Tag: Divabetic

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Divabetic Podcast Sound Bites: Jill Weisenberger

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

This excerpt is from our Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Turnaround podcast with Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel singer Pat Lacy.

Jill Weisenberger is recognized internationally for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes, and prediabetes. She worked as a nutrition counselor, diabetes educator, and health coach in hospitals, research, and private practice settings. Jill helps leverage resources, recipes, and scientific insights to find better ways to improve eating and smart living, reduce the risk of mismanaged diabetes health-related complications, and support better health.

Jill Weisenberger is the author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, 2nd edition, The Beginners’s Guide to What to Eat with Type 2 Diabetes, Diabetes Weight Loss Week By Week, 21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Your Heart, and The Overworked Person’s Guide To Better Nutrition. Additionally, she offers the Prediabetes Meal Planning Crash Course, Prediabetes Turnaround, Type 2 Eating Guide, and a Stick With It Video Course.

Gospel Singer Pat Lacy, who has worked with The Sounds of Blackness and Luther Vandross, shares her experience living with type 2 diabetes and how she modified her lifestyle to take charge of her health. This podcast features music from Pat Lacy’s upcoming gospel album, I’m Taking You To Church.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

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It’s a Berry Good Year For Fruit!

Believe it or not, the notion that fruit is not safe when you need to watch your A1C is a popular diabetes myth that has been debunked repeatedly.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), many types of fruit are loaded with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This powerful nutrient can help regulate blood sugar levels, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Strawberries have the lowest amount of sugar per 1-cup serving compared to popular fruits such as apples and oranges, with about 7 g per serving, according to the USDA. “Strawberries can be the perfect low-calorie solution for someone with a sweet tooth,” says Mitzi Dulan, RD, Kansas City-based author of The Pinterest Diet: How to Pin Your Way Thin. “Research suggests that eating strawberries may help our bodies better use insulin, which can lower the amount needed to manage blood sugar after eating.” Preliminary research published in May 2020 in Food & Function suggests that berries, including strawberries, may improve insulin sensitivity and help prevent diabetes and its complications.
According to the USDA, raspberries have 8 g of fiber per cup – essentially one-third of your daily value of fiber for women in one serving. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says women should aim to take 25 g of fiber daily. Raspberries also have a GL of 2, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.
 

With a few simple swaps, you can help live your best life while managing your diabetes. Our experts offer straightforward, simple, and fun swap ideas for drinks, medications, self-care, and fashion. Plus, we share style tips and words of inspiration to help you maintain a healthy habit.

Developing these habits isn’t always easy. Adapting to a new routine can be tricky, and it’s often tempting to want to return to old ways if we don’t see immediate results. One of the biggest mistakes people make when forming a new habit is taking on too much too quickly.  Focus on what’s working in your diabetes self-care plan before overhauling diabetes management. Instead of decluttering the entire house, why not focus on one room or closet? Why not focus on the calories you drink rather than everything you eat?  If you want to eat healthier, try replacing one dessert daily with a piece of fruit rather than cutting out sugar completely. If you’re going to get into hiking, start with a walk at lunchtime. Setting small goals you can achieve will help keep you motivated along the way.

Guests include Catherine Schuller, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RD, CDCES, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, MEd, NDTR, and Mama Rose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

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Gabriela Hearst: Advocate for Sustainability In Fashion

My New York Fashion Week festivities began with the 92Y’s Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis and Gabriela Hearst. Coming directly from  New York City Mayor Eric Adams’  fashion event at Gracie Mansion appeared to knock Fern off her game, but Gabriella Hearst sparkled when she hit the stage. 

Gabriela Hearst wears multiple hats. She is the founder and creative director of her namesake fashion brand, creative director of Chloé, and is a wife and mother. She’s also the leading advocate for sustainability in fashion.  Her website states her line is committed to making the highest quality possible product with the lowest impact on our environment.
 
 But she works in a luxury business where clothes and handbags pay bills and salaries. Balancing the books between the environmental and business bottom lines can be challenging. 
 
One of the keys to her success, she admitted to Fern, is that she rarely listens to advice from men. She feels women will find the solutions for climate change. 
 
