31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts: Day One

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

Divabetic’s Diabetes Roundtable podcast from August 2010 centers around our Diabetes Numerology game puzzle. Diabetes Numerology Game puzzles pair random blood glucose values with real-life situations to help you brush up on your problem-solving skills and test your Divabetic IQ. Always check with your doctor to find out what your specific game plan should be for any given diabetes self-care situation.

On this episode, three of the smartest and friendliest diabetes educators from around the world aka ‘Charlie’s Angels of Outreach’ make their debut. Our dynamic certified diabetes educators featured are: Jessica Issler RD, CDE from Norfolk, VA, Judi Wilcox RD, CDE from Hollywood, FL and Lori Bednarz RN, CDE from Pennsylvania, PA.

Help us to learn more about our community! It’ll only take a minute … and you could win the chance to make your acting debut in our Annual Mystery podcast in September 2020!

PODCAST SURVEY

06/29/202006/29/2020

Divabetic Mystery Phrase #21

Can you complete our Divabetic Mystery Phrase below?

If you’re struggling to cope with the stress, and anxiety of daily diabetes self-care: try repeating positive affirmations to yourself each morning to steer your mood in the right direction. This way of thinking can be helpful when the mental and emotional burden of coping with daily diabetes self-care gets tough. We also encourage you to seek out a therapist to help you adjust to life with diabetes.

As you age and experience certain life changes, it’s important to be proactive about making adjustments to your diabetes self-care and lifestyle. The progression of type 2 diabetes will likely require adjusting your management plan with help with your doctor. And being diagnosed with another health condition or experiencing new physical limitations can affect your diabetes. too. Positive affirmations can help you to approach these changes with a positive outlook rather than a negative one. We believe in you!

How do you keep on track with your diabetes wellness without losing a beat?

Experts agree that the best strategy is to focus on small, achievable changes to improve quality of your diabetes life. Talk to your doctor about setting achievable goals that both of you can get behind.

Understanding the Mystery of Your A1C

Many people wonder how their hba1c number relates to their blood sugar levels. After all, daily diabetes self-care management can be a jumble of numbers: weight, blood sugar levels, carbohydrate counts, fat grams, serving sizes, etc. Hopefully, this handy chart will provide some clarification.
When it comes to the numbers, there’s no one-size-fits-all target. A1C target levels can vary by each person’s age and other factors, and your target may be different from someone else’s. If you feel your hbA1C number is on a higher side, say over 7 or 8%, do not worry! Knowledge is power. You can lower your hbA1C by creating your own personal self-care plan with your healthcare professional.

05/31/202006/11/2020

Divabetic’s Mystery Phrase #10

Can you complete the Tina Turner-inspired Divabetic Mystery Phrase below? Diabetes self-care can be emotionally taxing, but reframing your mind-set can have powerful results.

Self-help books often promote the power of positive affirmations. If you’ve never tried them before, the idea can seem incredibly awkward to tell yourself how awesome you are.

Positive affirmations help to re-program your thought patterns and change the way you think and feel about things. They are short positive statements that can help you focus on goals, get rid of negative, self-defeating beliefs and program your subconscious mind.

And yes, there is genuine theory and a fair amount of neuroscience behind this practice.

If you’re struggling to cope with your diabetes diagnosis: try repeating positive affirmations to yourself each morning to steer your mood in the right direction. This way of thinking can be helpful when the mental burden of diabetes management gets tough.

Your constant worrying of what you’re not doing and/or how much more you could and should be doing for your diabetes wellness doesn’t feel empowering, because it isn’t. That inner talk isn’t true or real.

Putting yourself down at every chance you get doesn’t draw you closer to what you want to create in your life, nor does it help your diabetes health.

Start believing in yourself and believing deeply—on every level—that you are doing your best.

We think you’re fabulous!

Tell us how we’re doing. Take our quick Divabetic Podcast Listener Survey to help us identify the topics that matter to you most.

SURVEY

Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic finally takes the plunge and ventures into a new career as a healthy caterer on Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast, ‘Gypsies, Tramps & Peas.’

With the help of his co-workers and nosy Italian mother, he heads for Coney Island to cater his first party aboard a yacht for his former swim coach, Ted Rockow. But his nautical soiree quickly capsizes when the guest of honor is found swimming with the fishes. What it an accident or foul play? Now Mr. Divabetic’s grilling Burlesque dancers, a lifeguard lothario and some sequined mermaids, all intent on keeping their secrets buried deep within the sand. Can Mr. Divabetic prove Coach’s death was a murder, not an accident? Or will he end up floating out to sea?

Will he sink or swim? Tune in to find out if he can solve the murder of his former swim coach with the help of his friends, some sassy mermaids and a cooky fortune teller. Along the way to revealing the identity of the murderer he uncovers expert tips for diabetes self-care during the Summer months.

USA Today Best-Selling Author, Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Seveda Williams, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, Mama Rose Marie and Poet Lorraine Brooks help the fruit suit clad sleuth in this seaside adventure.

This year’s mystery podcast features music from the original cast recording of ‘Gypsy’ courtesy of SONY Music.

08/02/201908/02/2019

Cricket Star with Type 1 Diabetes Felt “Humiliated” at Airport

Former Pakistan cricket player, Wasim Akram with type 1 diabetes has slammed security officials at Manchester airport for saying they made him feel “embarrassed” and “humiliated”. He was rudely questioned and then ordered publicly to take his insulin out of its travel cold-case and place it in a plastic bag.

