Wellness with a Wow
We live in a world where appearances rule.
And its what we look like that matters.
People make comments that sometimes are cruel
And can leave our emotions in tatters.
We live in a world where performances reign
And if we are lacking or tired…
Or even if we are in physical pain,
We still want to do whats required.
We’re told there’s a pill for whatever we lack,
Read “There’s A Pill For That” in its entirety HERE
On December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we focus on people with diabetes’s interest in ‘getting off their meds’.
Today, a full 61 percent of adults use at least one drug to treat a chronic health problem, a nearly 15 percent rise since 2001. More than 1 in 4 seniors gulp down at least five medications daily as reported by Healthination in US News & Reports. The trend has multiple causes: a spike in diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis related to obesity; revised medical guidelines that treat high blood sugar, hypertension, and high cholesterol sooner; and a multibillion-dollar push by pharmaceutical companies to speak directly to consumers about the payoff in trusting our hearts to Lipitor, say, or taking Boniva to help stop bone loss. But many experts worry that one unintended effect of all the pharmacological success is that many people may be blithely taking drugs they don’t need, potentially setting themselves up for severe consequences.
Poet Lorraine Brooks shares her insight on this topic with her poem, ‘There’s A Pill For That’ on December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast:
There’s A Pill for That by Lorraine Brooks
We live in a world where appearances rule.
And its what we look like that matters.
People make comments that sometimes are cruel
And can leave our emotions in tatters.
We live in a world where performances reign
And if we are lacking or tired…
Or even if we are in physical pain,
We still want to do whats required.
We’re told there’s a pill for whatever we lack,
From energy, to building breasts.
there’s something that soothes your aching back,
There’s something helps you to rest.
There’s something to aid with your bloating and gas,
There’s pills that will keep you from eating.
There’s medicine that makes erections to last,
And stuff that will aid with excreting.
So off to the pharmacy, scrips to be filled,
And looking for fixes and cures.
Just one more tonic, or two of these pills,
And perfection of health can be yours!
But all of these things, while they may work for some,
They also may lead to frustration.
There’s some things you cant easily overcome
By relying on quick medication.
But also there’s people who may need these aids
For reasons that suit their conditions.
And those are the people we shouldn’t dissuade
From listening to their clinicians.
For me, I am different, as 1 is my “type”
And I get confused and defeated.
because if I listen to all of the hype,
I sometimes feel like I’ve been cheated.
Pills and elixirs, and lifestyle adjusting
Are not part of my repartee.
What I need is the knowledge that people are trusting
That I’m making choices best for ME.
So here’s my 2 cents, and its just my own take.
Everyone’s life is unique.
Do what works for YOU, the decisions you make,
Will put you on your own winning
LISTEN NOW: December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with guests include Diabetes Alert Dog expert, Debby Kay CDT, CDTA, PDTI, Megrette Fletcher, MEd, RD, CDE, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Janis Roszler RD, CDE, LDN, Emmy winning Producer, Linda Bracero Morel, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. Plus, we’re giving away 6 months access to mySugr Pro in our INSTANT WINNER challenge. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Leona Lewis’ “Christmas, with Love” album courtesy of SONY Music.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Carol B. Polis at our upcoming Divabetic – Victory Over Diabetes outreach event of the year on Saturday, November 12, 2016, 11 AM – 3 PM at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA .
Carol B. Polis is the first female professional boxing judge in the world! She was appointed by the then governor of Pennsylvania, Milton Shapp, on February 1st, 1973. Since then, she has gone on to achieve many accomplishments. To date, she has judged title fights throughout the world. She also appeared on the TV show “What’s My Line?” and twice on “To Tell The Truth.” She even made an appearance in “Rocky V” as one of the Judges. She has finished her book with help from her co-author, Rich Herschlag, titled “The Lady is a Champ.”
Carol Polis’s life is one of personal triumph against long odds. Having officiated 27 title fights plus two high-profile non-title heavyweight fights with Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes, Polis, a single parent and recent cancer survivor, has an amazing, historically significant story to tell.
The 1970s were a time of great upheaval for women. There was Roe v. Wade and the Equal Rights Amendment. There were Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean King, Golda Meir, and Carol Polis. In 1971, Carol Polis married a part-time professional boxing referee. Within two years, she went from being a squeamish spectator to a professional boxing judge-the first woman ever to do so. As luck would have it, not only was this period the golden age of women’s rights, it was also the golden age of boxing. Carol Polis had a ringside seat for all of it. Sometimes she was the main event. From cutting her teeth on three-round undercard fights at the gritty Blue Horizon in Philadelphia to finding herself at the center of a riot at Madison Square Garden; from being schooled in Joe Frazier’s sweat drenched gym on North Broad Street to officiating in a Don King tournament and being investigated by the FBI; from following the careers of local fighters like Boogaloo Watts and Willie “the Worm” Monroe to becoming a personal guest of Muhammad Ali; from speaking at the nearby Rotary Club to appearing as a contestant on What’s My Line and To Tell the Truth, five-foot-one, 115-pound Carol Polis, for better or for worse, was treated as an ambassador for all women, a novelty, and even a misfit. Polis was bound by none of these labels. First and foremost, Carol Polis was a mom. When her marriage breaks up in 1977, Polis’s life becomes more a matter of survival than knockouts. It is while keeping a roof over her kids’ heads and later raising her grandson that Polis earns her heavyweight belt.
