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Serena Williams Talks Near-Death Experience After Giving Birth

Tennis champion, Serena Williams knew something had gone terribly wrong just a day after giving birth to her child.

She explained what happened in Vogue Magazine stating,”The next day, while recovering in the hospital, Serena suddenly felt short of breath. Because of her history of blood clots, and because she was off her daily anticoagulant regimen due to the recent surgery, she immediately assumed she was having another pulmonary embolism. (Serena lives in fear of blood clots.) She walked out of the hospital room so her mother wouldn’t worry and told the nearest nurse, between gasps, that she needed a CT scan with contrast and IV heparin (a blood thinner) right away. The nurse thought her pain medicine might be making her confused. But Serena insisted, and soon enough a doctor was performing an ultrasound of her legs. “I was like, a Doppler? I told you, I need a CT scan and a heparin drip,” she remembers telling the team. The ultrasound revealed nothing, so they sent her for the CT, and sure enough, several small blood clots had settled in her lungs. Minutes later she was on the drip. “I was like, listen to Dr. Williams!”

A near death experience in childbirth involving one of the greatest female athletes of all-time will inevitably create buzz on social media but it’s also the story of millions of women of color across the nation.

ProPublica has published an investigative series on the effect socioeconomics has on motherhood in America. One piece in that series, titled “How Hospitals Are Failing Black Mothers,” reports, “It’s been long-established that black women… fare worse in pregnancy and childbirth, dying at a rate more than triple that of white mothers. And while part of the disparity can be attributed to factors like poverty and inadequate access to health care, there is growing evidence that points to the quality of care at hospitals where a disproportionate number of black women deliver, which are often in neighborhoods disadvantaged by segregation,” writes Annie Waldman.

Data like this highlights the fact that the American medical system has a long-standing racial gap for dealing with diseases such as diabetes.

Let’s not forget that compared to the general population, African Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes as reported by the American Diabetes Association:

13.2% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diagnosed diabetes.

African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes as non Hispanic whites.

African-Americans are significantly more likely to suffer from blindness, kidney disease and amputations.

Good diabetes management can help reduce your risk of developing a diabetes health-related complication; however, many people are not even aware that they have diabetes until they develop one of its complications.

About 2.8 percent of U.S. adults — one-third of those with diabetes — still don’t know they have it reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

You cane help us change that staggering stastistic!

Join us for Fandross Festival on Saturday, May 12 2018, 6:30 – 9:30 PM in New York, NY. We will be raising awareness of the prevention of diabetes health-related complications such as stroke by celebrating the legacy of R & B superstar, Luther Vandross. Don’t miss it! TICKETS ON SALE NOW

One final thought, Serena Williams reflecteed on her post-birth complications and said, “it made me stronger’ on the Today Show.  Words to live by.

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Divabetic Remembers R & B/Gospel Singer David Peaston

We’re going ‘beyond the music’ to explore the diabetes hardships experienced by beloved musicians who have passed away so you can ‘keep your house a home’ and learn how to prevent diabetes health-related complications from occurring.

In many instances their obituaries make little mention of their diabetes diagnosis and/or diabetes health-related complications which results in the general public’s continued ignorance about the subject.

David Peaston was an American R&B and gospel singer who was mostly known for the hit singles, “Two Wrongs (Don’t Make it Right)” and “Can I?”. David Peaston died from complications of diabetes in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 1, 2012, at the age of 54.

After being laid off as a teacher in 1981, David Peaston moved to New York to pursue music. Quickly thereafter, Peaston who scored national fame after winning on “Showtime at the Apollo”. He wowed audiences with his sky-high falsetto and his rendition of “God Bless the Child.” His multiple wins on the show led to his signing a major recording deal in the late ’80s with Geffen Records. He released two albums, 1989’s “Introducing … David Peaston” and 1991’s “Mixed Emotions,” on Geffen. in 1990 won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist.

Check out Peaston perform “Everything Must Change” at Showtime at the Apollo below.

During the 1990’s, David Peaston was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. His right leg was amputated at the knee in March 2004; his left leg also was later amputated, forcing him to use prostheses. When he was preparing to be honored at the 2004 event “A Celebration of Love in St. Louis,” he struggled with whether he had let his disease prevent him from ever performing on stage again.