“I travel around the world with my insulin but never have I been made to feel embarrassed.I felt very humiliated as I was rudely questioned & ordered publicly to take my insulin out of its travel cold-case & dumped in to a plastic bag,” he posted on Twitter.

The sports star was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1997 during the peak of his career but refused to let the condition hold him back. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket.

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes, Sleep & Mental Health Issues’ on Diabetes Late Nitewith musical inspiration from the iconic Phyllis Hyman on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 6 PM, EST.

R & B superstar Phyllis Hyman was a sensational singer-songwriter and actress. Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis Hyman sang with a life-affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists.

Unfortunately Phyllis Hyman committed suicide, leaving a suicide note behind in 1995. Part of the note read “I’m tired. I’m tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.” It has been reported that she suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression and had a history of substance abuse which involved alcohol and cocaine. Who knows what accomplishments she would have achieved if she had lived longer?

Podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Sleep, Insomnia, Stress’ Author Patricia Farrell PhD, Kristina Wolfe, ‘Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog’Author Matt Pelicano, Elizabeth Vaughan Gallagher, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach with Patricia Addie-Gentle.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from ‘The Essential Phyllis Hyman’ album courtesy of SONY Music

TUNE IN

Carbohydrate Counting Made Easy

07/30/201907/30/2019

Versace Is Making Sneakers Inspired by Jennifer Lopez’s Iconic Green Dress

The sexy Versace dress which Lopez wore to the Grammy Awards in 2000, is getting the sneaker treatment in a collaboration between the fashion house and clothing brand, Concepts.

Renowned retailer Concepts has teamed up with Versace to use the green, jungle-print on the upper of the brand’s beloved Chain Reaction sneaker. The bold emerald green look is available now in men’s and women’s sizing via the boutique’s website. The sneaker’s tongue is nude to replicate the daringly low front of Jennifer Lopez’s dress. The sneakers retail for $1,075.

Enjoy Divabetic’s 9th Year Anniversary of Diabetes Late NitePodcasting with musical inspiration from P!nk. Guests include Beyond Type 2’s T’ara Smith, Catherine Lawrence , Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece PHARMD, CDE, BC-ADM, BCACP, FAADE, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Glamazon Beauty owner Kim Baker, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. Hosted by the happiest health care “MC,” Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek.

LISTEN NOW

04/10/201704/11/2017

Raising Awareness for Diabetes at the Easter Parade 2017

I’’ll be raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Sunday, April 16, 2017, 12:30 PM

Don’t let the parade pass you by! Tune in to Facebook Live (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds live from the Red Carpet with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP and hat designer, Evetta Petty and more!

Never been to the New York Easter Parade?

“Sunday best” gets new meaning during this annual procession, wherein participants show off elaborately constructed hats— shaped like gigantic Easter baskets, the NYC skyline and the Coney Island Cyclone! The tradition started in the mid-1800s, when high-society ladies would promenade in their Easter finery after church, and has since evolved into a showcase for millinery.

While most of the hats on display at the Festival will be outrageous you can still add an extra touch of magic, refinement, and/or edge to an outfit with a much modest sized hat.

What’s one big hat trend for Spring/Summer 2017?

“With access to Cuba, its retro influence is having a powerful impact on the fashion industry,” according to Evetta Petty, the owner of Harlem’s Heaven Hat Shop in New York City. “There are colorful exotic prints that are mixed with natural raw elements. Rich, graphic, brilliant patterns paired with kitschy accessories like bold voluminous necklaces and bangles as well as tassels, pompoms, and ruffles for an updated vintage look.”

Hats are also an important staple for the summer season, since they help to shield us from the sun.

If you have diabetes, it’s important to avoid too much sun exposure and sunburn, particularly if you take certain medications, such as glyburide (brand names Micronase, DiaBeta, and Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), and glimepiride (Amaryl), as well as diuretics and NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and celecoxib [Celebrex] according to Diabetes Self-Management magazine.

People with diabetes should avoid sunburn because it can stress your body and raise your blood glucose. Wear a good sunscreen (we recommend PEAK PROTECTION sunscreen spray SPF29), lip balm that contains SPF, sunglasses as well as a hat when out in the sun and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Most people don’t realize that while driving your neck, hands and left side of your face is exposed to sun!

“If you drive 1/2 hour or more per day to work the sun is constantly beaming through the windshield on your hands,” says PEAK 10 skincare founder, Connie Elder.“Use sunscreen on the back of your hands and neck.”

I’ll be challenging people’s Diabetes Wellness IQ with games at the Easter Parade & Bonnet Festival. Test your knowledge with this question: Sunscreen doesn’t expire – True or False?

Answer: TRUE. Go ahead and throw out last summer’s bottle of sunscreen. Although sunscreens are usually labeled with an expiration date and have a shelf life of approximately two years, it’s important to buy a new bottle every summer to ensure that your skin is well-protected.

There are lots of amazing designs to try on this year but what’s the one trend that will set you a part from the other run-of-the-mill fashionistas in your town?

“The headwear industry welcomes the return of the turban with feathers and glitzy embellishments!,” says Evetta and adding, “also, wide brimmed hats with floral trimmings are a strong look this season.”

Have fun dressing for Sunny days and HAVANA NIGHTS.

Tag: Diabetes Games