November’s Diabetes Late Nitepodcast guest, Vanessa Hunter lost over 200 pounds and has successfully maintained her incredible weight loss for over 10 years. The self-proclaimed ‘VIP of Diabetes’ shares her journey and advice for others interested in transforming their diabetes health exclusively with Divabetic:
Q: Describe your lifestyle before you began your weight loss journey? (Habits, work schedule, other priorities in your life, activity level, meals, etc.)
Vanessa’s reply: Prior to losing weight I worked as a sales manager job for Verizon. I was an over achiever and commuted to a job with days that lasted 10-12 hours. I ate fast food and I didn’t have an exercise routine.
Q: Have you tried to lose weight in the past? Please describe what stopped you.
Vanessa’s reply: I had a serious food addiction and it prevented me from ever trying to lose weight. Combined with no desire to exercise, I had little to no hope of ever losing a pound.
Vanessa Hunter
Q: What triggered this weigh loss? Did any celebrities inspire you?Vanessa’s reply: Waking up sick triggered my health transformation. It was apparent to many people that I represented an extreme health risk; I had all the signs of poor health. Oprah, Jennifer Hudson, Monique and Beyonce inspired me. Halli Berry who is living with diabetes inspired me too.
Q: What were your initial thoughts when were you first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?
Vanessa’s reply: I had a 24-hour warning before I went to the ER for the big diagnosis in March 2010. When I woke up several days after admission, I was so grateful to be alive that my initial thoughts were – I’M NOT GOING TO LET FOOD KILL ME, I PROMISE.
Q: How did or does your type 2 diabetes factor into your decision to lose weight?
Vanessa’s reply: It played a major role in my desire to lose weight – I was under the impression that I could reverse my diabetes, so I went to the extreme to follow the rules, keep to the routine and find new activities to move my body. I lost 100 lbs. right before my co-workers’ eyes.
Q: Describe some obstacles in your weight loss journey and tell us how you managed to overcome them.
Vanessa’s reply: Obstacle #1 – Learning how to eat: the routine, the meal prep, the carb counting and more. I overcame this by doing research and reading everything I could find that related to my self-care journey.Obstacle #2 – Dealing with complications from diabetes. In my case it was gastro issues.I have yet to overcome the fact that my diet is limited, and fruits/veggies create sensitivity that leads to DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis).
Q: Share some tips that have worked for you to lose weight and 1-3 tips to maintain your weight loss ·
Vanessa’s reply: Drink lots of water, Walk after each meal, Meal Prep – better to be ready than to get ready!
Q: What advice would you give to someone who living with type 2 diabetes seeking to lose weight?
Vanessa’s reply: My advice is to know the carb limit of your diet, keep to a routine and seek help when you hit the wall.
Try Your Luck at Counting Carbs with Divabetic’s Carb Kitty Game
Q: The holiday season is just around the corner. What tools do you use to navigate the holidays and stay on track with your health?
Vanessa’s reply: ‘Tis the season to be jolly. That means we get to be the life of the party, not eat the life out of the party! Stay on track, enjoy the company, make memories, and avoid the illness.
Q: Tell us about the organization(s) you are involved in the diabetes community. What’s your goal? How did your October program go? What’s ahead?
Vanessa’s reply: My group, VIP of Diabetes has collaborations with Retina Risk – an app designed to protect our vision. We also collaborate with GlucoseZone for exercises specifically for people living with diabetes. I am a guest panelist monthly, and the next seminar is 11/23, 10-12noon at Mt. Airy United Fellowship, 701 W Johnson St @ Walnut Lane Circle. I actively volunteer for both The American Heart and American Diabetes Associations in Philadelphia. My website is www.vipofdiabetes.org and please follow me on Instagram @ness4wellness, all questions, invites, comments can be sent to vipofdiabetes@gmail.com
Q: Where do you turn to for online support?
Vanessa’s reply: Divabetic on Facebook of course. Online support provides daily inspiration, direction, answers questions, and lots more. Story: A client recently asked advice on meal plans and daily routines, due to an A1C over 11. Before our journey could begin, we needed to address the underlying reason for the spiral. Once identified the diet has been modified, and with a new outlook on exercise and compliance routines we are off to the makings of a successful wellness journey.
