Researchers estimate that about 2 out of every 100 people who are infected with Covid-19 will have a new diagnosis of diabetes.
Several studies have found a link between a new diabetes diagnosis and Covid-19 reports CNN.
People who had mild Covid-19 infections in Germany found that they were 28% more likely to have a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes compared with people who were never infected.
Americans who had recovered from Covid-19: a 40% increase in risk at least a year after infection.
It appears the more severe someone’s coronavirus infection was, the higher their risk of diabetes. For people who were treated in the ICU, the risk of diabetes jumped 276%. This connection could be related to the steroids that some patients get while receiving acute care in a hospital setting, which can increase blood sugar levels.
A number of studies suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can attack the beta cells of the pancreas (that produce insulin) and may cause at least temporary harm, if not more permanent harm.
Another theory is that acute inflammation might lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when the body is still making insulin but grows resistant to it and thus cannot respond to it.
“We already are challenged to care for all of the people with diabetes that currently exist. The last thing we need is increasing the numbers,” Dr. Robert Gabbay, chief scientific and medical officer at the American Diabetes Association told CNN.
Words have the power to elevate or tear down someone’s perception of themselves and their diabetes health.
For decades, much of the language around diabetes has been focused on adverse outcomes and laden with judgment and blame without considering individual needs, beliefs, and choices.
On the other hand, encouraging and collaborative messages can enhance health outcomes.
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, and Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, our upcoming Baking Party has been rescheduled for this Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 7 -8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.
We hope you are still able to join us for this free, fun Virtual Mother’s Day-themed Baking Partywith special guests, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.
During this Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a Mother’s Day Sugar-Free Dessert recipe, demonstrates one of her favorite kitchen tools, and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes.
The Diabetic Pastry Chef
One lucky participant will win a Divabetic Gift Basket featuring Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr. Remedy‘s Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, and Peak 10Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream in our random drawing. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawing to win.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Stacey Harris (The Diabetic Pastry Chef) taught herself how to make pound cake, pecan rolls, pies, muffins, cupcakes, and other baked goods with about half the carbs you’d get from a traditional bakery item.
“I started experimenting by using almond milk or whole milk mixed with water to cut down on carbs, then tried different flours, incorporating white whole wheat flour, soy flour, oat flour, black bean flour, and other alternatives into my brownies, cakes, and cookies,” she said in a How 2 Type 2 article.
She adds,” To cut back on sugar, I started using all-natural substitutes, like agave nectar, and trying erythritol. I also bake with a store-bought blend of sugars that tastes delicious.”
The Diabetic Pastry Chef shares her recipes in a fabulous book so that people with type 2 diabetes and others looking for sugar-free treats can make their lower-carb versions of baked goods at home. Her customers frequently say, “I don’t even miss the extra sugar!”
How it works: Once you register, we will send you the unique code to sign in to our Zoom Video feed. You will need a camera. We’ll all get acquainted and share niceties before the baking demonstration begins.
Cost: Free.
Donations are greatly appreciated. Paypal Click HERE Paypal
Mr. Divabetic heads to the Gotham City Ballet Company’s box office to fix a mix-up with his ‘Swan Lake’ tickets and he’s faced with an even bigger problem – a MURDER! To make matters worse, one of his latest culinary creations, a gluten-free cheesecake, seems to be covering the victim’s face. Even more shocking are the numerous scandals swirling around the Gotham City Ballet and its members that have everyone walking around on tiptoes.
Could our happy healthcare host’s wacky culinary skills make him an accessory to the crime or even a possible side dish?
Now Mr. Divabetic with the help of his team of Certified Diabetes Educators, a Best-Selling Mystery Author, and his own nosy Italian Mom must whip up his own crime-solving recipe, and fast–before a hearty dose of intrigue and a deadly dash of danger ends his diabetes advocacy and healthy catering career once and for all.
FEATURING Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Maryann Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, We Are Diabetes Founder Asha Brown, Mama Rose Marie, Chef Robert Lewis (The Happy Diabetic), and Seveda Williams.
Join us for Divabetic’s upcoming free Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom and you’ll be automatically entered into our random drawing for Divabetic’s prize giveaway.
Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings on April 28, 2022. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.
