Jillian Michael’s Body Shaming is No Match for Lizzo’s Pride

According to the Oxford dictionary, pride is “a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.” And they give the example, “he takes great pride in his appearance”


Let’s face it – being overweight is not a trait that is “widely admired” in our culture. Nor is it considered an “achievement”. Quite the contrary, we tend to believe that excess weight is often the result of a lack of pride in one’s appearance. How, then, can we also preach that you should be proud of yourself no matter what you weigh? How can someone find a sense of pride, if that pride, by definition, is attached to some (undefined) achievement, or the admiration of others? How many people can say that they are admired for being overweight? Or that gaining 50 pounds is seen as a wonderful achievement?


And what about the issue of “health”? Pride aside, we also firmly believe that excess weight puts us at higher risk of developing a number of preventable conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, some cancers, back and knee pain, etc etc. And of course there is ample evidence that this is true, and everyone knows or has heard it. We can’t escape the messages from magazine ads and articles, pamphlets in the doctor’s office, the parade of tv shows showing the various horrors (physical and otherwise) of being fat. So, it is assumed that if someone is overweight, on some level they are knowingly putting themselves at higher risk. And how can you be proud of yourself under those circumstances? l believe therein lies the problem. How can l have pride in myself, my looks, my body, my size…when l “know” how dangerous and risky it is to be carrying extra weight?


I am an older woman of color, who has struggled with weight since childhood. I have also had type 1 diabetes for almost 40 years. Type 1 is the type that most people get early in life (aka juvenile diabetes), but l was not diagnosed until l was almost 30. I admit l am a “micromanager” when it comes to diabetes, and l think it has paid off, because just yesterday my endocrinologist told me that l am doing very well, with no sign of any complications. l am still overweight, but she has also told me that weight loss is NOT part of my treatment plan. She is more concerned that we protect my kidneys and my heart, by keeping my A1c at a safe level, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol. I have to admit that l was surprised when she first told me that, because l, like everyone else, bought into the idea that if l wasn’t actively losing weight, or at least trying to, that l wasn’t “doing well”, or that l “wasn’t motivated”. I always thought that l should hang my head when the topic of weight was raised, and be prepared for “the lecture” about how l needed to do more or do better. Was l counting my carbs right? Was l measuring? Was l trying to use the stairs instead of the elevator? Was l prepared for the pejorative face that many health professionals make when they listen to your “excuses” about your size?


As l sat in the waiting room, every magazine on the table had some headline article on the cover declaring “Lose 10 Pounds in A Week”; “Miracle Diet Helps Curb Your Appetite”; “Slim Down the Easy Way”; “How l Lost 100 Pounds and Gained a Husband”. I went back to reading a novel on my Kindle as l waited to be seen. Looking around the waiting room, l began to start comparing myself to everyone else, even though l have no idea what issues they are dealing with, or where they are on their journey. And what’s worse, l’m sure they are also looking at and judging ME.


And then, l thought of the ultimate paradox…we are told that we should love and be proud of our bodies, no matter what size they are and what they look like. How is that even possible, given so much opinion to the contrary? Even as l wait to see my endocrinologist, my pride is challenged by the messages in her very office. Although she herself tells me not to concern myself with my weight! She says that l am doing well and my health is good.


Frankly, l’m tired of the whole conversation. l’m tired of being made to feel somehow inadequate. l’m tired of being seen as lazy, or unmotivated. l’m tired of comparing myself to others. l’m tired of the labels. l’m tired of trying to explain the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and how my pancreas simply does not work, and my having diabetes is not a result of my poor eating habits. l’m tired of women judging other women. l’m tired of men asking me what l think about women judging other women. And then here comes Jillian Michaels. Why should l care what she says about Lizzo? Why should Lizzo care? Who are these people, anyway? (l literally did not know who either of them was until l was asked to write this.)


