Tag: Debby Kay

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Collar Greens Wellness Day & Dog Parade Coming To Fairfax VA in September

Divabetic presents Collar Greens Wellness Day at Mosaic Central Farm Market to help families and their pets to stay healthy and happy on Sunday, September 16, 2018.

It’s our biggest diabetes outreach event of the year and it’s totally free!

Do you want the freshest, most flavorful food available in your area? In that case, consider taking regular trips to Central Farm Market. According to statistics from the Farmers Market Coalition, more than 85% of vendors at your local farmers’ market have traveled less than 50 miles to sell their products and produce. In comparison, produce found in chain supermarkets has often traveled on average more than 1,200 miles before reaching your local shelves.

Did you know that Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that dog owners are more likely to reach their fitness goals than those without canine companions?

Researchers at Michigan State University found that dog owners are 34 percent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week than non-dog owners. The study also found that owning a dog promotes health and fitness even after you take your pup for a stroll, increasing leisure-time physical activity by 69 percent.

Collar Greens Wellness Day & Dog Parade features:

A Fabulous Dog Parade hosted by Mr. Divabetic and Scent Detection Expert Debby Kay. See all breeds dressed to the nines with prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors

Healthy Food Tours: Buy foods and see how they fit with ChooseMyPlate. Visit different booths to pick up seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

A Live Cooking Demonstrations with Chef Jonathan Bardzik aka “Farm Market Hero”.  Jonathan employs stories and food to bring people together, building connections at farm markets and dinner tables, in board rooms and at conferences – everybody eats! Jonathan’s cooking demonstrations, teaching dinners, corporate and non-profit team building events and conference presentations have been enjoyed by audiences across the country.

A Family-friendly Scavenger Hunt of the Farmers Market. Our Scavenger Hunts gives people hands-on experience in learning about seasonal produce.

Poetry Readings: Diabetes Late Nite podcast cast member, Poet Lorraine Brooks reads some of her most popular diabetes empowerment poems to lift your spirits.

Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM). Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van will host free sight (including glaucoma) and hearing screenings for all visitors (men, women, and children). They will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

A Service Dogs Demonstration & Talk: Have you ever wondered what it takes to teach your dog to sense your oncoming low blood sugars and actually alert you to them? Internationally known Scent Detection Expert Debby Kay has 40 years of experience as a canine professional and pioneered many firsts in canine scent work. Enjoy an overview of the basics of dog training and dog care and details how your dog can sense your blood sugars and respond in different ways depending on whether your blood sugar is high or low.

Plate Poetry Project On Display: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conversations that people have with themselves while eating. Divabetic volunteers help adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

Acoustic Blues Musician and Songwriter, Rick Franklin will be performing throughout at Diabetes Awareness Day. Rick’s musical style of blues is known as the “Piedmont” style identified with such legendary players as Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller and William Moore along with players and friends like “Bowling Green” John Cephas, John Jackson, and Archie Edwards.

LISTEN NOW: Hear what happens when Mr. Divabetic puts all of his guests inlcuding The Betes Bros, Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle and Mama Rose Marie in the HOT SEAT for Divabetic’s 8th Year Anniversary Podcast Special

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What’s On Your Plate?: The Plate Poetry Project Depicts Emotional Eating & Diabetes

Fine Artist Susan McCaslin’s Plate Poetry Project will be on display at Mosaic Central Farm Market on Sunday, June 3, 2018 as part of Divabetic’s Diabetes Awareness Day outreach program.

What words do you bring to the table?

Emotions can influence what, when, and how much we eat. For example, you have probably heard that some people eat to cope with stress. Others eat to preoccupy themselves when they feel bored.

When you eat based on your emotions, it can hinder your diabetes wellness management. Often, situations that trigger certain negative emotions prompt eating.

If you have recently eaten and find yourself craving food again, do a quick emotional check. Do you want food because you are hungry—or to fill an emotional need? 
Eating is such a central part of our lives that food becomes associated with almost everything we do. If we’re happy, sad, angry, celebrating, grieving, lonely, or bored, we eat. Emotions become connected with food.
Each Plate Poetry Project place setting (5 pieces) has a complete statement written on it depicting a conversation that someone had while eating. 
Visitors are encouraged to interact with the table and take apart the place settings to read each statement.
The eight Plate Poetry Project statements are: 
“She says I am always eating too much”
“Be happy and eat joyfully for good health”
” You always help me when I need it the most”

“Love is my drug of choice not food” 

It hurts when you say I am too heavy”
“How dare you step on my dreams”
“He helps me face illness with lots of love”  
“So tough when I hear you cry at night!”
The Plate Poetry Project is made possible thanks in part to the generous donation from Onieda. Oneida offers the largest selection of flatware and a great assortment of dinnerware, serveware, cookware, bakeware, and more.

