Once In A Blue Moon Program Recap & Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic presented Divabetic’s Once In a Blue Moon program on Zoom. This free, fun-filled, informative hour of diabetes outreach featured presentations from Maryann Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller.

Wendy Satin Rapaport, aka The Diabetes Psyche, shared strategies to help us overcome negative feelings related to judgment and stigma. Dr. Wendy encourages us to use a technique called positive reframing. Positive reframing involves thinking about an adverse or challenging situation in a more positive way. Rather than contemplating feelings of frustration and helplessness, look at your situation with fresh eyes. For example, instead of saying, “I’d did something bad,” when looking at the number on your glucose meter, say, “Oh, this is helpful information.” Suppose you’re in a situation you truly can’t change. In that case, you can reframe your thoughts and change how you feel about it by finding benefits in the situation you face. She also encouraged us to find humor in our daily diabetes lives. When you’re looking for benefits, it doesn’t mean you gloss over negatives; you simply notice positives as well and focus on them.

MaryAnn Nicolay spotlighted the benefits of adding winter squashes (butternut, acorn, pumpkin, and spaghetti) to your meal plan. Winter squashes contain LOTS of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In addition, they can promote heart and eyes health, lower risks of some cancers, and help with high blood pressure. 

Below is the Creamy Butternut Squash Soup recipe from MaryAnn Nicolay’s presentation.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe from Robin Blair-Ackinson MPH

Ingredients

2 Butternut Squash, medium

2 Granny Smith Apples

2 cups Vanilla Almond Milk (or Soy Milk)

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp Ground Ginger (optional)

Directions:

  1. Peel and dice squash and apples
  2. Season squash with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
  3. Roast squash and apples on a roasting pan for 40-45 minutes in a 425-degree oven
  4. Heat milk to just below boiling
  5. Place squash and apples in a blender.  Slowly add milk.  If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little vegetable stock.
  6. Return to pot and add spices.  Simmer until hot

Makes 6 servings. Recipe by Robin Blair-Ackinson, MPH Cooking with C.A.R.E Unlimited. All rights reserved

Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller helped us to determine which style and type of blue jeans work with our figures. The blue circle is a symbol for World Diabetes Day, November 14, 2021. In addition, the blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic hosts this free, fun Virtual Holiday-themed Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 2021,  7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

During this virtual Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef will prepare a holiday Sugar-Free Dessert recipe and share expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and flours in your favorite holiday recipes.

Over 120 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party so don’t miss out!

After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Stacey Harris (The Diabetic Pastry Chef) taught herself how to make pound cake, pecan rolls, pies, muffins, cupcakes, and other baked goods with about half the carbs you’d get from traditional bakery items.

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION 

 

A Christmas Peril Debuts on Thursday, September 30, 2021

Join us for Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcast, A Christmas Peril, scheduled for this Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 6 PM, EST.  This year’s live mystery drama stars Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford.

Here’s a Short Synopsis:

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge,  named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic along with our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.

Special thanks to the Houdeshell family, and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir

Divabetic Mysteries: A Christmas Peril

Join us for Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcast: A Christmas Peril scheduled for Thursday, September 30, 2021, 6 PM, EST.

The holidays are full of surprises after Mr. Divabetic becomes the new pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge, named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. So despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic, our team of amateur sleuths, and his overly protective mother must set out to find the real culprit. Or will his name end up on a lethally naughty list?

This year’s Divabetic Mysteries: A Christmas Peril is based on the real-life story of 36-year-old Kevin Houdeshell who ran out of insulin over the New Year’s holiday in January 2014. He ended up with dangerously high blood sugars that spiraled into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), leading to him die alone in his apartment.

Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy with the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation, what happened to Kevin doesn’t have to happen to anyone else in several states. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached. States that have passed Kevin’s Law include Ohio and Florida in 2016; Arkansas, Arizona, Illinois, and Wisconsin in 2017; Idaho, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee in 2018; and Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia in 2019. In many states, votes in favor of the legislation were unanimous.

Starring Mr. Divabetic. Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Nicolay  BA, DTR, Catherine Schuller, Terri Seidman, Wendy Radford, Seveda Williams, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, and Trisha Artman.