Well, they’re the same people who are sitting in my doctor’s waiting room, and working in my doctor’s office, and standing in line next to me in the supermarket, looking in my cart to see if l’m buying “fattening” foods. These people are everywhere and guess what? They have a right to think whatever they choose to think. But can we please stop making it a big deal? Believe what you want. Do what you think is best for you. Make your decisions based on your trusted sources. As the Oxford dictionary says, take pride in your appearance. Your hair, your skin, your clothes. l think the only way to combat this sort of conversation is to stop having it.


Am l proud of myself? Yes. l have had diabetes for well over half of my life. And no complications. l worked over 40 years, until l reached retirement age, and never took a leave because of illness. I earned a master’s degree summa cum laude, while working full time and caring for 3 elderly relatives. l live in a beautiful new home, drive a sexy convertible, and maintain a comfortable lifestyle. Plus, l have a part-time counseling practice that provides extra income, and hopefully helps people improve their coping skills. Am l proud of me? Hell yes. And l have learned to live by an important concept: what you think of me is none of my business. You’re entitled to your opinion, but it does not concern me one bit. Nor does it require a response. Are you listening Jillian?

Lorraine Brooks wrote this blog post. She shares her poetry on Divabetic’s monthly podcast, Diabetes Late Nite. Lorraine Brooks takes an earthy, often wildly comic and unembarrassed look at life’s frailties; from natural disasters to lusty encounters in her book, Riding the Wave. Her words denote a simple bravery of style.

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Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Maria Callas

We’re talking about how to minimize the drama in our diabetes lives with music from the ultimate diva, Maria Callas on January’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

Maria Callas changed the way we listen to opera—and charged the ambition of the singers who followed her.  Her ability to interpret a wide variety of different roles truly set her apart, establishing her as a phenomenon, an operatic diva. She was able to fully exploit the dramatic strength of her low vocal range as much as the high and bright notes of her high range.

Opera takes any type of dramatic story and tries to make it more exciting and more believable with the help of music. Symptoms and situations related to diabetes are often dramatic and come on very suddenly. But how do you react to them? Are you ‘drama queen’?

If there’s drama in multiple areas of your diabetes life, be honest with yourself—you’re the constant. Are you creating it? We don’t do anything repeatedly unless there’s something in it for us, so, what’s the payoff?

Every time we find ourselves immersed in something that seems overwhelming, we have an opportunity to learn how to deal with challenges better.

Guests include Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport PhD, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, Lorraine Brooks, American Heart and American Diabetes Association’s Know Diabetes By Heart Ambassador Rob Taub, Yoga for Diabetes Author and Director Rachel Zinman and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN,CDE.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Grandiose Stimmen: Maria Callas album courtesy of SONY Music.

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Few Type 1s Meet A1C Goals Despite Treatment Innovations

“There is no indication that A1C levels in the registry as a whole have improved despite an increase in the use of insulin pumps and CGM’s (continuous glucose monitors),” said the authors of the T1D Exchange Clinic Network’s “State of Type 1 Diabetes Management and Outcomes from the T1D Exchange in 2016-2018″.  


The majority of both youth and adults surveyed aren’t meeting A1C goals defined by the American Diabetes Association.

The A1C test result reflects your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. Specifically, the A1C test measures what percentage of your hemoglobin — a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen — is coated with sugar (glycated). The higher your A1C level, the poorer your blood sugar control and the higher your risk of diabetes complications.

While much of the report can be seen as disheartening, there are some great takeaways – CGM and insulin pump users tend to have lower A1Cs and less hypoglycemia, suggesting the need for improved access to these devices in the type 1 community.

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Diabetes Late Nite podcast with music from Ricky Martin

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

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall Uprising (June 29, 1969). It is widely considered to be the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement.

Since Ricky Martin came out in 2010, he’s been a prominent voice for LGBT rights both in the U.S. and in his native Puerto Rico. Ricky Martin said, “I just wanna be free,” upon receiving GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award, which honors gay entertainers who promote equal rights. Martin opened up his life to Vanity Fair in its April 2012 issue and spoke candidly about his twins, Matteo and Valentino, and his longtime partner, Carlos Gonzalez.

As an openly gay man, Mr. Divabetic is honored to shine the spotlight on members from the LGBTQ+ community living with diabetes. Guests include Stephen Bernstein, Greg Rubin, Maria Salazar, Maya James and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

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.”