Chandra joined our last virtual Baking Party and won! Like 96 million other American adults she’s living with pre-diabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Take the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s Prediabetes Risk Test NOW.
Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!
How did the lady in red wind up dead at the bottom of the pool on the lush estate of one of the world’s most famous writers? To solve this mystery, we have to step back in time.
SYNOPSIS
On a bright sunny morning, our happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, arrives at the resplendent Beverly Hills estate of NYT Best-Selling Author and Socialite Marjorie Melbourne Blaze. He’s here to deliver the keynote address at the Annual Heart of the Diva Gala on diabetes and women. But he soon learns that a roomful of rich and famous faces is full of way more drama than he had ever expected . . . and now murder. So can Max and our team find the killer before this red carpet event is covered in blood? Divabetic’s story of diabetes mystery and intrigue stresses why it can be deadly to blame others for your heart’s misfortunes.
FEATURING
Max “Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, Lorraine Brooks, We Are Diabetes Founder Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic,’ USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES and Mama Rose Marie. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.
Award-winning gospel singer LaShun Pace has passed away from kidney failure. She was 60 years old.
What Is Kidney Failure?
When your kidneys are damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in your body. That can cause swelling in your ankles, nausea, weakness, poor sleep, and shortness of breath. Without treatment, the damage can worsen, and your kidneys may eventually stop working. That’s serious, and it can be life-threatening.
Acute kidney failure — also called acute renal failure or acute kidney injury — develops rapidly, usually in less than a few days. Acute kidney failure is most common in people who are already hospitalized, particularly in critically ill people who need intensive care.
https://youtu.be/5QNfwXydT18
How Do You Get Kidney Failure?
You have a condition that slows blood flow to your kidneys. As a result, you experience direct damage to your kidneys. As a result, your kidneys’ urine drainage tubes (ureters) become blocked, and wastes can’t leave your body through your urine.
What Are The First Signs Of Kidney Problems?
You’re more tired, have less energy, or have trouble concentrating.
You’re having trouble sleeping.
You have dry and itchy skin.
You feel the need to urinate more often.
You see blood in your urine.
Your urine is foamy.
You’re experiencing persistent puffiness around your eyes.
Kidney failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is when your kidneys have stopped working well enough for you to survive without dialysis or a kidney transplant. Damage to your kidneys cannot be reversed.
LaShun Pace had been on dialysis for several years and was awaiting a kidney.
African Americans are almost four times as likely as Whites to develop kidney failure. While African Americans make up about 13 percent of the population, they account for 35 percent of the people with kidney failure in the United States.
Dialysis is a treatment for people whose kidneys are failing. When you have kidney failure, your kidneys don’t filter blood the way they should. As a result, wastes and toxins build up in your bloodstream. Dialysis does the work of your kidneys, removing waste products and excess fluid from the blood.
LaShun Pace was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007, and in January 2015, she and the Anointed Pace Sisters were honored in their hometown of Atlanta at the 16th Trailblazers of Gospel Music AwardsThe evangelist and singer-songwriter was best known for her song “I Know I’ve Been Changed.”
Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out! Register now for Divabetic’s Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.
Join us for Divabetic’s upcoming free Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom and you’ll be automatically entered into our random drawing for Divabetic’s prize giveaway.
Elizabeth is one of our past prize winners. She was one of 5 Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream winners. This foot cream helps with dryness, cracking, rough heels, and more. Menthol and eucalyptus emit a soothing aroma during application while providing a cooling and refreshing sensation on contact that immediately begins to help ease the look, feel, and discomfort of dry feet. Shea butter is infused into this formula due to its known abundant nourishing benefits. The shea butter helps to add moisture and hydration to your depleted, dry skin. Coconut oil is combined with shea butter to provide additional moisturizing and hydration. It helps to condition the thick bottom skin of the feet. Your feet will thank you!
“Look forward to checking out the Mother’s day virtual party,” says Elizabeth.
Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings on April 28, 2022. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.
Chandra joined our last virtual Baking Party and won! Like 96 million other American adults she’s living with pre-diabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Take the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s Prediabetes Risk Test NOW.
Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!