An important component of diabetes self-management, but often unaddressed, is the topic of emotional well being.

If you are having a hard time, reach out for help. Involve family members and friends to help support your weight loss efforts. Support groups, therapy, and members of your health care team can also help.

Our Plate Poetry Project video series aims to assess the emotions associated with managing diabetes and the underlying reasons attributed to those emotions.

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA on Sunday, June 3, 2018, 9:30 AM – 2 PM.

RAIN OR SHINE: Here’s a complete listing of Diabetes Awareness Day Events & Activities at Mosaic Central Farm Market:

9:30 AM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM): Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

10 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

10:30 AM Dog Fashion Show Registration & Rehearsal: Dogs of all breeds and sizes are welcome to compete on the red carpet for fabulous prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors. REGISTER NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/WWxkBrs7ugpfK38P2 

10:45 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Dietitian Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the Red Carpet at our 2ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

12 PM Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration & Talk: Find out how dogs help people manage their blood sugar high’s and low’s, answer your questions and share resources for purchasing a diabetes alert dog and/or training your own pet. Presented by internationally known Scent Detection Dog Expert, Debby Kay and Health Educator, Kathy Gold RN, CDE

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conversations that people have with themselves while eating. Divabetic volunteers help adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

Acoustic Blues Musician and songwriter, Rick Franklin will be performing throughout at Diabetes Awareness Day. Rick’s musical style of blues is known as the “Piedmont” style identified with such legendary players as Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller and William Moore along with players and friends like “Bowling Green” John Cephas, John Jackson, and Archie Edwards.

Stop by the Capital Jazz Fest featuring Luther Vandross’ longtime collaborator, renowned bassist, producer and songwriter Marcus Miller.  Marcus Miller hosts the  Late-Night Jam Session on Friday, June 1, 2018, 11:30 PM – 2 AM. The Capital Jazz Fest takes place at Merriweather Post Pavilion, located at 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. The venue is 28 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. and 18 miles southwest of Baltimore.

Founded in 2005, Divabetic promotes diabetes wellness. We take diabetes education out of the clinical setting and combine it with art, music, and fashion to broaden the appeal of diabetes outreach. Join us!

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Diabetes & Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s)

Sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases reached a record high in the United States in 2015, federal according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Any infection in the body, including sexually transmissible infections (STIs), can potentially increase blood glucose levels (BGLs) in people with diabetes. STIs are infections or bugs caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites that are passed from one person to another during sexual contact.

Health professionals generally don’t consider STI’s as the cause of rising high blood glucose levels. Don’t be embarrassed to talk to your doctor or diabetes educator if you think you might have an STI. Important points to note:

STIs can infect many areas of the body and not just the genitals.

STIs don’t always cause signs and symptoms.

STIs don’t always cause symptoms but may still cause an increase in BGLs.

Not all genital signs and symptoms are caused by STIs.

Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are curable with antibiotics, and widespread access to screening and treatment would reduce their spread, the CDC said.

Most STD cases go undiagnosed and untreated, putting people at risk for severe and potentially permanent health effects such as chronic pain, infertility and increased risk for HIV.

“The health outcomes of syphilis — miscarriage, stillbirth, blindness or stroke — can be devastating,” said Dr. Gail Bolan, director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention.

“The resurgence of congenital syphilis and the increasing impact of syphilis among gay and bisexual men makes it clear that many Americans are not getting the preventive services they need. Every pregnant woman should be tested for syphilis, and sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested for syphilis at least once a year,” Bolan said.

Is There A Difference Between (Sexually Transmitted Disease(STDs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)?

A Sexually Transmitted Disease (“STD”) is the most commonly used term for the collection of medical infections that are transmitted through sexual contact. But that’s just the thing. People who become infected, don’t always experience anysymptoms or have their infection develop into a disease.

Mr. Divabetic discusses ‘Diabetes & Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s)’ with guests Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE on June’s Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, 2018, 6 PM, EST.