Gabriela believes less is more. Galvanizing metal, like silver and gold, to produce the hardware on Chloe’s luxury bags creates a lot of toxic waste. Her solution? Cut back on the amount of different metals being used. She and Chloe use only one gold and one silver to produce their handbags.
 
Additionally, 60% of fabrics used are “lower impact” materials, and Under Chloé no longer sells cotton T-shirts, to avoid the water-intensive production of that fabric.

Cashmere has been replaced by recycled cashmere, and denim by circular denim, made of a mix of recycled cotton and hemp or linen.

Gabriela Hearst was born in Uruguay, where she learned a commitment to sustainability working on her family’s ranch. She applied what she learned to fashion.  She started her signature clothing line with an environmentalist approach.  However, she doesn’t believe “vegan” leather is an environmentally friendly choice. “For as long as we are eating meat, leather is a byproduct of that,” she told the Guardian. “So it is a good fabric to use. When I go home to my ranch in Uruguay, they ask me – what’s happening in the north? They are having to burn leather, because people want to wear polyester instead. The idea that vegan shoes are helping the environment is just good marketing.”

Earlier this week, the Museum of FIT honored Gabriela Hearst with the 2023 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion.
She told WWD that winning the 2023 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashionmeans to her, “It’s a recognition for the team. I feel that we’re moving in the right direction,” she said.
Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT, said, “The industry is moving toward collections with a conscience. Gabriela is a role model for designers who are embracing their responsibility to reduce and prevent climate change. She leads by example using deadstock fabric, eliminating plastic in her work, and she even created the first carbon-neutral runway show.”

Over the next two weeks, she will present her Gabriela Hearst collection in New York and show her final Chloé collection on Sept. 28 during Paris Fashion Week. As reported, Gabriela Hearst is stepping down as creative director of Chloé this fall after a three-year collaboration.

Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller is a passionate advocate for sustainably in fashion. Catherine shares how ‘Cloth Swaps’ are helping fashionistas get their fix without harming our environment on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast.

With a few simple swaps, you can help live your best life while managing your diabetes. Our experts offer straightforward, simple, and fun swap ideas for drinks, medications, self-care, and fashion. Plus, we share style tips and words of inspiration to help you maintain a healthy habit.

Developing these habits isn’t always easy. Adapting to a new routine can be tricky, and it’s often tempting to want to return to old ways if we don’t see immediate results. One of the biggest mistakes people make when forming a new habit is taking on too much too quickly.  Focus on what’s working in your diabetes self-care plan before overhauling diabetes management. Instead of decluttering the entire house, why not focus on one room or closet? Why not focus on the calories you drink rather than everything you eat?  If you want to eat healthier, try replacing one dessert daily with a piece of fruit rather than cutting out sugar completely. If you’re going to get into hiking, start with a walk at lunchtime. Setting small goals you can achieve will help keep you motivated along the way.

Guests include Catherine Schuller, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RD, CDCES, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, MEd, NDTR, and Mama Rose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic presents a diva-style approach to diabetes empowerment on this podcast for fashion lovers. We’re playing our Buy, Borrow, or Burn! fashion game features plus-size swimwear and iconic swimsuits worn by Halle Berry, Farrah Fawcett, and Annette Funicello.

Plus, get the scoop on what Hemoglobin A1 C is on ‘Sexy Little Numbers’ with Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES.

Guest include Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Kendra Charisse Porter body expert, style architect, and founder of Honor You ( image consulting agency), Dalia Strum, consumer and business strategic digital media expert and fashion-related social media shopping consultant and special guest, Alexis living with type 1 diabetes from New York City.

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Bittersweet by Poet Lorraine Brooks

Lorraine Brooks’s poetry expresses the emotional side of living with diabetes that is often overlooked or ignored on Divabetic’s monthly podcast.

If you’re feeling angry, ashamed, or overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to seek help.

