Diabetes Health – Page 2

06/19/202006/19/2020

Very Berry Smoothie Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

Special Guest: Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND shared this easy, healthy recipe on last night’s free Divabetic’s At Home Scavenger Hunt & Smoothie Party on Zoom.

Very Berry Smoothie Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

Ingredients

1 cup plain nonfat strained yogurt (Greek or Icelandic)
1 cup frozen mixed berries or frozen mixed berries with cherries
1 tablespoon sweetener of choice
2 tablespoons nonfat milk or any tart juice (cranberry, pomegranate, cherry)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender or a container for an immersion blender. Process until smooth.

Nutrition Information: Serving size: 11/2 cups, Calories: 205, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 100mg, Fiber: 5g

Click here for more Recipe Details

Do you know? Both yogurt and berries are linked to less incidence of type 2 diabetes.

“I always recommend both foods to my clients with prediabetes. And they’re probably good for diabetes, as well.” READ MORE

HELPFUL TIP: “When berries aren’t in season, I grab a bag of frozen mixed berries or mixed berries with cherries at the supermarket,” says Jill Weisenberger.

**“This is the week-by-week guide that will change your life!”**

One lucky participant, Helen from Georgia, from last night’s Divabetic Zoom Party won a copy of Jill Weisenberger’s best-selling book, Diabetes Weight Loss – Week by Week.

Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week takes you on a one-year journey to weight control while managing your blood sugar,cholesterol level and more! This best-selling book includes sample menus, recipes and tricks for the kitchen. Instead of focusing on gimmicks, you will learn the skills you need to be successful long term.

BUY NOW

Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, is a Nutrition, Culinary & Diabetes Expert, Wellcoach®-certified health and wellness coach, Freelance Writer, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator. She’s also the author of four books, including a best-seller. She’s a nationally-recognized media expert in high demand for print and online interviews, as well as corporate and one-on-one nutritional counseling. Jill’s philosophy is that nutrition science should be understandable, realistic and oh so delicious.

Looking for a fun, safe way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for Divabetic’s free, upcoming Zoom Scavenger Hunt: At Home Party on Thursday, July 16, 2020, 7 – 7:35 PM, EST.

This 35 minute virtual diabetes wellness outreach event features ‘Intimacy and Diabetes’ co-author, Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND.

Relationships play an important role in our everyday lives. But when diabetes enters the picture, it can complicate even our casual relationships. Janis will answer your questions about how diabetes affects the 8 types of Intimacy: Aesthetic, Spiritual, Intellectual, Social, Emotional, Affection, Physical, and Sexual.

Janis Roszler is the 2008-2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE). She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, board certified sex therapist, registered dietitian, and award-winning medical media producer. Her books include Intimacy & Diabetes (ADA, 2020); Approaches to Behavior (ADA,2015); Diabetes On Your OWN Terms (Marlowe & Company, 2007); Sex and Diabetes (ADA, 2007); The Secrets Of Living And Loving with Diabetes (Surrey Books, 2004).

Divabetic’s Free Virtual Scavenger Hunt: At Home Party on Zoom on Thursday, July 18, 2020, 7 – 7:35 PM, EST. Once you register you will receive a Zoom code. If you’ve never used Zoom, you will need a few minutes before the start of our outreach event to download the app and log in.

REGISTER NOW

Thank you to everyone who has taken measures to protect our Divabetic community members and their loved ones by wearing cloth face coverings and social distancing. We are so grateful! Divabetic will continue to provide free Virtual Diabetes Outreach events with qualified health experts to keep you safe, informed and connected. Please join us!

We’re talking about ‘ROMANCE & DIABETES’ on this episode of Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from Camila Cabello.

06/04/202006/04/2020

Tomato and Goat Cheese-Walnut Pesto Flatbread Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy summer produce, including Jill’s delicious heirloom tomato flatbread recipe!

“The goat cheese and walnut pesto pair perfectly with these beautiful heirloom tomatoes,” says Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND.

Tomato and Goat Cheese-Walnut Pesto Flatbread Recipe by Jill Weisenberger RD

Ingredients

For the Goat Cheese-Walnut Pesto
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (about 16 g)
1/3 cup walnut pieces
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 11/2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 ounces soft goat cheese
For the Tomato Flatbread
4 medium to large tomatoes

FULL RECIPE

Quick Takes with Registered Dietitian Jill Weisenberger

Q: How much is ‘too much’ when it comes to eating carbohydrates for someone with type 2 diabetes?