Don’t miss Divabetic’s 8th Year Podcasting Anniversary on Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, 2018, 6 PM, EST. We’re talking about ‘NO REGRETS’with musical inspiration from Edith Piaf. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Cindy Lou from the ‘Diabetes What To Know’ community, and Mama Rose Marie. TUNE IN

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA

Here’s a complete listing of Diabetes Awareness Day Events & Activities at Mosaic Central Farm Market:

9AM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM): Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

10 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

10:30 AM Dog Fashion Show Registration & Rehearsal: Dogs of all breeds and sizes are welcome to compete on the red carpet for fabulous prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors. REGISTER NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/WWxkBrs7ugpfK38P2 

10:45 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Dietitian Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the Red Carpet at our 2ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

12 PM Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration & Talk: Find out how dogs help people manage their blood sugar high’s and low’s, answer your questions and share resources for purchasing a diabetes alert dog and/or training your own pet. Presented by internationally known Scent Detection Dog Expert, Debby Kay and Health Educator, Kathy Gold RN, CDE

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conversations that people have with themselves while eating. Divabetic volunteers help adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

Don’t miss the Capital Jazz Fest featuring Luther Vandross’ longtime collaborator, renowned bassist, producer and songwriter Marcus Miller.  Marcus Miller hosts the  Late-Night Jam Session on Friday, June 1, 2018, 11:30 PM – 2 AM. The Capital Jazz Fest takes place at Merriweather Post Pavilion, located at 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. The venue is 28 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. and 18 miles southwest of Baltimore.

 

 

 

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Patriotic Cookies Recipe by the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Memorial Day festivities are times to gather together with family and friends and celebrate the beginning of the summer season while also remembering lots of U.S. citizens who were drafted and who were required to fight far away from home and loved ones. They can also become ways to commit to healthy living and activity to avoid diabetes health-related complications.

The Diabetic Pastry Chef Stacey Harris is helping Divabetic encourage you to celebrate the holidays without compromising your diabetes wellness.

When Stacey Harris was studying to become a pastry chef, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Rather than give up her chosen profession, she began creating more diabetic-friendly desserts. By using blended flours and a combination of sugar and sugar substitutes, reducing milk carbohydrates, and eliminating trans fats,  Stacey Harris has transformed more than 200 desserts into diabetic-friendly delights.

 

Patriotic Cookies Recipe by the Diabetic Pastry Chef 

Cookie Dough Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 stick butter, sliced

1 large egg

1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute such as Swerve

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in butter until crumbly.

Beat together the remaining ingredients with mixer until well blended; add to dry mixture.  Divide dough in half and chill for several hours.

Roll out the dough on a floured board 1/4 at a time. Cut into star shapes with floured cookie cutter. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until cookies are a pale golden color. Remove from oven and cool cookies on a baking rack. Once cool, frost with icing and decorate with tubes of red and blue decorating gel.

Swerve Icing Ingredients 

1 stick butter, softened

1/3 to 1/2 cup Swerve Confectioners

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp milK

Directions:

With mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add Swerve and beat for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and milk and beat for an additional 5 minutes.

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA

Here’s a complete listing of Events & Activities:

9AM -12 PM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children: Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van hosts free sight (including glaucoma) and hearing screenings for all visitors (men, women, and children). They will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

10 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

10:30 AM Dog Fashion Show Registration & Rehearsal: Dogs of all breeds and sizes are welcome to compete on the red carpet for fabulous prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors. REGISTER NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/WWxkBrs7ugpfK38P2 

10:45 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Dietitian Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the red carpet at our 2ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

12 PM Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration & Talk: Find out how dogs help people manage their blood sugar high’s and low’s, answer your questions and share resources for purchasing a diabetes alert dog and/or training your own pet. Presented by internationally known Scent Detection Dog Expert, Debby Kay and Health Educator, Kathy Gold RN, CDE

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCaslin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conversations that people have with themselves while eating. Our Divabetic volunteers help adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems. Generous donation provided by Onieda.

Don’t miss the Capital Jazz Fest featuring Luther Vandross’ longtime collaborator, renowned bassist, producer and songwriter Marcus Miller.  Marcus Miller hosts the  Late-Night Jam Session on Friday, June 1, 2018, 11:30 PM – 2 AM. The Capital Jazz Fest takes place at Merriweather Post Pavilion, located at 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. The venue is 28 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. and 18 miles southwest of Baltimore.