Bittersweet by Poet Lorraine Brooks

I have diabetes, that’s generally known,
And sometimes, there’s cause for concern.
When others assume, that what I have shown
Is reason for them to be stern.
So what makes me angry, occasionally,
Is questioning my food decisions.
It’s when people judge, even well-meaningly,
And then look at me with derision.
It’s when doctors give me a guilt-making talk,
As if I have failed in my dealing.
It’s when people think that they’re walking the walk,
But they don’t understand how I’m feeling.
I often get angry when numbers don’t jive
In spite of the effort I’m making.
When blood sugars rise to two, hundred and five,
And my carb-counting may be mistaken.
Or how about not being able to lose
Any weight, even though I am trying.
I try all the diets, end up confused,
And sometimes I just feel like crying.
I never would choose this, the way that I live,
Because of the changes required.
And I can get angry and cannot forgive,
And I can get real sick and tired.
Counting, and checking, and eating, or not,
Cooking and shopping, and staying aware…
Trying to balance the changes I’ve got,
And making the most of my need for healthcare.
I know that some people will not understand,
That sometimes I’m hurt, and I’m scared.
But all I can say is, respect who I am,
And know that some days, it’s just HARD.
So walk in your beauty, and walk in your pride,
And use all your anger as fuel.
It’s not always easy to be on this ride,
And people can often be cruel.
But also don’t let people stand in your way
And don’t let yourself get unwound.
Even if you’re not feeling completely OK,
Get off of the merry-go-round!
Focus, be thoughtful, and give it your best,
Because that’s really all you can do.
Let go, of the anger and feeling depressed…
Stand up, and enjoy being YOU!

Lorraine Brooks performs her poem on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast with musical inspiration from Evelyn “Champagne” King.

Podcast guests include Authors of Overcoming Destructive Anger , psychologist Dr. Bernard Golden, PhD, an anger management specialist, Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, Laura Laria MA, CASAC-T, Jill Knapp- Woolsey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, and the Charlie’s Angels Outreach.

Throughout the podcast, we will play selected songs from The Essential Evelyn “Champagne” King courtesy of SONY Music.

Divabetic’s podcast is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”

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Divabetic Mysteries Podcast: Murder Plain As Vanilla Coming in Fall 2023

Divabetic will present its 10th Annual Divabetic Mysteries podcast, Murder Plain As Vanilla, this fall. The cozy mystery podcast features a Murder She Wrote-style whodunit with loads of diabetes and self-care information.

Murder Plain As Vanilla Synopsis

When Max’s arch-nemesis baking sensation Renata Whisk calls late at night, offering a chance to participate in the Visions of Vanilla baking competition, he can’t refuse. After all, it’s an invitation to compete against culinary giants Best-Selling Cookbook Author Lily Frost, Green Thumb Gourment, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess and, most importantly, a chance to pay back his debt owed to his mother for using her credit card at the Jersey Shore to buy kitchen equipment.
He arrives bright and early at the historic Hedge’s Inn in East Hampton, New York, with nothing to lose.  But before his hands touch a flour canister, he discovers the dead body of the competition’s sponsor, Conrad Rivera, the Vanilla King of Madagascar, lying in the Hedges Inn’s bed of roses. As luck has it, Max is the last person to see the Vanilla King alive. Soon, rumors are swirling about Max’s involvement in legendary TV Chef Sweet Sally Buttercup’s untimely demise at Central Park’s Gingerbread Man competition. To prove his innocence, he enlists his team, USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, health educators MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, and his mother, Mama Rose Marie. But when another baker’s dead body is found near Max’s baking station, even his mother refuses to taste his newest recipe. Could it be as lethal as a cup of kale hot cocoa?
Now, armed with only Renata Whisk’s Puffed Pastry recipe, a rolling pin, and his team’s expertise in solving murders and dispersing diabetes health information, Max has no choice but to solve the mystery or at least die trying. To win the Visions Of Vanilla grand prize, it will be a fight to the death.
This popular podcast will be available for free on all streaming platforms. Stay tuned for more details!

Tune in to Divabetic’s 9th Annual Mystery podcast, Tomorrow Is Not on The Menu.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, lands his to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage’s Wellness Retreat on the Jersey Shore. Everything seems low pressure and low calorie until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s new chef knives. Now he’s the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation!

Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Or will he be trading his fruit suit for coveralls with stripes?

Weight loss murder never tasted so good.

Starring Mr. Divabetic, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage,’ Seveda Williams, Dave Jones, Catherine Schuller and Lorraine Brooks. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Special thanks to our colleague, the multi-talented Wendy Radford.

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, our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit hoping 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 chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring 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. 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.

There’s a good indication that murder might be part of the recipe when Nantucket’s ten-time reigning Baking Champion’s last name is ‘Coffin’.

But resentment, greed, and Britannia’s own bad dealings turn everyone into a suspect when she’s found dead in the parking lot just before the Annual Decadents on Deck! Bake Off competition is about to kick off.

Delusional baker and amateur sleuth Mr. Divabetic is even shocked to find himself being treated as a suspect in the case by the local police after meeting her just once!

As if his life wasn’t crazy enough before, escaping a murderous mishap in New York and attempting a fresh start in Nantucket has turned into a complete and utter baking disaster, now Max, along with his friends and nosy mother, have to add tracking down a murderer to his To-Do list, as well.

Can our team hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Will he become the next victim? Can Max ever manage to bake a cake that’s actually edible?

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

 

 

 

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Beware of Portion Distortion!!!

You’ve probably noticed that food portions have increased. Some portions are called “super size,” while others provide enough food for at least two people.
Sadly, the calorie content at popular U.S. fast food restaurants has shot up over the past three decades, according to a new study.

TIME magazine reported on a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which compared food at 10 fast food restaurants: Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr, Dairy Queen, Hardee’s, Jack in the Box, KFC, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s and Wendy’s over twenty years: 1986, 1991, and 2016. Researchers found that, on average, the calorie content of entrees went up by 30 calories a decade, while the calorie content of desserts went up by 62 calories a decade. Menu items also had a major increase in sodium content – about a 4.6% daily value increase per decade for entrees.

If seeing is believing, these ice cream cones on Tumblr are a perfect example of how enormous our portion sizes have grown!!
Whether you’re eating at home, at a restaurant, or on the road, these tips can help avoid portion distortion.
  1. Eat your food off a plate instead of out of the box or bag.
  2. Avoid eating while watching TV or doing other activities.
  3. Eat slowly and stop eating when you start to feel full.
  4. Cut meal servings in half.

Internationally recognized nutritionist and portion-control expert Dr. Lisa Young, Ph.D., RND ( Author of The Portion Teller Plan) joins us on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast. Other guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr.Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller, and Diabetes – What To Know Facebook Community member Crystal.  Throughout the podcast, we will play music from Dolly Parton’s Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music.

How much are you really eating?

More than you think, especially if you think these servings seem small.
Dr. Lisa Young’s The Portion Teller Plan will teach you how to understand portion sizes to lose weight and stop dieting, regardless of your portion personality. Are you a mindless muncher who snacks all day, a dinner lover who enjoys one big meal a day, or a volume eater who always wants to sit down with a huge plate of food at every meal? No matter your eating habits, The Portion Teller Plan offers a personalized eating plan that is right for you. Instead of giving up the foods you love, learn to smartsize them with the help of one of the country’s leading nutritionists.

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Divabetic Remembers Diana Ross in Lady Sings The Blues

Diana Ross’s iconic performance in Lady Sings The Blues inspires us to discuss the link between diabetes and depression and diabetes distress.

When Diana Ross chose to make her feature film debut playing the role of Billie Holiday in the biopic Lady Sings The Blues; there were more than a few skeptics. The Motown Queen’s solo career started as a slow burn – only one of her four post-Supremes albums to date had made the US Top 40.

Thankfully, she persevered through people’s doubts and the physically and emotionally grueling film production. Her captivating performance on film and record earned her an Academy Award nomination and a #1 solo Pop Album in the US — aptly, on the chart date that would have been Billie’s 58th birthday, April 7, 1973. The double LP features Ross singing gems from the tragic singer’s catalog, such as God Bless The Child, Strange Fruit, and the title song.

Sadly, Billie Holiday had already been gone for 13 years when Lady Sings The Blues was released.

