Mr. Divabetic stops by the 10th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party at Madison Square Park in New York City to find out how people stay on track with their Summertime health goals.
At the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, pitmasters from New York City, Alabama, and Texas come together to celebrate American barbeque.
According to the Webstaurant Store blog, the main styles of American BBQ are Kansas City, Memphis, Carolina, and Texas.
Kansas pitmasters brush wet ribs with sauce before, during, and after smoking them for a wet sauce. Memphis-style “dry” ribs are coated in a dry rub before they’re smoked and served without sauce, allowing their authentic flavor to shine.
Alabama white sauce is mayonnaise-based and punctuated with apple cider vinegar, brown mustard, and horseradish. It is usually served on chicken.
St. Louis is famous for its spare ribs, and most people refer to this meat cut when they mention St. Louis-style barbecue. In St. Louis, they prefer grilling their ribs rather than slow-smoking them over indirect heat.
California-style BBQ centers on wood-fired tri-tip steaks rubbed in salt, pepper, and garlic powder seasoning.
Everyone loves grilling food because the high heat and direct contact with your grill can make foods crispy on the outside while keeping them moist inside.
Kentucky is famous for perfecting slow-smoking mutton and developed a Worcestershire-based sauce to complement its rich, gamey flavor.
In recent years, contradictory reports have cited the benefits and dangers of grilling.
According to New York Health, research has found that grilling may reduce your risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. This is because grilling food makes it easier for us to eat fewer calories and fat.
According to Columbia Doctors, cooking over high heat, especially an open flame, exposes you to two main carcinogens: heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Studies show HCAs and PAHs cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer.
Staying healthy isn’t just about watching what you eat; it’s also important to be aware of the excessive calories and added sugar in your drinks. Many summer drinks, including soda, sports and energy drinks, lemonade, fruit juices, and sweetened waters, contain added sugar.
For example, a 16-fluid-ounce soda can contain over 12 teaspoons of added sugar, while a 16-fluid-ounce sports drink can contain 7 teaspoons. Added sugar can provide empty calories that can contribute to weight gain, obesity, heart disease, and tooth decay.
July’s Divabetic Inspiration, Ms. Patti LaBelle performs tonight on A Capitol Fourth on PBS and NPR, July 4 at 8 PM. EST. TUNE IN
It seems only fitting on the 4th of July to reflect back to the time when Patti LaBelle’s electric persona sparked my desire to become a diabetes advocate.
Yes, it’s true the world’s most famous ‘Divabetic’, Patti LaBelle inspired me to coin the phrase ‘Divabetic’ in 2003. During a Luther Tribute concert at Madison Square Garden she stopped singing and admitted to the sold-out audience that she was living with type 2 diabetes.
Ms. Patti LaBelle said, “I have diabetes, it doesn’t have me.’ and I thought to myself as I looked up at her on stage, ‘she’s a DIVA, not a diabetic’.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It’s always been inside of you, you, you
And now it’s time to let it through
Seconds later, I realized that the ‘V’ in ‘Divabetic’ was a subtle reference to my boss, Luther Vandross’s last name. These initial thoughts are what pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and pursue diabetes advocacy. Shortly thereafter, I started making ‘Divabetic’ t-shirts as a one-time diabetes fundraising effort. My t-shirts had ‘Divabetic written on the front and ‘Sugar’s The Bitch. Not Me.’ written on the back.
I personally gave Patti LaBelle one of my first Divabetic t-shirts and told her that she inspired me to coin the phrase ‘Divabetic’. We were both visiting Luther’s mother, Mrs. Mary Ida Vandross at her home in Philadelphia, PA. I told her how much I appreciated what she said up on stage and mentioned that I wished Luther could have been as open and forthright about his diabetes as she is.
Of course, I’ll never really know what would have happened if Luther had adopted Patti LaBelle’s attitude. Could he have avoided a major health crisis? All I know is that I wouldn’t have felt as helpless as I did when I found him on the floor of his home after he suffered a debilitating stroke.