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Carb Kitty Video

‘Lessons Learned from the Escape Room Experience’ by Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDE Clinical Psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator

On Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 130 people participated in Divabetic’s first-ever Clued Inn Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Why was that date chosen? That is because it was the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) Diabetes Alert Day, which focused on type 2 diabetes awareness. What’s the connection between diabetes and heart health issues? According to the ADA, people living with type 2 diabetes are two times more likely to develop all types of heart diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels, such as heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. In addition to learning about the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, and learning about risk factors and gender differences of heart disease, what lessons were also learned from the Escape Room experience?


There’s no “I” in “team”

When the participants were asked, in small group discussions with certified diabetes educators after they exited the escape room, whether they could have succeeded on their own, the unanimous answer was “no.” The analogy here is that when members worked together as a team they could complete the escape mission; likewise in order to be successful with managing medical issues, such as diabetes or heart health issues, your chances of success are improved when you work together with your health care team. Trying to escape by yourself or manage your health concerns by yourself is not a winning strategy. The lesson is: there is no “I” in “team.” A corollary to that lesson is: “you are not alone.”  When it comes to successful diabetes management, a multidisciplinary team approach is recommended. Who should be a part of your health care team?

Your diabetes health care team

The ADA recommends a variety of health care providers who each play a role in your health. However, “you are the most important member of your health care team.” Your health care team depends on you to talk to them honestly and to tell them how you feel.

Although your Primary Care Physician (PCP) is seen for general check-ups and when you get sick, you should consider seeing an endocrinologist for your diabetes care. He or she is a specialist trained in treating diabetes (and thyroid issues).  Most people with type 1 diabetes do see an endocrinologist and many people with type 2 diabetes may see an endocrinologist, especially if they are having trouble managing their diabetes or are developing complications.
 A certified diabetes educator (CDE) may be a nurse, dietitian, psychologist, podiatrist, pharmacist, etc. who works in some way to teach or care for people with diabetes. They may work in hospitals, clinics, diabetes centers, or private practice.

A registered dietitian (RD) is trained in nutrition and can help you learn how the foods you eat affect your blood sugar. He or she can teach you to balance food and medications and activity. You can learn to read food labels and plan healthful meals.

A mental health professional, such as a diabetes-focused licensed clinical psychologist or clinical social worker, can help with the emotional side of living with diabetes. Starting with receiving a diagnosis of diabetes, or coping with feelings of denial, anger, anxiety, or depression while living with diabetes, a mental health expert is an important member of the team. The goal of therapy is to empower you to accept your diagnosis so you can manage your diabetes the best that you can. If a person with diabetes is experiencing diabetes distress, where the person is stressed by all the demands of self-care, therapy can help to improve coping strategies. If a person with diabetes is experiencing symptoms of depression (unrelated to diabetes), a psychiatrist may be helpful to prescribe anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication (or both). Some psychiatrists also provide counseling.

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who cares for your eyes. The ADA guidelines recommend that you see your eye doctor at least once a year. You should undergo a dilated eye exam to detect changes in the blood vessels of your eyes due to living with diabetes. When eye problems are caught early, there are very good treatments.

A podiatrist is a specialist who is trained to treat feet and problems of the lower legs. Diabetes makes you prone to poor blood flow and nerve damage in the lower legs. Podiatrists treat corns, calluses, and more serious problems. Do not try to fix these yourself, because you could cause an infection.

Other members of your health care team may include a pharmacist, a dentist, an exercise physiologist, a cardiologist, a nephrologist (kidney specialist) and a neurologist.

Enjoy a long and healthy life with diabetes!

The escape room experience taught the participants that “taking care of your risk for and/or managing diabetes is important to help you take care of your heart. Just like you’re planning to escape this room, you can escape your risk of heart disease by working with a team. Work with your physician and create your own health care team to help manage your blood pressure and cholesterol and/or diabetes to keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.”

Dr. Beverly S. Adler, aka “Dr. Bev”, is a clinical psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator with a private practice in Baldwin, NY. She was honored in 2016 with the “Certified Diabetes Educator Entrepreneur of the Year Award.”