“I didn’t want to be back in the public,” he told the Post-Dispatch that year. “I wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed, but I felt I let myself down and, therefore, I let everyone else down. It was my fault for being sick, and I didn’t want anybody to see me like that.”

But by 2004, he lost 200 pounds, and sang with the St. Louis group the Distinguished Gents for five years. The group performed a mix of classical, jazz and gospel songs annually at the Ethical Society of St. Louis. He also toured Europe until his older sister, Fontella Bass, fell ill.

In 2006,  David Peaston returned to studio and issued the album, ‘Song Book: Songs of Soul & Inspiration’. The album featured eight new tracks by Peaston, as well as several of his biggest hits.

David Peaston was also a veteran of traveling gospel plays such as “Momma Don’t.” Singer Cheryl Pepsii Riley toured with him in “Momma Don’t” and other shows. He enlisted on the gospel show “His Woman, His Wife: The Musical,” touring across the U.S. In his last years, he still ran Pea-Stain Productions, his own production company.

Cheryl Pepsii Riley described her colleague, David Peaston as, ”this man with the hearty laugh, great sense of humor, that incredible voice, and he was the most amazing friend.”

What we can learn from David Peaston’s Story

From reading David Peaston’s journey living with diabetes we can assume he had a diabetic foot ulcer that went untreated which developed gangrene and resulted in a below the knee amputation.

David Peaston’s story is a testament that you can still be active and participate in life the way you  wish to after experiencing an amputation. He continued to hit high notes on stage until his untimely death. 

However, to avoid a similar fate you must practice daily foot care.

Always check shoes for foreign objects, and make sure footwear fits well, and does not pinch the skin. People who try to remove their own callouses, warts, or corns by performing “bathroom surgery,” can give themselves a non-healing ulcer that later requires an amputation. This is why people with diabetes should never try to remove their own callouses, warts or corns. They also should not use any over-the-counter callous, wart, or corn remover products on their skin.

Diabetes can cause neuropathy, making it hard to feel pain in the feet and cause wounds to heal slowly. On top of that, poor circulation, and changes in the shape and anatomy of the foot make it more likely for a person with diabetes to injure their feet which can lead to peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD causes your blood vessels to narrow and reduces blood flow to your legs and increase your risk of amputation.  The most common amputations in people with diabetes are the toes, feet, and lower legs.

Let’s talk about some statistics related to amputations in the diabetes community.

Diabetes and peripheral artery disease (PAD) hit harder in the African American population.

African Americans are twice as likely as whites to have PAD, and 1 in 4 older African Americans has diabetes. In a California claims study recently published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, African Americans who had both diabetes and PAD had the highest rates of preventable amputations.

The cost of amputations is high, financially and emotionally. 

Amputation doesn’t have to be part of your diabetes journey. If you do all you can to manage your blood sugars and care for your feet as well as visiting a podiatrist annually for a Comprehensive Foot Exam, you’ll reduce your risk of major complications.

https://youtu.be/zOspndjaE9Y

Small steps lead to big changes. ‘Walking With Peety’ author, Eric O’Grey shares how adopting a shelter dog inspired his successful weight loss journey on Diabetes Late Nite LISTEN NOW

Don’t miss our inagural Fandross Festival celebrating the legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for diabetes and diabetes health-related complication prevention from May 10 – May 13 in New York City. Visit: divabetic.org  

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‘Disconnect’ by Poet Lorraine Brooks

Connected, injected, collected, in touch,
Devices are sometimes a need or a crutch.
If I find myself in the mall with no phone,
I suddenly feel afraid and alone.

With all this technology right in our hands
It increases pressure and makes more demands.
I’m beeping, and buzzing, and vibrating too,
They tell me the traffic and tell me what’s new.

Weather, and movies, and amber alerts,
Baseball and football and music concerts.
I have the world in my pocket at will,
But often I feel that I’m out of it still.

There’s hazards to all of this need to be known.
There’s risks to,our health, as studies have shown.
The false sense of intimacy when we’re online
Is making connections that aren’t genuine.

There’s many days when I just put down my screen,
And those are the times when I feel most serene.
I put up my boundaries, turn off the sounds,
And try to connect with the peace to be found.

We all need alone time, to take care of us,
Time away from the hustle and fuss.
My message is always essentially this…
Take care of YOU FIRST, And don’t be remiss.