 

Divabetic’s Swan Wake Mystery Podcast Ratings Spike

Divabetic fans have turned Divabetic’s 5th Annual Mystery podcast, Swan Wake, a bonafide hit during the pandemic with high than average ratings over the past month.

“I’m overjoyed by the news that people are rediscovering our cozy mystery twist on presenting diabetes information,” says Max’ Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. “Zippora Karz’s real-life story as a ballerina living with type 1 diabetes inspired our story. I talked to Zippora several times to ensure the ballet details are correct.”

Currently, Max is in the midst of rehearsals and script rewrites for this year’s mystery podcast, A Christmas Peril.

Max adds, “this rating boost makes all the time, effort, and talent that our cast members devote to this podcast so worthwhile.”

When the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, heads to the box office to fix a mix-up with his Swan Lake tickets, he’s faced with an even bigger problem – a murder. To make matters worse, one of his latest culinary creations, a gluten-free cheesecake, is covering the victim’s face. Even more shocking are the numerous scandals swirling around the Gotham City Ballet and its members that have everyone walking around on tiptoes. So could our happy healthcare host’s questionable culinary skills make him an accessory to a crime?
So now, Mr. Divabetic, with the help of his team of whip-smart Diabetes Educators, a Best-Selling Mystery writer, Tonya Kappes, and his own nosy Italian Mother, Mama Rose Marie must whip up his own crime-solving recipe. Fast–before a hearty dose of intrigue and a deadly dash of danger ends his diabetes advocacy and healthy catering career once and for all.


Best-Selling Author Tonya KappesWe Are Diabetes organization founder Asha Brown, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Mary Ann Nicolay MEd, DTR, Mama Rose Marie and Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ and Lorraine Brooks star in Divabetic’s 5th Annual Mystery podcast, Swan Wake.

Throughout Divabetic’s fifth annual Diabetes Mystery podcast we will be featuring music from Leonard Berstein‘s recording of Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 in celebration of the centennial of America’s greatest classical composer and conductor courtesy of SONY Music.

Quick Tips for The Picnic on Divabetic’s Zoom Program

Join us tonight, Tuesday, June 29, 2021 for Divabetic on Zoom at 7 PM, EST. Our free one-hour virtual program features ‘What To Wear When Nothing Fits for Summer’ presented by Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller and ‘How To Master The Menu at The Cookout’ presented by MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR.

Photo by Kate Hliznitsova on Unsplash

MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR’s quick tips for enjoying outdoor picnics without compromising your health include:

  • 3-4 servings of carb foods will be around 45-60 grams of carbohydrate. (This falls within the American Diabetes Association carb recommendations per meal.)
  • Use your carb servings on foods that you don’t get to eat as often.
  • Treat desserts like a snack by eating it 2-3 hours after the main meal.
  • Think about the face of a clock when eating pie or a round cake.  Instead of having a “15-minute” piece, have a “5-7 minute” piece.  This will give you the treat you desire while keeping you closer to your carb goals of less than 30 grams of carb for a snack
  • Get up and move, don’t just sit and eat.  Go for a walk, play games, have fun!

Tune in to the latest edition of Divabetic’s popular Diabetes Late Nite podcast for a unique mix of music with diabetes information.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, virtual diabetes support program with style.

REGISTER NOW- FREE REGISTRATION 

We Love Catherine Schuller!

Barbra Streisand singing ‘Being Alive’ from her The Broadway Album, you’ll hear it on next week’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast, is inspiring this post. Seriously, the combination of Barbra’s voice, lyrics from a popular Broadway musical, and the sunshine streaming through my window at 7 AM are like a multi-vitamin for an older gay gent like me. 

If there’s any truth to the saying or Madonna’s Vogue song lyric ‘beauty is where you find it then it’s clear I found it in Catherine Schuller. From the most moment we met, back in 2005, she has been a powerful, positive, and empowering force in my life. Always stylish, always upbeat, always sparkling! She has helped me to define and refine Divabetic’s GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy. Together found a way to stamp out the shame and blame associated with a diabetes diagnosis by making people feel better about themselves right now, not tomorrow. It’s funny how a bit of mascara, a bright-colored feather boa, and the hook to your favorite disco tune can push the clouds away.