She is the author/editor of two diabetes self-help books which include insightful lessons of empowerment written by successful men and women with diabetes.  She has published articles in print and online about diabetes management – always with the focus on emotional adjustment. Dr. Bev has been quoted in numerous magazines and contributed to a monthly diabetes advice column online. She is a frequent contributor to the Divabetic Diabetes Daily Wire, where she blogs about diabetes topics from the psychological perspective.

Dr. Bev has lived successfully with type 1 diabetes for 40+ years. You can connect with her on her website www.AskDrBev.com and on Twitter @AskDrBev.

We’re talking about ‘Self-Acceptance & Diabetes’ with musical inspiration from Dolly Parton on Diabetes Late Nite. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr.Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP,  Lisa R Young, PhD, RDN, and Type 2 Diabetes – What To Know Facebook Community member, Crystal. 

Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Dolly Parton’s Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music. LISTEN NOW

Combining Heart Health Education and Diabetes Alert Day Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDE

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease. More than one in three women is living with some form of cardiovascular disease.

Women with high blood pressure have an 83 percent higher risk of heart attack then men with hypertension.

Women smokers have a 55 percent higher risk of heart attack than male smokers.

Women with type 2 diabetes are 47 percent more likely to have heart attacks than men living with diabetes.

The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions.

Risk factors that you can manage or treat with lifestyle changes and your healthcare provider’s help include:

High blood pressure

Smoking

High blood cholesterol

Lack of regular activity

Obesity or overweight

Diabetes

Risk factors that you can’t change include:

Age

Gender

Heredity (family health history)

Race

Previous stroke or heart attack

Start by knowing your numbers. You can’t manage what you don’t measure, which is why knowing your heart health risk is critical to prevent cardiovascular disease. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn about your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and BMI (Body Mass Index).

Your heart depends on it. For more information about heart health go to the American Heart Association website at www.heart.org.

Alert ! Day for Type 2 Diabetes Awareness

Tuesday, March 26, 2019 is the American Diabetes Association’s “Alert ! Day” for type 2 diabetes awareness.  Each year, held on the last Tuesday of March, is a one-day event that encourages everyone to take the type 2 diabetes risk test and participate in activities that will teach them about reducing their risk for diabetes.

Five factors are used to determine your risk for type 2 diabetes which include: your age, your gender, for women: whether you were ever diagnosed with gestational diabetes, whether you have a close family member with diabetes, whether you have high blood pressure, your level of physical activity, and your weight category.

Only your healthcare provider can tell you for sure if you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Higher body weight increases diabetes risk for everyone.

The good news is you can manage your risk for type 2 diabetes. Small steps can make a big difference in helping you live a longer, healthier life. For more information about Alert ! Day go to: the American Diabetes Association’s website

Combining Diabetes Awareness with Heart Health Education

For one night only, on Tuesday, March 26, 2019, you can enjoy a FREE outreach event at NYC’s #1 Escape Room Experience, Clued Inn, with a heart health twist. Clued Inn’s goal is to enliven the mission of the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Alert Day with a one-day wake up call and encourage further action through an interactive, gaming experience. Clued Inn aims to change perceptions about early recognition of type 2 diabetes, inform about the link between type 2 diabetes and heart health, and promote intervention before it leads to cardiovascular disease.

In many ways, type 2 diabetes is a puzzle since the most common symptoms vary from person to person. The same skills needed to succeed at the game are also necessary for preventing cardiovascular disease for people with type 2 diabetes.  The escape room experience fosters the same collaboration as diabetes management. Players explore possibilities, think of creative solutions, ask questions, listen to answers, and try new ways of doing things. No one goes it alone and there’s more than one way to find a solution. All of these behaviors can be put to good use when tackling a health issue with your healthcare provider(s). For these reasons, Clued Inn offers a fun learning experience for everyone to improve problem solving skills and learn about the connection between type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also gives at-risk individuals and their families better knowledge of the questions and conversations to be conducted at the next appointment they have with their healthcare provider.

Can you escape before it’s too late?

