diabetes alert dogs – Page 2

06/01/2018

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 2^ndAnnual 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!

05/23/2018

‘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.

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

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.

05/22/201805/23/2018

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!

MARINADE: Mix all ingredients together in in a glass bowl.
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.
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:

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

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!

05/16/201806/01/2018

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.

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.

11/18/2017

How To Walk Off Your Thanksgiving Day Feast with Your Dog

A typical Thanksgiving meal contains more than 3,000 calories and is high in fat and carbohydrates. What does it do to your diabetes self-care plan?

A feast can be challenging for people with diabetes who are trying to manage blood glucose levels and weight but with careful planning, you can make healthy choices that fit into your diabetes meal plan and enjoy this wonderful celebration with friends and family.

Make your day about togetherness and family fun, and not just about the food by adding some exercise, like taking your dog for a walk, to your Thanksgiving Day celebration.

“Physical activity is the currency with which you pay for food,” says Pamela Peeke, M.D., author of Fight Fat After 40 (Penguin USA, May 2001)

My friend and colleague, Debby Kay, who is a pioneer in scent detection work for over 40 years and a member of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers offers these tips for Turkey Day walks with the dog:

Keep up the pace, most people walk too slow to make the walk enjoyable for their dogs. Dogs are anxious to get out and see what’s around the next corner so keep your pace brisk, even for the little guys. No stopping along the way though, keep moving.
Walk to an area where the dog can relieve themselves, stop there and give a release word(s) like “free” or “okay get busy” When they are finish resume your walk. Keeping the walk and potty time separate will make for an enjoyable and productive walk for you both.
If you see another dog that is reactive to your dog or your dog is reactive to another dog, turn around and go in the opposite direction or cross the street. Have treats in your pocket and distract your dog by asking him to look up at you while you are walking away, once he is looking at you and walking nicely with you THEN treat him but keep on moving.
Walk with a buddy to keep it more interesting for everyone.
Don’t over do the walk. 15 minutes is good for little dogs, 30 minutes is about right for medium to larger dogs.
If there is ice on the walkways or salts have been put down where you are walking, put those booties on your pup’s feet to protect him from chemical burns and potential poisoning from absorbing things through their pads.

THANKSGIVING TIP: Let your family members know they can support you and your diabetes wellness by walking around the block with you after dinner.

In celebration of National Diabetes Awareness month, for November only, Debby Kay has a special offer for all the people struggling to train their own dogs to be alert dogs. She is discounting a bundle of all her materials for this training by 15%.

You will get Debby Kay’s starter Snoopers kit for collecting samples and training aids, her handbook on training alert dogs AND the DVD that goes with that book AND finally the complete scent training course in a two DVD set, separately these items sell for $345 but with this discount you can get the complete set for the low price of $292.82 + S&H.

To order you set today visit:
http://www.debbykay.com/product/diabetes-training-package/

Debby teaches Super Sniffer®workshops for amateur dog owners and professional trainers alike. She has set up several non profit organizations worldwide for Diabetes Alert Dogs and her Sweet Snoopers program is now in 22 countries around the world helping people manage this disease better through the use of trained alert dogs.

TUNE IN: Debby Kay joins us for December’s Diabetes Late Nite on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, 6 – 7:30 PM, EST. We will be featuring songs from the new Elvis Presley Christmas album with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This wonderful album features his classic hits and covers Blue Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Silent Night and The First Noel.

The album brings together the legend’s yuletide performances from his 1957 Christmas Album and Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas from 1971, re-imagined with new arrangements performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

A deluxe edition of the album, containing four bonus tracks (new symphonic versions of material from Elvis’ Peace In The Valley EP) will follow shortly after November 24.

09/20/2017

Overweight Dogs by Debby Kay

It is a well-documented fact that more people living in the USA are overweight than any other country. This also seems to be true for American dogs as well. Research has shown that being overweight not only causes dogs to suffer more frequently from joint disease and related problems but it also reduces their life span by up to 30%. Yet people for whatever reason continue to feed their dogs too much food.