We’re sharing amazing Weight Loss Journeys & Helpful Ways to overcome fears related to Hypoglycemia with guests: Vanessa Hunter, Dr. Wendy Rapaport PsyD, Dr. Stewart Harris, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and Autumn Reed on Novembers’ Diabetes Late Nite inspired by Jennifer Hudson
Don’t miss Divabetic’s 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 6 -7 PM, EST.
This year’s Divabetic Mystery Podcast takes place at the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges. Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape.
Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?
Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of Gentlemen Prefer Blondesfeaturing the iconic Carol Channing courtesy of SONY MUSIC.
We’re thrilled to announce that Coach the Cure, Trisha Artman is joining the cast of Divabetic’s 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondeson Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 6 -7 PM, EST.
Trisha Artman is a motivated Health Coach, Educator, and Writer. With personal diabetes experience, compassion, and professionalism, she nurtures trusting relationships—promoting healthy changes in an empowered environment.
“I teach people that they do not have to wait until things are at their worst to change negative thoughts and behaviors, but to start right where they are. Not because they have to, but because they choose to live out the life they desire and deserve,” says Trisha Artman. “Today, I spend my days not simply surviving, but instead thriving—inspiring other people to finally experience the freedom of getting “control” over diabetes, other chronic illnesses, and their lives. I’m excited to invite you on my latest journey— helping others realize their potential and strength within. Let’s live out loud!”
Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes Discussion Guide
This year’s Divabetic Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes, takes place at the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges. Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape.
Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?
The cast of Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondesfeatures Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR), Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Seveda Williams, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Dave Jones, Lorraine Brooks and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.
Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of Gentlemen Prefer Blondesfeaturing the iconic Carol Channing courtesy of SONY MUSIC.
Recent Diabetes Late Nite podcast guest, Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, who is a nutrition professor at Boston University and the host of the health and wellness podcast SpotOn!, says that the biggest nutrition fallacy she sees online is the advice to avoid white foods.
“The biggest myth is that white foods, such as pasta and white vegetables, are nutrition slackers compared to whole grain and more colorful, phytochemical-rich veggies,” explains Salge Blake as reported in US News & World Reports. “This is totally wrong.” Pasta is fortified with riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, iron and especially folic acid, a B vitamin that is critical for pregnant women – and many don’t consume enough folic acid in their diets. Similarly, a cup serving of potatoes (about one small baked potato) costs less than 20 cents, yet will provide over 650 milligrams of blood pressure-lowering potassium. Because most Americans don’t get enough of this nutrient, a potato is a cheap way to fight high blood pressure. In addition, Jones explains that white foods like Greek yogurt, natural aged cheeses and milk, potatoes and even many enriched grains can contribute significant amounts of nutrients: calcium in dairy, fiber and potassium in potatoes and B-vitamins in enriched grains. “Ironically, one of the most popular veggies these days just happens to be white – cauliflower!” Jones notes.
We’re talking about ‘HEART HEALTH & DIABETES’ with musical inspiration from the rock band “Heart” on March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.
Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults without diabetes.
People with insulin resistance or diabetes in combination with one or more of these risk factors are at even greater risk of heart disease or stroke. However, by managing their risk factors, people with diabetes may avoid or delay the development of heart and blood vessel disease.
The rock band “Heart” was started in Seattle in the 1960s.Heart’s mix of hard rock and folk yielded one of the longest lasting and most commercially successful bands of all time. The band is fronted by sisters, Ann and Nancy Wilson who wrote many of the band’s songs.
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Author of ‘Nutrition & You’ Dr. Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND Mama Rose Marie, Glucose SOS founder Pamela Heyward and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.
Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Heart’s “The Essential Heart” album courtesy of SONY Music.
Catherine Lawrence celebrates 50 years of living with type 1 on Divabetic’s 9th Year Anniversary podcastwith music from P!nk.
Below, Catherine shares her successes as well as a few stumbles from living life with type 1 diabetes to the fullest! Tune in to hear her full interview .
Catherine Lawrence’s 5 Decades of Diabetes
1st Decade – Age 9-19
I was 9 years old when I was diagnosed [with type 1 diabetes] and it was very traumatic, not just for me but for my mother as well. I remembered that it took two aides at the hospital to hold me down for my very first blood test. You can just imagine a 9-year-old seeing a huge needle coming at her.
