“Usually, my first thought in the morning is what’s my blood sugar?” says our friend Rachel Zinman, who has been living with type 1 diabetes for thirteen years. After that, the Yoga For Diabetes author tells herself, “I have to get up, get my meter and check my blood sugar levels.”
Before she adopted diabetes psychologist Mark HeymanCDCES’s “diabetes might be challenging, but I’ve got this” motto, Rachel viewed the numbers on her meter as judgments. Now, she sees her morning blood sugar levels more or less as just numbers. As a result, she doesn’t take them so personally.
“Working with my diabetes educator taught me to manage my diabetes in terms of a balance beam rather than a tightrope,” she admits.
Now, Rachel shifts her mindset when she experiences high or low blood sugars. “I don’t think I will fall off a tightrope. I’ve learned I’ve got room to change things and open up my range like I’m on a balance beam. That has really changed how I feel. I feel better. I feel like I have a lot more freedom with food and insulin.”
She confesses she’s blown away that she can enjoy her favorite breakfast food, avocado toast with normal blood sugars!
Rachel shares a guided meditation on January’s Divabetic podcast scheduled for Tuesday, January 11, 2022, with music by Teddy Pendergrass, as part of our New Year’s tradition to help center listeners’ minds, bodies, and souls.
Click HEREto read the three things that help Rachel Zinman start her day with a positive mind frame.
Whether you’re focused on losing weight or want to add a little extra sparkle into your daily diabetes self-care, we’ve got you covered with this year’s Divabetic Holiday Gift Guide 2021. We believe in thoughtful gifts that bring a little happiness and good health into your life.
Holiday Mindful Eating Tip of the day from Lisa Young: Ask yourself, am I hungry?, eat slowly, and enjoy your company along with your food!
Herb Scissors Retail: $10.67
Fresh herbs enhance the flavors of all foods, especially vegetables, which will help you to reduce using salt to perk up your meals. These scissors are perfect for basil, thyme, dill, parsley, chives, mint, fennel. You can use directly over a pan or plate to make perfectly sized, restaurant-quality quick, and impressive garnishes for soups, salads, pizza, and side dishes.
Our friend, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, demonstrated how to use herb scissors in a recent Divabetic Zoom program.
With a motto like,” I make nutrition science understandable, realistic & delicious,” Jill specializes in customizing plans to help people living with, affected by, and at risk of diabetes to maximize their health.
Jill quickly snipped a bunch of fresh herbs to season her soup. She showed us that this kitchen tool is a big help in curbing the need to grab the salt-shaker for your recipes. Available on Amazon.
In this video, Jill Weisenberger shares her favorite healthy salad and salad dressing recipes, suggested new flavor combinations to perk up meals, and answered questions on nutrition. Enjoy this sneak peek of what you missed on a recent Divabetic Zoom program! Join us for Divabetic’s free Holiday-themed Sugar-Free Baking Party with the Diabetic Pastry Chef, Stacey Harris on Thursday, December 9, 2021, 7-8 PM, EST. Register Now
The latest numbers from the CDC suggest that nearly 1 in 3 adults have either prediabetes or diabetes. These are alarming numbers, and finding out that you are the one out of three can be even more alarming. Shock, denial, and confusion are not uncommon reactions. But there is a flip side to learning you have prediabetes. It can be scary, but it’s also an opportunity—an opportunity to “reset,” to improve your health and to get yourself in better shape than ever. Let Prediabetes: A Complete Guide show you how!ho
Divabetic Holiday Playlist: Kelly Clarkson never fails to bring us joy! Her new Christmas album is a total delight. This duet “Under the Mistletoe” with Brett Eldredge gets us up and dancing every time we play it!
Register now for Divabetic’s free Holiday-themed Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 2021, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom. One lucky participant received a free Splenda Gift Basket featuring a variety of their products.
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Stacey Harris (The Diabetic Pastry Chef) taught herself how to make pound cake, pecan rolls, pies, muffins, cupcakes, and other baked goods with about half the carbs you’d get from traditional bakery items.
The Diabetic Pastry Chef
Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef captured the hearts and the taste buds of our attendees on Divabetic’s free Baking Party in September. She returns to demonstrate how to make sugar-free Linzer tarts on December’s Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom.
Over 150 registered for September’s Baking Party on Zoom. Don’t miss out! Register now for Divabetic’s free Holiday-themed Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 2021, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.
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?
Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic hosts this free, fun Virtual Holiday-themed Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.
MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR shared her Discover Winter Squash presentation on Divabetic’s recent Once In A Blue Moon program on Zoom.
During the presentation, MaryAnn shared nutrition information about winter squashes including acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and pumpkin as well as cooking suggestions.
The health benefits of Winter squash include vitamins, minerals, and fiber and can promote heart and eyes health. Winter squashes lower the risks of some cancers, and help with high blood pressure, protect eyes, and supports a healthy immune system.
I always feel inspired to step out of my food rut and try new foods and flavors after MaryAnn’s Zoom presentations. This past Sunday, feeling motivated by MaryAnn’s suggestion, I purchased acorn squash.
MaryAnn demonstrated how to cut an acorn squash and easy ways to prepare it for cooking. She managed to make winter squash much more accessible to me.
What Does Acorn Squash Taste Like?
Acorn squash tastes mildly sweet and nutty. Its flavor is not as bold as other winter squash varieties, which makes it wonderful for stuffing with other ingredients.
How to Cut Acorn Squash
The easiest way to cut acorn squash is from stem to end.
Lay your squash on its side, and use a sharp knife to make a cut on one side between two of the ridges. Continue cutting on the same line, repositioning and flipping your squash over as needed, until you’ve cut all the way through around the bottom of the squash on both sides.
Click here for the full recipe. Erin Clarke is fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that’s affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. She is the author and recipe developer at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook.
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?
Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic hosts this free, fun Virtual Holiday-themed Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.
World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14 to mark the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting. He discovered the insulin hormone along with Charles Herbert Best in 1922. According to experts, an estimated 463 million people worldwide are living with diabetes.
The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021-23 is “Access to Diabetes Care – If Not Now, When?”, putting across the timely message for diabetes care.
The World Diabetes Day organization highlights a greater need for education on disease and treatment, dietary changes, and exercise to keep blood sugar levels within tighter management.
We’re advocating for insulin for all. A hundred years ago, Frederick Banting and Charles Best sold the patent for $1 each to be accessible for all. Today the cost of insulin has increased by over 1,200%. Why the cost of insulin has skyrocketed is more complicated than a hashtag or meme to explain. You can point the finger at manufacturers, insurance companies, middlemen, politicians but still, miss a few others. Regardless of who is to blame, the hard truth is that this crisis forces people to resort to drastic measures to stay alive. Many, many, many people are rationing their insulin with tragic consequences. This has to stop. Maybe it’s time on World Diabetes Day to advocate for #insulin4all?
Artwork courtesy of Miss Diabetes. Visit: https://missdiabetes.com
Over the years, Divabetic has presented many free outreach programs and podcasts supporting World Diabetes Day.
Earlier this week, we hosted both a podcast and virtual program in support of World Diabetes Day.
On this podcast, we’re celebrating people’s ability to thrive living with diabetes with inspiration from the great Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, who lived with diabetes before the discovery of insulin. Guests include Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES, FAND Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic. Throughout this podcast, we feature music from Puccini: Great Opera Arias courtesy of SONY Music.
This past Thursday, we hosted a free program, ‘Once In A Blue Moon’ featuring Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR and Catherine Schuller on Zoom
We have proudly partnered with the American Diabetes Association, Mount Sinai and Beth Israel Hospitals in New York, NY, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. We’ve also taken to the streets and hosted free health fairs at Union Square Park and the Apollo Theater in New York, NY.
However, one of our fondest World Diabetes Day memories dates back to a decade ago. Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller persuaded Wendy Williams to “GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS” on national TV! As a result, Wendy wore a blue dress on her daytime TV show supporting World Diabetes Day. It was a fantastic moment!!
https://youtu.be/6b0a7Ic0YEs
In early September, Wendy Williams was allegedly rushed to the hospital for psychiatric services. One source said,” Wendy was drinking every day, even while filming the show,” leading to her hospitalization.
Thankfully, the TV star recently posted this message on Instagram: “HOW YOU DOIN’? I MISS YOU ALL! As everyone knows, my health has been a hot topic.” She added, “I’m a woman of a certain age, and I know enough to listen to my doctors and will return to my purple chair as soon as we all agree I’m ready. I’m doing everything I can to get back to work, but right now, Wendy has to focus on Wendy.”
One of our favorite educators, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND is offering an Easy Meal Planning for Blood Sugar Control program on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at 6:00 PM, EST.
Jill is excited to invite you to this program, specifically to recognize Diabetes Awareness Month. It’s sponsored by Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI). NEBPI is a subcontractor to the Beef Checkoff Program and is funded by U.S. Farmers and Ranchers.
