Sound Bites: Diabetic Retinopathy

We’re sharing excerpts of interviews from our favorite Divabetic podcasts over the years.

This excerpt is from our August 2020 podcast with Royal Ms. Plus U.S United, Andrea Sledge, who shares what it’s like to experience Diabetic Retinopathy.

Diabetic Retinopathy is an eye disease caused by high blood sugar levels. It damages blood vessels in the retina and causes vision loss. So, getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year is essential.

Diabetic retinopathy may not have any symptoms at first — but finding it early can help you take steps to protect your vision. Among adults aged 45 and over with diagnosed diabetes, 9.2% had vision loss due to cataracts, 4.1% had vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy, 2.2% had vision loss due to macular degeneration, and 2.1% had vision loss due to glaucoma.

Podcast guests include Sherrol Reynolds, M.D. (Associate Professor and Chief of Advanced Ophthalmic Care at the Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, President of the National Optometric Association (NOA)), Rishi Singh, M.D. (Retina Specialist and Staff Surgeon at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic), Andrea Sledge, Natalie Karabel, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES. Hosted by Max’ Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.

This podcast features music from TLC’s CrazySexyCool album courtesy of SONY Music. Listen to Andrea Sledge’s full interview on Divabetic’s August 2020 podcast.

Join us for Divabetic’s Menopause & Diabetes Panel Discussion & SugarFree Baking Demonstration on Zoom in honor of World Menopause Day on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, from 7 – 8:30 PM.

Catherine Schuller moderates a panel featuring Dr Julianne Arena, MD, FACOG, ABAARM, Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love And Intimacy With Diabetes co-author, COO for Diabetes Sisters Donna Rice MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FADCES, and photographer, Amparo. Amparo discovered, quite unexpectedly, in the ER, that she has diabetes after doctors told her her glucose level was over 800! Over the past six months, she’s been taking charge of managing her diabetes while facing hormonal changes during menopause – it’s a true Divabetic Victory story.

After our panel, Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef, demonstrates how to make her popular Sugar-Free Rum Cake Recipe.

One lucky winner will win a Divabetic Prize at the end of the program.

The purpose of World Menopause Day is to raise awareness of menopause and the support options = for improving health and wellness.

FREE – REGISTER NOW

10/15/2021

Why We Need Weight-Neutral Approach For Diabetes Management

Plus-size Fashion and Travel Blogger, LGBTQ+ Influencer Alysse Dalessandro Santiago shares how seeking out a weight-neutral doctor’s approach helped her improve her diabetes self-care on October’s Divabetic Podcast with music from Carly Simon.

Alysse says, “It’s taken me a long time to be my own healthcare advocate and challenge the pervasive narrative around plus-size or larger-bodied people living with type 2 diabetes.”

Alysse told her doctor, “I am here for diabetes management. I understand that you have been trained to look at my weight as an indicator of my health. But I look at my A1C as an indicator of my health, so can we focus on that?”

She encourages other plus-size and larger-bodied people to advocate for their diabetes health. “Doctors are there to help and care for you. Their job is to care for you as an individual. When a doctor looks at you as a number on a chart or on the scale, they’re not looking at you as an individual. So if you don’t feel like they are listening to you, then you need to leave and find someone else.”

Alysse’s proactive approach to finding a weight-neutral doctor paid off! Finally, she can focus on the tools she needs to have tighter blood sugar management than the scale numbers. One self-care tool that she loves is the FreeStyle Libre Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) System. Alysse says the FreeStyle Libre has helped her to lower her A1C from 11 to a 7. But that’s not all! An added bonus of using the FreeStyle Libre for Alysse has been avoiding triggers related to her binge eating disorder.

“The FreeStyle Libre holds me accountable and tunes me in.” She adds, “The FreeStyle Libre’s alarms make me say, Hey, I emotionally feel like I want to eat, but physically I’m not actually hungry. My blood glucose levels are high, and I should not be eating right now. I’m emotionally hungry. What else can I do to self-soothe?“

The “weight-neutral” movement: a therapeutic approach to improving the health of individuals by focusing less on BMI and more on lifestyle behaviors. Studies suggest weight cycling is more strongly linked with specific adverse health outcomes than having an obese BMI. If your doctor’s appointments start and end with a phrase like: “You need to lose weight,” maybe it’s time to find a new doctor.

*The A1C test—also known as the hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c test—is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months.

Plus-Size Fashion and Tavel Blogger, LGBTQ+ Influencer, Alysse Dalessandro Santiago guests on Divabetic’s October podcast with musical inspiration from Carly Simon. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic presents its Once In a Blue Moon program. This free, fun-filled, informative hour of diabetes outreach is intended to rejuvenate and reignite your attitude. The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, Maryann Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller share expert ways to expand food choices, add sparkle, and boost spirits.