In my 40+ years of dealing with people who overfeed their dogs I have noticed that most of them do not even recognize that their dogs are overweight. So how do you tell if you have a fat dog. The easiest way is to compare it a chart that Purina research has put out that shows what the differences in weights on dogs looks like. Even with this great chart many people still cannot tell fat from muscle. Muscle is lean and when a dog is in proper weight you can see the cuts in the muscle very distinctly. Fat will make a hard rounded appearance and a very obese dog will have sides that roll back and forth like Jello™ when they are trotting towards you. The ribs of the dog should be easy to feel with lean muscle over them just enough to cover but not hide them.

If you have determined however, that your dog is overweight here are a few tips to help you get those pounds off.

1. Cut the amount you are feeding in half for one week. If let’s say, you are giving 2 cups of dry food in the morning and the same in the evening, then cut back to 1 cup for each meal.

2. Snacks should be meat or raw veggies like carrots and nothing else.

3. Double the exercise and make sure this is aerobic exercise. For example, if you take the dog on a walk to park once a day, keep that but add in another session where you jog instead of walk. Or if your dog likes to swim, add in a session of 30 minutes of vigorous swimming.

4. If you don’t jog you can put your dog on a treadmill for 30-60 minutes a day. I have one just for dogs with a longer base but, if you do things slowly, your dog will adapt to a human treadmill no problem.

Once you get the weight off keep it off by regularly weighing your dog at the vets. They don’t charge for it and it will give you a good guide that those pounds are not creeping back on when you thought you have gotten them all off.

You might want to switch foods as the one you are feeding may have too many carbohydrates or grains in it. A good grain free, balanced food like Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Grain Free diets might just the ticket to keeping those pounds off.

Debby Kay has been a pioneer in scent detection work for over 40 years. Debby teaches Super Sniffer® workshops for amateur dog owners and professional trainers alike. She has set up several non profit organizations worldwide for Diabetes Alert Dogs and her Sweet Snoopers program is now in 22 countries around the world helping people manage this disease better through the use of trained alert dogs.

Debby is a founding officer and lifetime member of the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac, and a member of the Labrador Retriever Club Inc. She is a professional member of the Dog Writers Association of America, The Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and the International Association of Canine Professionals.

DIVABETIC BOOK SHELF: ‘Walking with Peety: The Dog Who Saved My Life’ by Eric O’Grey

Eric O’Grey was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of type 2 diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that’s when Eric met Peety: an overweight, middle-aged, and forgotten dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, forming a bond of unconditional love that forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together, and eating plant-based foods, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric got off all oral medication, and became happy and healthy for the first time in his life-eventually reconnecting with and marrying his high school sweetheart. ‘Walking With Peety’ is for anyone who is ready to make a change in his or her life, and for everyone who knows the joy, love, and hope that dogs can bring. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue. This is an epic story of friendship and strength. ORDER NOW

Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Author Eric O’Grey on Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for Tuesday, December 12, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

05/28/201705/28/2017

Divabetic Memorial Day Celebration with Dessert by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

I know many people in our Divabetic community don’t like to celebrate the holidays because they feel they may disrupt their diabetes care. But with a little pre-planning and guidance from your healthcare entourage you can still enjoy the festivities without failing your diabetes.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country’s armed forces.

One of my favorite memories of our diva-style outreach came the day after I presented our ‘Divabetic- Makeover Your Diabetes’ outreach event in Washington, DC. I took my parents to see Arlington National Cemetery. My father, who is a veteran of the Korean War, enjoyed seeing the Changing Of the Guard Ritual. The Guards of Honor at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are highly motivated and are proud to honor all American service members who are “Known But to God.”

Did you know Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.

Having friends and family over for a get-together over the long weekend can be stressful of anyone, especially when you’re living with diabetes. Stacey ‘The Diabetic Pastry’ Chef shares a sugar free dessert recipe to make your Memorial Day memorable.

