Divabetic Salutes Paulette McWilliams

“I started singing before I could really talk, “Paulette McWilliams told Pop Matters.  “I would watch all the musicals and wish I was in them.”

Over the last decades, my friend Paulette McWilliams turned her childhood fantasies into reality. She has emerged as the consummate vocalist, equally at home in rock, R&B, jazz, house, Broadway, and hundreds of commercial jingles to her credit.

Paulette McWilliams is an incredible talent with a captivating voice. Her versatility and effortless transitions between genres are remarkable. I’m so impressed by her career journey and the impact she has made in the music industry.

Paulette’s first flirtations with fame were in Chicago, where she was the lead singer in Rufus before enlisting her friend Chaka Khan. After that, she appeared on Quincy Jones’s Mellow Madness (1975) album. A stint singing duets with Marvin Gaye and Johnny Mathis soon followed. But she met Luther Vandross while she was performing as one of Bette Midler’s Harlettes. For many years, Paulette recorded and toured with Luther Vandross, and we met on a Luther tour. 

Paulette’s voice is so distinctive. Her rich, warm tones, especially her low ones, give me chills and worldwide fans. 

Last year, her career went into overdrive with the release of her stunning album, “These Are The Sweet Things.” The album captivated UK listeners’ hearts, and various album cuts appeared on the Sweet Rhythm and UK Soul charts for months.  

Lucky for me, she agreed to share her exceptional talents, co-write, and perform the song “Mama’s Kitchen Table.” Honestly, I could have chosen to spotlight any of the wonderful songs from “These Are Sweet Things,” her lovely rendition of Luther’s “So Amazing” from her impeccable “A Woman’s Story” album, or even my favorite untraditional Christmas song, “Pink Champagne” but selfishly I chose to spotlight the lyrics to “Mama’s Kitchen Table.”

I love the way her voice sounds in this song. Her low tones are spellbinding to me. She’s in the pocket with the groove, and she just sounds funky. Paulette’s a magician in how she seamlessly made my quirky lyrics seem funky.  Plus, my friend Ivan Hampden Jr. produced the heck out of this track. He’s truly a genius!!

My lyrics are inspired by my experience of accepting myself as a gay man. The dream of feeling comfortable bringing a partner home and welcoming him at our kitchen table was precious to me. The kitchen table symbolizes so many things to me. It reflects trust and honesty in a relationship. As gay men, many of us struggle with acceptance and often choose to keep that part of our lives a secret. Monsters grow in the dark.

A friend’s advice and objectivity are nonexistent in unhealthy, abusive relationships that are secretive. Denying yourself the support, encouragement, and resources of a friend’s shoulder and ear can have devastating consequences. I’ve known too many gay men who stayed in relationships because they felt they had no one to turn to. Thankfully, in my lifetime, my parents always welcomed me and my partners to their home.


I adore this woman! Please check out her music on your favorite streaming apps and her sensational rendition of “A Thousand Years” on YouTube.

You’ll be in for a treat! I hope you listen to more of her music and explore her unique artistry.

Join us for our Luther Vandross: Never Too Much birthday celebration featuring a Music Panel, Fashion Show, Luther Trivia Games, Live Performances, Style Vendors, and Live DJ on Wednesday, April 17, 2o24 at Thread Lounge in New York City.

Come dressed in your Big 80s Bling!

Luther Vandross was known for wearing rhinestones, silk tuxedos, and tailcoats on stage and Versace, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Tom Ford off-stage! He wasn’t afraid of bright colors, animal prints, geometric patterns, and fringe. His style and incredible showmanship brought him legions of fans worldwide.

We’re celebrating the Glitz, Glamour, and Romantic Elegance that made his concerts memorable and set him apart from other entertainers.

MUSIC PANEL: Luther’s Vocalist, Cindy Mizelle, Luther’s Choreographer, James Ervin, and Graffiti Glamour Makeup Artistry Founder Alicia Mitchell give us a closer look into the Shine of the Rhinestones, Big Luscious Hairstyles, Bold Makeup, Graceful Moves, and Tight Harmonies comprising Luther’s iconic stage shows. Hosted by Max Szadek.