One of Divabetic’s favorite Marcus Miller and Luther Vandross tunes is “Never Too Much” featured on Luther’s platinum album, ‘Never Too Much‘. 

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‘I’ve Got A Secret’ by Lorraine Brooks

We’re only as sick as our secrets, it’s true.

There’s dozens of things that I’m not telling you.

Some of my secrets are not to be shared,

Some are about being angry or scared.

 

Some are just things I don’t want you to know

But aren’t that important, as far as things go.

Some are not secrets, but just information,

Like where I’ll be going on my next vacation.

 

Some things are personal, and this is OK,

Like who you just voted for, or how much you weigh.

But there are some times when a secret can hurt.

And those times it’s better if you can assert.

 

Secrets can harm, ‘cause if no one’s aware,

You may not get help if you need something there.

Take diabetes, and if no one knows,

You might not be able to treat your own lows.

 

Or maybe you’re having a symptom or feeling

That doctors can deal with, if you’re not concealing.

Maybe just talking can help you with stuff

That maybe you thought weren’t important enough.

 

Maybe disclosing your troubles and strife

Can one day be helpful in saving your life.

So don’t be afraid to be clear and be strong

That you have diabetes, but there’s nothing wrong.

 

One day that honesty may just be the way

You get help if you need it. So please don’t downplay.

Don’t hold THIS secret, don’t hide THIS well.

Make diabetes the “secret” you TELL!

LISTEN NOW: Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her ‘I’ve Got A Secret’ aloud on May’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. Podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, PCOS Diva founder Amy Medling, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM- PCOM, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Jeff James and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout this podcast we will feature songs from ‘Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA

Here’s a complete listing of Diabetes Awareness Day Events & Activities at Mosaic Central Farm Market:

9AM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM): Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van hosts free sight (including glaucoma) and hearing screenings for all visitors (men, women, and children). They will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

10 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

10:30 AM Dog Fashion Show Registration & Rehearsal: Dogs of all breeds and sizes are welcome to compete on the red carpet for fabulous prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors. REGISTER NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/WWxkBrs7ugpfK38P2 

10:45 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Dietitian Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the Red Carpet at our 2ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

12 PM Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration & Talk: Find out how dogs help people manage their blood sugar high’s and low’s, answer your questions and share resources for purchasing a diabetes alert dog and/or training your own pet. Presented by internationally known Scent Detection Dog Expert, Debby Kay and Health Educator, Kathy Gold RN, CDE

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conservations that people have with themselves while eating. Poet Lorraine Brooks helps adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

Don’t miss the Capital Jazz Fest featuring Luther Vandross’ longtime collaborator, renowned bassist, producer and songwriter Marcus Miller.  Marcus Miller hosts the  Late-Night Jam Session on Friday, June 1, 2018, 11:30 PM – 2 AM. The Capital Jazz Fest takes place at Merriweather Post Pavilion, located at 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. The venue is 28 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. and 18 miles southwest of Baltimore.

One of Divabetic’s favorite Marcus Miller and Luther Vandross tunes is “Til My Baby Comes Home” featured on Luther’s platinum album The Night I Fell in Love.

 

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Happy Diabetic’s Grilled Veggie Kabobs of Love Recipe

Memorial Day feels like the unofficial beginning of summer. It means lots of socializing, get-togethers with friends, picnics, sunshine, barbecues, and outdoor activities.

It’s also the beginning of the season of fresh, locally grown ingredients, so there’s no better time to invigorate those Memorial Day barbecue and picnic spreads with locally sourced items from surrounding farms and farmers markets.

If you’re thinking of serving food that’s  ‘Lean & Green’ for Memorial Day, this veggie recipe from our good friend, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ is for you!

Happy Diabetic’s ‘Grilled Veggie Kabobs of Love’ Recipe

The Veggies-

  • 12 Grape tomatoes
  • 12 white button mushrooms
  • 2 red onions cut in quarters
  • 2 yellow peppers, cut in 1inch squares
  • 12 slices yellow squash
  • 12 slices  zucchini
  • Bamboo skewers soaked in water so they will not burn.
The only MARINADE you will ever need-

1/4 to 1/2 cup good quality olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

2-3 cloves chopped garlic

Sea salt to taste

Fresh cracked pepper to taste

½ fresh lemon juice- slice the lemon after juicing and add to the marinade

½ fresh lime juice- slice the lime after juicing and add to the marinade

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Let’s Put It Together!