Since the day I presented Patti LaBelle with a Divabetic t-shirt, she has happily proclaimed herself a ‘Divabetic’ on TV and radio and in magazine interviews. She has helped me to show women living with, at risk, affected by diabetes that they are NOT alone.
https://youtu.be/kxCcTfAkaE0
Let Ms. Patti LaBelle inspire you to create your very own entourage of healthcare professionals to live with diabetes like a diva!
According to the American Diabetes Association, your diabetes wellness healthcare team should include: your primary doctor, endocrinologists, registered dietitian (RD), certified diabetes educators (CDE), eye doctor, podiatrist, dentist, therapist, and loving, caring friends, family and co-workers.
You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July
My journey may seem ‘glamorous’ but the truth is that diabetes devastated my life and my dream. It silenced Luther Vandross’ beautiful voice. I encourage you to make time and ‘keep your house a home’ by learning to prevent a diabetes health-related complication such as stroke from occurring.
We’re celebrating Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcast Anniversary with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”– Ms.Patti LaBelle. She has inspired us to adopt and promote a ‘NEW ATTITUDE’ about living with diabetes!
Thank you to our loyal listeners for sharing your stories, questions, concerns, and successes with us over the past decade. Our aim has been and continues to be to broaden the appeal of diabetes education with music, beauty/style, games, real-life stories, cozy mysteries radio dramas, and laughter.
10th Year Anniversary Podcast guests include: Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OB-GYN, Luther McRae, Mama Rose Marie, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller, Terri Seidman and special guests.
One lucky listner in our random drawing will win aDario Blood Glucose Meterstarter kit. This all-in-one pocket-sized device can track blood sugar fluctuations and trends and identify hyper/hypoglycemic episodes right from your smartphone, providing readings within as little as 6 seconds. It’s scientifically proven, HIPPA compliant, and includes Dario Coaches to offer support and motivation to help manage your diabetes.
We’d like to acknowledge everyone who has taken measures to protect our Divabetic community members living with diabetes and their loved ones by wearing cloth face coverings and social distancing.
For the past twelve years at our Divabeticlive events, on our podcasts and inner blog we’ve been promotinga ‘New Attitude’ about living with diabetes to help you ‘Keep Your House A Home’ by learning to prevent a diabetes health-related complication from occurring.Now we’re sharing our decade’s worth of our ‘diva brand of diabetes outreach’ advice, games and entertaining ideas with you so that you won’t have to avoid the holidays like the Fourth of July in order to take charge of our diabetes.
For people with diabetes, the heat and humidity of summer can be particularly hazardous, reports Anahad O’Connor for the New York Times.
One of the complications of diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2, is an impaired ability to adjust to rises in temperature, which can cause dangerous increases in body temperature during the summer. The underlying problem, nerve damage, occurs in 60 to 70 percent of Americans with diabetes; it can affect nearly every organ in the body, including sweat glands. When nerve damage keeps the sweat glands from working properly, the body fails to cool down as the mercury rises. READ MORE
What’s more ‘American’ than football? Well, how would you tackle type 2 diabetes is if you’re a professional player? You might start seeing red (and not white and blue!) if your team’s management decided to let you go because of your diagnosis.
The New England Patriots released Kyle Love two months after he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes — despite the fact he’d made 24 starts at defensive tackle the previous two seasons. Three teams later, Love has found a new home on the Carolina Panthers’ strong front seven, but New England’s decision still provides some motivation.
“Every day I think about it. It eats me up,” Love told Sporting News. “You do so much and you put so much work on the field. That somebody could just release you based off a physical problem that’s not going to stop you from playing football, it really grinds my gears.”
Staying ‘big’ in order to play his position may have contributed to some bad eating habits admits Love. For example, even now, there’s still the occasional trip to Burger King, and not always the “perfect meal.” More often, he tries to use the wisdom he has gained while dealing with the illness.
“My thought process was, ‘I’m an athlete, I work out every day, there’s no way I can get diabetes or high blood pressure because I sweat so much and burn so many calories.’ But if it’s determined to happen, it can happen.