Solve the special “Diabetes and Heart Health” puzzles for a chance to receive prize giveaways, diabetes and heart health resources, and meet with nationally recognized diabetes educators. Online registration is quick and easy and the entire Escape Room Experience is totally free courtesy of the Clued Inn sponsor, Boehringer Ingelheim. For further information, and to register, go to www.CluedInn.org.

Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE

Dr. Beverly S. Adler, aka “Dr. Bev”, is a clinical psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator with a private practice in Baldwin, NY. She was honored in 2016 with the “Certified Diabetes Educator Entrepreneur of the Year Award.”

She is the author/editor of two diabetes self-help books which include insightful lessons of empowerment written by successful men and women with diabetes.  She has published articles in print and online about diabetes management – always with the focus on emotional adjustment. Dr. Bev has been quoted in numerous magazines and contributed to a monthly diabetes advice column online. She is a frequent contributor to the Divabetic Diabetes Daily Wire, where she blogs about diabetes topics from the psychological perspective.

Dr. Bev has lived successfully with type 1 diabetes for 42 years. You can connect with her on her website www.AskDrBev.com and on Twitter @AskDrBev.

Susan Lucci’s Real Life Health Drama Can Be Avoided

Soap Opera legend Susan Lucci underwent emergency heart surgery in October for a major blockage in her arteries that could have ended in a fatal heart attack.

She admitted in People magazine that she ignored the warning signs for three months.

Sometime last autumn, she had felt a tightness in her chest but “told myself, it’s nothing, it will go away. And it did.” Roughly 10 days later, the pain returned, “radiating around my rib cage. I thought maybe I had fastened my bra too tightly.”

Then on October 23, while at the Tory Burch boutique at the Americana Manhasset shopping center, the pain came back, intensified. “It felt like an elephant pressing down on my chest,” she told the magazine, adding that the store manager offered to drive her to Roslyn’s St. Francis Hospital, which specializes in cardiology. 

The tests revealed that the actress had 90 percent blockage in the heart’s main artery, which doctors call “the widow maker,” and 70 percent blockage in another branch.

“Ninety percent blockage – I was shocked,” Lucci said.

The 72-year-old actress had to undergo surgery, during which her doctor inserted two stents into her arteries to help increase blood flow back to her heart.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women today, killing approximately 400,000 women a year, according to the latest statistics from the American Heart Association.

Susan Lucci who has devoted decades to a daily Pilates workout and a heart healthy Mediterranean diet, was unaware that her father’s heart disease meant she was also at risk. Her father, Victor Lucci, had suffered a heart attack in his late forties.  “I always thought I had my mother’s genes,” says Lucci of her mother, Jeanette, now 101 years old.

Diabetes is a powerful risk factor for heart disease in women as reported on the American Diabetes Association’s website. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women with diabetes. Women with diabetes are 2 times as likely to have a second heart attack and 4 times more likely to have heart failure than women without diabetes.

Many women with type 2 diabetes already have heart disease when they are diagnosed or have many of the risk factors such as high lipids levels, high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, and abnormalities in blood vessel function.

Clued Inn is a TOTALLY free and TOTALLY unique way to learn about Diabetes & Heart Disease  on National Diabetes Alert Day on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Our goal is for participants to have a fun, gaming adventure as we take the mystery out of the link between diabetes and heart health and encourage people to discover their risk for diabetes. Space Limited. BOOK NOW

How Much Do You Know About Insulin? Part 2

How much do you know about insulin? 
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic has created a new game to test one lucky listener’s ‘INSULIN IQ’ featuring a series of questions about insulin for November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from Aretha Franklin’s rendition of ‘Teach Me Tonight’ from her Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics album courtesy of SONY Music.
Can’t wait until Wednesday, November 14th? Test your knowledge with these two ‘Teach Me Tonight Challenge’ questions (answers appear at the bottom of this blog post):

3: Which animal was insulin first tested on?

A. A cow

B. A pig

C. A dog

4: What year was insulin first used on a human?

A. 1912

B.1922

C. 1932

5: How many people are living with diabetes in the world?