Don’t allow,life to just fritter away,
And turn off your phones for a part of the day!

Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her poem, ‘Disconnect’ on January’s Diabetes Late Nite with music from P!NK. We’re talking about ‘Mindfulness & Diabetes’ with guests: Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE. Throughout the podcast we’re spotlighting songs from P!nk’s album, ‘Beautiful Trauma’ courtesy of SONY Music.  LISTEN NOW

https://youtu.be/btWXFB6L4IA

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Raw Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe by Solla Eiríksdóttir

I’m in the midst of the first draft of this year’s Diabetes Mystery podcast (tentatively titled: ‘Swan Wake’) entailing among other things, a gluten-free cheesecake prepared by yours truly. Chaos ensues when my cheesecake mysterious ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Here’s the Diabetes Mystery synopsis: 

When the happy healthcare, Mr. Divabetic heads to the Gotham City Ballet Company’s box office to fix a mix up with his Swan Lake tickets he’s faced with a even bigger problem – a murder. To make matters worse, one of his gluten free cheesecakes seems to be covering the victim’s face. Even more shocking are the numerous scandals swirling around the Gotham City Ballet and it’s members that have everyone walking around on tip toes.

Could our happy healthcare host’s questionable 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 smart Diabetes Educators, a best-selling mystery writer and his own nosey 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.

For inspiration, I’ve been researching various gluten free cheesecake recipes for the past few months. I recently stumbled upon Solla Eiriksdottir’s recipe below posted on Twitter by the Guardian. 

Solla Eiríksdóttir is one celebrity chef you may not have come across, but she is a household name in Iceland because of  her TV shows and four restaurants focused on raw food and vegan dishes.

If such an approach sounds a little purist, Solla, 55,  is more interested in flavor than philosophy.

“It’s a way of preparing food, not a way of life,” she says. “Everywhere in the world, people are told to eat more fruit and vegetables. What we’re doing is transforming fruit and vegetables into real dishes instead of just making salad all the time. This is just food. We love the freshest raw materials so your taste buds are screaming for more.”

Solla Eiriksdottir’s Cheesecake with Blueberries Recipe

Ingredients (for the filling):

450g cashew nuts

240g maple syrup

4 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp vanilla powder

2 tsp probiotic powder

A small pinch of salt

160g coconut oil

2 tbsp ground chia seeds

Ingredients (for the crust):

150g pecans

280g dried mulberries

60ml coconut oil, liquefied

A pinch of sea salt

For the topping

275g blueberry jam

150g fresh blueberries

1 Line a 23 cm-round cake tin with parchment (baking) paper. For the filling, put the cashew nuts into a bowl, pour in enough water to cover, and soak for about 2 hours. Drain and discard the soaking water. Set aside.

2 Meanwhile, make the crust (base). Put the pecans, mulberries, oil and salt into a food processor and blend until it all sticks together, but is still a little coarse. Press the mixture into the prepared pan with your fingertips. Make sure it covers the bottom of the pan in an even layer.

3 To make the filling, put the drained cashew nuts into a high-speed blender or food processor with the maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, probiotic powder and salt. Blend. Add the coconut oil and chia seed and blend briefly. Pour the mixture over the crust and chill overnight in the refrigerator or for 3-4 hours in the freezer until the filling is firm. Top with a layer of blueberry jam and fresh blueberries and serve.

Chef’s Notes: You will need to make this at least three hours before serving. Serves 10 – 12

Raw: Recipes for a Modern Vegetarian Lifestyle by Solla Eiríksdóttir (Phaidon).  Featuring 75 healthy and delicious recipes, Raw introduces readers to the new look of vegetarian and raw food. Divided into five chapters – breakfast, snacks, light lunches, main dishes, and sweet treats – readers can expect bright, fresh flavours with recipes like Green smoothie, Pistachio and kale hummus, Quinoa pizza, and vegan Vanilla ice cream. All the recipes are vegetarian and many are raw and vegan.

Every recipe includes symbols to indicate whether dishes are suitable for a dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, raw-food, or vegan diet.

After each chapter of recipes there is a seasonal recipe and activity section, which explores some wider lifestyle elements of living healthily, for example growing vegetables in small spaces, dying cloth with turmeric in summer, picking wild berries in fall, and making holiday gifts in winter.