  1. MARINADE: Mix all ingredients together in in a glass bowl.
  2. Arrange vegetables on skewers and place in a large zip lock storage bag. Pour the marinade into the bag with the veggie skewers and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
  3. Preheat a grill on medium high flame or an oven at 375 degrees. While cooking turn and brush with marinade for 10 minutes or until cooked tender and slightly charred.

In a recent profile on the Everyday Diabetes website, Chef Robert Lewis admitted that he feared the worst for his own love of great food following his diagnosis with Type 2 Diabetes in 1998.

“I suspected that my days of good eating were over,” Lewis writes on his blog. “Yet, as I worked through my ups and downs, I came to realize that the selection of foods I could and should eat was vast and included many of my favorites. This motivated me to attempt to create delicious, diabetic-friendly dishes that were also easy to prepare.

Today he’s a man on the go! is a man on the go. When he’s not working as a director of training for 60 restaurants in the Midwest, he’s  traveling around the country as a keynote speaker for Taking Control of Your Diabetes and/or hosting his own podcast, ‘The Happy Diabetic Kitchen Podcast’! Read more about Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ in Diabetes Health Monitor magazine.

 

A vegetarian diet has been shown through research to promote weight loss and lower A1C. This was done without carbohydrate and calorie restrictions, so it may be that a vegetarian diet may be just the one for you. As always, check with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your lifestyle to find out what the potential impacts (whether positive or negative) may be on your health.

Shift away from meats on the barbecue grill by injecting recipes with beans and grains. They help to drop the risk of type 2 diabetes by one-quarter, according to Harvard researchers. Whip up a whole-grain pasta salad with an assortment of slivered or chopped carrots, celery, scallions, red bell peppers, and yellow squash. Or try an Asian Noodle Salad for a yummy twist on a classic.

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA

Here’s a complete listing of Events & Activities:

9AM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM): Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van hosts free sight (including glaucoma) and hearing screenings for all visitors (men, women, and children). They will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

10 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

10:30 AM Dog Fashion Show Registration & Rehearsal: Dogs of all breeds and sizes are welcome to compete on the red carpet for fabulous prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors. REGISTER NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/WWxkBrs7ugpfK38P2 

10:45 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Dietitian Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the red carpet at our 2ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

12 PM Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration & Talk: Find out how dogs help people manage their blood sugar high’s and low’s, answer your questions and share resources for purchasing a diabetes alert dog and/or training your own pet. Presented by internationally known Scent Detection Dog Expert, Debby Kay and Health Educator, Kathy Gold RN, CDE

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conservations that people have with themselves while eating. Poet Lorraine Brooks helps adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

Don’t miss the Capital Jazz Fest featuring Luther Vandross’ longtime collaborator, Marcus Miller.

Capital Jazz Fest will take place at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland and will feature over 25 national acts on two big stages!

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Diabetes Awareness Day at Mosaic Central Farm Market

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day at Mosaic Central Farm Market featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Healthy Food Tours, Free Sight & Hearing Screenings, Plate Poetry Project Display, a Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration and Live Folk Music by Rick Franklin on Sunday, June 3, 2018.

8:30 AM  Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM). Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van will host free sight (including glaucoma) and hearing screenings for all visitors (men, women, and children). They will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.
10 AM  Healthy Food Tour  with Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center. Buy foods and see how they fit with ChooseMyPlate. Visit different booths to pick up seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.
10:30 AM Dog Fashion Show Registration & Rehearsal
10:45 AM Healthy Food Tour with Dietitian Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center. Buy foods and see how they fit with ChooseMyPlate. Visit different booths to pick up seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.
11:30 AM  Dog Fashion Show hosted by Mr. Divabetic. Mr. Divabetic hosts a ‘GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS’ fashion show featuring dogs of all breeds dressed to the nines with prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors. REGISTER NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/WWxkBrs7ugpfK38P2
12 PM  Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration & Talk with Internationally Known Scent Detection Dog Expert, Debby Kay, Nationally Known Healthy Educator, Kathy Gold  RN, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mr. Divabetic.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to teach your dog to sense your oncoming low blood sugars and actually alert you to them?

