Diva TalkRadio – Page 37

11/24/2021

Do You Feel Lucky Or Fortunate?

We prefer the word fortunate rather than lucky. Lucky sounds like you have no part in it. It’s the luck of the draw or the random stop of the wheel on a slot machine. Fortunate seems more appreciative as well as more participatory.

Think about it. If you blame yourself for all the negative things that happen in your diabetes life, then should you take responsibility for the good things that happen too?

Recently, I was speaking with one of my favorite diabetes educators, Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDCES, FAND PhD. She mentioned that humans are much more conditioned to recall negative experiences than positive ones in life. This has something to do with our body’s need to keep us safe from harm.

Janis told me that we have to practice emphasizing compliments, positive things, and the good moments that happen in our lives.

So if you’re beating yourself up about unexpected high and low blood sugars, weight gains, and/or experiencing a diabetes health-related complication – stop! Instead, take a minute a remind yourself about something positive that happened in your day. Take a deep breath, reset yourself, so you’re setting yourself up for a more nurturing outcome.

There’s a chance in everything we do—and don’t do. But we also believe that good fortune favors an open mind. At some level, we create our lives and what we bring into it—at least most of it. So we’d like to encourage you to practice gratefulness. And we wish you good fortune. Happy Thanksgiving!

We’re talking about diabetic macular edema with musical inspiration from Maxwell.

Along with fellow musicians D’Angelo and Erykah Badu, Maxwell has been credited with helping to shape what has been termed the “neo-soul” movement that rose to prominence during the late 1990s

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is an accumulation of fluid in the macula-part of the retina that controls our most detailed vision abilities due to leaking blood vessels. In order to develop DME, you must first have diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Poorly controlled blood sugar is a risk factor. Early symptoms include floaters, blurriness, dark areas of vision, and difficulty perceiving colors. Blindness can occur.

Guests include singer Alfa Anderson, Diabetic Macular Edema patient Maryanne Kass, Artist Bryce Chisholm, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks, and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring selected songs from several of Maxwell’s albums courtesy of SONY Music.

11/23/202111/23/2021

Free Baking Party with The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Register now for Divabetic’s free Holiday-themed Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 2021, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom. One lucky participant received a free Splenda Gift Basket featuring a variety of their products.

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 traditional bakery items.

Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef captured the hearts and the taste buds of our attendees on Divabetic’s free Baking Party in September. She returns to demonstrate how to make sugar-free Linzer tarts on December’s Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom.

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?

Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic hosts this free, fun Virtual Holiday-themed Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

REGISTER – FREE REGISTRATION

11/12/2021

Once In A Blue Moon Program Recap & Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic presented Divabetic’s Once In a Blue Moon program on Zoom. This free, fun-filled, informative hour of diabetes outreach featured presentations from Maryann Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller.

Wendy Satin Rapaport, aka The Diabetes Psyche, shared strategies to help us overcome negative feelings related to judgment and stigma. Dr. Wendy encourages us to use a technique called positive reframing. Positive reframing involves thinking about an adverse or challenging situation in a more positive way. Rather than contemplating feelings of frustration and helplessness, look at your situation with fresh eyes. For example, instead of saying, “I’d did something bad,” when looking at the number on your glucose meter, say, “Oh, this is helpful information.” Suppose you’re in a situation you truly can’t change. In that case, you can reframe your thoughts and change how you feel about it by finding benefits in the situation you face. She also encouraged us to find humor in our daily diabetes lives. When you’re looking for benefits, it doesn’t mean you gloss over negatives; you simply notice positives as well and focus on them.

MaryAnn Nicolay spotlighted the benefits of adding winter squashes (butternut, acorn, pumpkin, and spaghetti) to your meal plan. Winter squashes contain LOTS of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In addition, they can promote heart and eyes health, lower risks of some cancers, and help with high blood pressure.

Below is the Creamy Butternut Squash Soup recipe from MaryAnn Nicolay’s presentation.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe from Robin Blair-Ackinson MPH

Ingredients

2 Butternut Squash, medium

2 Granny Smith Apples

2 cups Vanilla Almond Milk (or Soy Milk)

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp Ground Ginger (optional)

Directions:

Peel and dice squash and apples
Season squash with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
Roast squash and apples on a roasting pan for 40-45 minutes in a 425-degree oven
Heat milk to just below boiling
Place squash and apples in a blender. Slowly add milk. If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little vegetable stock.
Return to pot and add spices. Simmer until hot

Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller helped us to determine which style and type of blue jeans work with our figures. The blue circle is a symbol for World Diabetes Day, November 14, 2021. In addition, the blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.