FASHION SHOW: Designers showcase their gorgeous creations inspired by Luther Vandross’s romantic elegance. See the latest styles from Harlem’s Heaven and Modafleur, among others! Hosted by Catherine Schuller.

LIVE PERFORMANCE: Luther’s most iconic songs performed by Luther’s most iconic songs by vocalist Keith Anthony Fluitt.

STYLISH VENDORS: Shop for apparel, jewelry, and teas from a dazzling array of small entrepreneurs.

COCKTAILS & LITE BITES: Enjoy signature cocktails and delicious appetizers.

You’ve Got To Have Friends To Create Halloween Displays

“But you’ve got to have friends,” Bette Midler’s song lyrics helped push me through the creative challenges of making my Halloween displays.  I’m not an artist or a crafter, so the struggle was real. Thankfully, two remarkable women, Sharon and Lauren, cheered me on along the way.

 

After I created my first display, The Amy Winehouse Twins, made of recycled bottles for Halloween last year,  Sharon kept encouraging me to create more art. My insecurities helped me blow off her comments until Spring.

But her interest in my creativity wore me down until I asked myself, “Why not?” I experienced so much joy creating the Winehouse Twins and Angela ‘LAMB’ sbury, it was worth a try.

I found a cheap plastic duck mask in a box in my closet. At first, a Halloween duck display didn’t make sense to me. But then, the name Cruella DUCK Vil popped into my head.

Still, even after that light bulb went off, I wondered if I could make a duck display. My paper mache skills were considered shaky back in elementary school.

Thank goodness for YouTube craft videos! I didn’t need to know there are so many types of paper mache available, from clay to cement, but the step-by-step demonstrations helped. After several frustrating days (weeks!) of trying to smooth out the seams, I moved on to decorations.

This step presented a whole new set of problems. I had never used a glue gun before, and my handcrafting skills were laughable or nonexistent at best. I had this ‘brilliant’ idea to decorate my Duck displays with candy.

Shortly after purchasing a bunch of candy, I found out that most types of candy don’t adhere to glue, and if they do, the glue deteriorates them. It was a sticky, hot mess. Then, after creating a 20’s style flapper dress using red licorice for Cruella, a hungry rat got into my apartment and devoured it.

Count Duckula, Cruella Duck Vil, Bri-Duck of Frankenstein, and Duck Vader are made from recycled bottles, shoe boxes, and New York Times newspapers with old-fashioned paper mache (flower and water).
Count Duckula’s costume is covered in Tic Tacs, cake sprinkles, Red Hots, Black Licorice, Dollar Store eyes, Chocolate Baking Dots, Recycled Red and Black Cloth Grocery Bags, and a Child-Size Dracula wig.
Duck Vader’s costume is made from a child’s Darth Vader costume, Take-Out Container, Trash Bags, Packing Supplies, Black Licorice, and Orange Tic Tacs.

Cruella and the Bri-Duck of Frankenstein were the last displays I decorated. By this time, I had decided to forgo candy and use household items for decorations. Cruella’s dress is made of placemats and Swifters. Bri-Duck’s dress is made from coffee filters, paper plates, doilies, Amazon wigs, and mops.

Periodically, through my creative meltdowns, I’d bump into Sharon. Her timing was perfect! Sharon’s excitement about what I was creating (even though she didn’t know what it was) and my friend Lauren’s enthusiasm boosted my spirits.

Lauren helped me with my displays last year, too.

When you tell Lauren you want to climb a mountain, Lauren will ask you ‘How many steps?’ she won’t question why you should do it. I love that! She’s a wonderful friend who cheers you and begs you to go BIGGER!!

Which I did!

Kitty Litter is made from recycled materials. Single-use bottles, packing supplies, boxes, and the New York Times newspaper with old-fashioned paper mache. Her head is a $14 mask from Amazon. Her bustier is made from assorted candy, including Dots, Licorice, three-sizes of Gumballs, Skittles, Mike & Ikes, Circus Peanuts, Tic Tacs, Jelly Bellys, Good n’ Plenty, and Swedish Fish. Her fins are assorted foil muffin liners. Her skirt is made of multi-colored spaghetti licorice. Her tail is made of three sizes of marshmallows. Initially, I wanted to use multi-colored mini marshmallows like my Aunt Francis used to put her in Ambrosia salad, but I couldn’t find them anywhere!
The rest of the Kitty Litter display is a nod to the enormous amount of single-use plastics in our oceans. Collecting my single-use plastics, including water bottles, take-out food containers, cups, straws, and food packages over two months opened my eyes to the staggering amount of trash I contribute to the environmental crisis.