Type 2 diabetes doesn’t stop Stacey Harris. From her tasty treats to her outlook on life, This pastry chef keeps things as sweet as can be as well as … sugar free!

Berry tartlets with blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, strawberries, almond flakes in icing sugar

Sugar- Free Fruit Tartlets by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Cookie Crust (Ingredients):

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup Whey Low D Granular, or equivalent dry sugar substitute

2 large eggs

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

Directions: In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar substitute and mix until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time beating until combined after each. Add the flour all at once and mix on low just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. Roll out and use fluted 3″ cookie cutter to cut and place in 24 mini muffin cups. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven until golden brown approximately 10 minutes.

Custard:

1/3 cup Whey Low D Granular, or equivalent dry sugar substitute

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

2 cups milk

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions: In medium saucepan, combine the dry ingredients. Gradually stir in the milk, and cook over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens while stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. In small bowl, blend approximately 1/3 of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Return the yolk mixture to the hot mixture and blend well. Cook the mixture until it bubbles, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla. Cool. Fill each muffin cup about half way with the cooled custard and add topping. Fruits can be brushed with a little heated currant jelly if you would like them to appear glossy. Refrigerate until serving time.

Topping: Various fruits and berries such as: Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, sliced almonds, confectioners sugar or substitute for dusting and/or mint leaves for garnishing

Divabetic Fact: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that nearly one in four men and women (24 percent) who served their country have diabetes.

Set the table for a whole season of festive cookouts by giving it a new summer coat. The wooden slats of a classic picnic table provide a ready-made outline for stripes. Red and white are very versatile — with blue napkins and flag “bouquets,” the table’s ready for patriotic gatherings; adorned with bright red, orange, or yellow tableware, it would have “casual barbecue” painted all over it. READ MORE

Divabetic Playlist: “Soldier Boy” is a song written by Luther Dixon and Florence Greenberg. The song was released as a single by The Shirelles in 1962 and met with great success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100. The song’s lyrics are a profession of the singer’s love for the titular soldier boy in which she promises to remain true to him while he’s away.

How to enjoy Memorial Day foods without packing on pounds

Plenty of us will be heading to Memorial Day picnics and barbecues this weekend, but is it possible to enjoy the food without ruining your diet? NBC health and nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom is here to help you make smart food choices with a game she calls “Pick It or Nix It?” with Hoda and Kathie Lee. WATCH NOW

The first step to a successful ‘DIVABETIC’ manicure and pedicure is to know where to go. Inexpensive salons often have unlicensed technicians who are not educated about proper hygiene and cleanliness. Inspect the spa before you make an appointment. Ask about their cleaning and sterilization procedures. READ MORE

Break out the red, white and blue nail polish, ladies, because Memorial Day weekend is here! As with most holidays (read: every holiday ever), nail art should pay tribute to what’s being celebrated, and what better what to celebrate Memorial day than with some patriotic nail art to match your flag-inspired bathing suit?

Do you ever feel ‘guilty’ about living with diabetes?

Unfortunately a heavy dose of guilt is a frequent companion to diabetes.

“I spend a lot of time talking to my clients about guilty feelings. Usually related to not being compliant,” said Dr. Gary McClain, a therapist specializing in helping clients with the emotional impact of chronic illness, catted with members of the diabetes community about coping with diabetes guilt for Diabetes Connect’s website.

“Actions aren’t the only cause of guilt. My clients tell me they also feel guilty when they think of ways to avoid being compliant. I have had clients tell me that just thinking about a Hershey bar can make them feel guilty in anticipation of cheating. Interaction with the doctor is a big source of guilt. Clients often talk about not being quite honest with their doctors. Some of my clients are so focused that just a minor slip-up on their diet will result in lots of guilty feelings and self-criticism,” he added. READ MORE

Divabetic Fact: Veterans who develop type 2 diabetes mellitus and were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service do not have to prove a connection between their diabetes and service to be eligible to receive VA health care and disability compensation. READ MORE