A. 322 million

B. 399 million

C. 422 million

Are you concerned about the average price of insulin skyrocketing in recent years – nearly tripling between 2002 and 2013?
Join us in calling for increased transparency and more affordable insulin. More than 377,207 people have signed the American Diabetes Association’s petition to support those struggling with insulin affordability. Add your name today. CLICK HERE

Don’t miss November’s Diabetes Late Niteon Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 6 PM, EST.Divabetic will be hosting November’s Diabetes Late Nite with music by Aretha Franklin on World Diabetes Day Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 6 PM EST in celebration of World Diabetes Day.

You may be wondering why November 14th is 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, Sir Frederick Banting. Banting discovered insulin in 1922, alongside Charles Best. Insulin isn’t just a drug. It’s the difference between life and death for millions of people with diabetes – and it’s something they will need every day for the rest of their lives.

Guests included Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport, Owner of Diabetes Strong Christel Oerum, Makeup Artist & Skincare Expert Suzanne Perez, Mama Rose Marie and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. Plus, win a copy of Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport’s newest book,

“Friendship Matters: memoir, life lessons, laughter” as part of our World Diabetes Day giveaway! TUNE IN

ANSWERS: 1). C: DOG. Canadian physician Frederick Banting and medical student Charles H. Best would be credited with discovering the hormone insulin in the pancreatic extracts of dogs. Banting and Best injected the hormone into a dog and found that it lowered high blood glucose levels to normal. 2). B: 1922.  On 11 January 1922 insulin was first used in the treatment of diabetes. Insulin was discovered by Sir Frederick G Banting, Charles H Best and JJR Macleod at the University of Toronto in 1921 and it was subsequently purified by James B Collip. 3). C: 422 MILLION. According to the World Health Organization, 422 million people are living with diabetes worldwide, nearly doubling the prevalence from 4.7 percent in 1980 to 8.4 percent in 2014. In the United States alone, an estimated 29.1 million adults and children are affected.

How Much Do You Know About Insulin? on November’s Diabetes Late Nite

Divabetic will be hosting November’s Diabetes Late Nite with music by Aretha Franklin on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 6 PM EST in celebration of World Diabetes Day.

You may be wondering why November 14th is 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, Sir Frederick Banting. Banting discovered insulin in 1922, alongside Charles Best. Insulin isn’t just a drug. It’s the difference between life and death for millions of people with diabetes – and it’s something they will need every day for the rest of their lives.
How much do you know about insulin? 
Mr. Divabetic has created a new game to test one lucky listener’s ‘INSULIN IQ’ featuring a series of questions about insulin for November’s podcast with musical inspiration from Aretha Franklin’s rendition of ‘Teach Me Tonight’ from her Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics album courtesy of SONY Music.
Can’t wait until Wednesday, November 14th? Test your knowledge with these two ‘Teach Me Tonight Challenge’ questions (answers appear at the bottom of this blog post):

1. What is the most common methods of injecting insulin?

a. insulin syringe

b. insulin inhalers

c. insulin pens

2. In ancient times, doctors would test for diabetes by?

a. Check the patient’s eyes

b. Tasting the patient’s urine

c. Listening to the patient’s heart

Are you concerned about the average price of insulin skyrocketing in recent years – nearly tripling between 2002 and 2013?
Join us in calling for increased transparency and more affordable insulin. More than 377,207 people have signed the American Diabetes Association’s petition to support those struggling with insulin affordability. Add your name today. CLICK HERE
 
Don’t miss November’s Diabetes Late Nite on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 6 PM, EST with  Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport, Owner of Diabetes Strong Christel Oerum, Makeup Artist & Skincare Expert Suzanne Perez, Mama Rose Marie and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. TUNE IN

Answers: 1. (a.) The most common method of injecting insulin is by syringe, but there are a lot of other options available, such as insulin pens, inhalers and pumps. Talk to your doctor to find out what’s best for you. Answer 2 (b). In ancient times, doctors would test for diabetes by tasting the patient’s urine to see if it was sweet. People who tasted urine to check for diabetes were called “water tasters.” Other diagnostic measures included checking to see if urine attracted ants or flies.