I hope this post encourages you to create art, especially if you’re doubtful about your skills, afraid of failure, or unsure where or how to start. I shared all of those thoughts, too. But even at my most challenging moments, I had a blast!

This little boy’s excitement made my adventures in crafting worthwhile!

The spirit and community of West 69th Street inspired me to create some kid-friendly decorations for Halloween and learn how to use a glue gun. Sadly, many fingertips were burned trying to clue the marshmallows to Kitty Littter’s tail.

 

Bette Midler Hocus Pocus Themed Charcuterie Board

Recently, I hosted my Annual Pumpkin Carving party for friends. I made five mystery celebrity charcuterie boards for dinner.

Clever doesn’t cost a thing is my motto for entertaining. There are plenty of items to make your table dazzle available at the Dollar Store. I bought masks, placemats, pineapple lights, and plastic tablecloths. I anticipated the mess we would create from carving pumpkins, so I opted for a plastic tablecloth.

A broken toaster found on the street was my centerpiece. I  transformed it using assorted black and orange flowers. My friends broke out in laughter the moment they saw it.

For dinner, I served Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie Boards.  The items on Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie boards serve as clues to identify specific celebrities. The assortment of cheeses, meats, fruit, vegetables, and dips relates to movies, TV shows, books, celebrity family members, and songs. Once I present the boards and the mystery celebrity’s quote, my guests try to guess their identity.
Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie Boards is a lot of fun and a great icebreaker for people to interact with each other.
We played five rounds of a Halloween edition of Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie Boards on Friday.  All my mystery celebrities are related to Halloween.

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #1: Halloween movie quote related to Jamie Lee Curtis: “I wish I had you all alone, just the two of us. I’ll hold you close to me, so close to me, just the two of us.”

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #2: Bette Midler quote from Hocus Pocus movie: “Oh, look, another glorious morning. It makes me sick!”

My friend Mark’s favorite Halloween movie is Hocus Pocus. No matter what quote I chose from the movie, I knew Mark would know it, which is why Bette’s Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie was made in her image. I found inspiration in a recent culinary curator’s Instagram post. I held off revealing the board until Mark shouted out the answer. Once Mark said, “Hocus Pocus,” I brought out the charcuterie board.

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #3: Michael Jackson about the making of Thriller: “I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists.”

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #4: Bela Lugosi from an interview: “Horror means something revolting. Anybody can show you a pailful of innards. But the object of the roles I played is not to turn your stomach – but merely to make your hair stand on end.”

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition#5: Boris Karloff from an interview: “I guess I’m pretty much of a lone wolf.”

We’re sharing excerpts of interviews from our favorite Divabetic podcasts over the years. This excerpt is from our Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Turnaround podcast with Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel singer Pat Lacy.

Mama’s Kitchen Table Song Added to Solar Radio’s Playlist

Yesterday was an exciting day! DJ Richard Marzetti featured the song, Mama’s Kitchen Table, that I co-wrote with Ivan Hampden Jr. and Paulette McWilliams on his show Soul Life on Solar Radio!  Paulette McWilliams returns for an exclusive interview on Richard’s show on Friday, June 3, 2022.

Mama’s Kitchen Table is about a woman’s desire for a good, reliable, honest, and decent guy. Someone who doesn’t give up when times are tough but shows up. A respectable man you can bring home to your mama’s kitchen table – the heart of the home. The place where your family gathers to mark milestones, celebrate accomplishments, and honor commitments —the one place in the world where you feel comfortable being your true, authentic self.

Mama’s Kitchen Table continues Luther Vandross‘s musical legacy by uniting his background vocalist, Paulette McWilliams, his songwriter, drummer, and studio engineer Ivan Hampden Jr. and his long-time assistant, Max Szadek.  