I remember asking the nurse why I had to get up so early in the morning and go down the hall to do my urine test when the young boy, around my age, across the hall just had to put his urine in a container and the test was done for him. The nurse explained that he had had diabetes longer than I had and already knew how. BUMMER! I ended up spending 1 month in the hospital learning everything.
Speaking of testing, way back then, 1969, we were using test tubes, drops of urine and water and then put a Clinitest tablet into the tube to get a certain color. Blue (negative for sugar) was the best and brown (very positive for sugar) was the worst. And, that is how I had to do ALL my urine tests for the next well over 10 years or so. This was not something I could carry in my purse. But, being so young, thankfully I was not going out many places except for school and to play. These urine tests always put quite a bit of stress on me as I tended to get the “brown” color a lot. Blue would please me to no end! My endocrinologist called me “brittle.”
In the early years, it was so hard NOT to want to eat the things I liked so much, such as candy, cookies and esp. birthday cake. I wanted to be just like all the other kids and eat the same things they did. There were no sugar free items available on the grocery shelves that I could eat. Fresca, Tab and then sugar free Shasta was available to drink which made me very happy! It was also hard for my mother because I had a twin sister and brother who were not diabetic, and she had to try to keep their sweets from me.
Sometimes I filled my syringe in the morning with insulin then went to my room and just squeezed it all out onto the rug because I had a very hard time with giving myself injections. The doctor did not want my mother to do it for me cause I needed to learn to take care of myself. Most times I would sit for what seemed like an eternity, and just stare at the pinched skin of my thigh in my left hand and the syringe in my right and wait for the courage to plunge it into myself. I struggled quite a bit with all of it in that 1st decade and I was in a state of denial for quite some time.
There was so much to learn, and it was all so overwhelming at such a young age, but I am grateful I had such an awesome endocrinologist, and even though my family was learning along the way with me, they were supportive and helpful. I guess we all learned together that 1st decade.
2nd Decade – Age 19-29
Getting older led to working and getting out more socially, such as dating, going to a movie or out dancing, etc. and this created a new set of problems. I believe by then they had test strips that you could carry in your purse and urinate on in the bathroom and compare it to a color chart on the bottle. That was a big improvement as it provided the freedom to go out, be with my friends and do more things, but it still didn’t provide a precise picture of my blood sugar levels. It was hard being in my 20’s, working, partying and constantly wondering what my blood sugars were. I was still learning how to “listen” to my body and differentiate between the low and high blood sugars and dealing with the frequency of the swings between the two. Many times when my body was trying to e me something was wrong, I would either ignore my symptoms and avoid doing a blood test or I didn’t trust the symptoms and would tell myself I was just sleepy or that the anger I felt was due to some external pressure. It took a noticeable change in my behavior or and obvious physical change to take place to provide a clue to those around me that I needed help. Not knowing exactly ALL the time what my blood sugar was and feeling either sleepy or angry was extremely frustrating. Then the very first blood glucose meter was on the market I was thrilled! It was quite large, about as big as a small purse and I had to carry it over my shoulder! However, I was so grateful for this as it provided a clear picture of what was going on with my blood sugars and was making my life less stressful. I still had the swings in my blood sugar levels but at least now I knew exactly where the levels were and could attend to them immediately and properly.
I learned the hard way about one of the many complications of diabetes when I was studying to be a surgical tech in my early 20’s. I was having a good deal of trouble reading the board and taking notes. I went to an ophthalmologist, thinking I would just need a prescription for glasses, but he instead diagnosed me with diabetic retinopathy. He told me I would need laser therapy in order to try to save my vision. I was so frightened about the actual laser treatment and whether this would save my sight or not. I had to drop out of school due to treatment and recovery time. The laser treatment consisted of 4500 laser burns in one eye and 1500 in the other one. I was so blessed to have an excellent doctor who saved my vision! I have not had one bleeding vessel in either eye since then.
I met a young man in my mid 20’s whom I taught about the disease, its complications and daily proper care. He learned quickly how to give me a test, what physical signs to look for and their meanings and even how to give an injection. He helped me a great deal. At age 28 we married and have been now for 30 years.