Renowned dog expert Debby Kay provides an overview of the basics of dog training and dog care and details how your dog can sense your blood sugars and respond in different ways depending on whether your blood sugar is high or low.

Debby Kay has 40 years of experience as a canine professional and pioneered many firsts in canine scent work. She left her position as a research scientist for the Federal Government to become Training Director of International Detector Dogs Ltd., training the first toxic waste detection dog. She was an early pioneer in training dogs to help ecologists, geologists and field biologists find targeted specimens for their research. Debby trained some of the first classes of dogs and instructors for the ATF explosive dog program in Virginia.

Respected diabetes educator Kathy Gold RN, CDE  joins Debby Kay to share expert advice for treating hypoglycemia and/or high hyperglycemia for people living with diabetes.

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conversations that people have with themselves while eating. Divabetic volunteers help adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

Acoustic Blues Musician and Songwriter, Rick Franklin will be performing throughout at Diabetes Awareness Day. Rick’s musical style of blues is known as the “Piedmont” style identified with such legendary players as Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller and William Moore along with players and friends like “Bowling Green” John Cephas, John Jackson, and Archie Edwards.

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Don’t Get Hoodwinked by Chocolate That’s Pink!

Barely a day goes by without my social media feed buzzing over the miraculous powers of some type of chocolate. Most recently, I’ve been bombarded by the news of the new KitKats coated in the pink-tinged, berry-like chocolate (Ruby Chocolate) offered in Japan. This pink Kit Kat is made from ruby cocoa beans without the addition of any coloring or flavoring and is being hailed as the first new type of natural chocolate to appear in over 80 years.

What’s the deal? Is this legitimate claim or just another example of the manufacturers enticing us to buy their food products without regard for our diabetes health?

I reached out to Virginia-based Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, author of ‘The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition’ to help make sense of this new Kit Kat’s health claims regarding Ruby Chocolate. Here’s our interview:

Q: Is this ruby chocolate healthier than dark chocolate? Why or why not?

JW: There’s not much information available about the nutritional composition or the flavanols in ruby chocolate. Because the processing is different and the beans may also be different, I would have to assume that there are differences among ruby chocolate and a flavanol-rich dark chocolate. I just can’t guess what they are.

Q: What advice can you offer someone living with type 2 diabetes about adding this Kit Kat as a snack to their meal plan? 

JW: Treat this like any other indulgent food. Work in the calories, carbs and saturated fat. You’ll need to swap this food for another. The best way to know how any food – indulgent or not – affects your blood sugar is to measure your blood sugar before eating and again about 2 hours later.

Q: Is this Kit Kat bar or any other chocolate a good way to treat a low blood sugar?

JW: Only if that’s your only option. I’ve known some people who say they actually look forward to having low blood sugar, so they can eat chocolate bars or other desserts. This just isn’t a good idea though. The quickest way to restore blood sugar levels is to consume something like glucose tablets, table sugar or fruit juice. Another big advantage is that glucose tablets or something similar provides many, many fewer calories and no unhealthy saturated fats. Here’s a good intro to treating low blood sugar levels: http://www.joslin.org/info/how_to_treat_a_low_blood_glucose.html

Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, author of The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition, is your resource for all things nutrition, food and diabetes.

The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition offers bite-sized nutrition tips for busy people looking for solutions to their everyday food and nutrition problems. This book is filled with diet strategies for weight loss and overall better health that can help anyone, on any schedule, eat and feel better. Meant to be picked up and read piecemeal, every page is packed with interesting tips designed to improve nutrition and relieve stress and guilt. Healthier habits can fit with any schedule!

Whether she’s speaking, writing, chatting on social media, appearing on TV or working with individuals, Jill’s candid and energetic approach appeals to busy people, and her sound nutrition and fitness advice gets results. In fact, her appreciation for science and ability to translate science into actionable information earned her a place in US News & World Report’s 10 Dietitian’s You Need to Follow on Social Media.

Jill Weisenberger‘s specialties include weight control, heart health, diabetes, pre-diabetes, wellness and nutrition for people with hectic lives. She’ll make nutrition science understandable, realistic and oh so delicious.

Tune in to January’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast available on demand, at any time, using this LINK.  We’re taking about ‘MINDFULNESS’ with musical inspiration from Pink. Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, and  the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE.  Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the P!nk’s ‘Beautiful Trauma’ album courtesy of SONY Music.

