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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“It’s the most awful, dark feeling in the world,” Divabetic Icon Luther Vandross said when he put back on 100 pounds. “It feels like you’re wearing an 80-pound hat and a coat that weighs 300 pounds … You feel like it’s always dark and gloomy.”
We’re spotlighting Luther’s album, Give Me The Reasonon Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast, scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 6 -7:30 PM, EST.
Luther Vandross had become one of the most successful soul singers of the first half of the eighties when he recorded his fifth album, Give Me the Reason, in 1986. The album comprised nine tracks, including the hits: So Amazing, There’s Nothing Better Than Love, Stop To Love, and Give Me The Reason.
He also was a weight loss success story! He appeared slim on the album’s cover in 1985, when he dieted below 200 pounds.
Three short years later, Luther’s weight ballooned to more than 300 pounds. A pattern that he repeated several more times in his lifetime.
The next time he lost a significant amount of weight, he credited it to a six-month liquid diet program, used by Oprah Winfrey, in 1989.
While many people with type 2 diabetes struggle with weight fluctuations, Luther’s yo-yo relationship with food was displayed before millions of fans.
Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast hopes to shed light on how doctors put overweight patients, with type 2 diabetes, on a path to failure by focusing on shedding pounds.
“Luther beat himself up about his weight fluctuations,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, host of Diabetes Late Nite
“His weight issues seemed to overshadow his success. He achieved and sustained incredible success in his career as a songwriter, producer, and singer, yet, on the flip side, fought a losing battle with his health.”
Our cultural obsession with appearance may bleed over into the exam room, leading doctors to disproportionately focus on weight and to interact with fat patients differently from thin ones.
“It makes it very hard,” Luther said. “You wear it externally so the minute you walk through the door, everybody knows ‘Luther’s not winning his battle with his demon.'”
He often referred to his relationship with food as an addiction: “An alcoholic can’t have half a martini, and you know, I can’t have bread.”
But medical professionals disagree about how they should address weight management with patients or whether they should address weight loss at all.
Divabetic’sDiabetes Late Nite podcast guests include Lisa Fischer, Jason Miles, Jeff James, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Chuck Flowers, and Kitt Vordeaux.
Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s Give Me The Reason album courtesy of SONY Music.
He added, “I can’t have sugar, and I can’t have carbohydrates … but I can sing the mess out of a ballad.”
According to multiple reports, rapper Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons, 50, is still on life support after following a heart attack.
After a reported overdose, the rapper was admitted to a New York hospital, sources confirmed to TMZ, Billboard, and Variety on Saturday. DMX’s attorney said the artist, whose real name is Earl Simmons, had a heart attack, according to ABC7.
Many illegal drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and various forms of amphetamine, can have adverse cardiovascular effects, ranging from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks. Injecting illegal drugs also can lead to cardiovascular problems, such as collapsed veins and bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves.
The Yonkers rapper has struggled with drug issues. Back in October 2019, he canceled a series of concerts to return to a drug habilitation center.
How common is a heart attack in your 50s?
A 50-year-old American man has a one-in-two risk of developing heart disease during the rest of his life. That’s because cardiac risk factors are present in so many American men.
What raises your risk?
Besides smoking, high blood pressure is a primary risk factor in heart disease, and its prevalence in blacks in the United States is among the highest in the world.
3 out of 4 black adults develop high blood pressure by the time they’re 55, according to a recently published study.
Many people frequently mix illegal drug use with alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Having more than three drinks in one sitting raises your blood pressure temporarily, but repeated binge drinking can lead to long-term increases
And if you don’t think mental health can affect your heart health, then think again.
Depression releases stress hormones and increases inflammatory chemicals that can cause a narrowing of the arteries.
We’re talking about diabetes weight loss medications and blood pressure monitors for home use, and sharing one woman’s journey to manage her type 2 diabetes after the loss of her husband, with music from Jessye Norman.
Divabetic’sDiabetes Late Nite podcast guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Mandy Reece PharmD CDCES, BC-ADM, BCACP, FADCES, and Know Diabetes By Heart Ambassador, Sarah Bryant.
Dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen admits she wasn’t surprised she was diagnosed with prediabetes, even though she’s been active throughout her life.