Divabetic – Victory Over Diabetes is our biggest diabetes outreach event of the year on Saturday, November 12, 2016, 11 AM – 3 PM at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA . This free event hosted by Mr. Divabetic celebrates the fellowship of the Divabetic Club – Philadelphia, PA during National Diabetes Awareness month in November. Our goal is to comfort, connect and cheer on the members of the Divabetic Club and their loved ones for having a take charge attitude about their diabetes. Come enjoy a keynote address from Author Carol B. Polis (The first Woman Professional Boxing Judge), a live cooking demonstration with Katie Cavuto RD, a praise dance performance, a GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS Fashion show hosted by Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, free lunch, games and prizes. FREE ADMISSION. Register Now: 1-800-JEFF-NOW
LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Game Show podcast with great prize giveaways courtesy of Dr. Greenfield’s Diabetic Foot, Hand & Body Creams. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic
I’m innocently watching a bit of TV, to relax, with a hot cup of joe.
I put my feet up, on the chair next to me, and got ready to enjoy the show.
I breathed in and out, in a sigh of relief, as the day is beginning to end.
A moment of silence, however brief, in this moment, feels like a friend.
But just as I start to unwind and get quiet, I feel my jaw start to get tight.
A million commercials that tell me to diet, that what I look like isn’t right.
Read Gotta Be OK in its entirety HERE
I’m innocently watching a bit of TV
To relax, with a hot cup of joe.
I put my feet up, on the chair next to me,
And got ready to enjoy the show.
I breathed in and out, in a sigh of relief
As the day is beginning to end.
A moment of silence, however brief,
In this moment, feels like a friend.
But just as I start to unwind and get quiet,
I feel my jaw start to get tight.
A million commercials that tell me to diet
That what I look like isn’t right.
So,come to Weight Watchers, or try Jenny Craig
And what about Zumba or swimming?
Or,how about hopping on just one leg,
Or wearing these pants that are “slimming”?
Or maybe a pill that will help me eat less
Or an operation on my belly.
Or maybe I need to control all my stress,
So my buttocks won’t shake like it’s jelly.
And books that are titled “Eat This, and Not That”
And DVDs set to pop songs.
And spokespeople yelling “get rid of,your fat!”
And showing young models in thongs.
So I change the channel and what do I see?
But more of the same, it’s so sad.
Get “healthy”, get “fit”, it’s so easy to be!
And. making me feel pretty bad.
So I turned off the telly, and got out a book
And started to read for my pleasure.
To forget about diets and how I must look,
And what I should do in my leisure.
‘Cause this is the package that I’m wrapped up in
And no sense me feeling ashamed.
I’ll never be skinny or painfully thin,
And likely I’ll mostly get blamed.
But I’m not complaining, well, not any more,
I’m just gonna chill, and be mellow
And celebrate all that my life has in store,
While enjoying my sugar-free jello.
Because in the end I just want folks to say
Even though she did not wear size seven,
She was kind, she was honest, and she was OK…
And we hope that there’s chocolate in heaven.
Anger Not Danger
anger forms circles and drowns us in fears|and makes something worse than it really appears.
Read Anger Not Danger in its entirety here.
Mr. Divabetic focuses on ‘ANGER & DIABETES’ on August’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Tuesday, August 9, 2016. 6-7:30 PM.
Diabetes is the perfect breeding ground for anger. Anger can start at diagnosis with the question, “Why me?” You may dwell on how unfair diabetes is: “I’m so angry at this disease! I don’t want to treat it. I don’t want to control it. I hate it!”
Poet Lorraine Brooks shares her feelings about ‘anger’ in her poem, ‘Anger Not Danger’ written specifically for our free monthly Diabetes Late Nite podcast.
‘Anger Not Danger’ by Lorraine Brooks
anger forms circles and
drowns us in fears
and makes something worse than
it really appears.
anger is words that are
hard to take back
and that cause us to put
others under attack.
it causes confusion and
goes against grains.
it makes us do things that
causes us pains.
but anger can also be
something that drives
and gives us the push to
make better our lives.
anger has made me
take care of my needs
and given me strength to
accomplish hard deeds.
when I am angry I
speak with more care
just to make sure that
my content is clear.
it isnt a bad thing
the anger we’ve known;
it calls our attention to
how much we’ve grown.
it shouldn’t be something
we run away from
but just a reminder that
things must be done.
so use all your anger
to push you along.
to do difficult things that
will help you be strong.
be angry at things
that SHOULD make you feel fettered.
then use that same anger
to work for the better.
be kind to your anger.
be kind to your soul.
your anger can spur you
to better control.