Paulette McWilliams is a singer and songwriter. She began her career singing with the bands The American Breed and Rufus and has appeared as a backing vocalist on recordings and on tour for numerous artists. She worked with Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, The Jacksons, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, and as a member of Bette Midler’s backing group the Harlettes, among many others.

Ivan Hampden Jr. is a jazz and R&B drummer, composer, and record producer. He was Luther Vandross’ tour and session drummer from 1987 to 2003. Throughout his career, Hampden toured and performed with a number of celebrated artists, including Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Eartha Kitt, Jennifer Lopez, Bonnie Raitt, India Arie, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Little Richard, Gladys Knight, Vanessa Williams, among many others. Ivan Hampden Jr. was recognized for his participation as Arranger/Musician/Programmer on two Grammy Award-winning recordings at the 2004 Grammy Awards: Best R&B Album “Dance With My Father” performed by Luther Vandross, and Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocals “The Closer I Get to You” performed by Beyoncé and Luther Vandross.

Luther’s iconic Never Too Much Album Turns 40!

Luther Vandross’ debut solo album Never Too Much, originally released August 12, 1981, celebrates its 40th Anniversary and the start of an epic solo career.

Before the album’s release, Luther worked steadily in the music industry.  He worked as a jingle writer and singer on TV commercials for major companies like Burger King, Juicy Fruit, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. He sang backgrounds on many records, sometimes even arranging the parts for major hits by acts like CHIC. He toured with legends Roberta Flack and Bette Midler, and others. He even co-wrote ‘Young Americans’ and ‘Fascination’ with David Bowie.  He also gained moderate success as one-fifth of the self-titled R&B quintet Luther, releasing two solid projects on the Cotillion label—1976’s Luther and 1977’s Close to You.

Many consider Luther’s first major break to be The Glow Of Love and subsequently, Searching for the Italian-US disco-soul ensemble Change, formed by businessman and executive producer Jacques Ford Petrus and producer-songwriter Mauro Malauasi. The Glow Of Love. Luther gained valuable name recognition from music fans from the success of these records when disc jockeys started to introduce the singles as “Change featuring Luther Vandross.”

It still boggles my mind that after all of his success, several major record label executives passed on signing Luther after hearing his self-financed demo records.  The fact that he kept shopping his demo around to labels pays tribute to his drive and ambition. I have never met anyone else in life with more purpose, ambition, and determination than Luther Vandross. Of course, he was mega-talented, but these other qualities that he possessed should not be overlooked. He was and still is an incredible inspiration in my life. How many people would keep on trying to succeed after being told ‘NO’ multiple times?

I also feel Luther gained invaluable insight into how to successfully shape his career from his years working behind the scenes. He learned from other’s successes and failures. Luther witnessed first-hand the struggles, fights, and frustrations that music artists experience with their record labels, managers, agents, and fans. He also made invaluable connections with other artists, musicians, and producers.

In 1981, a now thirty-year-old Luther Vandross finally got a record deal. The then-senior vice president of CBS Records, Larkin Arnold, and record executive Jerome Gasper sign him to the subsidiary label, Epic Records. Rumor is that they decided after hearing only one song, Never Too Much.

Read More about Never Too Much in this Related Article

In recognition of 40 years of Luther Vandross’s double-platinum selling album, Never Too Much, his keyboardist and songwriting partner,  John “Skip” Anderson remixes his classic hit as a mid-tempo ballad.

https://youtu.be/jr9Pp0RAeIk

Divabetic’s 2021 Luther Vandross Tribute podcast guests include Lisa Fischer, Jason Miles, Jeff James, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and Chuck Flowers.

By the time Luther Vandross headed to the studio to record his fifth album Give Me the Reason in 1986, he’d become one of the most successful soul singers of the first half of the eighties. His four previous albums have been either certified platinum or double-platinum in America. He appears slim and trim on the album cover. Unfortunately, the considerable amount of weight he lost on a liquid diet triggered a lifelong cycle of yo-yo dieting.

For Luther Vandross’ fifth album Give Me the Reason, the album comprised nine tracks, including the hits: So Amazing, There’s Nothing Better Than Love, Stop To Love, and Give Me The Reason.

Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s Give Me The Reason album courtesy of SONY Music.