“When I found out late, this past summer, it was not a surprise. I was kind of expecting that it might happen,” Debbie Allen told MadameNoire magazine.
Her father lived with type 2 diabetes and several of her family members died from complications of the same disease. “It’s in my DNA and it’s in my children’s DNA, so they need to know. I believe, again, that information is power,” she said.
As a child, Allen’s father encouraged her to keep dancing to prevent her from developing type 2 diabetes. One of her biggest challenges in managing her prediabetes has been making herself her top priority.
“I’m so busy and I don’t think about myself. And that’s been my biggest problem. I’m always last on my list. I have two grandchildren now and my husband, my son, my daughter and I have all these beautiful young people that I’m mentoring.”
Debbie Allen also admits that she isn’t as active today as she once was, when she was dancing 7-8 hours a day.“I’m directing, administering, I’m looking at film. I’m teaching my live IG class. But my physical life has changed a bit because of my career.”
Debbie Allen has partnered with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness about the link between type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, Divabetic encourages you to talk to your health care professional about steps you can take to prevent it from becoming type 2 diabetes.
Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free Virtual Cooking Party with special guest, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND on Zoom on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, 7-8 PM, EST. Jill shares her favorite quinoa recipes with us!
According to his family, the 18 time GRAMMY winner is taking each day one note at time. Bennett’s greatest therapy is singing. He rehearses twice a week.
“He has devoted his whole life to the Great American songbook and now the songbook is saving him,” Susan Bennett told CBS This Morning.
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease characterized by progressive memory loss that affects speech, understanding, and recognition of family and friends.
There’s research suggesting a link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s, suggesting that people with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, are at higher risk of eventually developing Alzheimer’s dementia or other dementias.
Alzheimer’s symptoms may initially include repeating questions, getting lost in a familiar place or misplacing things, and may eventually progress to hallucinations, angry outbursts, and the inability to recognize family and friends or communicate at all. Alzheimer’s has no cure.
Tony Bennett, first diagnosed in 2016, has so far been spared the disorientation and the episodes of terror, rageand/or depression.
Susan Bennett said that he can still recognize family members, but the magazine reported that “mundane objects as familiar as a fork or a set of house keys can be utterly mysterious to him.”
His diagnosis hasn’t stopped him from performing. According to People Magazine the 94 year old singer has has concert dates scheduled for later this year, with the first in March.
“It kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way,” Bennett’s neurologist, Gayatri Devi told AARP The Magazine. “He is doing so many things, at 94, that many people without dementia cannot do. He really is the symbol of hope for someone with a cognitive disorder.”
“He’s not the old Tony anymore,” his wife, Susan, said. “But when he sings, he’s the old Tony.”
18x-GRAMMY winner @ItsTonyBennett is battling Alzheimer's disease. His family revealed his 4-year battle in an @AARP article. @GayleKing spoke w/ his wife, Susan Benedetto, who says music still plays a major role in his life & why the family decided to share his diagnosis now. pic.twitter.com/taSobf8mLd
Bennett’s family kept his secret for four years, but decided to break their silence now with the release of his new album. The disclosure is a way to remove some of the stigma associated with the incurable disease, they said.
“Being open about a diagnosis in such a public manner takes great courage and compassion,” said Beth Kallmyer, vice president for care and support with the Alzheimer’s Association.
Editor’s note: It has not been reported that Tony Bennett is living with diabetes.
“It’s hard for me to do these concerts and watch people walking in with canes who can hardly move,” said Jeffrey Osborne in an interview with Real Health. “People don’t realize that’s a result of their diet.”
The 72-year-old Grammy–nominated singer–songwriter,and musician has watched several of his eleven siblings succumb to different chronic illnesses. “I have only one sister left,” he says. “I have three brothers still living; the others either died from cancer or suffered from clogged arteries.”
Jeffrey Osborne rose to fame as the drummer and lead singer of the American R&B/Soul group L.T.D in the 1970’s. Recently, he released his first album of original material in 15 years entitled Worth It All.
Back in mid-’70s, Jeffrey Osborne toyed with the idea of becoming a vegan. “But it wasn’t cool then, and there wasn’t as much research at that time or great products like there are now,” he says.