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?

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic hosts this free, fun Virtual Holiday-themed Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 2021, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

During this virtual Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef will prepare a holiday Sugar-Free Dessert recipe and share expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and flours in your favorite holiday recipes.

Over 120 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party 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 traditional bakery items.

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

10/23/2021

The Making of the FANDROSS Take You Out Cautiously Chic Remix

I had a great time working with my Luther Vandross family on this remake of Luther’s hit song, Take You Out, to encourage others to take the necessary precautions.

The concept popped into my head when Keith Anthony Fluitt mentioned that one of his favorite Luther songs is Take You Out. My immediate reply was, “we should update the lyrics to reflect what was happening with the pandemic.”

A few days later, I was hosting our weekly FANDROSS zoom call. At the end of the session, we took turns pitching project ideas. When it was my turn, I pitched the idea of remaking Take You Out. I shared how I wanted to change some of the lyrics to emphasize COVID precautions. Keith jumped in and said he would do it, and shortly after, everyone agreed to participate.

The next thing I knew, Ivan Hampden Jr. had created a track for us to work with. Then, to my complete surprise, I was gifted the fantastic experience of songwriting with Lisa Fischer!! We collaborated over the phone. I texted Lisa my initial lyric ideas, she sang them back, and then we tweaked and altered them as needed.

Lisa, Ivan, and I played the track and shared new lyrics with everyone in the next zoom session.

From there, Keith, Kevin Owens, and Clayton Bryant took turns singing the lead, and Lisa Fischer, Alfa Anderson, Tawatha Agee, and Cindy Mizelle sang the backgrounds.

Once the song was finished, we were challenged with how to share it. Everyone wanted to do a video, but New York City’s health protocols prevented us from getting together. I decided to take a stab at producing a video by myself. I ran around the streets of New York shooting videos on my i-Phone. FANDROSS producer and longtime Divabetic collaborator Leisa Chester Weir provided me with royalty-free videos I altered in iMovie.

Of course, none of it would have happened with the love and support of Luther’s niece, FANDROSS CEO, Seveda Williams. Seveda heard my initial idea and loved it. She fully supported the project from the jump. You can’t ask for a better friend!

It will always be an honor and privilege to support and continue Luther’s musical legacy. I feel so fortunate to have known and worked for such a musical genius. Luther Vandross was SO AMAZING.

Enjoy our chic FANDROSS twist on one of Luther’s iconic songs, Take You Out as we urge you and your loved ones to take the necessary precautions to stay safe.

Take You Out written by Warryn Campbell, Harold Lilly, and John Smith

Lead Vocals: Keith Anthony Fluitt, Kevin Owens, Clayton Bryant

Backing Vocals: Lisa Fischer, Cindy Mizelle, Tawatha Agee, Alfa Anderson Music Remix: Ivan Hampden, Jr.

Vocal Arrangements: Lisa Fischer

Mixer: Aaron Whitby

Luther Vandross Archival Footage: Thornworld

Hats & Masks Images: Harlem Heaven’s Hats

Revised Lyrics: Max Szadek, Lisa Fischer

Video Compilation: Leisa Chester Weir, LGK Marketing

Video Production: Max Szadek

FANDROSS CEO: Seveda Williams

10/20/2021

What’s Eating You?

It happens to most of us now and then, or at least on Thanksgiving. We eat way too much and wind up feeling overly stuffed, bloated, and sleepy.

If you regularly feel these uncomfortable symptoms after an average meal, you may be overeating.

Overeating may occur when food becomes the constant emotional crutch and support. As a result, some of us turn away food during a time of great stress or sadness or use it as a source of comfort.

Mindless eating can be a culprit too. For example, suppose you’re dining while browsing your social media feed. In that case, you could be disconnected from hunger and fullness cues and fullness cues. This type of mindless eating ends in overeating.

Recognize why you overeat – get in touch with your past and handle the feelings that trigger your eating problems. Seek help. We believe in you!

Have you noticed that you reach for food when you’re feeling stressed, bored, lonely, mad, or sad?

