Tag: celebrity health

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Gospel Legend LaShun Pace Passes Away at 60

Award-winning gospel singer LaShun Pace has passed away from kidney failure. She was 60 years old.

What Is Kidney Failure?

When your kidneys are damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in your body. That can cause swelling in your ankles, nausea, weakness, poor sleep, and shortness of breath. Without treatment, the damage can worsen, and your kidneys may eventually stop working. That’s serious, and it can be life-threatening.

Acute kidney failure — also called acute renal failure or acute kidney injury — develops rapidly, usually in less than a few days. Acute kidney failure is most common in people who are already hospitalized, particularly in critically ill people who need intensive care.

https://youtu.be/5QNfwXydT18

How Do You Get Kidney Failure?

You have a condition that slows blood flow to your kidneys. As a result, you experience direct damage to your kidneys. As a result, your kidneys’ urine drainage tubes (ureters) become blocked, and wastes can’t leave your body through your urine.

What Are The First Signs Of Kidney Problems?

  • You’re more tired, have less energy, or have trouble concentrating. 
  • You’re having trouble sleeping. 
  • You have dry and itchy skin. 
  • You feel the need to urinate more often. 
  • You see blood in your urine. 
  • Your urine is foamy. 
  • You’re experiencing persistent puffiness around your eyes.

Kidney failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is when your kidneys have stopped working well enough for you to survive without dialysis or a kidney transplant. Damage to your kidneys cannot be reversed.

LaShun Pace had been on dialysis for several years and was awaiting a kidney.

African Americans are almost four times as likely as Whites to develop kidney failure. While African Americans make up about 13 percent of the population, they account for 35 percent of the people with kidney failure in the United States.

Dialysis is a treatment for people whose kidneys are failing. When you have kidney failure, your kidneys don’t filter blood the way they should. As a result, wastes and toxins build up in your bloodstream. Dialysis does the work of your kidneys, removing waste products and excess fluid from the blood.

LaShun Pace was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007, and in January 2015, she and the Anointed Pace Sisters were honored in their hometown of Atlanta at the 16th Trailblazers of Gospel Music AwardsThe evangelist and singer-songwriter was best known for her song “I Know I’ve Been Changed.”

 

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!  Register now for Divabetic’s Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

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Divabetic Remembers Traci Braxton

Traci Braxton, the sister of singer Toni Braxton and “Braxton Family Values” TV show star, passed away after battling cancer in the esophagus.

During the past decade, Traci Braxton was an outspoken diabetes advocate. Most of her comments and confessions about living with diabetes centered around her weight. Like many of us, she had a rollercoaster journey with her weight. But her journey was seen by millions.

If you struggle with managing your weight and/or maintaining a weight loss, you know all too well how challenging that can be. And to have diabetes on top of that can make it doubly difficult. Traci Braxton was no different.

Back in 2018, she said, “I was diagnosed diabetic and didn’t want to take any more pills, so I had to go on this healthy kick.” As a result, she successfully lost 4o pounds. “Now I control it through my diet. Because of that, I am no longer on the pills.”

Years earlier, in 2013, Traci Braxton faced harsh criticism from her sisters about her size. The Braxton sisters confronted her about her weight during a weight-loss intervention. The driving force behind their actions, it seems, was to tell Traci what the extra weight was doing to her health.

In the heat of the moment, Traci was not happy. “I really wanted to punch them in the face,” she said. However, Traci later changed her mind about the confrontation. Later, she made several lifestyle changes to get her health back on track. “I had to really change my eating habits, and it’s [still] a struggle. But my sisters were exactly right,” she admitted showing off her newly slimmed-down figure. She lost thirty-five pounds. “They saw me gaining weight … I developed (type 2) diabetes, high blood pressure, and I was in denial.”

Managing diabetes day in and day out can be a grind. Sometimes family members, friends, and healthcare providers telling you to ‘just lose weight’ doesn’t help or motivate you.

After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, getting your diabetes under tighter management is a reasonable first goal without the added extra burden of a weight loss goal. Doing so may mean starting on medicine (including, possibly, insulin), adding a different type of medicine to your regimen, and/or increasing the dose of diabetes medicine that you’re already taking. And, of course, meal planning and physical activity work with your diabetes medicine to help you manage your diabetes, as well.