Jill Weisenberger (JW): This is way too individualized for me to give you a solid answer. If your blood glucose is in your target range before eating, but above your target range 2 hours after eating, chances are you ate too much carbohydrate. Though it might suggest something else such as taking your medications incorrectly or needing a different dose, or it might even be your blood sugar’s way of reminding you not to miss your usual exercise.

Q: How much is too much when it comes to eating carbohydrates for someone with pre-diabetes?

JW: People with prediabetes have more flexibility because they are not at risk of having a dangerously high blood sugar level. Instead of focusing on the quantity of carbohydrate, I prefer to focus on the quality of carb-rich foods. Aim to eat fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains and other wholesome, nutrient-rich foods.

Q: Are there any carbohydrates someone with pre-diabetes should avoid?

JW: recommend limiting what I call fun foods. For me, that’s chocolate. For someone else, it’s corn chips. If it doesn’t had much to the wholesomeness of your diet, eat just small amounts or skip it completely. It’s almost always reasonable and possible to fit in favorite foods. However, I do urge extra caution around sugary beverages. Sugary drinks, like sodas, sweet tea and lemonade, are linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Q: I’ve read that adding walnuts to your meal plan is a good idea. Why or why not?

JW: Love walnuts! And yes, they are a great addition to the diet. They give us omega-3 fatty acids, fibers, phytonutrients and more. Diets with nuts are associated with improved heart and blood vessel health in people with diabetes and in the general population.

Jill Weisenberger’s candid and energetic approach and her sound nutrition and fitness advice has earned her a place as one of 10 Dietitians You Need to Follow on Social Media in US News & World Report. Jill offers healthy and delicious recipe ideas and nutrition strategies and is renowned for disease prevention and management, nutritious, delicious meals, and truths (and myths!) about food trends.

**Divabetic Scavenger Hunt: At Home Party**

Divabetic Scavenger Hunt & Smoothie Party: At Home Party – Register Now!

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes at risk?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free and entertaining, Scavenger Hunt: At Home Party on Thursday, June 18, 2020, 7 PM, EST. This hilarious night of virtual diabetes wellness and conversations features make-your-own smoothies with Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND.

Having diabetes does not mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but it is about healthy choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables with smoothies. During our online Scavenger Hunt, Jill shares tips for making healthy smoothies without compromising your diabetes wellness.

When: Thursday, June 18, 7PM, ET

Where: on Zoom Register Now on Zoom Code

Fee: Totally Free

How: Mr. Divabetic will have a list of people may find around their kitchen. Once he posts an item you will have 30 seconds to find it and accumulate points for fun prizes including Jill Weisenberger’s Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week bestselling book. After the hunt, we’ll sit back, laugh, make smoothies and enjoy a toast together until we can do it again in person.

**Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast**

We’re talking about “I Know What You Ate Last Summer” with Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND on Diabetes Late Nite with music from ‘The Best Of Patti Austin’ album courtesy of SONY Music. Addtional guests: Chris Pickering co-founder of ‘The Betes Bros, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Lorranie Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.

05/22/202005/22/2020

Flours To Help Manage Blood Sugars Naturally #4

If you have walked down the baking aisle at your local grocery store lately, you may be tempted to start experimenting with unending varieties of baking flour.

Recently I discovered chickpea flour and felt bored and fearless enough to try it!

Chickpea flour or chana atta is a soluble fiber that not only reduces blood cholesterol levels but also aids in the slow absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, causing the blood sugar levels to rise slowly. It’s a great alternative to refined wheat flour, as it’s lower in carbs and calories yet richer in protein and fiber

Expert bakers and bloggers say that chickpea flour provides a sweet, rich flavor that works well in pizza crusts, crackers, and breads as well as desserts with strong flavors such as chocolate cake or pumpkin bread. It can even be used as a thickening agent in soups, sauces, and gravy in replacement of all-purpose flour or cornstarch.

When using it in a recipe, it is recommended that you replace up to one quarter of the flour with chickpea flour. One-quarter cup provides 110 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrate, and 5 grams of fiber.

Here’s a great chickpea flour recipe off of Instagram!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B70vVEEp_XE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

We’re talking about Secrets to Longevity & Diabetes with musical inspiration from Dionne Warwick on this episode of Diabetes Late.

Living longer and increasing your life expectancy with diabetes doesn’t have to be a chore. From flossing your teeth daily to getting a good night’s sleep, there are simple things you can do to help you live long, happy and healthy life.

Guests include The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Kitchens of the Great Midwest Author J. Ryan Stradal, Deborah Greenwood PhD, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, FAADE, Fonzi Thornton, Rachel Stahl MS, RD, CDN, CDE, and Lorraine Brooks.

05/19/202005/19/2020

Divabetic Smart Snacks #4

Choosing healthy snacks can be difficult when you have diabetes.

The key is to choose snacks that are high in fiber, protein and healthy fats. These nutrients will help keep your blood sugar levels under control.

It’s also important to snack on nutrient-dense foods that promote overall health.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans have close to 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber in a 1-cup (164-gram) serving of chickpeas, making them an excellent snack for people with diabetes.

One of our new favorite snacks, Oasis Mediterranean Cuisine’s Hommus Crisps‘ contain: chickpeas, green lentils, corn, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, sea salt.

FIND OUT MORE

Carb Kitty Video Games

04/17/202004/17/2020

Call for Resilience when Anxiety from Uncertainty Strikes! with Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport PhD

Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport aka ‘Diabetes Psyche’ has worked as a social worker and psychologist specializing in diabetes for twenty-eight years.

Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport shares advice for why ‘conversation, talk, play and structure’ are rules of the dayfor people living with diabetes in this video:

Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport aka the Diabetes Psyche

Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport PhD guests on April’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. LISTEN with this LINK. Country music’s brightest star, Maren Morris inspires us to stay strong as we face the challenges of living with diabetes during the coronavirus pandemic. Podcast guests include Author of the Noodle Shop Mysteries: Vivien Chien, Lorraine Brooks, Sara (Mandy) Reece, PharmD, CDE, Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport PhD, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and Alexis Gray.

Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Maren Morris

Throughout April’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we will be featuring music from Maren Morris’s Girl album courtesy of SONY Music.

LISTEN

07/19/201907/19/2019

Can Cutting 300 Calories per Day Improve Your Heart Health?

Adults who cut out 300 calories per day could improve cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and other cardiovascular related ailments, a new study published in the peer-reviewed “Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology” journal found.

Instead of a bagel or a muffin that has 300 calories to 400 calories, “have a slice of toast instead for just 80 calories,” Dr. Lisa Young, a registered dietitian and author of “Finally Full, Finally Slim,” told MarketWatch.

Young suggests practicing portion control, like having a half a scoop of ice cream instead of a whole one. Three hundred calorie snacks like a large candy bar could, in fact, be subbed out for half a cup of ice cream.

Cutting out the calorie equivalent of a bagel, slice of pizza, side of fries or six Oreo cookies a day can payoff for your heart health and your waistline.

Check out Divabetic’s 9th Year Anniversary Diabetes Late Nite Podcasting Celebration with musical inspiration from P!nk available on demand using this LINK.

P!nk’s new album, Hurts 2B Human features the singer teaming up with Chris Stapleton, Khalid and more on her passionately confessional eighth LP.

Pink sings “I abhor reality” on the sugary dance song “Can We Pretend” featuring Cash Cash. But when she digs into what’s getting her down, it’s the most brazen and heartbroken she’s ever sounded. On the Sia-cowritten “Courage,” Pink’s voice swings up the scale on its own chandelier. “I don’t have to do this perfectly,” she sings. “Happy” (co-written by Teddy Geiger and Sasha Sloan) reminds us she is also the patron saint of the Missundaztood: “Can somebody find me a pill to make me unafraid of me/ Maybe I’m just scared to be happy,” she sings.

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.

TUNE IN

06/04/201906/04/2019

What Do You Know About Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy?

ANSWER: The terms “diabetic peripheral neuropathy” or “diabetic neuropathy” refer to nerve damage as a result of diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that primarily affects the arms and legs and causes numbness, loss of sensation, and pain, tingling, or burning sensations.

About 50% of people with diabetes have a form of nerve pain. The highest rates of neuropathy are seen in people who have had diabetes for at least 25 years.

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common complication of diabetes.

Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Ricky Martin

On Tuesday, June 11 2019, we’re talking about ‘Diabetes & Pride’ on Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from Ricky Martin starting at 6 PM, EST.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall Uprising (June 29, 1969). It is widely considered to be the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement.

Since Ricky Martin came out in 2010, he’s been a prominent voice for LGBT rights both in the U.S. and in his native Puerto Rico. Ricky Martin said, “I just wanna be free,” upon receiving GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award, which honors gay entertainers who promote equal rights. Martin opened up his life to Vanity Fair in its April 2012 issue and spoke candidly about his twins, Matteo and Valentino, and his longtime partner, Carlos Gonzalez.

As an openly gay man, Mr. Divabetic is honored to shine the spotlight on members from the LGBTQ+ community living with diabetes. Guests include Stephen Bernstein, Greg Rubin, Maria Salazar, Catherine Schuller and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”

LISTEN NOW

04/02/201904/02/2019

Divabetic Remembers Frankie Knuckles

Rolling Stone magazine credits Frankie Knuckles as being one of the most important DJs of all time. Unfortunately the ‘Godfather of House Music’ as Frankie Knuckles was commonly known died of diabetes complications at the age of 59 in 2014.

Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1955, Knuckles started his career as a DJ in the early 1970s. of the Eighties and Nineties’ He quickly became one of the most prolific house music producers and remixers in the 80’s and 90’s.

At his Chicago clubs the Warehouse (1977-82) and Power Plant (1983-85), Knuckles’ marathon sets, typically featuring his own extended edits of a wide selection of tracks from disco to post-punk, R&B to synth-heavy Eurodisco, laid the groundwork for electronic dance music culture— are widely attributed to the birth of the term “house” music (an abbreviation of ‘Warehouse’).

Frankie Knuckles created numerous dance classics, including early Jamie Principle collaborations “Your Love”(1986) and “Baby Wants to Ride”(1987); “Tears”(1989), with Satoshi Tomiiee and Robert Owens; “The Whistle Song”(1991); and his remixes of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody”(1989), Sounds of Blackness’s “The Pressure” (1992), and Hercules and Love Affair’s “Blind” (2008). As his star rose so did the status of his collaborators which included Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Madonna, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.

“[When] you’ve got someone as big as Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson sitting there saying, ‘Whatever you want, however you want it, I’ll stay here as long as you need me,’ that’s the reward right there,” Frankie Knuckles said in 2011. He went on to win a Grammy Award for ‘Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical’ in 1997.

The award-winning DJ’s death was due to Frankie Knuckles began to develop diabetes health-related complications in the early-2000s reported the Chicago Tribute.

In July 2008 he had his right foot amputated: He’d broken it during a 2000 snowboarding accident in Switzerland, leading to a bone disease exacerbated by late-breaking diabetes.

“When I saw it was gone I had a good cry, but when I woke up the next morning I felt 1,000% better,” Frankie Knuckles told the Guardian in 2011. “I didn’t realize how much pain I’d been in until it was gone. It was like all of a sudden the sun came out.”

Diabetes health-related complications can include nerve damage and poor blood circulation. These problems make the feet vulnerable to skin sores (ulcers) that can worsen quickly.

More than 80 percent of amputations begin with foot ulcers. A non-healing ulcer that causes severe damage to tissues and bone may require surgical removal (amputation) of a toe, foot or part of a leg.

The good news is that proper diabetes management and careful foot care can help prevent foot ulcers. In fact, better diabetes care is probably why the rates of lower limb amputations have gone down by more than 50 percent in the past 20 years.

“We lost Frankie way too soon,” said Frankie Knuckles Foundation (FKF) committee member Robin Robinson. “He was always ahead of his time. He recognized the power to unite people who had never partied together before. Gay and straight, black and white, young and old, rich and poor, they all came together to crush the traditional social divisions in their mutual love of his DJ-created music that was made for dancing together.”

The Frankie Knuckles Foundation (FKF) is a not for profit educational, and cultural organization dedicated to the advancement of Frankie Knuckles’ mission as the global ambassador of house music through media, conservation and public events continuing and supporting the causes he advocated.

The FKF is a recognized 501c3 and focused on these initiatives: music in schools, LGBTQ youth homelessness, AIDS research / prevention & diabetes research / education.