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‘Disconnect’ by Poet Lorraine Brooks

Connected, injected, collected, in touch,
Devices are sometimes a need or a crutch.
If I find myself in the mall with no phone,
I suddenly feel afraid and alone.

With all this technology right in our hands
It increases pressure and makes more demands.
I’m beeping, and buzzing, and vibrating too,
They tell me the traffic and tell me what’s new.

Weather, and movies, and amber alerts,
Baseball and football and music concerts.
I have the world in my pocket at will,
But often I feel that I’m out of it still.

There’s hazards to all of this need to be known.
There’s risks to,our health, as studies have shown.
The false sense of intimacy when we’re online
Is making connections that aren’t genuine.

There’s many days when I just put down my screen,
And those are the times when I feel most serene.
I put up my boundaries, turn off the sounds,
And try to connect with the peace to be found.

We all need alone time, to take care of us,
Time away from the hustle and fuss.
My message is always essentially this…
Take care of YOU FIRST, And don’t be remiss.

Don’t allow,life to just fritter away,
And turn off your phones for a part of the day!

Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her poem, ‘Disconnect’ on January’s Diabetes Late Nite with music from P!NK. We’re talking about ‘Mindfulness & Diabetes’ with guests: Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE. Throughout the podcast we’re spotlighting songs from P!nk’s album, ‘Beautiful Trauma’ courtesy of SONY Music.  LISTEN NOW

https://youtu.be/btWXFB6L4IA

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Saunas May Be Good for Blood Pressure

A Finnish study suggests that regular sauna visits can reduce the risk for high blood pressure.

Nearly 79 million adults in this country — one of three — have high blood pressure, and half of those being treated for it still have systolic pressures over 140.

The study, in the American Journal of Hypertension reported that people who took two to three sessions were 24 percent less likely to have hypertension, and four to seven visits a week reduced the risk by 46 percent.

The study controlled for body mass index, alcohol consumption, resting heart rate, smoking, family history of hypertension and other variables as reported by the New York Times. 

Did you know the best exercise to manage high blood pressure may be to divvy up your workout into bite-size pieces?

In a 2012 study by Dr. Gaesser, three 10-minute walks spread throughout the day were better at preventing subsequent spikes in blood pressure — which can indicate worsening blood pressure control — than one 30-minute walk. And if even a 10-minute walk sounds daunting, try standing more often.

“Exercise intensity does not appear to play any significant role” in helping people control blood pressure, Dr. Gaesser said

A: Troponins rise after a heart attack, or after excessive sitting.

Troponins are proteins produced by cardiac-muscle cells when they are hurt or dying. A heart attack releases a sudden tsunami of troponins into the bloodstream.

But even slightly elevated troponin levels, lower than those involved in heart attacks, are worrisome if they persist, most cardiologists believe. Chronically high troponin levels indicate that something is going wrong inside the heart muscle and that damage is occurring and accruing there. If the damage is not halted or slowed, it could eventually result in heart failure.

Sitting for hours on end is unhealthy, even if you occasionally exercise. People who sit for more than about nine or 10 hours each day — a group that includes many of us who work in offices — are prone to developing diabetes, heart disease and other problems, and most of these risks remain relatively high, even if we exercise.

Excessive sitting also has been associated with heart failure, a condition in which the heart becomes progressively weaker and unable to pump enough blood to keep the rest of the body oxygenated and well. But how sitting, which seems to demand so little from the heart, could be linked to heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot respond adequately to exertion, has been unclear.

Enjoy more Weekly Health Quizes at the New York Times.

We’re taking about ‘MINDFULNESS’ with musical inspiration from Pink on January’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, 2018, 6 PM, EST.

Mindfulness is a technique adopted to becoming aware of moment-by-moment thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in a non-judgmental way. … In the US, mindfulness is being increasingly used for eating habits and diabetes management. Research has shown that mindfulness enhances clinical effect of glycemic control.

Mindfulness can help break down the constant cycle of becoming stressed, anxious and depressed. Pressures and strains of everyday diabetes life cause an internal battle of avoidance.
People strive to avoid ‘negative emotions’ such as guilt, sadness, frustration and anger and instead are attracted to feelings of happiness and contentment.

Mindfulness allows you to accept the way you are feeling rather than constantly battling to try and change it.

Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the Pink’s ‘Beautiful Trauma’ album courtesy of SONY Music. TUNE IN

 

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