Our big takeaway from Traci Braxton’s candor regarding diabetes advocacy is that conversations about diabetes shouldn’t start and end with weight loss. There’s much more in play regarding diabetes management than just the number you see on the scale. Maybe it’s time for society to realize there are many ways to manage your diabetes and avoid complications that don’t involve the word ‘diet.’

Gone far too soon, we celebrate Traci Braxton’s life and memory and send our heartfelt condolences to the entire Braxton family during this difficult time.

We’re talking about the power of words to elevate or tear down someone’s perception of themselves and their diabetes health on Divabetic’s podcast scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, and Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.

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Divabetic Supports Word Obesity Day on March 4, 2022

I witnessed how SHAME and BLAME associated with SIZE can break a person’s spirit can cause harm. Divabetic is proud to support World Obesity Day on March 4, 2022. The goal of World Obesity Day is to stimulate and support practical actions that will help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight and reverse the global obesity crisis

My former boss, Luther Vandross‘s weight struggles seemed to sour each and every career success.

In April 2003, I found my boss, Luther Vandross, on his apartment floor after he suffered a stroke. I knew Luther was living with type 2 diabetes but never discussed it past refilling his medications. Looking back, I think that was a mistake. I feel the frustration, anger surrounding his size lit the match that sparked the mismanagement of his type 2 diabetes which lead to his devastating stroke and early death at the age of 54.
Divabetic’s Luther Vandross Tribute podcast talks about Luther’s ongoing weight issues and his history of yo-yo dieting.  By the time Luther Vandross headed to the studio for a photoshoot for his fifth album Give Me the Reason in 1986, he lost a considerable amount of weight. Unfortunately, he was unable to maintain his weight loss when he went on tour to support the album. Radio DJ’s often commented on whether or not ‘Big Luther’ sounded better than ‘Thin Luther’. His weight struggles were a topic of public opinion.  Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s Give Me The Reason album courtesy of SONY Music.

For the past 19 years, I have dedicated myself to being a diabetes advocate. I founded the diabetes nonprofit, Divabetic (the ‘V’ stands for Vandross) at Divabetic.Org.  We aim to inspire others living with, at-risk, and affected by diabetes ‘keep their house a home’ by learning how to prevent a diabetes health-related complication such as stroke. Managing diabetes is not easy. It’s a daily grind that relies on a team effort. Luther had about fifty people on tour supporting him with his music. Still, he chose to go it alone when managing his diabetes. I will be forever haunted by the experience of finding such a strong, kind, powerful, immensely talented man taken down by the mismanagement of diabetes.
Luther
This picture was taken at the auction we held after Luther’s passing in 2005. Looking back, I was shellshocked from Luther’s unexpected stroke and passing. It was devastating. So many of his fans blamed me as well as everyone who worked for Luther for his death. They thought we should have been able to intervene and prevent his stroke from happening. At the time, I didn’t realize that the mismanagement of diabetes could strike down one of the most powerful men I knew. My lingering regret has fueled my passion for diabetes advocacy. Please ‘keep your house a home’ and take time to learn how to prevent a diabetes health-related complication such as stroke.
Please visit Divabetic.Org and/or like Divabetic on Facebook. Your support keeps Luther’s memory and music alive!

This wonderful advocate, Patty Nece, JD, talks about her experiences with being stereotyped and shamed because of her weight during an important medical appointment.

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Was Chaka Khan Experiencing Low Blood Sugars At Verzuz?

From slurring words or forgetting lyrics to her famous side-to-side, stutter-step shimmy, Chaka Khan‘s performance at the recent Verzuz “competition” with Stephanie Mills has many speculating that she was either drunk or high.

But could she have been experiencing low blood sugars?

Some symptoms of low blood sugar can look the same as being drunk. The most common ones are feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or confused; and getting sleepy. However, others may think your signs of low blood sugar are due to drinking. As a result, they may not realize you need help.

The Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes back in 2011. She credits her vegan diet for helping her lose a significant amount of weight after her diagnosis.