Thinking about eliminating gluten from your diet? Get expert advice from Jill Weisenberger RD, CDE about gluten free diets and food choices exclusively for Divabetic. LINK 

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Favorite Moment of 2017

Without a doubt, the biggest highlight of 2017 for me was writing and producing our 4th Annual Diabetes Mystery podcast,‘Gypsies, Tramps & Peas’.

It was such an incredible experience for me as a writer.  Most of 2017 I spent working on this project. For months I read mystery and diabetes self-care books, interviewed experts, researched topics, and attended writing workshops in the hopes of making a more meaningful and memorable podcast. I counted at least twenty five script rewrites and six rehearsals before our live performance. Of course,  it was frustrating and even nerve wrecking at times but in the end, it was so much fun! Truth be told, I’m already hard at work on next year’s mystery podcast entitled ‘Swan Wake’ set to premiere in September 2018.

 

 

Here’s a quick synopsis of ‘Gypsies, Tramps & Peas’: Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic’s 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? 

LISTEN NOW

Our 4th Annual Mystery podcast, ‘Gyspies, Tramps & Peas’ stars USA Today Best-Selling Author, Tonya Kappes, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘the Happy Diabetic’, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Nicolay, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller, Mama Rose Marie and Poet Lorraine Brooks.

Happy New Year!

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Saunas May Be Good for Blood Pressure

A Finnish study suggests that regular sauna visits can reduce the risk for high blood pressure.

Nearly 79 million adults in this country — one of three — have high blood pressure, and half of those being treated for it still have systolic pressures over 140.

The study, in the American Journal of Hypertension reported that people who took two to three sessions were 24 percent less likely to have hypertension, and four to seven visits a week reduced the risk by 46 percent.

The study controlled for body mass index, alcohol consumption, resting heart rate, smoking, family history of hypertension and other variables as reported by the New York Times. 

Did you know the best exercise to manage high blood pressure may be to divvy up your workout into bite-size pieces?

In a 2012 study by Dr. Gaesser, three 10-minute walks spread throughout the day were better at preventing subsequent spikes in blood pressure — which can indicate worsening blood pressure control — than one 30-minute walk. And if even a 10-minute walk sounds daunting, try standing more often.

“Exercise intensity does not appear to play any significant role” in helping people control blood pressure, Dr. Gaesser said

A: Troponins rise after a heart attack, or after excessive sitting.

Troponins are proteins produced by cardiac-muscle cells when they are hurt or dying. A heart attack releases a sudden tsunami of troponins into the bloodstream.

But even slightly elevated troponin levels, lower than those involved in heart attacks, are worrisome if they persist, most cardiologists believe. Chronically high troponin levels indicate that something is going wrong inside the heart muscle and that damage is occurring and accruing there. If the damage is not halted or slowed, it could eventually result in heart failure.

Sitting for hours on end is unhealthy, even if you occasionally exercise. People who sit for more than about nine or 10 hours each day — a group that includes many of us who work in offices — are prone to developing diabetes, heart disease and other problems, and most of these risks remain relatively high, even if we exercise.

Excessive sitting also has been associated with heart failure, a condition in which the heart becomes progressively weaker and unable to pump enough blood to keep the rest of the body oxygenated and well. But how sitting, which seems to demand so little from the heart, could be linked to heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot respond adequately to exertion, has been unclear.

Enjoy more Weekly Health Quizes at the New York Times.

We’re taking about ‘MINDFULNESS’ with musical inspiration from Pink on January’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, 2018, 6 PM, EST.

Mindfulness is a technique adopted to becoming aware of moment-by-moment thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in a non-judgmental way. … In the US, mindfulness is being increasingly used for eating habits and diabetes management. Research has shown that mindfulness enhances clinical effect of glycemic control.

Mindfulness can help break down the constant cycle of becoming stressed, anxious and depressed. Pressures and strains of everyday diabetes life cause an internal battle of avoidance.
People strive to avoid ‘negative emotions’ such as guilt, sadness, frustration and anger and instead are attracted to feelings of happiness and contentment.

Mindfulness allows you to accept the way you are feeling rather than constantly battling to try and change it.

Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the Pink’s ‘Beautiful Trauma’ album courtesy of SONY Music. TUNE IN

 

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Blue Christmas by Poet Lorraine Brooks

Thinking about the holidays and all the endless cheer
Carols, lights and Christmas trees, and ringing in the year…
Friends and folks and families all gather in the home
We look around at all the hope, but sometimes feel alone.

While others eat and drink and dine enjoying foods we make
I’m calculating insulin, and how much I should take.
If I want pie or something sweet, I have to stop and think.
But other people can just eat, and never have to blink.

Read Blue Christmas in its entirety here 

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‘Blue Christmas’ Sugarfree Lemon and Blueberry Tartlet Recipe from the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Over the past year we have shared healthy recipes, style and entertaining suggestions and diabetes care tips to help you embrace holiday celebrations without compromising your diabetes self-care.

We know many people in our Divabetic community don’t like to celebrate the holidays including Christmas Eve and Christmas because they feel they may disrupt their diabetes care. But with a little pre-planning and guidance from your healthcare entourage you can still enjoy the festivities without failing your diabetes.

Our good friend, Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ offers this Sugar-Free Lemon and Blueberry Tartlet recipe to add to your menu for ‘Blue Christmas’ Day celebration.

Long after singer Fats Domino found his thrill on Blueberry Hill, researchers have found some thrilling news about blueberries. These tiny berries may play a big role in helping manage diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), berries are a diabetes superfood because they’re packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber — plus, they’re low-GI. Three quarters of a cup of fresh blueberries has 62 calories and 16 grams (g) of carbohydrates. When you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar within a healthy range, thereby lowering your risk of certain diabetes complications, including diabetic retinopathy, or nerve damage; kidney disease; eyesight issues like glaucoma or cataracts; and serious life-threatening illnesses like heart disease and stroke.

Here’s Stacey Harris’ fabulous Sugar-free Lemon Blueberry Tartlets Recipe for you and your family to enjoy!

Curd Ingredients:
3 large eggs
½ to 3/4 cup Whey Low® Type D Granular
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 pint blueberries, washed
 
Directions:
Whisk the eggs and Whey Low® Type D Granular until smooth in the top of a double boiler filled with water.  Add the remaining ingredients except for the blueberries and cook over medium heat while whisking continuously.  When the mixture resembles slightly whipped cream, remove from heat. Cover and stir frequently while it cools.  Once cool, stir in the blueberries and refrigerate.
Note:  Alternatively, after cooling, the curd can be mixed with an equal part of whipped cream before adding blueberries and refrigerating.
Pastry Ingredients:
3 tbsp raw sugar or Whey Low® Type D Granular, sifted
1 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
¼ tsp salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. ice water
 
Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Cut in butter with pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly like coarse meal.  Add lemon juice and water and mix until a small ball can be formed.  Gather mixture into a ball and flatten into a disk.  Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on floured board.  Cut into 12 5-inch rounds.  Line 12 large muffin cups with the dough, prick the bottoms and sides of the dough with the tines of a fork.  Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan and carefully remove.  Fill each cup with the lemon-blueberry mixture and garnish each with a blueberry.  Yield:  12 servings
Confused about Carbs?  Our friend, registered dietitian, Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND shares her ‘7 Tips to Tricks to Carb Count Like a Pro’ on her blog. One of the tips we learned was that the total amount of carbohydrate matters so much more than the source of carbohydrate or the type of carbohydrate. READ MORE
When Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef was studying to become a pastry chef, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Rather than give up her chosen profession, she began creating more diabetic-friendly desserts. By using blended flours and a combination of sugar and sugar substitutes, reducing milk carbohydrates, and eliminating trans fats,  Stacey Harris has transformed more than 200 desserts into diabetic-friendly delights

The Diabetic Pastry Chef’s cookbooks are filled with information on the definition, treatment, and prevention of diabetes and include complete nutritional information (calories, fat, cholesterol, sugars, and protein) for each recipe. She uses Splendar and presents other sugar-free alternatives for pancakes, muffins, cakes, cookies, and pies. Stacey Harris shares the sweet secrets of her simple-to-use formula that will convert most any recipe into a lower-carb alternative without compromising taste or quality. Now ‘divabetics’ can enjoy Chocolate Truffle Cookies, Blueberry Tartlets, Cream Cheese Cupcakes, Coffee Bread Pudding, and hundreds of others. BUY NOW