 

‘From Broadway to the Beach!’ on August’s Diabetes Late Nite

Everything’s Coming Up Roses! on August’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast when we feature music from the original Broadway cast of ‘Gypsy’ scheduled for Tuesday, August 8, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

Gypsy is musical that loosely tells the story of burlesque stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, but the story focuses on her star struck, verging on maniacal, mother Rose Hovick who was bound and determined to make vaudeville stars out of her children

The list of dynamic divas who have played the infamous stage mother, Mama Rose, in Gypsy include Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly,  Bernadette Peters, Patti Lupone, Rosalind Russell and Bette Midler.

The way each of these amazing Broadway legend tackled the role of ‘Mama Rose’ is comparable to how people manage their diabetes because everyone’s self-care management is unique and different with subtle nuances based on one’s own life and lifestyle. And that’s perfectly acceptable!

“Each Rose blooms differently and produces unique petals, fragrances and thorns, just as Mama Rose has been given a wide-range of complex performances and distinct interpretations, “ wrote Mark Robinson, a theatre, television, and film historian, for Playbill.

Diabetes management is personal too. Let Ethel, Bernadette, Patti or Bette inspire you to not let diabetes dim your dazzle! To truly succeed you have to make it yours! Know what makes your blood sugar level rise and fall – and talk to your doctor about how you can manage these day-to-day factors in your life.

We’re also heading the beach on August’s Diabetes Late to discuss Summertime Diabetes Management, the Best in Swimsuit Cover ups, Body Image Issues, Health Hazards of Eating Contests like Nathan’s Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Healthy Desserts and how a Broadway Diva manages her type 1 diabetes eight shows week.

The August heat is tough enough for the average person, but for the estimated 21 million Americans with diabetes, special precautions may be required. Joslin Clinic offer the following tips for people with diabetes during these steamy summer days:

  • Keep hydrated. Dehydration, or the loss of body fluids, can happen on these very hot summer days whether you have diabetes or not. If you have diabetes, dehydration also can occur when blood glucose is not under control. When blood glucose is elevated, this can lead to an increase in the body’s excretion of urine. To prevent dehydration drink plenty of caffeine-free fluids such as water, seltzer or sugar-free iced tea and lemonade. Limit your intake of alcohol.
  • Watch for signs of heat exhaustion, especially if you are working or exercising outdoors. People with diabetes and other chronic diseases like heart disease are more susceptible to overheating. Symptoms include: feeling dizzy or fainting; sweating excessively; muscle cramps; skin that is cold or clammy; headaches; rapid heartbeat and/or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms, move to a cooler environment, drink fluids like water, juice or sports drinks (based on your healthcare provider’s instructions) and seek medical attention. MORE TIPS

BE AN INSTANT WINNER: Test your Diabetes IQ and send your answer to the question below to  mrdivabetic@gmai.com. Correct answers will be entered into our random drawing to win August’s PRIZE GIVEAWAY. Prize package includes Dr. Greenfield’s Hand & Body Cream, Cabot Cheese, Nu Naturals and a Summertime Fashion accessory.  Our INSTANT WINNER will be announced on-air during August’s Diabetes Late Nite this coming Tuesday, August 8, 6 PM, EST.

Plus, we’re going behind the scenes on our newest Mr. Diabetic Mystery podcast. ‘Gypsies, Tramps & Peas’ with music from the Original Broadway cast of ‘Gypsy’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic 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?

Will he sink or swim?

Our annual diabetes mystery podcast hopes to encourage you to become a Diabetes Detective. Look for clues, search for patterns, investigate the reasons behind your blood sugar high’s and low’s and report to the authorities (your healthcare team) about medical information found on the internet.

August’s Diabetes Late Nite guests include Best-Selling AuthorTonya Kappes, Broadway Star Soara-Joye Ross,  Poet Lorraine Brooks, Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, We Are Diabetes organization founder, Asha Brown, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR and Mama Rose Marie. TUNE IN: August’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast inspired by Gypsy schedule for Tuesday, August 8, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

Star Spangled Divabetic Fourth of July Celebration

For the past twelve years at our Divabetic live events, on our podcasts and inner blog we’ve been promoting  a ‘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.