“I felt like I needed to heal my body, so I would just fast and eat no meat, no dairy,” she said. “I’ve never been a fan of meat, dairy, and sugar. And when I developed diabetes I said, ‘Oh OK, I’m not going to be here long. A change is coming,’” Chaka Khan told the lifestyle website Essence.com.

Assuming Chaka Khan experienced low blood sugar levels on stage with Stephanie Mills, let’s review some suggestions for treating it.

First, eat or drink 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates, then check your blood sugars and retreat if necessary. 

The best options are sugary foods without protein or fat. Chocolate contains fat which slows down the absorption of sugar, so it’s not the best option. Instead, you need food or drinks that easily convert to sugar in the body. Try glucose tablets or gel (sold in your pharmacy), fruit juice, regular — not diet — soft drinks, honey, and sugary candy. Keep in mind, 15 grams of carbohydrates is far less than a whole can of soda or a tall glass of juice. The amount is significant because if you overtreat a low blood sugar by eating or drinking too much, you risk experiencing high blood sugar levels.

Finally, you should know that alcohol makes your blood sugar levels drop by inhibiting the liver’s ability to release glucose.

Ivan Hampden, Jr., Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Pam Butler MS, CDCES, Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDCES, CDN, Cookbook Author and Culinary Expert Holly Clegg and Ginger Vieira on this episode of Divabetic’s monthly podcast.

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Adele Makes Weight Loss Look Easy To Me

Adele’s weight loss journey is inspiring because her goal isn’t a number on the scale. Instead, it is embracing a healthier way of life. 

“It was because of my anxiety,” she told British Vogue. “Working out, I would just feel better.” The singer also said that “it was never about losing weight. It was always about becoming strong and giving myself as much time every day without my phone. I got quite addicted to it.”

Adele started making headlines with her weight loss at the end of 2019.

Adele said that during quarantine, she worked out three times a day: “So I do my weights in the morning, then I normally hike, or I box in the afternoon, and then I go and do my cardio at night,” reports Vogue.

“I did it for myself and not anyone else. So why would I ever share it? I don’t find it fascinating. It’s my body.”

Adele told British Vogue when asked why she didn’t share her weight loss journey on social media. 

Adele also confirmed that any rumors suggesting she lost weight by dieting are false. “No intermittent fasting. Nothing. If anything, I eat more than I used to because I work out so hard,” she told British Vogue.

She feels confident enough about herself and her new lifestyle to joke about it. 

In 2020, she joked about her weight loss in her opening SNL monologue. “I know I look really, really different since you last saw me,” Adele said. “But actually, because of all the Covid restrictions…I had to travel light, and I could only bring half of me, and this is the half I chose.”

he 15-time Grammy winner released her first single off her fourth studio album, Easy On Me, this past week.


Adele’s album, “25” has sold six million copies in the US and become the 20th album to sell at least a million copies in a single week in the Nielsen era. It is the largest selling album of 2015 in total, surpassing the sales of Taylor Swift’s 1989.

Divabetic podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES and MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR), Jennifer Jacobs, Dana Collins Carr and Cindy Lou, who is living with type 2 diabetes from Kentucky.

Throughout the podcast we will be playing selected cuts from “25” courtesy of SONY Music.

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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Dame Judi Dench’s Talks About Her Knee Replacement

Surgery

Dame Judi Dench met Mr. Monk on the set of Philomena as her knee condition was worsening.

When Is the Best Time To Have Surgery?

You want to have it done right before the pain becomes too unbearable to cope with.

Judi Dench gave a lot of thought to the best time to have her total knee replacement surgery.

Judi Dench’s knee operation went very smoothly. Six weeks after the surgery, the Academy Award Winning Actress attended the film’s Premiere. She claims that very few people realized she had the operation.

Her knee has continued to improve to the point where she has almost forgotten she had the operation.

Judi Dench is not living with diabetes. But if you’re living with diabetes and are scheduling a surgical procedure, be aware:

  • Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) or hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) can be an issue after surgery
  • Poor wound healing
  • Slow wound healing
  • Infection of the wound

Philomena (2013) is about a world-weary political journalist who aids in a woman’s search for her son.