“In The Diabetic Pastry Chef, Stacey Harris proves you can prepare and eat wonderful food and still stay well within the guidelines of food for a person with diabetes.”—Alan L. Rubin, M.D., author of Diabetes for Dummies and Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies

On December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we’re celebrating a Blue Christmas. I chose this theme in December because ‘Blue’ is the color that I feel is most closely associated with diabetes and more importantly, it gives us an opportunity to raise awareness for the mental health issues related to diabetes. Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Rachel Zinman, Dr. Mandy Reece PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM, and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the new “Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

https://youtu.be/Uwfz5mMLSDM

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Why I’m Totally Ready for Anything!

This post is sponsored by Colgate, but opinions are my own.

I feel TOTALLY READY for anything when I appear at various parades around New York City dressed in my world famous fruit suit and a healthy smile to raise awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way. 

It’s great to take to the streets to raise visibility for diabetes and help to educate the world about diabetes. For starters, you quickly grasp the enormity of the diabetes population when you’re wearing a suit with the word, ‘DIVABETIC’ scrolled across the back in big gold letters. People are constantly stopping me to take pictures to send to their friends and family members living with diabetes.  Plus, you have a very good indication of what the general public’s knowledge is about diabetes when you start asking them questions.

Over the years I have found that I need to plan ahead for a day long shoot if I’m going to be successful. I always carry a bottle of water, a small pack of nuts and plenty of sunscreen.

Additionally, as a man at high risk for diabetes because of my family history of diabetes, I make sure my dental health is a priority. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop gum disease [1].  On top of brushing and flossing every day to prevent plaque, cavities, tartar build-up, I also visit a dentist twice a year. It also doesn’t hurt that for my daily brushing I use Colgate Total, the only FDA approved toothpaste‡ that can reverse and prevent gingivitis, an early form of gum disease. After all, when you have a healthy smile, you feel ready for life.

[1] Centers for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf

‡Colgate Total® toothpaste is approved through the New Drug Application process to help prevent gingivitis in the general population. Not approved for the prevention or treatment of serious gum disease or other diseases.

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Gluten Free – Are You Kidding Me?

Scan the grocery aisles, neighborhood bakery or office cupboard and it’s impossible to miss the multitude of products proclaiming that they are “gluten-free.”  Or go on Instagram and be barraged by yet another celebrity who has banished gluten from their diet. And as you can see by the photo below, it looks like even savvy NYC Christmas tree vendors are jumping on the bandwagon. 

All kidding aside, I can’t help but wonder if there’s any truth to the gluten free food trend? Is it real or hype? And should you really be concerned about all or any of the gluten lurking around in your diet? 

I reached out to Virginia-based Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, author of ‘The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition’ to help make sense of the chaos surrounding the gluten free food trend. Here’s our interview:

Q: Is Gluten Free real or hype?

Jill Weisenberger, (JW): It’s both. It’s for real and it’s hype. 

Completely avoiding gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley, is critical for anyone with celiac disease and anyone with a diagnosed gluten sensitivity. It’s a problem when people self-diagnose and stop consuming gluten. You really need to nail down the diagnosis before starting a gluten-free diet, which is the only treatment for celiac disease. The only way to diagnose celiac disease is to have an intestinal biopsy after regularly consuming gluten. So if people have the biopsy after avoiding gluten, they might be told that they don’t have celiac disease when they really do. 

Celiac disease, by the way, is an autoimmune disease, and gluten damages the small intestine.

It’s hype when it comes to weight loss and general health for anyone who is not intolerant to gluten. Only those people with celiac disease or another gluten intolerance should be on a gluten-free diet. If others feel more energetic or sleep better or have other benefits, it’s probably from an improved diet and not from the avoidance of gluten. Since gluten is in wheat, a gluten-free diet usually means fewer baked goods and less highly processed snacks and other foods. I think people feel better because they replaced packaged snacks with wholesome, health-boosting foods like fruit and nuts and yogurt – not because they gave up gluten.

Q: What does ‘gluten free’ really mean?

JW: Someone with celiac or other gluten intolerance must avoid gluten from all sources. This is not easy! Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye, contaminated oats and all products made with them. You’ll find gluten in baked goods, candy, bread, soups, soy sauce, beer, even lots of lunch meats and cottage cheese. And even lipsticks and medications can contain gluten.