And it’s going to be great, whether you have diabetes, prediabetes, or simply want to learn more about easy meal planning. By the end of this short program, you’ll
know the simple 3-step formula to crafting a balanced meal to manage your blood sugar
learn cooking techniques to boost your portion of food but not your blood sugar or weight
have a new, delicious beef recipe to prepare lickety-split
know where to access resources for more recipes, tips, and insights
Plus, Jill Weisenbergerpromises tons of fun, a chance to win prizes, and the opportunity to cook along with her. We’ll get you the ingredients list if you’d like to have dinner ready by the end of the program.
We’re talking about how to get over the fear and anxiety about speaking publically about your diabetes and related health issues (including depression and sleep apnea) on this Divabetic podcast with music from Carly Simon.
Grammy winner Carly Simon has recorded over 30 albums, won two Grammies, and an Academy Award. Carly Simon managed to accomplish her dreams by overcoming severe stuttering and painful migraines to achieve her success. When I was a young child,” Carly Simon has revealed, “I had a stammer. And the only time it went away was when I sang. One day, my mother said to me, ‘Don’t speak it, sing it.’ And that’s what I did.”
Leading advocates share their journeys and tools that help them: FreeStyle Libre 2 App, CPAP machines, and a new line of baked good mixes, TruEats.
The FreeStyle Libre system measures glucose levels through a small sensor applied to the back of your upper arm. It provides real-time glucose readings for up to 10 days, both day and night.
Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you might have sleep apnea.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. A CPAP machine uses a hose and mask or nosepiece to deliver constant and steady air pressure.
Guests include the Director of Content of the sleep sites of Pillar4 Media, Marten Carlson, and Plus-Size Fashion and Tavel Blogger, LGBTQ+ Influencer, Alysse Dalessandro Santiago.
October’s Divabetic podcast features music from Carly Simon’s Coming Around Again album courtesy of SONY Music.
It happens to most of us now and then, or at least on Thanksgiving. We eat way too much and wind up feeling overly stuffed, bloated, and sleepy.
If you regularly feel these uncomfortable symptoms after an average meal, you may be overeating.
Overeating may occur when food becomes the constant emotional crutch and support. As a result, some of us turn away food during a time of great stress or sadness or use it as a source of comfort.
Mindless eating can be a culprit too. For example, suppose you’re dining while browsing your social media feed. In that case, you could be disconnected from hunger and fullness cues and fullness cues. This type of mindless eating ends in overeating.
Recognize why you overeat – get in touch with your past and handle the feelings that trigger your eating problems. Seek help. We believe in you!
Have you noticed that you reach for food when you’re feeling stressed, bored, lonely, mad, or sad?
When your habit is to use food instead of paying attention to what these emotions are trying to tell you about your underlying needs, those needs go unmet. And of course, those unmet needs will continue to drive emotional eating!
Dr. Michelle May is a doctor, mindful eating expert, and author who helps people to overcome cycles of senseless yo-yo dieting and resolve mindless and emotional eating.
Other guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, R & B Singer Alyson Williams, ‘Here & Now’ Songwriter and Entertainer Terry Steele, Seveda Williams, Luther Vandross Historian Leon Petrossian, and Luther Superfan John Price.
Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Busy Body’ courtesy of SONY Music. On ‘Busy Body’, Luther Vandross’ third album features ‘Superstar’, ‘For the Sweetness Of Your Love’, and the duet with Dionne Warwick entitled ‘ How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye’.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic visits the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, CA.to raise awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way. At Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Mr. Divabetic talks to some of the world’s most famous celebrities and plays his new food game, Serve, Taste or Trash.
Which food would you serve, which food would you taste and which food would you trash if your choices were: mushrooms, mangos, and broccoli?
The Chinese Theatre in Hollywood is the most famous movie theatre in the world. Millions of visitors flock here each year, most of them drawn by its legendary forecourt with its footprints of the stars. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre opened over 70 years ago, with the 1927 debut of the original silent version of “King of Kings,” produced by Cecil B. DeMille. Since then, the Chinese Theatre has been the site of more gala Hollywood movie premieres than any other movie theater.
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.
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 fromCarly 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.
Join us for Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcast, A Christmas Peril, scheduled for this Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 6 PM, EST. This year’s live mystery drama stars Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford.
Here’s a Short Synopsis:
The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge, named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic along with our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.
Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.
In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.
Special thanks to the Houdeshell family, and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir
