Grated Summer Squash Salad Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

Everything about this wonderful yellow squash salad recipe from Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND  screams summer and fresh. Enjoy!

Grated Summer Squash Salad

Grated Summer Squash Salad Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

Ingredients

  • 4 medium zucchini or yellow squash (about 40 ounces untrimmed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces)
  • 1/3 cup diced red onion (about 1 1/2 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (about 1/2 ounce)

FULL RECIPE

Jill Weisenberger Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week

Q: Is Summer Squash high or low in carbohydrates?

Jill Weisenberger: “Summer squash is low in calories and carbs, which makes it a great food for folks with diabetes or those looking to manage their weight.”

 Jill Weisenberger’s candid and energetic approach and her sound nutrition and fitness advice has earned her a place as one of 10 Dietitians You Need to Follow on Social Media in US News & World Report. Jill offers healthy and delicious recipe ideas and nutrition strategies and is renowned for disease prevention and management, nutritious, delicious meals, and truths (and myths!) about food trends.

Divabetic Scavenger Hunt: At Home Party

Divabetic Scavenger Hunt & Smoothie Party: At Home Party – Register Now!

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes at risk? 

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free and entertaining, Scavenger Hunt: At Home Party on Thursday, June 18, 2020, 7 PM, EST. This hilarious night of virtual diabetes wellness and conversations features make-your-own smoothies with Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND. 

Having diabetes does not mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but it is about healthy choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables with smoothies. During our online Scavenger Hunt, Jill shares tips for making healthy smoothies without compromising your diabetes wellness.  

When: Thursday, June 18, 7PM, ET 

Where: on Zoom Register Now on Zoom Code

Fee:  Totally Free

 How: Mr. Divabetic will have a list of people may find around their kitchen. Once he posts an item you will have 30 seconds to find it and accumulate points for fun prizes including Jill Weisenberger’s Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week bestselling book. After the hunt, we’ll sit back, laugh, make smoothies and enjoy a toast together until we can do it again in person.  

Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast

 We’re talking about “I Know What You Ate Last Summer” with Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND on Diabetes Late Nite with music from ‘The Best Of Patti Austin’ album courtesy of SONY Music. Addtional guests: Chris Pickering co-founder of ‘The Betes Bros, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Lorranie Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.

Share your thoughts and opinions with us. Take our Listener Survey.

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Stillbirth Risk Higher in Women with Diabetes

Pregnant women with diabetes may be more likely to experience a stillbirth when they have obesity or poorly managed blood sugars, a new study suggests as reported in Reuters Health

Even without these extra health issues, women with diabetes who become pregnant face a four to five times higher risk of stillbirth than women without diabetes researchers note in Diabetologia.

“The question has to be asked whether earlier delivery of diabetic pregnancies could prevent these term stillbirths, but we don’t know the answer to this,” said Dr. Sharon Mackin, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

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Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite Podcast

We’re talking about Secrets to Longevity & Diabetes with musical inspiration from Dionne Warwick. Guests include The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Kitchens of the Great Midwest Author J. Ryan Stradal, Deborah Greenwood PhD, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, FAADE, Fonzi Thornton, Rachel Stahl MS, RD, CDN, CDE, and Lorraine Brooks. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Dionne Warwick’s ‘Dionne’ album featuring I’ll Never Love This Way Again and Deja Vu courtesy of SONY Music.

Undetected Diabetes May Double Risk of Heart Attack

New research finds an intriguing link between undetected blood sugar disorders and the development of heart attacks and severe gum disease.

For decades, researchers have probed the link between gum disease and cardiovascular health. Gum disease begins when plaque builds up around teeth. A completely different type of plaque — made of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in blood — can build up inside arteries. Known as atherosclerosis, this fatty plaque is the hallmark of coronary artery disease.

Photo by Hush Naidoo on Unsplash

The risk of mortality from ischemic heart disease combined with diabetes-related kidney complications is three times higher in people who have both diabetes and severe periodontitis, compared with people who only have diabetes.

“Periodontal disease increases the body’s burden of inflammation,” says periodontist Dr. Hatice Hasturk of the Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute, a not-for-profit research organization focused on oral health. Acute inflammation — which involves an outpouring of immune cells that attack irritants and microbial invaders — fosters healing over the short term.

Gingivitis can turn into periodontal disease if left untreated. The gums become loose around the root of the tooth, creating a gum pocket that gradually deepens. Eventually, the infection and inflammation can cause the tooth to loosen and possibly fall out.

Daily toothbrushing and flossing can prevent and even reverse an early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis.

Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes & Pride’ on June’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from Ricky Martin.

Carb Kitty Video Games

Nails Salons Opening After the Virus: What You Should Know

UnSplash

We get it—you want to put your best foot forward with Summer approaching. But pampering and pretty polish might not be worth the price for someone living with diabetes.

Too often poor sanitation practices, shared tools, and the work of overzealous nail technicians can result in skin injuries or infections even prior to the panepidemic.

For someone living with diabetes, an infection can raise blood sugar levels, which, in turn, can  increase the risk of serious complications like ulcers or even amputation.

If you choose to go to a nail salon, you should invest in your own nail kit and bring it with you. Let your nail technician know you’re living with diabetes before your mani or pedi begins.

After your mani or pedi is finished, keep an eye on your hands, feet and legs for any signs of redness or infection. If you notice anything unusual, call your doctor right away.

New York State Equipment Requirements for Nail Salons Reopening In June 2020

As of June 15, 2015, nail salons must maintain the following equipment at each workstation and provide it to workers, upon request, and at no cost:

  • A properly fitted N-95 or N-100 respirator, approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, for each individual who uses the workstation. All workers must have access to and be allowed to use these respirators when buffing or filing nails or when using acrylic powder.
  • Protective gloves made of nitrile, or another similar non-permeable material for workers with a sensitivity to nitrile gloves. You must have a sufficient number of gloves available so that each nail technician has access to and is allowed to use a new pair of gloves for each customer. All workers must wear gloves when handling potentially hazardous chemicals or waste and during cleanup, or when performing any nail service that has a risk of breaking the customer’s skin.
  • Protective eye equipment. All workers must have access to and be allowed to wear eye protection when preparing, transferring or pouring potentially hazardous chemicals.

A list of potentially hazardous chemicals commonly found in nail salons can be accessed here

Dr. Michele Summers Colon known as ‘The Holistic Podiatrist’ shares the healthiest height and style for  stilettos, a common dilemma women with diabetes, on April’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

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What The Heck is Diabetes Technology?

Speaker, Author, Researcher in diabetes and digital health, Deborah Greenwood PhD, RN, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES joins us to talk about diabetes techonlogy and digital health on Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 6 PM, EST.

There’s seems like no better time to discuss Diabetes Technology and Digital Health than right now during the panepidemic.

Doctors and hospitals are use telehealth tools for routine appointments without the burden of traditional barriers, such as reimbursement and privacy restrictions.

Big health insurance organizations are relaxing rules on early prescription refills and prior authorization requirements to allow patients to preorder and store medications and supplies.

What does it mean for you?

Well, here’s Deb’s answer to probably the most basic question about Diabetes Technology and Digital Health prior to our interview on Tuesday.

 Q: What the Heck is Diabetes Technology?

Deborah Greenwood (DG): “That is a great question because I think there is some confusion out there.  Many people, when they hear the term diabetes technology, think about diabetes “devices” like pumps and continuous glucose montiors (CGMs) and meters, but in reality diabetes technology is so much more. 

It is really a system that we like to call “technology-enabled care and education” that includes 4 key elements: 

1. Communication between the people with diabetes (PWD) and the healthcare team (in many different forms including text or phone or videochat or patient portal) 

2. The use of patient-generated health data, from diabetes devices we’ve discussed and from fitness trackers or other forms

3. The use of data to identify how both education and care can be tailored to the individual 

4. Feedback provided and discussed with the care team so changes can be made like medication, or activity plans or eating plans etc.”

Deborah Greenwood PhD, RN, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES is a diabetes care and education specialist who focuses on digital health. she is owner of Deborah Greenwood Consulting and recently started working as a Medical Science Liaison at Dexcom. She was the 2015 president of AADE.

Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Dionne Warwick

We’re talking about ‘Secrets to Longevity & Diabetes’ with musical inspiration from Dionne Warwick on May’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

Living longer and increasing your life expectancy with diabetes doesn’t have to be a chore. From flossing your teeth daily to getting a good night’s sleep, there are simple things you can do to help you live long, happy and healthy life.

Dionne Warwick has enjoyed a tremendously long career as a singer.  She ranks second to Aretha Franklin as the most charted female vocalist with 69 singles making the Billboard Hot 100 during the rock era (1955–1999).

Dionne Warwick once explained her longevity to Jet magazine, saying, “I really attribute it to remaining who I am and not jumping ship, being completely cognizant of what the people … are accustomed to hearing from me.”

Guests include The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Kitchens of the Great Midwest Author J. Ryan Stradal, Deborah Greenwood PhD, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, FAADE, Fonzi Thornton, Rachel Stahl MS, RD, CDN, CDE, and Lorraine Brooks.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Dionne Warwick’s ‘Dionne’ album featuring I’ll Never Love This Way Again and Deja Vu courtesy of SONY Music.

Mr. Divabetic at the NYC Easter Parade

Healthy Snack Tips for Book Lovers by Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, FAND

How are you avoiding unnecessary stress and anxiety? 

Are you like me? I’m keeping my spirits up by reading, reading, reading and staying off of social media during the pandemic. One of my favorite book series is the Camper & Criminals Cozy Mysteries by Best-Selling Author, Tonya Kappes

The amateur sleuth in the series, Mae West, goes from lavish to lacking over night. Mae’s husband, now ex, had a huge Ponzi scheme going on until he got caught. Not only did he cheat their friends out of most of their savings but he also left Mae penniless. When Mae meets with their lawyer she quickly finds that the only thing she has left is an RV and a Campground located in Normal, Kentucky. When her ex escapes from prison and is then found dead in Normal there is no shortage of suspects to be had. Mae’s attempt at a fresh start in Normal is quickly overshadowed by a quest to figure out who wanted her ex dead the most.

Unfortunately I’ve been known to polish off a bag of pretzels while I’m reading Tonya’s Camper & Criminals series without noticing! Since many Divabetics like to read after dinner and/or before bedtime, I contacted our good friend, a Diabetes Late Nite podcast guest, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator and Best-Selling Author Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, FAND for her recommendation on late night snack ideas.

3 Tips for Healthy Snacking for Book Lovers by Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, FAND

1. Plate your snacks. It’s pretty easy to polish off a bag of pretzels or a row of cookies if you eat from the package. It’s also pretty easy to remove a serving and put it in a dish. Why not treat yourself like you’re special enough to eat out of a dish. You are, you know.

2. Treat snacks as nutrition opportunities. Run through what you’ve eaten today, and take note of what’s missing. My guess is that most folks didn’t meet the recommendations for fruits and vegetables, so snack on one of those.

3. Be original.  If you’re worried about making poor snack choices, create your own snack menu. Write down at least 5 healthful snack ideas that you enjoy. Keep this list in the kitchen. When it’s snack time, choose one item from your personalized menu.

Jill Weisenberger’s Healthy Dip Ideas

And What’s one of Jill’s  favorite snack ideas?

JW: I’m a big veggie pusher, so I like any raw veggies, or veggies dipped into a healthful yogurt sauce or some salsa. If you want something a little different, I recommend the dehydrated or baked carrots or beets. They’re super crunchy and are delicious by themselves or with a dip.

Jill Weisenberger’s comprehensive guide, ‘Prediabetes: A Complete Guide: Your Lifestyle Reset to Stop Prediabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses’ will lead you through dozens of concrete steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Taking an individualized approach to your lifestyle “reset,” this book will allow you to choose your own path to wellness, help you gain a greater sense of wellbeing, boost your confidence in your abilities to maintain a healthful lifestyle, and potentially even help you reverse prediabetes and avoid type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses. You’ll be feeling better than you have in years!

Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND is a great resource for all things nutrition, food and diabetes. Whether she’s speaking, writing, chatting on social media, appearing on TV or working with individuals, her candid and energetic approach appeals to busy people, and her sound nutrition and fitness advice gets results. In fact, her appreciation for science and ability to translate science into actionable information earned her a place in US News & World Report’s 10 Dietitian’s You Need to Follow on Social Media.

Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes

Mr. Divabetic’s healthy culinary misadventures continue in Divabetic’s 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes. when he enters a baking 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.

Diabetes Time Machine Trivia Game

In celebration of National Diabetes Awareness month and World Diabetes Day we’re encouraging people to learn more about the history of diabetes in a fun, new way with Divabetic’s Diabetes Time Machine Trivia Game!

For example, do you know why is November 14th World Diabetes Day? November 14th is a significant date in the diabetes calendar because it marks the birthday of the man who co-discovered insulin, Frederick Banting. Banting discovered insulin in 1922, alongside Charles Best.

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Diabetes Time Machine Trivia Game

How much do you know about the History of Diabetes?

Understanding the history and its early treatment can help us appreciate how far the understanding, support and treatment of diabetes has come.

Over 3,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians mentioned a condition that appears to have been type 1 diabetes. It featured excessive urination, thirst, and weight loss.

The writers recommended following a diet of whole grains to reduce the symptoms.