The Holidays are full of surprises in this year’s Divabetic Mysteries: A Christmas Peril podcast. Although Mr. Divabetic manages to land a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home, his 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.

Now Mr. Divabetic, with the help of his friends and overly protective mother, must find the real culprit before his name ends up on a lethal naughty list.

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Valerie Bertinelli Tearfully Slams A Troll Over Weight Diss: ‘Tired Of Body Shaming’

Valerie Bertinelli confessed she made the ‘mistake’ of reading some ‘comments’ online about her weight as she clapped back with a powerful video message. Valerie Bertinelli is done with body shaming.

The 61-year-old took to social media to clap back at a comment made about her weight with an emotional video where she confessed being “vulnerable” was difficult. “When you see somebody who has put some weight on, my first thought is that person is obviously going through some things because if I could lose the weight and keep it off, I would,” she said in the Instagram post shared on Friday, July 9, responding to “someone” who “pointed out” out she “needed” to lose some pounds. “But since I haven’t been successful with that my whole entire life, at 61 I’m still dealing with [it],” she said through tears as she spoke to the camera, makeup-free. “You think I’m not tired of it, lady? Where’s the compassion. You think a stupid little comment like ‘you need to lose weight’ — not f***

Yes! Valerie Bertinelli responds to weight-shaming and we love her for it!!! Judging a person does not define who they are, it defines who you are! No one should sacrifice their mental health to live up to someone else’s expectations.
According to Healthline, body-shaming “involves criticizing and harassing overweight people about their weight or eating habits to make them feel ashamed of themselves,” with the intent to “motivate people to eat less, exercise more, and lose weight.”
Some believe that making others feel ashamed of their weight or eating habits may motivate them to get healthier. However, scientific evidence confirms that nothing could be further from the truth.
If you are going through these same things, remember you are not alone. Actress Emma Stone said, “There’s a sense that we’re all ‘too’ something, and we’re all not enough. This is life. Our bodies change. Our minds change. Our hearts change.”

Body Shaming Yourself

A social media troll body-shamed actress Valerie Bertinelli but most of the time we body shame ourselves. The worst part is that when we talk to ourselves we use much more toxic language than Valerie’s troll did.
Self-shaming is a destructive mindset. When we body shame ourselves we are working against our bodies and putting obstacles from attaining our diabetes health goals, and our overall sense of well-being.
“We know that people who experience body shaming are at a much higher risk for both depression and anxiety disorders,” said  A. Janet Tomiyama, an associate professor of health psychology at the University of California at Los Angeles in Washington Post. “It’s easy to see how feeling bad about yourself could lead to more serious emotional troubles.”
One way to break the cycle of negative talk is to write down everything your body does for you. Going forward, every time you experience a negative thought about your body, try to replace it with something from your gratitude list. If you started to spiral into shame, quickly correct yourself.

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Why Love Won’t Let Me Wait When Someone Is Having A Stroke

If music has the power to move you, then let the ballad, Love Won’t Let Me Wait, written by Vinnie Barrett and Bobby Eli, and sung by Major Harris, Nancy Wilson, and Luther Vandross, be a reminder to take immediate action when someone you love is experiencing a stroke.

When it comes to stroke, every second counts! Waiting or praying it away are not options if you, a spouse, friend, or family member have a stroke. And what you do in those critical moments can potentially help save someone’s life.

Nearly 2 million brain cells die each minute a stroke remains untreated.

“The most frustrating thing for me as a stroke specialist is that folks will stay home with their symptoms,” said  Dr. Carlene Kingston, stroke medical director at  Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. “They’ll notice that one part of their body isn’t working, and their first call is to their primary care doctor or their spouse. That is never the answer. The answer is to call 911.”

Rapid access to medical treatment often makes the difference between full recovery and permanent disability.

“Several hours passed between the time my boss, Luther Vandross, first experienced a stroke, and I found him,” says Max Szadek.” The time gap hindered his recovery.”

Most strokes are not associated with pain, which often leads people to believe they’re okay, and they wait for the symptoms they’re experiencing to pass. However, with each passing minute, brain cells are dying that will never be recovered.