Join us when we celebrate Service Dogs at Mosaic Central Farm Markets in Fairfax, VA on Sunday, June 4, 2017, PM.With their superior sense of smell, diabetes alert dogs have the ability to sniff out low blood glucose levels. Dog Expert Debby Kay and Kathy Gold RN, CDE help me host the Red Tomato Carpet at our first-ever Diabetes Alert Dog Fashion Show. READ MORE

Divabetic Playlist: “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” was a major hit for The Andrews Sisters and an iconic World War II tune. It can be considered an early jump blues recording. The song is ranked No. 6 on Songs of the Century. Bette Midler‘s 1972 recording of the song reached the top ten on the U.S. pop singles chart.

Don’t miss June’s episode of Diabetes Late Nite with music by Maxwell on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, 6 PM, EST. We’re talking about Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) which is an accumulation of fluid in the macula-part of the retina that controls our most detailed vision abilities-due to leaking blood vessels. In order to develop DME, you must first have diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Poorly controlled blood sugar is a risk factor. Early symptoms include floaters, blurriness, dark areas of vision, and difficulty perceiving colors. Blindness can occur.

Guests include singer Alfa Anderson, Diabetic Macular Edema patient Maryanne Kass, Artist Bryce Chisholm, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from several of several of Maxwell’s albums courtesy of SONY Music.

01/02/201701/02/2017

Diabetes Late Nite Podcasts of 2016 Encore

We’re taking a look back at the past year in podcasting. I’ve enjoyed a tremendous year of meaningful moments with interesting topics, amazing guests, games, prizes and music on our shows. My goal has been to provide inspiration and motivation to keep you happy and health.

Every podcast is available on demand, anytime, anywhere at i-Tunes, Divabetic.org and blog talk radio. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? How about January’s podcast featuring music by Adele. We discussed the best ways to set realistic goals about your diabetes health and also salute one of our favorite singers, Natalie Cole. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR), Jennifer Jacobs, Dana Collins Carr and Cindy Lou, who is living with type 2 diabetes from Kentucky. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/01/12/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-adele

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Was it our February show with music by Tamar Braxton. Tamar inspired us to talk about sexy shoes that don’t just look good on your feet but that also make your feet feel good with a podiatrist. We also kick off our new game, “Which Shoe Do You Do?” with prizes courtesy of Earth Brand shoes. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/02/02/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-tamar-braxton

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out March’s show with music by Rachel Platten? We’re talking about the best morning routines for living well with diabetes self-care. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/03/08/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-rachel-platten

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out April’s show with music by Etta James? On this show, we discuss the different weight loss surgery options and how they impact your diabetes health. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/02/23/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-etta-james

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out May’s broadcast with music by Elle King? We take a deeper look into the topic of ‘Body Image and Diabetes’. Do you ever feel like you and your body are on opposite teams? Or like your scale has more authority than a therapist or a doctor? Maybe it’s time to discover, challenge and reset the beliefs that are holding you back from being unapologetically you in today’s perfection-obsessed society? Guests include Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, We Are Diabetes founder, Asha Brown, Author Ginger Vieria, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP and Mama Rose Marie. LISTEN : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/05/10/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-elle-king

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out June’s podcast with music by A Tribe Called Quest. ‘Quest’ member, Phife Dawg’s sudden death at the age of 41, related to diabetes health-related complications, inspires us to talk about kidney disease and diabetes. Phife Dawg, born Malik Taylor, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in May of 1990. Experiencing constant thirst and bathroom visits, his grandmother, a nurse, tested him for diabetes after a performance in Connecticut. Initially, Phife admitted he did not take his diagnosis seriously, and maintained his same lifestyle.