I have plenty of reasons to love Catherine just for her work as Divabetic’s Image & Style Advisor on Divabetic’s national tour of Makeover Your Diabetes outreach programs. Her ability to comfort, care, and cheer on all types of divas (type 1, type 2, LADA, gestational, and prediabetes) was remarkable. But love beams are shooting straight out of my heart because of the passionate way Catherine lives after experiencing a stroke. I don’t think a day goes by that she doesn’t make the most of every moment.

During the pandemic, when I wasn’t sure if it was Monday or Thursday, Catherine managed to give Dr. Birx a run for her money! She took up my challenge to demonstrate many ways to tie a scarf on one of Divabetic’s past Zoom programs.

Next week Catherine joins me for the two-part stroke prevention webinar, Keep Your House A Home, for the Frazier Coalition for Stroke in Philadelphia. My good friend and health champion, Senior Health Educator for Center for Urban Health at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Neva White DNP, CRNP- BC, CDCES is organizing it.

Catherine plans to share her powerful testimony about advocating for her health after experiencing a stroke. After her husband told her to go upstairs and lie down, she told him in no uncertain terms to call an ambulance so she could get to a hospital. Her wise decision to seek help right away and not wait is why her recovery has been so excellent. Fortunately, Catherine’s quick thinking is precisely why she able to receive the stroke drug tPA. This potent clot-busting medication, tPA, may save critical brain tissue if a patient arrives at the emergency room within three hours of experiencing stroke symptoms. And there’s a new study that suggests that the traditional three-hour time window is too short. Combining data from multiple clinical trials, Maarten Lansberg, MD, PhD, assistant professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford, and colleagues from Belgium and Germany have shown that treatment can benefit patients up to 4.5 hours experience their first symptom. Their findings were published online on May 21 in the journal Stroke.

The timing of treatment is essential because giving a blood thinner like tPA during a stroke can cause bleeding inside the brain. The longer a patient waits to get treatment, the more likely the risks of treatment will outweigh the benefits.

My life and the lives of many others were devasted by Luther Vandross’s stroke, related to his mismanagement of type 2 diabetes. I can’t turn back time and change his outcome, but hopefully, you can change yours. Let Catherine Schuller inspire you to GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS, and advocate for your health today, not tomorrow! 

Dining Out Advice At Your Favorite Mexican Restaurant

At Divabetic’s recent free Zoom outreach program, we dined out virtually at a Mexican Restaurant with MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, MEd, NDTR. MaryAnn shared what terms to look for and which terms to avoid when making our menu selections. Most of us can’t change the menu, but we can change what we eat and how much we eat.

 

Join us for Divabetic’s Zoom Program: ‘No Judgements’ on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, 7-8 PM. Mr. Divabetic hosts this free, virtual diabetes support program featuring ‘What To Wear When Nothing Fits for Summer’ presented by Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller and ‘How To Master The Menu at The Cookout’ presented by MaryAnn Horst Nicolay MEd, NDTR.

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION 

Divabetic Celebrates Earth Day!

Today is World Earth Day!

Divabetic is happy to support awareness about pollution and to celebrate the environment of the blue planet. Our two previous Diabetes Mystery podcasts, Kill Me Madam and Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes pack strong Earth Day’s messages between all of the action, diabetes information, intrigue, laughs, and suspense!

We’re According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. consumes around 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually, and globally, around 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year. In fact, four out of five grocery bags in the U.S. are plastic, but a person only uses a plastic bag for around 12 minutes before being discarded or stored.

The environmental costs of plastic remain at an all-time high. Since only five percent of plastics are effectively recycled, that means the remaining 95 percent are left all over the planet.

Plastic pollution is poisoning our oceans and land, injuring marine life, and affecting our health.

Plastic has been collecting in the marine environment since plastic production began in the 1950s — in fact, each square mile of the ocean contains more than 46,000 pieces of floating plastic. Eight million metric tons of plastics make their way into the ocean each year.

You can do your bit to help end plastic pollution by finding out how many plastic items you consume every year and make a pledge to reduce the amount.

