I had a wonderful time running into my dear friend, Divabetic type 1, Leslie, at Martha Redbone‘s brilliant tribute to author bell hooks and her inspiring poetry, featuring my friend, Keith Anthony Fluitt at the Apollo Theater. It brought back fond memories of Leslie attending our free monthly Divabetic Club meetings at the McBurney YMCA in New York two decades ago.
Leslie has been navigating life with type 1 diabetes for over 30 years now, and seeing her again filled my heart with joy. It really transported me back to those vibrant days when Leslie would join our free Divabetic Club meetings at the McBurney YMCA in New York nearly two decades ago.
Seeing her again was such a joy! Leslie has always been a beacon of light and comfort for others living with diabetes, sharing her wisdom and positivity at our gatherings. I fondly remember the impact of Divabetic’s outreach, especially when we hosted ongoing free meetings for women affected by diabetes across New York, Philadelphia, and Cleveland.
This year has been a whirlwind as I balance running Divabetic, supporting Luther Vandross‘s legacy and documentary, creating my art, and managing various commitments while touring with Itzhak Perlman.
Catching up with Leslie was a refreshing reminder to pause, reflect, and appreciate the journey.
On a wonderful note, I’m thrilled to share that I’m teaming up with Dr. Neva White and Catherine Schuller to bring a fantastic, free, and fashionable Divabetic outreach event to life with the Frazier Family Coalition. Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 8, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital! I couldn’t be more excited about what we have planned!
In the game, you’re given three choices of popular foods. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic plays Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.
The happy healthcare host, Mr Divabetic plays the hilarious Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game with Mother Love and the attendees at the American Diabetes Association’s Expo in New York, NY.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic plays Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game at Central Farm Markets in Bethesda, MD during our annual Bake Bethesda a Pie Contest over Labor Day Weekend 2012.
Mr. Divabetic hosts the new hilarious culinary podcast, Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game. A delicious combination of crazy food challenges and fresh perspectives on the latest food trends.
Tonight Mr. Divabetic discusses easy ways to go from ‘Farm To Fabulous’ with co-founders, Debra Moser and Mitchell Berliner of Central Farm Markets and one of the market’s featured vendors.
Our Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game challenge features jerusalem artichokes, kale and oranges. One lucky contestant must decide which choice they’d serve, which choice they’d taste and which one they’d trash. But will they regret their decision after hearing our guest culinary wizard’s mouthwatering recipes for each choice? Can low-sodium foods rate high in taste? Stay tuned.
Special guests include Wellness and Diabetes Coach, Ginger Vieira, the author of “Your Diabetes Science Experiment” and “Emotional Eating with Diabetes,” Co-founders of Central Farm Markets, Debra Moser and MeatCrafters owner, Mitchell Berliner, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, the ‘Queen of the Green’ Miss Aida Romaine and Laura from Chattanooga, TN who is living with diabetes.
I had a great time raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Easter Sunday. It was the first straight year in a row that we took to the streets to educate and entertain participants.
In 2012, I filmed my very first YouTube at the Easter Parade. Now, I have my own ‘Mr. Divabetic’ YouTube channel (!) featuring videos from various parades and festivals in New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
How much do you know about Diabetes Health & Wellness? Test your ‘Diabetes IQ’ with 13 Mr. Divabetic Questions from 2017 Easter Parade:
1. What was Mary Tyler Moore’s character name on the Dick Van Dyke Show?
A. Laura Petrie
B. Laura Ingalls
C. LauraSpencer
2. Which food product doesn’t contain gluten?
A. fritos
B. soy sauce
C. Velveeta
3. People with diabetes are at low risk for developing glaucoma?
A. True
B. False
4. Which food product contains the most sodium?
A. hot dog
B. cornflakes (1 cup)
C. soy sauce (1 tablespoon)
5. Once eye disease starts, it cannot be stopped
A. True
B. False
6. Diabetic eye disease usually has early warning signs
A. True
B. False
7. If you have Diabetic Retinopathy …
A. You may notice changes in your vision right away
B. You may never notice any changes in your vision
C. You may not notice change in your vision at first
8. Diabetes-related eye diseases include:
A. Diabetic Retinopathy
B. Cataract
C. Glaucoma
D. All of the above
9. Which what organ in the body produces insulin?
A. Liver
B. Spleen
C. Pancreas
10. How many times does a heart beat in a lifetime?
A. 2.5 Million
B. 2.5 Billion
C. 2.5 Trillion
11. Shoes with heels should will be no more than…
A. 1 inch high
B. 1 1/2 inches high
C. 2 inches high
D. 2 1/2inches high
12. One avocado contains how many servings?
A. 1 Serving
B. 3 Servings
C. 5 Servings
13. How much blood do your kidneys filter every day?
A. 1 Gallon
B. 50 Quarts
C. 200 Quarts
To mark this historic milestone at Divabetic, hat designer Joe Murray created a special ‘Pineapple Top Hat’ for me to top off my outfit. (Check out my new 18 Carot Fruit Suit tuxedo jacket!)
Don’t let the parade pass you by!Check out our Facebook Live Videos (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds from the Easter Parade with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, the Salad Bar Superstar, Aida Romaine and more!
ANSWERS: 1. A. Laura Petrie. Actress Mary Tyler Moore was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just before ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ launched. If Mary could take it on with a smile, so can we! 2. A. Fritos 3. B. FALSE: Glaucoma is almost twice as likely to occur in people with diabetes than in those without the disease. 4. C. Soy Sauce. One tablespoon typically contains about 1,000 milligrams of sodium—nearly half of the recommended limit for sodium intake in an entire day—soy sauce is indeed a high-sodium food. 5. B. FALSE 6.B. FALSE 7. C. You may not notice change in your vision at first8. D. All of the above 9. C. Pancreas. Your pancreas maintains your body’s blood glucose (sugar) balance. Primary hormones of the pancreas include insulin and glucagon, and both regulate blood glucose levels. 10. B. 2.5 Billion 11. B. 1 1/2 inches high according to the Dr. Michele Summers Colon – ’The Holistic Podiatrist’ 12. C. 5 Servings 13. C. 200 Quarts