When it comes to reducing your risk for diabetes, knowledge is key. Take this quiz to find out how much you know about type 2 diabetes! (Answer at bottom of post)
DIVABETIC QUICK TIP: During the hot summer months, you want to make sure you protect your diabetes supplies and equipment. Heat can have negative impacts on your oral medication, insulin, blood glucose meter, and test strips. For example, you don’t want to keep your meter in your car since cars can get extremely hot. Always keep it in a cool dry place. READ MORE
Fresh ideas for Fourth of July Entertaining
ENTERTAINING TIP #1: Put together a flag-inspired cheese plate featuring red raspberries, strawberry and blueberries.
ENTERTAINING TIP #2: Quench your thirst with Fruit Water! Just put frozen blueberries, ice cubes, and fresh strawberries in glass beverage. Avoid any fruit that’s bruised or overly ripe, or herbs that don’t look fresh.Use thin slices or small cubes because the flavor will infuse more quickly.Add the fruit, herbs, spices or whatever you want to use into a bottle of cool water.
ENTERTAINING TIP #3: Star Spangled Fruit Salad with cookie cutter watermelon stars – Simple to make and perfect for a Summer night!
Check out these ‘Hotter than July’ Topics in Diabetes
HOT TOPIC #1: A small but growing group of people without diabetes are wearing Continuous Glucose Monitors to track what goes on in their own bodies.
“I’ve been trying to learn why some days I feel fantastic, and other days I don’t. I had a cinnamon roll recently and my blood glucose doubled in 60 minutes,” says Tabb Firchau, an entrepreneur living in Seattle, who bought his CGM off eBay for about $300. “The monitor helps you understand the costs of the decisions you are making.” READ MORE
HOT TOPIC #2:Broccoli compound could be helpful to diabetes according to a new study published in Science Translational Medicine. Apparently a compound called “sulforaphane,” that occurs in broccoli and other vegetables, has the ability to lower the liver’s production of glucose. “There are strong indications that this can become a valuable supplement to existing medication,” Dr Rosengren predicted. “Sulforaphane can reach the patients faster than a medication, and it is also an interesting concept from a diabetes perspective where diet is central.” READ MORE
HOT TOPIC #3:U.S. Air Pollution still kills thousands every year, even at the levels allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a new study. “We are now providing bullet-proof evidence that we are breathing harmful air,” says Francesca Dominici, a professor of biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who led the study. “Our air is contaminated.”
Dominici and her colleagues set out to do the most comprehensive study to date assessing the toll that air pollution takes on American lives. READ MORE
HOT TOPIC #4:Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) have introduced the Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act of 2017 to help curb America’s diabetes epidemic. This bill will allow Medicare coverage of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) services for people with prediabetes and other risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes.
“People at risk of Type 2 diabetes, including the many with prediabetes, need support to avoid developing this disease,” Congresswoman DeGette said. “Older adults served by Medicare are disproportionately affected by prediabetes and diabetes itself. It just makes sense to ensure that seniors on Medicare who face these risks have coverage for MNT services.” READ MORE
HOT TOPIC #5 : Flip Flops or Not! The type of shoes you wear when you have diabetes is important! “There are shoes which can help prevent or delay the onset of foot ulceration in diabetes. There are also shoes which can cause or help accelerate the development of foot ulceration,” says Stephen Ogedengbe, MD, a researcher at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital in Benin City, Nigeria for WebMD. What to do? Wear shoes you can easily adjust. They should have laces, Velcro, or buckles. Do not wear shoes with pointed or open toes, such as high heels, flip-flops, or sandals. READ MORE
Diabetes Roundtable ‘Super Stars & Stripes’ themed podcast featuring the Divabetic Charlie’s Angels of Diabetes Outreach, Mama Rose Marie, celebrity makeup artist Turner Harte and real diva, Morelia of Nashville, TN. Plus, we’re dining out with a dietitian at Subway in a menu review of healthy food choices and gather ringside for a Food Aisle Face-off between watermelon and corn-on-the-cob. Tune in and call in to get inspired, to give a shout-out or to play Divabetic’s Diabetes Numerology game. LISTEN NOW
ANSWER: True. If you’ve ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure, this could contribute to your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Make sure to talk to your doctor about your risk level if you have high blood pressure.