Q: What can I eat on a gluten free diet?

JW: Certainly someone with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity has lots of restrictions, but there are lots of good options too. It’s important to consume the least restricted diet possible. This is true for everyone. By eating a large variety of foods, you will get the most possible nutrients. Focus on fruits, vegetables, milk, lean protein sources like fish and poultry, legumes like lentils and black beans. There are lots of grains that are gluten free. A few to try out are buckwheat, millet, quinoa, rice and sorghum. 

Q: How difficult is it to be gluten free?

JW: Fortunately, there are lots of gluten-free products identified in supermarkets, but people have shared with me that avoiding all gluten is difficult. This is especially true in restaurants, other people’s homes and at parties. Even well-meaning waitstaff and friends get confused and foods that may contain hidden gluten. Condiments can be a problem. Another big problem is cross contamination. Say you have celiac disease, but live with people who don’t. If someone spreads mustard on bread and puts the knife back into the mustard, it may now be contaminated with gluten.

Q: Who should be gluten free?

All people with celiac disease and those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity must follow a gluten-free diet. Both type 1 diabetes and celiac disease are autoimmune diseases. Research shows that they have a similar genetic basis. Often people with type 1 diabetes will also have celiac disease. Everyone with type 1 diabetes should discuss getting tested for celiac with their doctor. People with diabetes but without celiac disease or documented gluten sensitivity do not need to eat a gluten-free diet.

Q: How about people with type 2 diabetes? Should they be on a gluten free diet?

JW: Celiac disease is not more common among people with type 2 diabetes than it is among the general public.  I don’t recommend a gluten-free diet for people who don’t need it because the more restricted a diet is, the fewer health-boosting nutrients it’s likely to provide. 

Q: Why would I choose to eat gluten free foods if I’m not gluten intolerant?

JW: There’s no need to eat foods made specifically for a gluten-free population unless you have celiac disease or a diagnosed gluten sensitivity.

Q: Does ‘gluten free’ mean healthier? or What’s the biggest misconception about gluten free?

JW: Definitely not. In fact, gluten-free breads and other products often lack the iron and vitamins found in traditional products. This is why it’s so important to work with a registered dietitian nutritionist skilled in gluten-free diets. Some people think that foods marked gluten-free or free of another nutrient must be more healthful. This is false.

Q: Is a gluten free donut better for me than a regular donut?

JW: Sorry no. A donut is a donut is a donut. It’s a now and then food – gluten or no gluten.

Q: Can I be gluten free without eating gluten free packaged foods?

JW: Yes. Just like someone can eat a wholesome gluten-containing diet without relying on packaged foods, it’s possible to eat a variety of foods without gluten without buying a single special product. But it’s okay to buy them. Just be intentional about it. Gluten-free doesn’t mean wholesome. Again, this is why working with a skilled registered dietitian nutritionist is so important. 

Q: Jill, any final thoughts on gluten free diets?

JW: This is potentially a difficult diet to follow, and it leaves you vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies. You can find a RDN to help you at eatright.org.

Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, author of The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition, is your resource for all things nutrition, food and diabetes.

The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition offers bite-sized nutrition tips for busy people looking for solutions to their everyday food and nutrition problems. This book is filled with diet strategies for weight loss and overall better health that can help anyone, on any schedule, eat and feel better. Meant to be picked up and read piecemeal, every page is packed with interesting tips designed to improve nutrition and relieve stress and guilt. Healthier habits can fit with any schedule!

Whether she’s speaking, writing, chatting on social media, appearing on TV or working with individuals, Jill’s 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.

Jill Weisenberger‘s specialties include weight control, heart health, diabetes, pre-diabetes, wellness and nutrition for people with hectic lives. She’ll make nutrition science understandable, realistic and oh so delicious.

On December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we’re celebrating a Blue Christmas. I chose this theme in December because ‘Blue’ is the color that I feel is most closely associated with diabetes and more importantly, it gives us an opportunity to raise awareness for the mental health issues related to diabetes. Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Rachel Zinman, Dr. Mandy Reece PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM, and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the new “Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

 

https://youtu.be/Uwfz5mMLSDM

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