3rd Decade – Age 29-39
Life was getting better with my diabetes. I was more in tune with what was going on with my body and blood testing had gotten SO MUCH better. I was able to know, in real time, what my blood sugars were and that was an immense step forward for me, and ALL diabetics. I was learning more and more about the complications and the various ways I could prevent some of them.
When I was 39, I discovered the insulin pump. It WAS A LIFE SAVER. I still wear it today. No more injections, except to change my site, and having ready access to giving myself insulin when my blood sugar is high and to be able to cover the carbohydrates that I eat at meals, WITHOUT HAVING TO INJECT insulin is amazing. Just the fact that I did NOT need to carry insulin and syringes around with me was such a relief. Just because someone has an insulin pump DOES NOT mean your diabetes is out of control, it is just the opposite – helping to keep it more under control.
TESTING, TESTING, TESTING of one’s blood sugar is of upmost importance to any diabetic, but especially to one that wears an insulin pump. And I did at least 8-10 blood sticks a day to keep track. Someone on an insulin pump needs to be able to do at least 8 tests a day to keep track of the fast-acting insulin that is being given to the body throughout a 24-hour period. I was, and am, very fortunate to have an excellent Certified Diabetes Educator to help me.
4th Decade – Age 39-49
Some years later more complications began to surface. I began to have stomach issues which led to ER visits. Gastroparesis was thought to be the culprit, but luckily for me testing confirmed it was not. Through trial and error my Gastroenterologist finally found a medicine that has seemed to help with symptoms. I had cataracts in both eyes removed which was caused by the diabetes. I have stage 1 kidney disease but am doing very well with that. It has stayed at that stage for quite some time now due to not only a medicine but by also drinking a ton of water every day. My heart is okay for now, but, as the doctor says, “I have some rust in my pipes” and that is also due to the diabetes.
5th Decade – Age 49-59
Well, after still dealing with the swings of blood sugar levels, I finally decided it was time to try a CGM, continuous glucose monitor. I have recently begun to use this tool and it has proven to be extremely useful for me, especially at night. It has an alarm which will sound when it reaches the parameters I have set for high and low blood sugar numbers. This provides a much tighter control throughout the day and MOST IMPORTANTLY the alarm wakes me at night so I don’t have the fear of dangerous levels that may go unchecked. It is not “real” time, but it comes very close to the actual number and it also shows me whether my level is stable or headed up or down. Now, this was initially stressful for me as I was seeing what my numbers are constantly throughout the day. I would get so upset to see it going either high or low. It was hard in the beginning to see all those numbers and that just added stress which just sent my levels even higher! Argh! It has been a learning curve and my endocrinologist told me I have always HAD these number, I just never saw them. My CDE said that your blood sugar can change as fast as your blood pressure. Always learning something new about diabetes!
Living for 50 years with diabetes is just amazing to me, considering I was not always the best diabetic I could have been. I fought it constantly, and still do to certain degree. Diabetes can be CONTROLLED, but you must learn all you can about proper diet, consisting especially of portion controls of your food, exercise and stay aware of what is going on with your body. That is why I always tell other diabetics about the importance of testing blood sugars. Doctors also need to be able to let their patients do more than 4 blood tests a day! That simply is not enough. I am a volunteer at my local hospital, in the Diabetes Management Center, and we see a lot of Type II diabetics. I have to say that I’m grateful I am a Type I diabetic, as I grew up with it and became used to the diabetic way of life. I believe it is much more difficult to be diagnosed later in life and then be forced to abruptly make all the necessary changes to diet, lifestyle, etc. I see all the time how hard it is for some Type II’s to handle. Continued research is so important for advances in care and control and, at the very least, I hope research continues with implantable insulin pumps as I know technology can and should do this! Check out the non-profit called the Implantable Insulin Pump Foundation. The diabetic community needs to push for this research!
Nevertheless, living with diabetes has been, and continues to be and “adventure”. I continue to read all I can to keep up to date with all the latest information, ideas, advances, etc. and my endocrinologist and the Center where I volunteer are excellent sources of help and formation. Every diabetic needs to be their own advocate at every doctor’s visit and ask as many questions as possible. There are NO stupid questions. AND, ABOVE ALL, DO YOUR BLOOD TESTS!!!! They can save your life. The future ahead looks very promising for a diabetic, and so long as a diabetic follows ALLL his or her doctor’s orders, and stays as active as possible, it CAN work. There will always be complications, but so many of them can be prevented with good care of your disease. There is so much promise out there and I’m looking forward to living to see all the changes!