Parsley Deviled Eggs by Verna ‘Lady V’ Henry 

Deviled eggs are one of the trendiest appetizers at  Backyard Cookouts this Summer. The good news is that Deviled eggs are packed with protein and can be a healthier choice than some other party foods. But, the traditional recipe is pretty high in fat and caloriesBy reducing the amount of egg yolks used and swapping the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt, you can make skinny deviled eggs. They’re the perfect low calorie, high protein snack.
This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to the Hamptons with my friend, Lady V. She loves to shop for fresh produce at the area’s Farmers’ Markets. From Montauk to Westhampton Beach, Farmers’ Markets located throughout the Hamptons are an easy way to shop local and enjoy fresh produce and other delectable finds.
We bought fresh tomatoes and parsley at Babinski’s Farm Stand located at 160 Newlight Ln, Water Mill, NY 11976. They also carry local fish, fruit and vegetables, Debragga Beef, as well as a variety of homemade pies and grocery items such as raspberry jam.
“What makes this Deviled Egg so delicious is the fresh parsley!” says Lady V. “It is also rich in a variety of different vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.”

Parsely Deviled Eggs by Verna Henry 

Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/4 cup of Best Foods/Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Dressing With Extra Virgin Olive Oil (tastes more like regular mayonnaise to me than some of the other light mayos)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2  teaspoon of ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper 
4 cherry tomatoes (for garnish) 
 
Directions:
Boil eggs in water (about 10 minutes).
After eggs cool,  slice the hard-boiled eggs in half.
Scoop out the yolks and place them in a medium bowl. 
Combine yolks with mayonnaise or yorgurt, parsley, ground mustard.
Continue stirring until the mixture is creamy with no lumps. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Fill a pastry bag with the mixture. 
Lay the egg white halves on a platter with the yolk hole facing up. Hold the twisted part of the bag containing the mixture with one hand, and use the other hand to hold the bag near the bottom.
Apply even pressure on the top of the bag to force the mixture out through the tip or hole into the yolk hole in the egg. Continue until you fill all of the egg halves.
Garnish the eggs with parsley and cherry tomatoes 
 
Easy to Make Pastry Bag:
 
If you do not have a pastry bag, fill a medium-size plastic bag (Ziploc Freezer Quart-size) with the yolk mixture and twist the top of the bag to force the mixture toward one of the corners. Use scissors to cut a small hole in the corner of the bag.
Lady V’s Cooking Tip: Overcooked hard-boiled eggs develop a deep green ring on the outside of the yolk that can darken the color of your yolk mixture. To keep your yolks yellow, place the eggs in a pot filled with cold water. Set it over the stove on high heat. When the water begins to boil, immediately remove the pot from heat, cover and let it sit for 15 minutes for large eggs.

The American Diabetes Association considers eggs an excellent choice for people with diabetes. That’s primarily because one large egg contains about half a gram of carbohydrates, so it’s thought that they aren’t going to raise your blood sugar.

Be mindful that eggs are high in cholesterol. One large egg contains nearly 200 mg of cholesterol, but whether or not this negatively affects the body is debatable.

Monitoring your cholesterol is important if you have diabetes because diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream also raise the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. But dietary intake of cholesterol doesn’t have as profound an effect on blood levels as was once thought. So, it’s important for anyone with diabetes to be aware of and minimize other heart disease risks.

Tune in to Divabetic’s June Diabetes Late Nite featuring music by Edith Piaf on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, 6 PM, EST.  We’re talking about living well with diabetes by having ‘NO REGRETS’. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Cindy Lou from the ‘Diabetes What To Know’ community, and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from ‘EDITH PIAF TOP 40’ album courtesy of SONY Music.

 

‘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 ‘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 ZinmanDr. 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

Mariah Carey Has Weight Loss Surgery, We’re Wondering Why?

Are body shammers responsible for why singer, Mariah Carey chose to undergo weight loss surgery?

According to a source, Mariah Carey‘s insecurity about her weight caused her to elect to have the gastric sleeve surgery, which shrinks the size of the stomach so patients eat less.