How You Can Reduce Plastic In Your Daily Life

Avoid using straws. Do you really need a straw? When at a restaurant, ask that no straw be brought out with your drink.

Stop using disposable silverware.

Use reusable produce bags

Buy in bulk

Stop buying bottled water

Buy cardboard over plastic

Avoid fabrics with plastic microfibers, such as nylon and polyester.

Since you can buy your own water filtration system, there is no need to buy bottled water. It’s just a waste of plastic. Plus, this is one of the easiest targets for reducing waste. And, for water on the go, keep a refillable bottle around.

Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes is set in the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s healthy culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges! Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape.

Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?

The cast of Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes features Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR), The Happy Diabetic Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, Coach The Cure’s Trisha Artman, Jillian Walsh, Wendy Radford, Dave Jones, Lorraine Brooks, and Max Szadek.

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

There’s a good indication that murder might be part of the recipe when Nantucket’s ten-time reigning Baking Champion’s last name is ‘Coffin’. But resentment, greed, and Britannia’s own bad dealings turn everyone into a suspect when she’s found dead in the parking lot just before the Annual Decadents on Deck! Bake Off competition is about to kick off.

Delusional baker and amateur sleuth Mr. Divabetic is even shocked to find himself being treated as a suspect in the case by the local police, after meeting her just once!

As if his life wasn’t crazy enough before, escaping a murderous mishap in New York and attempting a fresh start in Nantucket has turned into a complete and utter baking disaster, now Max, along with his friends and nosy mother, have to add tracking down a murderer to his To-Do list, as well.

Can our team hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Will he become the next victim? Can Max ever manage to bake a cake that’s actually edible?

Kill Me Madam podcast cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Divabetic Healthy Swap: Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream

Make cutting calories a little easier with this easy and flavorful substitute!
Maryann Nicolay MEd, NDTR shared how she makes an easy swap using Greek Yogurt instead of Sour Cream on Thursday’s free Divabetic Zoom program.
 
Greek Yogurt has fewer calories, less fat, and more protein and calcium.
 
Nonfat Greek Yogurt has approximately 130 calories per cup, 1 gram of fat, and 8 grams of carbohydrates. Regular Greek Yogurt has about 300 calories, 23 grams of fat, and 7 grams of carbohydrates per 1-cup serving. One cup of sour cream (even low-fat) has many more calories than Greek yogurt! One cup of reduced-fat sour cream has approximately 400 calories, 32 grams of fat, and 16 grams of carbohydrates.
 
We ran to the store on Friday morning to give this swap a test spin. It turns out Greek Yogurt and Sour Cream taste super similar too! It wasn’t weird tasting at all.
“What I love about Maryann’s swap is it’s so sly that you can sneak it past your inner saboteur,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. “There’s no taste deprivation, and it’s easy!
 
For swapping a dollop of Sour Cream on your baked potato, nachos, or chili, a 1-to-1 ratio for non-fat-free Greek Yogurt will do the trick. Add Greek yogurt to dressings or dips as a substitute for Sour Cream too.
 
Save the date for Divabetic’s next free Zoom program in June.

Divabetic’s 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.

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.

Divabetic’s Suspect Boulevard Mystery Podcast

How did the lady in red wind up dead at the bottom of the pool on the lush estate of one of the world’s most famous writers?

To solve this mystery we have to step back in time. Back to a quiet morning during the Santa Ana winds when our happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic arrives at the resplendent estate of NYT Best-Selling Author and Socialite Marjorie Melbourne
Blaze. He’s here to deliver the keynote address at the Annual Heart of the Diva Gala on diabetes and women with the help of the Charlie’s Angels Of outreach, Susan Weiner and Patricia Addie-Gentle.

 

Divabetic’s story of diabetes mystery and intrigue stresses why it can be deadly
to blame others for your heart’s misfortunes.

Lorraine Brooks, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, Chef Robert Lewis, USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES and Mama Rose Marie star in Divabetic’s “Suspect Boulevard Mystery” podcast.

Throughout the podcast enjoy the wonderful music by the National Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Charles Gerhardt courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic hopes to inspire you to become a Diabetes Detective will this third installment of Diabetes Mystery Theater podcast.

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.