11/27/2018

‘HIV and Diabetes’ on December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast

We’re excited to announce our December edition of Diabetes Late Nite. Sara (Dr. Mandy) Wilson Reece, PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM is Vice-Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and will stop by the studio to talk about HIV and Diabetes while Kelly Clarkson provides musical inspiration. Join us here on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 from 6 – 7:30 PM.

Wrapped In Red, Kelly Clarkson’s holiday album, inspires us to talk about all things ‘red’ such as the iconic red ribbon worn as a symbol for the solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS. People with HIV are more likely to have type 2 diabetes than people without HIV and some HIV medicines may increase blood glucose levels and lead to type 2 diabetes.

World AIDS Day is December 1, a fitting occasion to speak with Dr. Mandy about the link between HIV medications and diabetes prior to our podcast interview.

Q: I’ve read that some HIV medicines may increase blood glucose levels and lead to type 2 diabetes. Can you explain why could happen?

Dr. Mandy Reece: Some HIV medication cause insulin resistance with insulin deficiency which increases risk for Type 2 diabetes. Specifically, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) (zidovudine, stavudine and didanosine) and protease inhibitors (indinavir and lopinavir/ritonavir) increase risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Q: Do you feel people taking HIV medicines should check their blood glucose? If so, what do you recommend?

Dr. Mandy Reece: Yes, they should check their blood glucose before they start their medication and then every few months as recommended by the U.S. Department of Health.

According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is recommended to have either fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1c when entering into care for HIV, initiating or modifying antiretrovial therapy and annually if glucose or A1c were in target range at least measurement. Target range is < 5.7% for hemoglobin A1c and <126 mg/dL fasting blood glucose. It is advised to have fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1c tested every 3 – 6 months if above target range at last measure.

(Guidelines for Use of Antiretrovial Agents in Adults and Adolescents Living with HIV. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines/html/1/adult-and-adolescent-arv/3/tests-for-initial-assessment-and-follow-up. Updated October 25, 2019. Accessed November 18, 2018.

Q:Dealing with two or more chronic conditions could be complicated and time consuming. What medication organizing tips can you recommend to help make life more manageable?

Dr. Mandy Reece: Personally, my favorite tool for organizing medications is a pill box where medication is stored by day and time of day. It is easy to identify visually if medication has been taken. Many pharmacies have medical refill reminder calls which work wonderfully if you get all of your medications from the same pharmacy. Pharmacies can utilize a medication synchronization system which allows for your getting all refills at same time. Additionally, there various apps such as Round Health, Medisafe -Pill & Med Reminder and Pill Reminder – All in One would provide digital reminder system. Services such as PillPack sorts and organizes medication by dose and timing each dose with monthly delivery.

Q: With the holidays quickly approaching what advice can you give to people about managing their medications during this busy time of year?

Dr. Mandy Reece: Taking time to get organized is absolutely key. An easy way to get organized is to using a pill box or service such PillPack to organize your medications, and utilizing reminder system to follow through on taking medications. Ensure that you have at least a 10 day supply of medication on hand at all times is essential. Remember keeping your health a priority hence taking your medication during this busy season is key as it has lasting effects that you will not see or feel in the moment.

Q: Holiday travel can lead to long delays and/or missing luggage. What advice can you give to traveler’s

Dr. Mandy Reece: Always pack all of your medications in your carry bag rather than checked luggage. It is absolutely vital to have your medication available at all times.

Sara (Dr. Mandy) Wilson Reece, PharmD, CDE, CDE, BC-ADM, vice-chair and associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. ‘Dr. Mandy’ shares practical information about medications for people living with diabetes on her blog, Reece’s Pieces. Follow her on Twitter @ReecesPiecesDi and Instagram ReecesPiecesDI

Don’t miss December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring music from Kelly Clarkson’s Wrapped In Red album courtesy of SONY Music on Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 6 PM, EST.