GLAM MORE FEAR LESS! Share your experiences of living with diabetes and mark a milestone with us on Diabetes Late Nite. To be a guest on Divabetic’s podcast e-mail Mr. Divabetic at: mrdivabetic@gmail.com
Listen to Divabetic’s 9th Year Anniversary podcastwith 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.
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.
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.
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 Kayhas 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
Healthful, plant-based foods can demonstrably improve both insulin sensitivity and blood pressure, according to new research from comprehensive review and meta-analysis of nine studies. Moreover, plant-based diets can prevent or reduce weight gain, as well as reduce low grade inflammation, two other factors that contribute to a person’s risk of diabetes.
A “predominantly plant-based” diet centers on both healthful plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, and less healthful ones, such as potatoes and sugars. These types of diets could also include some products of animal origin.
Divabetic® (divabetic.org) is a national nonprofit diabetes outreach organization committed to changing attitudes in people at risk, affected by and living with diabetes. We strive to encourage prevention, early action and above all, education.
Divabetic® was inspired by the late R & B legend, Luther Vandross, and created and founded by his long-time assistant, Max Szadek. Divabetic®, a combination of the word ‘diabetic’ with the letter ‘V’ inserted for Vandross, evokes feelings of power and the positive attitude associated with the great DIVAS Luther loved like Patti LaBelle.
Nut-based pie crusts are becoming more popular as people with diet restrictions and health conditions look to substitute sugar and gluten while maintaining the great taste and texture of their favorite desserts.
Walnuts are rich in heart-healthy fats and high in antioxidants. What’s more, regularly eating walnuts may improve brain health and reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer. These nuts are easily incorporated into your diet, as they can be eaten on their own or added to many different foods.
Have you heard that about 28 grams or three-four tablespoons of walnuts may help reduce risk of developing type 2 diabetes significantly? There’s also plenty of research to support how a handful of dry fruits and nuts can help boost brain power and heart health.
Why not try a making a walnut-based pie crust using this thick, velvety low carb cheesecake recipe?
“This Low Carb Cheesecake has all the delicious flavor and creamy texture of traditional cheesecake without the added sugar. Serve it up as a special treat for anyone watching their sugar intake.”
Divabetic presents their 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes, which takes place at the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges. Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape.
Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?
The cast of Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes features Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR), Asha Brown, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Dave Jones and Lorraine Brooks.
Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ courtesy of SONY MUSIC.
Taking vitamin D may help people with prediabetes and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes slow down the progress of the condition according to scientists.
The team of a study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology found taking vitamin D improved how insulin worked in muscle tissue after six months. This new evidence supports previous studies which have shown a worldwide problem with vitamin D deficiency, and link the deficiency to an inability to process sugar.
Enjoy Divabetic’s 9th Year Anniversary of Diabetes Late Nite Podcasting 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.
it’s hard in a world where looks are a prize to value yourself if you’re not the right size. For chubby young girls it’s especially true And lots of the other kids will bully you.
If Mom calls you “Dumplin’”, and you hate that name, It may be a reason you’re feeling ashamed. Some people will tell you that you look OK, But deep down inside there’s a price that you pay.
It’s sadness and lonely, and unworthiness That causes you pain and gives you distress. It’s being alone when the girls are all dating And feeling ashamed because boys aren’t relating.
It’s trying to smile when you don’t feel alright. It’s waiting for phone calls on Saturday night. It’s hoping you’ll get all the cute boys’ attention, But hearing the ridicule and condescension.
It’s when you decide for yourSELF that you’re fine, That you can begin to turn water to wine. It’s when YOU feel comfortable in your own skin That you can begin on your journey to win.
No, it’s not easy, to want to conform
Or made to believe that you’re outside the norm.
But if you’re like Dumplin’, you’ll rise to your best
And you will decide you will not be suppressed.
Everyone’s different and all are worthwhile
And all of us have individual style.
So get out on that runway and strut all your stuff
Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not enough!
Skinny or chubby, plump or obese,
Accept what you’re given – that’s where you find peace.
