Opera, Puccini & Diabetes

Yesterday, my mother and I went to the Palmetto Opera‘s performance of Great Voices from Broadway to Opera for a belated Mother’s Day celebration. The program featured some of opera’s greatest arias, duets, and memorable songs from the Golden Age of Broadway. My mom loves Phantom of the Opera, and I love Turandot‘s Nessun Dorma and La Traviata‘s Sempre Libera, so it was a win-win for both of us.

The concert also featured two songs from Italian composer Giacomo Puccini‘s masterpiece, La Boheme (O Mimi, tu piu non torni, O soave fancuilla).

Giacomo Puccini was born in 1858 and later diagnosed with diabetes in 1908. Numerous reports mention that he struggled to manage his diagnosis for much of his life. Understandably, managing diabetes was difficult before the discovery of insulin wasn’t until 1921.

Before insulin was discovered in 1921, people with diabetes were put on very strict diets with minimal carbohydrate intake. Some doctors prescribed as little as 450 calories a day! Sadly, some people with diabetes died of starvation.

On this Divabetic podcast, we intersperse highlights of the history of diabetes, self-care treatments, and innovations for the past hundred years as we discuss Puccini’s artistry and life.

Divabetic podcast guests include Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES, FAND, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

Throughout this podcast, we will feature music from Puccini: Great Opera Arias courtesy of SONY Music.

Giacomo Puccini’s artistic triumphs include La Bohème, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly. Unfortunately, his last opera, based on the fable of Turandot, would remain unfinished due to his death from throat cancer in Brussels in 1924.

Plus, we had the added treat of hearing the Theme from The Godfather and The Impossible Dream from Man Of La Mancha.

People with diabetes and their loved ones probably considered the discovery of insulin the impossible dream.

A young surgeon named Frederick Banting and his assistant Charles Best figured out how to remove insulin from a dog’s pancreas in 1921. They continued to experiment with dogs until January 1922.  Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy dying from diabetes in a Toronto hospital, was the first to receive an insulin injection. Within 24 hours, Leonard’s dangerously high blood glucose dropped to near-normal levels.

The news about insulin spread around the world like wildfire. In 1923, Banting and Macleod received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, which they shared with Best and Collip. Thank you, diabetes researchers!

My boss, Luther Vandross, who had type 2 diabetes, recorded The Impossible Dream for his Songs album. He performed it many times in concert to the thrill of audiences. Recently PBS aired his performance at Royal Albert Hall in London.

Interesting Fact: The University of South Carolina boasts a top-rated music school with an Opera department

We’re discussing minimizing the drama in our diabetes lives with music from the ultimate diva, Maria Callas.

Maria Callas changed how we listen to opera—and charged the ambition of the singers who followed her.  Her ability to interpret a wide variety of different roles truly set her apart, establishing her as a phenomenon, an operatic diva. She could fully exploit the dramatic strength of her low vocal range as much as the high and bright notes of her high range.

Opera takes any dramatic story and tries to make it more exciting and more believable with the help of music. Symptoms and situations related to diabetes are often dramatic and come on very suddenly. But how do you react to them? Are you a ‘drama queen’?

Whenever we are immersed in something overwhelming, we can learn how to deal with challenges better.

Divabetic podcast guests include Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, Lorraine Brooks, American Heart and American Diabetes Association’s Know Diabetes By Heart Ambassador Rob Taub, Yoga for Diabetes Author and Director Rachel Zinman and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES.

Throughout the podcast, we will feature music from the Grandiose Stimmen: Maria Callas album courtesy of SONY Music.

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Eighteen

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!

On Day 18, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast inspired by Fantasia Barrino Taylor  from February 2014.

We’re talking about “LABELS.” From Designer and Nutritional labels to the labels we assign to ourselves as well as others. Labels are a part of life. We use them to tell stories so we can better understand ourselves and others but often times labels can lead to branding and shame. Are the ‘labels’ in your life helping or hindering you to lead a healthy, happy life with diabetes?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCEsn7onc7l/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Fantasia Barrino Taylors music inspires this episode of ‘Diabetes Late Nite’ podcast courtesy of SONY MUSIC. Fantasia has overcome many labels in her life in order to live out her dreams. She was a high school dropout, teenage mother and illiterate before being labeled as an “American Idol.”  We think Fantasia Barrino is a great DIVA example of why we should all think about “the person” or “the contents” behind the label.

Lorraine Brooks read her poem, ‘Plus or Minus’ on this podcast

Plus or Minus? by Lorraine Brooks

Don’t call me plus size. Why should I be?

I’m bigger than some, some are bigger than me.

A number is given to keep track of our size,

And what is the difference which one I must buy?

 

I’m not plus or minus, don’t label me so,

And don’t tell me into which stores I can go.

If I need an 18, and you need a 3,

You shouldn’t be thinking you’re better than me.