“It’s really a sickness,” Taylor said in Beats, Rhymes & Life, Michael Rapaport’s candid 2011 documentary on the group. “Like straight-up drugs. I’m just addicted to sugar.”Guests include MaryAnn Nicolay DTR, Dr. Braxton Cosby, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Funny Man Mike, Arnon Krongrad, MD, Catherine Lawrence and Mama Rose Marie. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/06/14/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-a-tribe-called-quest

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out July’s program with music by P. M. Dawn? P.M. Dawn’s lead singer, Prince Be‘s death, related to diabetes health-related complications, inspires our discussion on amputation and diabetes.Prince Be had suffered from diabetes for more than two decades, and had various health problems over the years, among them several strokes, including one in 2005 that left him partly paralyzed, and gangrene, which led to the partial amputation of one leg. Guests: Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Lynette Luckers from the Marion Luckers Kidney Foundation, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Janis Roszler, RD, CDE, FAND and Leon Petrossian. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/07/12/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-pm-dawn

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out Mr. Divabetic Show on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)? PMDD is a severe, sometimes disabling extension of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that start about 7 to 10 days before a woman gets her monthly period. Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, OB-GYN discusses how hormones impact your diabetes health. Guest, We Are Diabetes founder, Asha Brown shares her own personal struggle of living with type 1 diabetes and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) too. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/07/19/mr-divabetic-show–premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out August’s with music by Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King. We all know what anger is, and we’ve all felt it: whether as a fleeting annoyance or as full-fledged rage. Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But keeping your temper in check can be challenging especially while managing your diabetes. Diabetes is the perfect breeding ground for anger. Anger can start at diagnosis with the question, “Why me?” You may dwell on how unfair diabetes is: “I’m so angry at this disease! I don’t want to treat it. I don’t want to control it. I hate it!” LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/08/09/diabetes-late-nite–the-angry-show

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out September’s Diabetes Mystery podcast featuring music from the classic film score of ‘Sunset Boulevard’. Our third annual Diabetes Mystery Theater Podcast, ‘Suspect Boulevard’ revolves around dogs, dementia, diamonds and diabetes. This special mystery theater production is loosely based on Billy Wilder’s film, Sunset Boulevard. Our cast includes Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, ‘We Are Diabetes’ organization founder, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDE, CDN, Chef Robert Lewis, USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes and Mama Rose Marie. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/09/13/suspect-boulevard-diabetes-mystery-theater-podcast

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out October’s podcast featuring music by Meghan Trainor. Guests include Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE), Style Blogger Doris Hobbs, Emmy Award winning Producer Linda Bracero Morel, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/10/11/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-meghan-trainor

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out the Diabetes Game Show hosted by Mr. Divabetic. During National Diabetes Awareness month, Divabetic teams up with prominent healthcare vendors to giveaway great prizes to celebrate our listeners’ ongoing commitment to self-care. Special guests: Pharmaceutical Chemist and Diabetes Physician, Dr. Stanley Greenfield and Carlos from the Diabetes What To Know community. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/11/01/diabetes-game-show

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out November’s podcast featuring music by Ella Fitzgerald. We continue our celebration of National Diabetes Awareness month with music from our favorite jazz legend “divabetic” who captured audiences everywhere with her astonishing vocal range, scat singing, and improvisational ability. Unfortunately she had to have both legs amputated below the knee. Despite ill health, she continued to perform at least once month into the early 1990’s. Although her quality of voice slowly deteriorated from the early 1970’s, even at the end of her career, her singing retained a remarkable rhythmic acuity. Diabetes Late Nite guests include the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN) Poet Lorraine Brooks, Ansley Dalbo, Best-Selling Author Anna J. Stewart, Leola and Cornelia,and Mama Rose Marie. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/11/08/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-ella-fitzgerald

What’s your favorite Diabetes Late Nite podcast of 2016? Check out December’s podcast with music by Leona Lewis. Can you really ‘get off’ your medication? I discuss how to the possibility of cutting down on three oral medications for anxiety, diet and erectile dysfunction with my guests including: Diabetes Alert Dog expert, Debby Kay CDT, CDTA, PDTI, Megrette Fletcher, MEd, RD, CDE, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Janis Roszler RD, CDE, LDN, Emmy winning Producer, Linda Bracero Morel, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. LISTEN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2016/12/13/diabetes-late-nite-inspired-by-leona-lewis