Why Is It Called the Blues?

In the 19th century, the English phrase blue devils referred to the upsetting hallucinations brought on by severe alcohol withdrawal. Over time it was shortened to the blues, which described states of depression and upset, and it was later adopted as the name for the melancholic songs that the musical genre encapsulates.

If you’re feeling blue, symptoms include sadness, lack of sleep, or loss of appetite. Depression has these symptoms and more, including prolonged insomnia, significant weight loss or gain, and extreme fatigue or disinterest in regular activities.

Many people with diabetes struggle with depression. The daily demands of diabetes can be stressful and lead to symptoms of depression. Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may make symptoms of depression worse. Don’t be afraid to seek help.

What Is Diabetes Distress?

According to our friends at Diabetes.UK, diabetes distress is what some people feel when they’re overwhelmed by the relentlessness of diabetes. This can lead to diabetes burnout.

Diabetes distress has been described as worrying about not taking enough care of your diabetes but not feeling motivated to change. Symptoms include avoiding going to appointments or checking your blood sugars, making unhealthy food choices regularly, and feeling alone and isolated.
Many people feel like this sometimes, but you must get help.

Billie Holiday was a true artist of her day and became a social phenomenon in the 1950s. Her soulful, unique singing voice and ability to boldly turn any material she confronted into her music made her a superstar of her time.

Today, Billy Holiday is remembered for her masterpieces, creativity, and vivacity, as many of Holiday’s songs are as well known today as they were decades ago. Holiday’s poignant voice is still considered to be one of the greatest jazz voices of all time.

Billie Holiday inspires us to talk about the  ‘MILESTONES’ related to diabetes wellness with a stellar lineup of guests featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Susan Wiener RD, CDCES,   Best-Selling Author Brenda Novak, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.

This Divabetic podcast features music from across Billie Holiday‘s extraordinary career, including What A Little Moonlight Can Do, Them There Eyes, That Ole Devil Called Love, Blue Moon, Strange Fruit, God Bless the Child, and more courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

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We’re Back! After Our Website Crashed

We’re back! Our website, Divabetic.Org, crashed. It’s been headaches and heartbreaks for over two weeks trying to restore the sparkle to the internet.  Navigating help chat rooms with our hosting agencies, listening to bad music, and decoding our dashboards was less fun than a day at the beach.  Thankfully, Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig provided wonderful distractions and podcast inspiration.

Please enjoy our latest podcast on Love, Sex, and Intimacy with Diabetes with inspiration from Barbie & Ken. Our guests: Dr. Janis Roszler PhD, LMFT, RDN, LD/N, CDCES, FAND, and Donna Rice, MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FADCES, are the co-authors of Divabetic’s new e-book, Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes, soon-to-be available on Amazon. Podcast music by Doug Clay.

For the past 64 years. Barbie has been a part of our lives, a cultural touchstone, or the quintessential image of what a woman should be but never will be – a sex or beauty object.

Greta Gerwig’s big screen makeover and the related marketing blitz are making us revisit and reevaluate Barbie’s impact on our lives, including our sex lives. After all, if Barbie and Ken are confused about what to do at sleepovers, you might be too, especially if you’re dealing with sexual health issues related to diabetes.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in nearly all countries—people with diabetes experience sexual dysfunction more often than the general public.

Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes, book one in the series, is your key to a happy, healthy intimate life with diabetes. Inside you’ll find:

  • The common physical and emotional sexual complications of diabetes and treatment options for men and women.
  • An overview of diabetes nutrition, physical activity, weight loss, and diabetes medications
  • Information on how aging impacts diabetes management and intimacy.
  • Guidance on how to talk to your healthcare provider about intimacy-related issues. Ideas and techniques for building sexual intimacy and communicating effectively with your partner.
  • Tips to help you avoid dangerous or money-wasting fraudulent sexual treatments.

Authors Dr. Janis Roszler and Donna Rice use humor, helpful examples, and insightful questions to present key topics about sexual health in an engaging, approachable way.

This series is perfect for anyone (regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, or health status) looking to rekindle intimacy with their partner or be proactive about their sexual and emotional well-being.