So have some fun spending time with us during our Once in A Blue Moon program on Thursday, November 11, 2021, 7 – 8 PM EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW – FREE PROGRAM

09/04/202009/04/2020

Creamy Zucchini Soup Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

Soup can be a tasty, inexpensive way to eat well and keep your blood sugars on track. Most soups keep well, and making extra can give you days of quick meals that will help keep your blood glucose levels under control.

Our friend, Jill Weisenberger shares her Creamy Zucchini Soup Recipe with the Divabetic community.

“My creamy zucchini soup recipe was inspired by the award-winning chef José Andrés. My favorite Washington, DC restaurant is his Zaytinya. I eat there every opportunity I can create for myself,” says Jill Weisenberger. “Last year, chef José Andrés published a hefty and beautiful cookbook called Vegetables Unleashed in which he offers a version of his wife’s zucchini soup. From his remake, I created my own remake, which is a bit more health-focused. And still incredibly delicious. It’s a great way to start a meal – very filling, so it’s easier to be satisfied with less.”

**Creamy Zucchini Soup Recipe by Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND**

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼-½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon coarse black pepper
2.5 pounds zucchini, unpeeled, cut lengthwise and then sliced
2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup fresh basil leaves
2 ½ ounces soft goat cheese, broken into several pieces
Additional herbs or flavored oil for garnish

Nutrition: Serving: 1cup | Calories: 86, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 390mg, Fiber: 2g

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Special Guest Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND will prepare a hearty Fall Harvest Soup recipe and share expert tips on flavorful ways to reduce salt in recipes and meal prepping during the holidays on Divabetic’s free Zoom Cooking Party on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, 7-8 PM.

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Jill Weisenberger is the author of Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week is a bestseller and can help you manage your weight and blood sugar at the same time, The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition offers solutions to your everyday food and nutrition problems – no matter how busy you are, 21 Things You Need to Know about Diabetes and Your Heart gives you specific actions to take to improve your health right away, and her newest book Prediabetes: A Complete Guide featuring dozens of concrete steps to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other chronic health problems.

07/13/202007/17/2020

Almond, Wild Blueberry, and Flax Smoothie Recipe By Janis Roszler and Donna Rice

Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDCES, FAND, Co-Author of the best-selling e-book, Intimacy & Diabetes, shares this Healthy Smoothie Recipe for you to enjoy!

Almond, Wild Blueberry, and Flax Smoothie Recipe

From Intimacy & Diabetes, By Janis Roszler and Donna Rice

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries
1 1/2 cups organic, unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons almond flour
3 tablespoons ground flax meal
1 tablespoon packed fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons raw honey
1 cup ice

Directions
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and purée until smooth.
2. Divide smoothie between three glasses and enjoy immediately.

Choices/Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 1 Carbohydrate, 11/2 Fat

Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 160, Calories from Fat 70, Total Fat 8.0 g, Saturated Fat 0.7 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 15 mg, Potassium 210 mg, Total Carbohydrate 21 g, Dietary Fiber 6 g, Sugars 12 g, Protein 5 g, Phosphorus 110 mg

Can Flax Seeds Help You Manage Your Diabetes?

Flax seeds — and flaxseed oil — boast many health-promoting compounds with the potential to lower blood sugar levels and delay the development of type 2 diabetes reports Healthline. Flax seeds and flaxseed oil are an excellent plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, principally ALA. Flax seeds are especially nutritious, as they also provide a good amount of protein and fiber. Read More

There’s no one-size-fits-all diabetes diet per se, but understanding how to make smart food choices is essential for keeping blood sugars in a healthy range.

One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are heavy in nutrition but light in calories. You can pack a lot of nutrition into one smoothie and get a delicious treat. As long as you stick with healthy ingredients and don’t add extra sweeteners, you can enjoy these treats on a regular basis.

Just remember when you do blend fruit into your smoothies to count them as part of your daily fruit allowance so you don’t overdo it on carbohydrates. Even natural sugar can drive up your blood sugar if you eat too much of it according to Everyday Health.

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).

Janis is our special guest at Divabetic’ upcoming Indoor Scavenger Hunt & Smoothie Party on Zoom on Thursday, July 16, 2020, 7 – 7:35 PM, EST. Throughout our virutal Scavenger Hunt will be talking about relationships and diabetes. When diabetes enters the picture, it can complicate even our most casual relationships. Janis Roszler will answer your questions about how diabetes affects the 8 types of Intimacy: Aesthetic, Spiritual, Intellectual, Social, Emotional, Affection, Physical, and Sexual.

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Divabetic’s free Scavenger Hunt & Smoothie Party is part of Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcast Anniversary Celebration. Join us for our 10th Year Anniversary Podcast on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 6 – 7:30 PM, EST. Guests include: Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OB-GYN, Luther McRae, Mama Rose Marie, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller, Terri Seidman and special guests.