TUNE IN: August’s Diabetes Late Nite show on ‘ANGER & DIABETES’ on Tuesday, August 9, 2016, 6- 7:30 PM, EST. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic. His guests include Author of “Overcoming Destructive Anger” Dr. Bernard Golden PhD, Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDE, CDN, Laura Laria, Jill Knapp- Woolsey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, and the Charlie’s Angels Outreach. Throughout the podcast we will be playing selected songs from Essential Evelyn “Champagne” King 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.”
Snow White
You’ve got seven people who help you to grow. And we cannot do it alone, this I know! Who’s on your health team, please tell us Snow White please tell us tonight!
Read Snow White in its entirety here.
Who helps you manage your diabetes?
Do you think ‘Seven Dwarfs’ would be helpful?
Poet Lorraine Brooks shares her diabetes twist on the popular ‘Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs’ fairy tale.You’ll quickly see that Snow White is like every other famous Diva; she has an entourage to help her manage her diabetes. Enjoy!
Snow White by Lorraine Brooks
You’ve got seven people who help you to grow
And we cannot do it alone, this I know!
Who’s on your health team, please tell us Snow White please tell us tonight!
“My endocrinologist keeps my numbers tight.”
And who else does help you with what’s on your plate?
“A nutritionist helps me plan meals that taste great.”
And what for your eyes, so your vision is clear?
“My ophthalmologist treats my eyes with care.”
We all need some feedback sooner or later –
“I work with a diabetes educator!”
Sometimes emotions can make us feel low.
“It’s OK to talk to my therapist though.”
You have to stay active so you’ll be complete.
“Podiatrists work to take care of my feet!”
Snow White, even with diabetes, you rock!
“I pay regular visits to my family doc!”
Let’s take a lesson from Snow White and her team –
Diabetes can’t stop you from living your dream!
Who should be on your Diabetes Team?
According to the American Diabetes Association finding the right team of skilled health professionals will help you manage your diabetes and get the most out of the healthcare system.
A doctor with special training (and usually certification) in diseases such as diabetes is called an endocrinologist. If you do not see an endocrinologist, look for a primary doctor, family practice doctor or an internist who has cared for many people with diabetes. Your primary care doctor may also be the one who refers you to specialists or other team members.
A registered dietitian (RD) is trained in nutrition and has passed a national exam. An RD may also have a master’s degree or may be a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). You want to be sure to work with an RD who has training and experience with diabetes. If your doctor does not work with a dietitian, ask him to refer you to one.
A CDE is a certified diabetes educator. CDEs may be nurses, dietitians, doctors, pharmacists, podiatrists, counselors, or exercise physiologists.
Your eye doctor, an ophthalmologist or an optometrist, is another key member of your health care team, because diabetes can affect the blood vessels in the eyes. When eye problems are caught early, there are very good treatments.
Mental health professionals, psychologists, social workers, and marriage therapists, and psychiatrists, help with the personal and emotional side of living with diabetes.
Podiatrists have a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree from a college of podiatry.
Pharmacists are highly trained professionals who must know about the chemistry of the products they dispense and what effects, both good and bad, medications have on the body. Therefore, they can also give advice on whether and how any medication you take for your diabetes or other conditions could or will affect your blood glucose levels.
People with diabetes are at somewhat greater risk for gum disease. The excess blood sugar in your mouth makes it a good home for bacteria, which leads to infection. See your dentist every six months. Be sure to tell your dentist that you have diabetes.
For eight years Divabetic presented diabetes education and empowerment in the Divabetic Pavilion at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Expo in Pittsburgh, PA. Every year we would choose a different theme for our outreach presentation to make learning about diabetes more fun and enjoyable. Our themes ranged from the ‘Golden Girls’ and ‘Gillian’s Island’ to Diabetes Time Machine and ‘Diabetes Fairy Tales’.
One of our most popular presentations was ‘Diabetes Fairy Tales.’ Its quite possible that I stumbled upon this idea after watching too many episodes of ABC’s ‘Once Upon A Time’ television series.
Thankfully Lorraine Brooks agreed to write nine wonderful Diabetes Fairy Tales featuring popular fairy tale characters and diabetes self-care advice for our Expo show. Our concept was to partner popular fairy tales characters with successful diabetes self-care behaviors. For example, Snow White doesn’t try to manage her diabetes alone. She uses a ‘team approach’ to achieve optimum health!
Our ‘Diabetes Fairy Tales’ program featured an outstanding group of local Pittsburgh healthcare professionals, CDE’s, RN’s and MD’s who provided expert advice on different topics such as food, fitness and managing medications with a little magic from the land of make believe.
LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Fairytales podcast featuring Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Lori Bednarz RN, CDE, Makeup Artist and Esthetician Sue Perez, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Lorraine Starsky RN and Neva White CRNP, CD.
Beauty & the Beach
I’m not Esther Williams. I’m not even close. My body in bathing suits. Feels clumsy and gross.
Read Beauty & the Beach in its entirety here.