerto Rico. Ricky Martin said, “I just wanna be free,” upon receiving GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award, which honors gay entertainers who promote equal rights. Martin opened up his life to Vanity Fair in its April 2012 issue and spoke candidly about his twins, Matteo and Valentino, and his longtime partner, Carlos Gonzalez.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall Uprising (June 29, 1969). It is widely considered to be the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement.

Diabetes can have a serious psychological and emotional impact, and can affect self-management as well as the individual’s quality of life.  It has been reported that low levels of self-esteem have been associated with diabetes and diabetes management. Evidence shows that self-esteem can be a key factor influencing health care behaviors.

Low self-esteem is the prime driver of self-harm among gay and lesbian students reports Psychology Today.

For the first time, a new study, “Psychological Correlates of Self-Harm within Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual UK University Students,” reports that low self-esteem may have a bigger influence on self-injury behaviors than depression or anxiety.

How does being gay or bisexual affect your diabetes self-care? And what’s it like to be gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender living with diabetes?

As an openly gay man, Mr. Divabetic is honored to shine the spotlight on members from the LGBTQ+ community living with diabetes. Guests include Stephen Bernstein, Greg Rubin, Maria Salazar, Maya James and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

 

 

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Twenty Eight

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 28, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Aretha Franklin podcast from November 2018.

There are many reasons that Aretha Franklin is the legend of legends, a groundbreaking singer with the fortitude to transcend race and genre, using that tremulous voice as the bulldozer to break down every barrier set up in her way.

Although the Queen of Soul didn’t talk much about her diabetes, she admitted to a local news station in 2014 that she was living with diabetes, but did not specify whether it was type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Later on in another interview reprinted in BlackDoctor.org, she alluded to living with diabetes when she discussed maintaining her 85 pound weight loss.  Aretha Franklin said, “I have diabetes, really, from years ago when I was really badly and grossly overweight. Now, I’m back to my natural size and thrilled about it.”

Aretha’s own health journey is sparking a discussion about the uncertain connection between pancreatic cancer and diabetes. Long-standing diabetes can be considered a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. It causes a modest increase in risk of 1.5- to two-fold. Some of the other risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), family history of pancreatic cancer, obesity and certain genetic syndromes.

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport, Diabetes Strong‘s owner Christel Oerum, Beautyphonics CEO and “Beneath The Makeup” Author Suzanne Perez, Jessica Clark, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Aretha Franklin’s Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics’ courtesy of SONY Music.

 


Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

https://youtu.be/XHsnZT7Z2yQ

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Twenty Seven

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 27, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Patti Austin podcast from July 2018.

Grammy Award-winning Singer Patti Austin is in constant demand globally for live performances, thanks to a legacy of recordings that started in 1955, continued through the ‘60s with success as a teenage R&B star before establishing herself as a mainstay among jazz and soul audiences through her ‘70s recordings.  By the ‘80s, Austin became known to the wider international audience as a result of the Grammy-nominated “Baby Come To Me” and “How Do You Keep The Music Playing”, her early ‘80s classic duets with James Ingram.

In New York, they referred to Patti Austin as the “Queen of Studio” for her singing abilities. When she arrived on set to work for Randy and Michael Brecker, Patti met Luther Vandross for the first time.The moment created a lasting friendship.

“Another thing (besides music) that bonded me to Luther was our weight issues,” she said. The two dialed each other often. “When touring, if we were in the same city, we attended movies together.” “He would usually pick some silly movie like [Scary Movie]” she said, expanding on the personal side of their relationship in a loving, humorous way.

“I had type 2 diabetes,” says the former 285- pound singing sensation. “I had obesity-driven diabetes,” continued the now 140-pound Austin. To reach her new weight, Patti Austin had gastric bypass surgery and the result has been remarkable.

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, Chris Pickering co-founder of ‘The Betes Bros, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and Mama Rose Marie.

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring songs from ‘The Best Of Patti Austin’album courtesy of SONY Music.

 

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Twenty Six

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 26, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Angie Stone from May 2018.

We’re talking about ‘PRE-DIABETES, PCOS & REGAINING YOUR POWER’ with musical inspiration from Angie Stone.

Pre-diabetes means you have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. If you have prediabetes, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is a condition that causes an imbalance of female sex hormones. As a result, women with PCOS often don’t have menstrual periods or only have periods on occasion. It is the number-one cause of female infertility. PCOS causes insulin resistance, the hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

Singer Angie Stone is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, actress and mother. She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1999. “I was always on the go, and thought I was too busy to develop something like this,” Stone said.  “I thought at the time that diabetes went along with bad habits, but I was the last one in my family to eat junk food.”

What she didn’t realize was that she was a perfect candidate for diabetes: She had a family history of diabetes and was fighting weight problems.

“I came to accept my diabetes when I realized just how many people around me, even in my own family, were living with diabetes,” Angie Stone says. “It gave me back a lot of courage to see all these people just like me, going places, involved in normal things, and I became determined to learn what I needed to better manage my diabetes.”

Angie Stone makes questionable reference to diabetes in her song, 2 Bad Habits from 2015.

Just can’t get enough of you, babe
You’re like sweet, brown sugar to a diabetic
Got me overdosing, I’ma need a paramedic

Guests: Poet Lorraine Brooks, PCOS Diva founder Amy Medling, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM- PCOM, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Jeff James and Mama Rose Marie.

Throughout this podcast we will feature songs from ‘Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone’ courtesy of SONY Music.

 

 

 

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Twenty Four

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 24, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Gypsies, Tramps & Peas Mystery Podcast from September 2017.

“I love  so many elements in this show starting with the soundtrack which has so many great songs and the setting, historic Coney Island,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. “Add to that, Catherine Schuller’s wacky nutrition fortune teller character, “Nutrina” from Divabetic’s popular Broomstick Bash healthy Halloween outreach program making an appearance. I also put a lot more of myself into this script. I was on my high school team and I have disliked peas since childhood.  As much as I like to think I’m different from my character, ‘Mr. Divabetic’, we are basically one in the same!”

Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic finally takes the plunge and ventures into a new career as a healthy caterer. With the help of his co-workers and nosy Italian mother, he heads for Coney Island to cater his first party aboard a yacht for his former swim coach, Ted Rockow. But his nautical soiree quickly capsizes when the guest of honor is found swimming with the fishes. What it an accident or foul play? Now Mr. Divabetic’s grilling Burlesque dancers, a lifeguard lothario and some sequined mermaids, all intent on keeping their secrets buried deep within the sand. Can Mr. Divabetic prove Coach’s death was a murder, not an accident? Or will he end up floating out to sea?

Will he sink or swim? Tune in to find out if he can solve the murder of his former swim coach with the help of his friends, some sassy mermaids and a cooky fortune teller. Along the way to revealing the identity of the murderer he uncovers expert tips for diabetes self-care during the Summer months.

USA Today Best-Selling Author, Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Seveda Williams, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, Mama Rose Marie and Poet Lorraine Brooks help the fruit suit clad sleuth in this seaside adventure. Gypsies, Tramps & Peas features music from the original cast recording of ‘Gypsy’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org