Kelly Clarkson’s inspiring us to lend our ‘voice’ to topics such as the link between HIV medications and type 2 diabetes, how the homeless manage diabetes, great gift ideas for loved ones with diabetes, and how you can lose weight during holidays (!). Plus, one lucky listener tries their luck during Mr. Divabetic’s ‘Wrapped In Red’ Health Game challenge. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Kathy Gold RN, MSN, CDE, FAADE, Glucose Delivery Necklace co-creator Kris Maynard, Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece, PharmD, CDE, BC=ADM, BCACP, FAADE, Maria Sakowitz, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, Mama Rose Marie and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”

10/28/201805/21/2020

Aretha Franklin Sparks Talk About Diabetes & Pancreatic Cancer

In honor of November’s Diva Inspiration, Aretha Franklin, we’re talking about the connection between diabetes and pancreatic cancer on Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, 6 PM, to help you and your loved ones to stay happy and healthy.

Although the Queen of Soul didn’t talk much about her diabetes, she admit to a local news station in 2014 that she was living with diabetes, but did not specify whether it was type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Later on in another interview reprinted in BlackDoctor.org, she alluded to living with diabetes when she discussed maintaining her 85 pound weight loss. Aretha Franklin said, “I have diabetes, really, from years ago when I was really badly and grossly overweight. Now, I’m back to my natural size and thrilled about it.”

Four years later her pancreatic cancer diagnosis was confirmed by her family after her death. Aretha Franklin’s oncologist also confirmed that Franklin passed away from advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, according to a CNN report.

Aretha’s health journey is sparking our interest to discuss the uncertain connection between pancreatic cancer and diabetes.

Below are excerpts from a recent interview published on the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network website with Suresh Chari, a professor of medicine and consultant in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Mayo Clinic and a member of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s (PanCAN’s) Scientific and Medical Advisory Board (SMAB), who was instrumental in the discovery that new-onset diabetes can be an early symptom of pancreatic cancer.

Q: Is Long-standing diabetes is a (modest) risk factor for pancreatic cancer?

Professor Suresh Chari (SC): Long-standing diabetes can be considered a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. It causes a modest increase in risk of 1.5- to two-fold. Some of the other risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), family history of pancreatic cancer, obesity and certain genetic syndromes.

The duration of diabetes matters.

Q: Are you more at risk the longer you’re living with diabetes?

Professor Suresh Chari (SC): Individuals who’ve had diabetes for more than 5 years can be considered at a slightly higher than average risk of developing pancreatic cancer. But those with new onset of diabetes after age 50 have a nearly 1 percent chance of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within one to three years following their diabetes diagnosis. In this case, the pancreatic tumor caused the diabetes.

Hot Topic: A Diabetes Diagnosis After Age 50 May Be an Early Sign of Pancreatic Cancer in Black, Latino People

Everyday Health reports that a study published June 18 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that a type 2 diabetes diagnosis after age 50, called late-onset diabetes, is a known risk factor for pancreatic cancer, and in Latino and African-American people with diabetes who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within three years, pancreatic cancer itself may manifest as diabetes.

Previous previous research seems to support these findings. According to a review of 500 medical records that was published in the March 2013 issue of Pancreas nearly 40 percent of people with pancreatic cancer had also developed diabetes within the three years prior to their cancer diagnosis.

Pancreatic cancer has poor survival rates because doctors often don’t catch the disease early enough for treatment to be effective. Pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of only 8.5 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

READ MORE

Q: Diabetes is a symptom of pancreatic cancer?

Professor Suresh Chari (SC): It’s thought that pancreatic cancer can cause cells in the body to become resistant to insulin, a key hormone produced by the pancreas, that helps regulate blood sugar levels. In other insulin-resistant conditions (like obesity), the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas produce more insulin to overcome the insulin resistance. But pancreatic cancer appears to impede the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas from responding adequately to this insulin resistance. This results in development of diabetes. It’s important to note that even though pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) arise from the hormone-producing cells of the pancreas, diabetes is neither a symptom nor risk factor for PNETs.

READ FULL ARTICLE

It’s very appropriate that World Diabetes Day, November 14th, and World Pancreatic Cancer Day, November 15th, happen within a few days of one another. Both ailments can present with vague symptoms that can be dismissed by both doctors and patients, and both can be much more manageable if diagnosed early and accurately. PanCAN’s focus on Demand Better this November means that we need to demand earlier detection of pancreatic cancer.

Don’t Miss Diabetes Late Nite on World Diabetes Day, Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 6 PM, EST. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport, Owner of DiabetesStrong.com Christel Oerum, Makeup Artist & Skincare Expert Suzanne Perez, Mama Rose Marie and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Aretha Franklin’s ‘Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”