 

If you need a 20 and I need a 2,

I shouldn’t be thinking I’m better than you.

Why don’t we instead, embrace everyone’s curves

With all the respect and support one deserves.

 

Don’t label me by the disease I possess

Or anything else that might cause me distress.

I’ve spent most of my life with the label of “plus”,

The truth is that labels aren’t good for any of us.

 

Let’s labels shelves, and file cabinet drawers,

And signs on the ladies and mens bathroom doors.

A label is good if I need to explore

Where your office is located on the 5th floor.

 

And I need a label when I’m shopping for food

To know if tomatoes are pureed or stewed.

But don’t label me and my body, I ask,

And don’t make me wear this invisible mask…

 

Put labels on envelopes with return address,

Or telling me which one is lettuce, and which watercress.

Because in the end, I’m the same as you are,

And labels work better on bottles and jars.

 

But even if I am not your cup of tea

Don’t put labels on people…and please, not on me.

Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Fantasia podcast guests: Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Neva White MSN, CRNP, CDE and Susan Weiner RD, MS, CDE, CDN),Poet Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Mama Rose Marie and Cindy from New York, NY.

 

Divabetic’s Late Nite podcast’s format is similar to popular late night talk shows and features topical monologues, celebrity interviews, games, prizes and music. Every month the show’s theme is inspired by a different celebrity to help listeners to stay happy and healthy. Popular show segments include: Hot Topics, Diagnosis To Diva!, Diabetes Numerology Game, Diabetes Time Machine Game and Mother Your Diabetes.

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

 

A Dog Saved My Life!

A white terrier, became the first dog to receive insulin in Frederick Banting and Charles Best’s laboratory on July 30, 1921 in Canada.

The scientists took blood samples from the dog every 30 minutes and saw a temporary drop in blood sugar from 0.2 percent to 0.12 percent. Banting was not knowledgeable enough about new developments in testing blood sugar to check for diabetes accurately, so he checked the urine, which was less reliable.

Banting & Best

The dog died the next morning due to an infection, but the scientists noted the first signs of anti-diabetic action from the extract, which they had named isletin.

“Diabetics the world over owe much to the true, brave, faithful, loving little dog who played her heroic role as part of her day’s work.” -Frederick Banting, 1940

The next challenge in the discovery of insulin they faced was to find a method of producing islet cells, and therefore insulin, on a mass scale, so that it would have some use as a wide-scale medicine for diabetes.

Realizing that a supply of dogs for pancreas ligation was going to limit the progress of the research, Banting and Best moved on to using the pancreas of cows as source material.

READ MORE

Collar Greens Health & Wellness Day

Divabetic and Central Farm Markets proudly present Collar Greens Health & Wellness Day on Sunday, September 29, 2019, 9 AM – 1 PM. This free health and wellness event features health information for both pets and pet owners alike!

Enjoy Market Food Tours, Live Cooking Demonstrations, Family & Dogs Scavenger Hunts, Dog House Decorating for Kids, Amazing Service Dog Demonstrations, Live Music, Veterinarian Talks & Ask A Diabetes Educator Sessions! 

Plus, visit 40 vendors for fresh local pork, chicken, fish, cheeses, produce, dairy, baked goods, prepared foods to go, eggs, flowers, and ice cream.

What’s Your Dog IQ? Take our FUN QUIZ

Tabouli Gallagher

Meet Tabouli: The World’s Most Famous Diabetes Alert Dog!

Meet the World’s Most Famous Diabetes Alert Dog: Tabouli Gallagher and his trainer, Debby Kay at Collar Greens Health & Wellness Day on September 29, 2019.

Debby Kay has been a been an internationally recognized leader in medical, diabetes alert, and scent detection dog training for over 40 years. Her Super Sniffer® program is now in 22 countries, helping people utilize the remarkable talents of the dog’s nose. The best selling series of Super Sniffer® books are available online at: www.debbykay.com.

Available on Amazon

Can’t make it? We’re talking to the owner of the World’s Most Famous Diabetes Alert Dog, Tabouli Gallagher, Elizabeth Gallagher on August’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from Phyllis Hyman scheduled for August 13, 2019, 6 PM, EST. TUNE IN 

Diabetic Alert Dogs are trained to alert their owners in advance of low (hypoglycemia) or high (hyperglycemia) blood sugar levels before they become dangerous.

Tune in to find out how this service dog not only helps Elizabeth who is living with type 1 diabetes,  happy and healthy but also inspired a series of children’s books, “Tabouli:  The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog” by Matt Pelicano 

Cutest Dog Contest

Win $500 Gift Basket! Enter Our Cutest Dog Contest

Upload your dog photos to Instagram and tag @centralfarmmarkets and include the hashtag #centralfarmdogcontest to enter the Central Farm Markets Cutest Dog Photo Contest.