The national standard for treating ischemic strokes is to administer a tissue plasminogen activator or tPA. This clot-busting medication can potentially reverse the symptoms of stroke within 60 minutes of a patent’s arrival at the ER.

The faster the medication is administered, the better the outcomes are for stroke survivors.

If you do nothing else, act quickly to call 911 and tell the 911 dispatcher, ‘I think I’m having a stroke or ‘I think my loved one is.'”

Use the letters in “F.A.S.T.” to spot stroke signs and know when to call 9-1-1.

F: Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop, or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven or lopsided?

A: Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S: Speech: Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.

T: Time to Call 9-1-1: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

If you get your spouse, friend, and/or family member to the hospital when symptoms start, the likelihood of surviving and not having any disability much more significant.

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Gwyneth Paltrow Cruises Into Wellbeing

Cruises used to be considered to be the land of endless chocolate fountains, round-the-clock buffets, and fifteen-pound weight gains—colorful and carefree five–day ‘eating frenzies’ floating on the high seas.

But that’s all about to change, thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow, who will oversee wellbeing on a new luxury cruise ship.

The actress-entrepreneur is partnering with Celebrity Cruises to lead the well-being offering on their new luxury ship.

Paltrow confirmed the news via Instagram, posting a throwback picture of herself on the beach looking out to sea.

“I am always happiest by, in or on the sea,” she wrote. “In 2022, my Goop team and I are going to join Celebrity Cruises on their new ship, Celebrity Beyond.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COOiAEDrRdI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The ship will also feature Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud’s first-ever restaurant at sea, as well as 29 other restaurants, bars, and lounges, plus a rooftop garden and an exclusive members-only area. Its maiden voyage will depart from Southampton on 27 April 2022 before heading off around the Mediterranean.

First of all, I love Gwenyth Paltrow for glamorizing good health. Her Goop tagline “make every choice count” is brilliant. However, I don’t think achieving optimum health should require a black American Express card.

Wouldn’t it be great if this much effort into passenger’s well-being could be available at a more reasonable aka ‘Target’ price point?

Whether or not you’re living with diabetes, a cruise sounds excellent! Unlimited entertainment, plenty of exercise options, like yoga on the deck at sunrise or dancing. You can even enjoy a relaxing massage or walk the ship’s decks with a cool sea breeze blowing through your hair. Ah, the possibilities! 

Living with diabetes doesn’t have to mean living with deprivation. But if you have diabetes, you need to know how foods affect your blood sugar levels. It’s not only the type of food you eat but also how much you eat and the combinations of food types you eat.

For a  lot of people with diabetes, thinking about what you’re going to eat before you eat it is a problem. Most of us what to eat whatever and whenever we want like when we’re children.

Pay attention to the types of carbohydrates you choose.

Some carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are better for you than others. These foods are low in carbohydrates and have fiber that helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Talk to your doctor, nurse or dietitian about the best food choices and the appropriate balance of food types.

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Give Me The Reason To Take A Diabetes Diagnosis Seriously

Luther Vandross had a very public battle with his weight throughout his life. As someone who worked closely with him, I witnessed the profound, painful emotional toll resulting from yo-yo dieting cycles. Looking back, I see now that it was really a cry for help when Luther joked about his weight. People might not put food addiction in the same category as drug addiction or alcoholism, but it is just as deadly. I am still haunted by images of finding my boss, a strong, powerful, and talented man, on the floor after suffering a debilitating stroke. When people refer to diabetes as ‘a touch of sugar,’ I shake my head. Mismanaged diabetes is as deadly as a white shark or tiger and as menacing as a tsunami. You’re fooling yourself if you think it’s not (I know I was).

Divabetic’s latest Luther Vandross Tribute podcast features music from his fifth studio album, Give Me The Reason album, released in 1986. Luther appears slim and svelte on the album cover, sparking thoughtful discussions about Luther’s weight as well as his musical legacy.

 

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’s 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.

When Give Me the Reason was released it reached number fourteen in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts. In the United Kingdom, Give Me the Reason became Luther’s most successful album, reaching number three and was certified double-platinum.

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

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