During our Baking Party, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a Mother’s Day Sugar-Free Dessert recipe, demonstrates her favorite kitchen tools, and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes. Plus, Divabetic Style Icon, Catherine Schuller presents easy ways to add Spring’s hottest colors and accessories to your wardrobe.
Enjoy diva-savings on Peak 10 Skincare. It’s pure, clean, and effective. Peak 10 Skin’s founder, Connie Elder has been a loyal Divabetic supporter for years. She’s participated in several Divabetic outreach programs helping women to boost their confidence about managing their diabetes.
Once you register, we will send you the unique code to sign in to our Zoom Video feed. You will need a camera. We’ll all get acquainted and share niceties before the baking demonstration begins.
Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out! Register now for Divabetic’s Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.
Language has the power to help or hinder our ability to manage diabetes. For example, choosing words that put people first instead of the stigma associated with diabetes.
“I was reluctant to say that “I was diabetic,” says Lorraine Brooks on Divabetic’s March podcast. “I wasn’t really sure I wanted anybody to particularly know. I don’t think I was embarrassed or ashamed. I just kind of felt like it was something that didn’t really concern anyone.”
Lorraine admits that switching terms made a difference. “I realized I can say, “I’m was somebody living with diabetes” instead of “being diabetic.” And just that little change of “I’m somebody with diabetes” just like “I’m somebody with brown eyes” it’s just a part of myself. It’s just another thing about me. It doesn’t have to have any judgment attached to it whatsoever to me or anyone else.”
Another word in diabetes self-care also under scrutiny is ‘control.’ Instead, the word ‘manage’ is being used more often when referring to blood sugars.
“Yes, it was liberating to use the term, manage instead of control,'” says Lorraine. “I manage my diabetes on a day-to-day basis. And sometimes, even though I’m managing it, it’s still out of control.” Lorraine adds, “So I think managing is what you’re doing if you live with this disease. It doesn’t mean you’re always going to be perfect. It just means your dealing with it to the best of your abilities.”
Hear more of Lorraine’s interview on Divabetic’s March podcast. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, and Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.
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 us for Divabetic’s next virtual outreach program.
Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Mother’s Day-themed Baking Party with special guests, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.
Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.
Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!
On Divabetic’s March podcast, Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her latest poem, Judging and Grudging.
Judging and Grudging is about Lorraine’s recent real-life encounter with a podiatrist. “I felt she was quite offensive in her lack of knowledge and her lack of using the appropriate language,” says Lorraine. “She was making judgments about me and how I handled my diabetes.”
Judging and Grudging by Lorraine Brooks
My new podiatrist, who has never met me,
Feels it is her duty to address my diabetes,
Which does not offend me, although her comments make it clear
That she doesn’t “get” me.
She asks for my latest a1c, and the date,
And l dutifully tell her it was just last month,
that l stay on top of my bloodwork every 90 days,
And it’s been hovering around 8.
She doesn’t even look up from my feet
She shakes her head and makes that disapproving face,
While telling me l could “do better”, and l should lose weight
But in that moment, l refused to feel defeat.
I politely said, with all due respect, that statement is offensive
You have not done a history or proper exam,
You are making assumptions about who and what l am,
And your assessment of me is anything but comprehensive.
First of all, l am type 1, not 2,
I’ve had this disease for over 40 years, and yes, it is a struggle.
But l have no complications, and that includes my feet,
And now l feel l must educate you.
Everything in my life is not a result of what you see.
Every medical concern needs to be addressed objectively.
Whatever you would tell someone of average size
Is exactly what you should be telling me.
Pinched nerve? Tell me what to take, what to avoid, help me to cope.
Gastric reflux? Give me some practical advice l can use.
Don’t assume everything is about my size
Meet me where l am. Offer me hope.
Acknowledge that weight is just another statistic
That health, and well-being, are what you prescribe.
Tell me I’m ok without reservation
And examine yourselves to be more realistic.
Mr. Divabetic discusses language’s power to help or harm someone’s ability to manage their diabetes self-care with guests, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, and Lorraine Brooks. March’s musical inspiration is Prince and the New Power Generation. We feature songs from their Love Symbol album to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its release, courtesy of SONY Music.
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, hosts Divabetic’s upcoming free, fun Virtual Mother’s Day-themed Baking Party with special guests, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.
Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to be entered in our gift drawings.
Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!
Traci Braxton, the sister of singer Toni Braxton and “Braxton Family Values” TV show star, passed away after battling cancer in the esophagus.
During the past decade, Traci Braxton was an outspoken diabetes advocate. Most of her comments and confessions about living with diabetes centered around her weight. Like many of us, she had a rollercoaster journey with her weight. But her journey was seen by millions.
If you struggle with managing your weight and/or maintaining a weight loss, you know all too well how challenging that can be. And to have diabetes on top of that can make it doubly difficult. Traci Braxton was no different.
Back in 2018, she said, “I was diagnosed diabetic and didn’t want to take any more pills, so I had to go on this healthy kick.” As a result, she successfully lost 4o pounds. “Now I control it through my diet. Because of that, I am no longer on the pills.”
Years earlier, in 2013, Traci Braxton faced harsh criticism from her sisters about her size. The Braxton sisters confronted her about her weight during a weight-loss intervention. The driving force behind their actions, it seems, was to tell Traci what the extra weight was doing to her health.
In the heat of the moment, Traci was not happy. “I really wanted to punch them in the face,” she said. However, Traci later changed her mind about the confrontation. Later, she made several lifestyle changes to get her health back on track. “I had to really change my eating habits, and it’s [still] a struggle. But my sisters were exactly right,” she admitted showing off her newly slimmed-down figure. She lost thirty-five pounds. “They saw me gaining weight … I developed (type 2) diabetes, high blood pressure, and I was in denial.”
Managing diabetes day in and day out can be a grind. Sometimes family members, friends, and healthcare providers telling you to ‘just lose weight’ doesn’t help or motivate you.
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, getting your diabetes under tighter management is a reasonable first goal without the added extra burden of a weight loss goal. Doing so may mean starting on medicine (including, possibly, insulin), adding a different type of medicine to your regimen, and/or increasing the dose of diabetes medicine that you’re already taking. And, of course, meal planning and physical activity work with your diabetes medicine to help you manage your diabetes, as well.
Our big takeaway from Traci Braxton’s candor regarding diabetes advocacy is that conversations about diabetes shouldn’t start and end with weight loss. There’s much more in play regarding diabetes management than just the number you see on the scale. Maybe it’s time for society to realize there are many ways to manage your diabetes and avoid complications that don’t involve the word ‘diet.’
Gone far too soon, we celebrate Traci Braxton’s life and memory and send our heartfelt condolences to the entire Braxton family during this difficult time.
We’re talking about the power of words to elevate or tear down someone’s perception of themselves and their diabetes health on Divabetic’s podcast scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, and Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.
You can now enjoy our latest Divabetic Mysteries podcast, A Christmas Peril in its entirety (Episodes 1-11), on Facebook, YouTube, and BlogTalkRadio. We pack our annual mystery podcasts with diabetes and diabetes self-care information, a suspenseful mystery, and a few laughs.
Our main character, Mr. Divabetic is perfectly flawed to help us illustrate some of Divabetic’s cornerstone messages.
1. He’s resilient. Minor obstacles like a disastrous recipe or big problems like getting mixed up in murder investigations don’t deter his dreams of becoming the Next Food Network Star.
2. Healthy food doesn’t taste terrible. Unfortunately, Mr. Divabetic hasn’t figured out how to make one of his culinary creations taste good yet, but he has learned from his mistakes.
3. He doesn’t have all the answers, and that’s okay. Instead, he solves problems with the help of a team of friendly, upbeat certified diabetes care and education specialists, friends, and family members.
4. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. Instead, he rolls with the punches and punchlines and keeps his eye on the prize.
Divabetic Mysteries are a team effort that takes almost a year to produce. Each podcast is performed live on-air without interruption.
We have a blast from the initial story outline and first read-through to endless scriptwriting and fact-checking sessions and the final live broadcast! Of course, performing a 60-minute play without interruption is a bit nerve-racking and stressful for our cast of diabetes advocates, educators, authors, musicians, and poets.
Everyone’s afraid to make a mistake or even cough! But it’s also exhilarating to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. We might not be trained actors, but we sure do like pretending to them for an hour!
Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.
Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family, and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Video by Joe Hackney from Pixabay.
In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.