In ancient India, people discovered that they could use ants to test for diabetes by presenting urine to them. If the ants came to the urine, this was a sign that it contained high sugar levels. They called the condition madhumeha, meaning honey urine.

During the third century B.C.E., Apollonius of Memphis mentioned the term “diabetes,” which may have been its earliest reference.

In time, Greek physicians also distinguished between diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus.

READ MORE

Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Jennifer Hudson

We’re talking about Weight Loss Journeys & Diabetes with musical inspiration from Jennifer Hudson in honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month on November’s Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 6 PM, EST.

TUNE IN

We’ve watched Jennifer Hudson soar to stardom as her powerhouse pipes have taken her from American Idol back in 2004 to coveted roles in film, theater and TV, including as a judge on The Voice. Throughout that journey, the singer has also had another major life change: She went from a size 16 to a size 6, dropping 80 pounds. The star followed poor dieting practices and finally chose to approach her weight loss in a healthy way after giving birth to her son, David.

While studies show most people who drop significant pounds regain the weight they lose, Jennifer Hudson has managed to keep her svelte figure for the past nine years.

“I’m very careful and cautious of what I’m eating, so I just try to pace those meals throughout the day,” said Jennifer Hudson.

Guests include Vanessa Hunter abnd Autumn Reed, who have both lost over 100 pounds, share their weight loss journeys with us. Additionally, Dr. Wendy Rapaport PsyD, Dr. Stewart Harris, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, will be joining us!

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from Jennifer Hudson’s  self-titled album, ’Jennifer Hudson’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”

What You Should Know About Intermittent Fasting & Diabetes with Jill Weisenberger

A new study from New Zealand suggests intermittent fasting is good for someone living with Type 2 diabetes.  Since then Divabetic’s social media feed is blowing up with story after story about this topic. We reached out to our friend and colleague, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND to help us understand what intermittent fasting is and why or why not we might want to include it fasting in our diabetes self-management. Here’s her response: 

Q: what is intermittent fasting?

Jill Weisenberger (JW): There are a variety of approaches, but they all put emphasis on restricting eating at certain times. One common version of IF is the 5:2 plan, which means to eat healthfully and normally for 5 days of the week and to restrict eating to just a few hundred calories 2 days per week. Another form of IF is to extend the overnight fast to 12 or even 16 hours. 

Q: I’ve read that intermittent fasting can help with weight loss and lowering A1C. Are these outcomes realistic for people with type 2 diabetes? 

JW: Some studies do show improvements in weight and blood glucose control and even insulin sensitivity. However, when these IF diets are compared to other dietary strategies for weight loss, the results aren’t so clear that one way is better than another. IF, especially the 5:2 plan, can increase the risk of hypoglycemia in anyone taking a medication that has hypoglycemia as a side effect. There may be populations in which IF is a potentially harmful, such as pregnant women, adolescents and people with eating disorders.

My limited experience with the 5:2 plan suggests that it makes daily exercise very hard. 

Q: Can intermittent fasting help people with prediabetes? If so, why? If not, why? 

JW: If the person with prediabetes is overweight and if IF leads to weight loss, then yes, IF can help people with prediabetes. There was one study in men with prediabetes who were instructed to eat only during 6 hours of the day and to fast for the other 18. Compared to people eating for 12 hours and fasting for 12 hours, those in the longer fasting group saw improvements in blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and beta-cell responsiveness.

Overall, I think that IF can be a tool for some people. In others, it might not be helpful at all, and in some it can be harmful. I like to discuss it in depth with my patients before they decide to give it a try. If someone wants to restrict the hours of eating, I think it’s important to let this work with the circadian rhythms, so stop eating hours before bed and fast longer during the night. I don’t suggest eating a large dinner and fasting all day.

Intermittent Fasting Calculator

Intermittent Fasting (IF) Calculator helps you cycling between Eating and Fasting: CLICK HERE

Jill Weisenberger

Jill Weisenberger’s comprehensive guide, ‘Prediabetes: A Complete Guide: Your Lifestyle Reset to Stop Prediabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses’ will lead you through dozens of concrete steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Taking an individualized approach to your lifestyle “reset,” this book will allow you to choose your own path to wellness, help you gain a greater sense of wellbeing, boost your confidence in your abilities to maintain a healthful lifestyle, and potentially even help you reverse prediabetes and avoid type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

Diabetes Late Nite with music from Patti Austin

Jill Weisenberger appears on Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring music by Patti Austin. We’re talking to Jill about healthy strategies to help you deal with the “FOOD POLICE”.

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