When your habit is to use food instead of paying attention to what these emotions are trying to tell you about your underlying needs, those needs go unmet. And of course, those unmet needs will continue to drive emotional eating!

Dr. Michelle May is a doctor, mindful eating expert, and author who helps people to overcome cycles of senseless yo-yo dieting and resolve mindless and emotional eating.

Listen to Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast.

Other guests include 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’.

10/17/202110/17/2021

Mr. Divabetic Raises Awareness for Diabetes At The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic visits the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, CA.to raise awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way. At Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Mr. Divabetic talks to some of the world’s most famous celebrities and plays his new food game, Serve, Taste or Trash.

Which food would you serve, which food would you taste and which food would you trash if your choices were: mushrooms, mangos, and broccoli?

The Chinese Theatre in Hollywood is the most famous movie theatre in the world. Millions of visitors flock here each year, most of them drawn by its legendary forecourt with its footprints of the stars. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre opened over 70 years ago, with the 1927 debut of the original silent version of “King of Kings,” produced by Cecil B. DeMille. Since then, the Chinese Theatre has been the site of more gala Hollywood movie premieres than any other movie theater.

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?

In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic presents its Once In a Blue Moon program. This free, fun-filled, informative hour of diabetes outreach is intended to rejuvenate and reignite your attitude. The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, Maryann Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller share expert ways to expand food choices, add sparkle, and boost spirits.

So have some fun spending time with us during our Once in A Blue Moon program on Thursday, November 11, 2021, 7 – 8 PM EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW – FREE PROGRAM

10/15/2021

Why We Need Weight-Neutral Approach For Diabetes Management

Plus-size Fashion and Travel Blogger, LGBTQ+ Influencer Alysse Dalessandro Santiago shares how seeking out a weight-neutral doctor’s approach helped her improve her diabetes self-care on October’s Divabetic Podcast with music from Carly Simon.

Alysse says, “It’s taken me a long time to be my own healthcare advocate and challenge the pervasive narrative around plus-size or larger-bodied people living with type 2 diabetes.”

Alysse told her doctor, “I am here for diabetes management. I understand that you have been trained to look at my weight as an indicator of my health. But I look at my A1C as an indicator of my health, so can we focus on that?”

She encourages other plus-size and larger-bodied people to advocate for their diabetes health. “Doctors are there to help and care for you. Their job is to care for you as an individual. When a doctor looks at you as a number on a chart or on the scale, they’re not looking at you as an individual. So if you don’t feel like they are listening to you, then you need to leave and find someone else.”

Alysse’s proactive approach to finding a weight-neutral doctor paid off! Finally, she can focus on the tools she needs to have tighter blood sugar management than the scale numbers. One self-care tool that she loves is the FreeStyle Libre Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) System. Alysse says the FreeStyle Libre has helped her to lower her A1C from 11 to a 7. But that’s not all! An added bonus of using the FreeStyle Libre for Alysse has been avoiding triggers related to her binge eating disorder.

“The FreeStyle Libre holds me accountable and tunes me in.” She adds, “The FreeStyle Libre’s alarms make me say, Hey, I emotionally feel like I want to eat, but physically I’m not actually hungry. My blood glucose levels are high, and I should not be eating right now. I’m emotionally hungry. What else can I do to self-soothe?“

The “weight-neutral” movement: a therapeutic approach to improving the health of individuals by focusing less on BMI and more on lifestyle behaviors. Studies suggest weight cycling is more strongly linked with specific adverse health outcomes than having an obese BMI. If your doctor’s appointments start and end with a phrase like: “You need to lose weight,” maybe it’s time to find a new doctor.

*The A1C test—also known as the hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c test—is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months.

Plus-Size Fashion and Tavel Blogger, LGBTQ+ Influencer, Alysse Dalessandro Santiago guests on Divabetic’s October podcast with musical inspiration from Carly Simon. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

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?

So have some fun spending time with us during our Once in A Blue Moon program on Thursday, November 11, 2021, 7 – 8 PM EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW – FREE PROGRAM

10/13/202110/13/2021

Toni Braxton Shatters Expectations on Fox’s Masked Singer

One of the redeeming qualities of the TV Show, The Masked Singer is that vocalists have the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and perform songs that aren’t necessarily expected.