One lucky listener in our random drawing will win a Dario Blood Glucose Meter starter kit. This all-in-one pocket-sized device can track blood sugar fluctuations and trends and identify hyper/hypoglycemic episodes right from your smartphone, providing readings within as little as 6 seconds. It’s scientifically proven, HIPPA compliant, and includes Dario Coaches to offer support and motivation to help manage your diabetes. Enjoy this special Dario discount for the Divabetic community!

We’d like to acknowledge everyone who has taken measures to protect our Divabetic community members living with diabetes and their loved ones by wearing cloth face coverings and social distancing.

07/07/202007/07/2020

Coping with the Stress of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and Diabetes Dr. Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDCES

This is a guest blog post from our friend, colleague and Diabetes Late Nite guest, Dr. Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDCES (Clinical Psychologist and Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist).

I have continued working with my patients, via telehealth phone calls, during these past few months, while they and I are following stay-at-home orders to try to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus pandemic. This is some information that I’ve gathered to keep everybody informed.

To manage your health proactively and ward off any respiratory system threats, the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION recommends the following:

Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
Avoid touching surfaces others have touched. Use your knuckles to push buttons, elbows to open doors, disinfectant wipes to clean tables or chairs. Use gloves or wipes to pump gas or when pushing grocery carts.
Teach yourself not to touch your face. If you must do so, then wash/sanitize hands, touch your face, wash hands/sanitize afterwards.
Practice social distancing—keep 6 feet away from others in public places
Make yourself a cloth face mask to wear in public, especially in high traffic areas (i.e. the grocery store)
When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw a tissue away immediately and wash hands
Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever and/or cough
If you have a fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your healthcare provider. Contact your healthcare provider via phone/portal first. Going into a clinic can expose you to the virus, so if you are told not to go in, then don’t. Many centers have increased their use of telemedicine.
When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals
The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk, or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.

Recommendations for people with diabetes have been endorsed by The American Diabetes Association, Beyond Type 1, Harvard Medical School, ISPAD, and JDRF.

Establish and maintain strict personal hygiene

Wash hands every time you come into contact with an out-of-home item or place.
Regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces in your home.
Avoid touching your face.
Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a handkerchief.
Act as though you have COVID and could pass it on.

Minimize risk when out in public

Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.
Wear a cloth mask or face covering.
Adjust schedule to avoid busy times in public places. Take advantage of dedicated shopping times for vulnerable individuals if available.

Small routines can have a big impact on how we feel.

Barbara Corcoran advises, “Staying motivated at home can be tough. So, I divide my day in chunks. First, I knock out my chores and exercise, zone in on my work, then spend time with my family. I find being in control of my time keeps me mentally in a good place and makes me feel productive.”

Set yourself up for success with diabetes management

Test blood sugar levels more often; your body may be reacting differently under these new circumstances.
Familiarize yourself with how to check for ketones. Check for ketones regularly, regardless of blood sugar levels.
Secure a sufficient amount of supplies, including ketone strips and severe hypoglycemia treatment (glucagon).
Maintain a routine of physical movement and blood sugar friendly eating.
Contact your doctor or health professionals by phone / telehealth, if possible, for diabetes management questions and concerns.
Lean on your community for help – none of these behaviors are easy, and we all need support. Look into digital and online communities.

Lockdown can lead to “quarantine fatigue.” Try to stay busy by focusing on a project. Some projects my patients are working on include:

· Working on a vegetable garden
· Exercising
· Meditating
· Journaling
· Trying new recipes
· Putting together 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles
· Quilting
· Sorting out their closets
· Reading a novel
· Writing a novel

What can you add to this list? One project that I worked on was updating my website. Check it out www.AskDrBev.com.

It’s okay if you can’t wait for lockdown to be over and also be uneasy for it to end. Most importantly please remember that you are not alone. You are not alone in this pandemic and you are not alone living with diabetes. If you need to, check your local area for mental health assistance and your local diabetes associations for help with managing your diabetes. As Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says, “We’re all in this together.”

Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDCES is a clinical psychologist and Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist, in private practice, specializing in treating the emotional issues of people with diabetes. She has lived successfully for over 45 years with type 1 diabetes. Visit her website: askdrbev.com

Dr. Beverly S. Adler helps us to celebrate Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcasting Anniversary with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”– Ms. Patti LaBelle on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 6 – 7:30 PM, EST.

Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcasting Anniversary continues with a free Virtual Smoothie Party with special guest, Co-Author of the Best-Selling Intimacy & Diabetes e-book, Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND. on Zoom on July 16, 2020, 7 – 7:35 PM, EST. REGISTER NOW

10th Year Podcasting Anniversary Giveaway! Win a Dario Blood Glucose Meter starter kit in our random drawing. This all-in-one pocket-sized device can track blood sugar fluctuations and trends and identify hyper/hypoglycemic episodes right from your smartphone, providing readings within as little as 6 seconds. It’s scientifically proven, HIPPA compliant, and includes Dario Coaches to offer support and motivation to help manage your diabetes. Enter Divabetic’s Random Drawing by ‘LIKING’ Divabetic’s Facebook page.