Enjoy A Daily Dose of Diva Inspiration

“My greatest beauty secret is being happy with myself. I don’t use special creams or treatments—I’ll use a little bit of everything. It’s a mistake to think you are what you put on yourself. I believe that a lot of how you look is to do with how you feel about yourself and your life. Happiness is the greatest beauty secret.” – Tina Turner 

 

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A Little Respect by Lorraine Brooks

Enjoy this poem, A Little Respect, by Lorraine Brooks. Lorraine shared this poem on Divabetic’s podcast inspired by Aretha Franklin. 

Over the years, Lorraine has shared poems shedding light on society’s shame and blame directed at people with diabetes’s size and shape. Aretha Franklin struggled with several undisclosed issues (pancreatic cancer, type diabetes, tobacco use) and fluctuating weight issues throughout her career. It’s been reported that at age 34,  Aretha started yoyo dieting with alternating weight loss and gain.

A LITTLE RESPECT by Lorraine Brooks

Look at me.
Look at the pain
In my eyes.
All that you see
Is my
Overweight size.
Inside is a person
Who needs to
Be heard.
Needs to let go of
The hurt
I’ve incurred.
I’m not uninformed
And I’m not unaware.
I am not lazy
And yes, I DO care.
I haven’t abandoned
My health or my needs.
I’ve just redefined
What it means
To Succeed.
I am not here
To live up to your charts
Or conform to your standards
For my body parts.
It’s not called depression
It doesn’t need meds
I won’t go to blazes and
I won’t drop dead.
I don’t have the answer
To all of life’s queries,
I don’t want to hear about
All of your theories.
Just treat me with value
As part of the clan
And do not compare me to those
Smaller than.
Look at me
Look at the smile
I reflect
And treat me with love
And a little
Respect.

Enjoy this episode of Divabetic’s podcast with music from Aretha Franklin.

Aretha Franklin was considered the legend of legends, a groundbreaking singer with the fortitude to transcend race and genre, using voice as the bulldozer to break down every barrier set up in her way.

Aretha’s health journey sparks a discussion about the uncertain connection between pancreatic cancer and diabetes. Long-standing diabetes can be considered a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. It causes a modest increase in the risk of 1.5- to two-fold. Other risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), family history of pancreatic cancer, obesity, and specific genetic syndromes.

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport, Diabetes Strong’s owner Christel Oerum, Beautyphonics CEO and “Beneath The Makeup” Author Suzanne Perez, Jessica Clark, and Trisha Artman.

This podcast features 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.”

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Buttons by Lorraine Brooks

Enjoy this poem, Buttons, by Lorraine Brooks, whose monthly poetry contributions on Divabetic’s podcast help inform and enlighten our listeners. Over the years, Lorraine has helped me champion a weight-neutral approach to managing diabetes. She has shown me and countless others how focusing solely on the number you see on the scale can harm your diabetes health.

Taking a weight-neutral approach involves working outside the confines of weight loss as the primary goal for managing your diabetes. The goal is to respect the body and learn how to cultivate healthy habits. Unlike traditional approaches to weight loss, weight is not used as an indicator of health. The focus is on size acceptance, consistent self-care behaviors, and diabetes care. You can be healthy at every size. 

BUTTONS by Lorraine Brooks

I’ve never had buttons

On top of my jeans

I’ve only been able

To wear size of “queens”.

Elastic has often been

Something I needed

In clothing that made me feel

Somewhat defeated.

I longed for the feeling

Of putting on pants

Not worrying if people

Looked at me

Askance.

No more stretch fabric

And no more a “plus”,

And seeing my booty

As big as a bus.

I’m tucking my shirt in,

I’m wearing no sleeves,

My body is freedom

My body believes.

The old grey sweatshirt

That I used to dread

I’m wearing a cardigan sweater

Instead.

I know that this “victory”

Might not seem much

And that I am not “perfect” or

Gorgeous and such.

But trust me and listen

When I have to say

I buttoned my jeans today…

Hip, hip hooray!

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic plays the food game, Serve, Taste or Trash! at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.

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