For example, Toni Braxton as ‘Pufferfish’ performs Doja Cat‘s “Say So” in this YouTube clip and blows the minds of the judges and crowds. In a perfect world, vocalists wouldn’t have to put on masks to avoid being pigeonholed by skin color, gender, and/or age. But, maybe record executives also need to open their eyes and see that many artists’ talents and abilities far exceed the small boxes of playlist formats and music genres.

Fox Networks’ The Mask Singer is a celebrity talent-based program where celebrity contestants’ fates are determined by the audience. Unfortunately, Toni Braxton was quickly eliminated from the season premiere but not before a stellar performance of Dua Lipa‘s hit “Levitating”.

https://youtu.be/S8xl_kt_vHY

Our good friend, Lisa Fischer, gives new life to Rolling Stones’ ‘Gimme Shelter’ and Led Zepplin songs when she performs them in concert. Simply amazing!

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner Toni Braxton has sold over 70 million records and is one of the best-selling R&B artists of all time. Her music and courageous fight with multiple health conditions inspires this episode of Divabetic’s monthly podcast.

When Toni Braxton was first diagnosed with systemic lupus in 2008, her doctors told her that she would need a heart transplant and might not ever perform again.

“I remember being petrified,” she said. “I was scared. I didn’t know anything about lupus.”

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect the joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels. It can also lead to heart disease and kidney disease.

Insulin resistance is increased in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Insulin resistance occurs when excess glucose in the blood reduces the ability of the cells to absorb and use blood sugar for energy. This increases the risk of developing prediabetes, and eventually, type 2 diabetes.

Divabetic podcast guests include Dr. Sara Reece, PharmD – NGMC, GME, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Keith Anthony Fluitt, and Sonya Hogans. Hosted by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.

10/11/2021

We’re Ready To Stare with Alysse Dalessandro Santiago on October’s Divabetic Podcast

Do you feel like the whole world is judging you for being plus-size and living with type 2 diabetes?

Alysse Dalessandro Santiago is brimming with confidence. She is a fierce diabetes advocate who is outspoken about her experience living with type 2 diabetes and depression.

Alysee joins us on Divabetic’s October podcast to talk about how the Freestyle Libre 2 helps her to keep confident about managing her diabetes on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, at 6 PM, EST.

Alysse Dalessandro Santiago may be one of Instagram’s hottest influencers as a lifestyle and travel expert but that doesn’t mean she has it made in the shade. “Every day I wake up and take my medication and try to walk into the day with a new positive outlook. Having depression definitely makes that a challenge some days. And having diabetes makes me want to check out from everything. I’m not going to let diabetes or depression steal my shine!”, says Alysse.

We’re talking about how to get over the fear and anxiety about speaking publically about your diabetes and related health issues (including depression and sleep apnea) with musical inspiration from Carly Simon.

Grammy winner Carly Simon has recorded over 30 albums, won two Grammies, and an Academy Award. Carly Simon managed to accomplish her dreams by overcoming severe stuttering and painful migraines to achieve her success. When I was a young child,” Carly Simon has revealed, “I had a stammer. And the only time it went away was when I sang. One day, my mother said to me, ‘Don’t speak it, sing it.’ And that’s what I did.”

Leading advocates share their journeys and tools that help them: FreeStyle Libre 2 App, CPAP machines, and a new line of baked good mixes, TruEats.

The FreeStyle Libre system measures glucose levels through a small sensor applied to the back of your upper arm. It provides real-time glucose readings for up to 10 days, both day and night.

Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you might have sleep apnea.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. A CPAP machine uses a hose and mask or nosepiece to deliver constant and steady air pressure.

TruEats Baking Mixes have 1g of Sugar or Less + Complex (Good) Carbs for great-tasting, steady energy that’s diabetic friendly. Guests include Marten Carlson, Alysse Dalessandro Santiago, Surinder and Daven Kumar, and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES.

October’s Divabetic podcast features music from Carly Simon’s Coming Around Again album courtesy of SONY Music.

09/28/202109/28/2021

A Christmas Peril Debuts on Thursday, September 30, 2021

Join us for Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcast, A Christmas Peril, scheduled for this Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 6 PM, EST. This year’s live mystery drama stars 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.

Here’s a Short Synopsis:

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge, named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic along with our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

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.

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.

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