What Is A Vegan?
A vegan is a person who does not eat any food derived from animals and who typically does not use other animal products. Foods from animals that vegans do not eat include eggs, cheese, milk, and honey. Foods made from plants that vegans eat include: Fruits and vegetables. legumes (peas, beans, and lentils), nuts and seeds, breads, rice, and pasta, dairy alternatives (soy milk, coconut milk, and almond milk) and vegetable oils.
Vegan Diets & Diabetes
Studies have shown that those people who follow a low-fat vegan diet, avoiding meat and dairy, lower blood sugar levels very efficiently and lose weight reports Diabetes UK. Researchers have shown that people with diabetes who eat a vegan diet also lower their cholesterol and improve kidney functioning.
Jeffrey Osborne tried adapting a vegan diet again in 2017, on his 28-year-old son’s recommendation after their family watched the documentary, What The Health, about our nation’s health and how big business influences it.
“I did not know half of the things going on with the beef and poultry industries, and that just opened my eyes to so much, and that’s what started me.”
Now he and his family follow a plant-based diet. “It’s been incredible,” he says. “I feel so much better and have more energy, and I feel good. My bones and joints— everything—feels so good.”
“Worth It Allfinds Osborne picking up where he left off in the vein of new songs with 2003’s Music Is Life, remarkably displaying as much vocal agility and ease with range as ever atop a variety of urban-contemporary grooves and melodic R&B ballads that often reach back to harmonic and structural sensibilities of ‘80s soul while bearing a rhythmic foundation that adult-contemporary audiences came to appreciate during the early 2000s,” writes Justin Kantor for Soultracks.com.
Let Barry White’s legacy inspire you to take your blood pressure seriously
Barry White battled chronic high-blood pressure for years. Unfortunately most people don’t even know they have high blood pressure because high blood pressure (HBP, or hypertension) has no obvious symptoms to indicate that something is wrong.
Barry White was twice admitted to the hospital after suffering from hypertension – once in 1995 and again in 1998.
Before his passing in 2003, Barry White announced that he was on dialysis and searching for a kidney donor.
“Doctors confirm that Barry White has a history of hypertension [high blood pressure], which has led to a decline of kidney function,” a statement from Island Def Jam Music Group said reports NME.
UnfortunatelyBarry White died at age 58 while waiting for kidney transplant.
How Is High Blood Pressure Related to Kidney Disease?
When the blood vessels become damaged, the nephrons that filter your blood don’t receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to function well. This is why high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) is the second leading cause of kidney failure reports the American Heart Association. Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause arteries around the kidneys to narrow, weaken or harden. These damaged arteries are not able to deliver enough blood to the kidney tissue.
Damaged Kidneys Can’t Regulate Blood Pressure
Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called aldosterone to help the body regulate blood pressure.but as more arteries become blocked and stop functioning, the kidneys eventually fail.
Over a four-decade career, White sold more than 100 million records, earned dozens of gold and platinum albums and won two Grammy Awards. His buttery baritone was musical Viagra and he reveled in his reputation as the Godfather of Love, never apologizing for his shamelessly romantic material.
We’re talking about the symptoms, causes and prevention of stroke with musical inspiration from Angela Bofill. on this episode of Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the US. As many as 5 to 14 percent of stroke survivors have a second stroke within one year.
With her strong, distinctive alto, Angela Bofill carved a niche as an outstanding interpreter of soul ballads and became a mainstay on the Quiet Storm radio format.
Angela Bofill suffered two strokes but neither stroke could take away her positive, humorous personality and her fighter spirit. After she lost the ability to sing, she returned to the stage for “The Angela Bofill Experience” in which she skillfully narrated her life story, while her band and other singers .
Podcast guests include Angela Bofill, Catherine Schuller, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Neva White DNP, CRNP- BC, CDE, and Rose Hall from Tessie’s Teas.
Throughout the podcast we will feature music from Angela Bofill’s albums Angie and Angel of the Night courtesy of SONY Music.
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 event with style. Divabetic’s dynamic diabetes empowerment meeting features a Hat & Face Mask Fashion Show and a Diabetes Educational Group Activity and Discussion on Thursday, February 4, 2021, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.