“She always fluctuates and it makes her upset,” said a source close to Mariah Carey. “She lives in denial about it; she has the tags cut out of clothes, so she can be blissfully unaware of her size.”

Today we are all surrounded by idealized images of beauty more than ever before so it’s not surprising that even someone as successful as Mariah Carey would feel insecure about her image.  Image shown on social media can create expectations that are impossible to meet, leaving us feeling inadequate and ashamed about our own looks.

One way to address body dissatisfaction is to change the way we think about our bodies, shifting the focus from evaluation and critique to care and appreciation.When we’re focused on how our body looks, we’re often less aware of how it feels—and therefore less in touch with signs of hunger and fullness, feelings of pleasure and pain, and even the sensation of our heartbeat. Research suggests that self-compassion is associated with lower levels of self-objectification, the tendency to habitually take an observer’s perspective on one’s own body rather than experiencing it from the inside outWe will be discussing self-compassion on November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with guest, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE.

Do you feel Mariah Carey’s weight loss surgery was necessary?

After all, body mass index or BMI is an important measurement to determine if you qualify for the surgery. Vertical sleeve gastrectomy was traditionally reserved for highly obese patients. If you have a BMI higher than 40 or are at least 100 pounds overweight you are considered extremely obese (which Mariah was not strictly judging from recent photos).

Vertical sleeve gastrectomy isn’t for the casual dieter hoping to lose a few pounds. Instead, the procedure requires an assessment that focuses on physical and mental considerations to make sure you can succeed with weight loss following the surgery. While the surgery may change the size of your stomach, it’s up to you to change your eating habits.

The surgery is a permanent change to your stomach, which means you must carefully consider your options before undergoing this surgical option.

Gastric sleeve surgery removes 70% of the stomach where the hunger hormone ghrelin is produced.

Diabetes remission rates after sleeve gastrectomy are also very high (more than 60%) and, in some studies, similar to results seen after gastric bypass.

Most patients who have gastric bypass or a sleeve gastrectomy experience weight loss and changes in their gastrointestinal tract. Weight loss surgery causes profound changes in the incretins — hormones in the gastrointestinal tract that cause insulin to be released. These changes lead to significant improvement in type 2 diabetes and can cause long-term changes in the pancreas that causes diabetes to go away.

Let’s consider that Mariah Carey may not have elected to have weight loss surgery for purely ‘vanity’ reasons.

Mariah Carey had gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with her six-month-old twins Monroe and Moroccan in 2011. It’s well documented that after having gestational diabetes, you are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that all women with a history ofgestational diabetes have a two-hour glucose tolerance test at six weeks and at least every three years after giving birth.

The less severe type 2 diabetes is before sleeve gastrectomy, the greater the likelihood patients will be disease free afterwards, according to new research presented here during ObesityWeek 2014, the largest international event focused on the basic science, clinical application and prevention and treatment of obesity.

Whether or not she had weight loss surgery six weeks ago for health  and/or vanity reasons, the GRAMMY winner showed off a slimmer figure at her hand and footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood last Wednesday.

A second source tells ET that Mariah feels “much better about herself” now, adding, “this is a new beginning for her.”

We’re talking about ‘Weight Loss Surgery & Diabetes’ on Diabetes Late Nite podcast with music from Etta James.

Etta James is a Grammy Award-winning singer known for hit songs like “I’d Rather Go Blind” and “At Last.”

Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to a 14-year-old mother, Dorothy Hawkins, who encouraged her daughter’s singing career. James would later say, “My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I’d like to think I did that.” James never knew her father.

Etta James was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1993, prior to her signing a new recording contract with Private Records.

Etta James underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost over 200 pounds. The dramatic weight loss had an impact on her voice, as she told Ebony magazine, “I can sing lower, higher and louder.” Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Dr. Monique Renee Rolle DPM, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Susan Greenberg Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, and Mama Rose Marie. Prize giveaways courtesy of Earth Brand Shoes, Dr. Greenfield’s Diabetic Foot Creams, Cabot Cheese and Nu Naturals.  LISTEN NOW