dlife – Divabetic

07/17/202407/17/2024

Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes Mini-Reunion

I hosted a “Divabetic—Makeover Your Diabetes” mini-team reunion with my friends and colleagues, Makeup Artist Jeff Jones, and Style Advisor Catherine Schuller. We haven’t been together in quite a while.

It was such a rewarding experience to travel to different U.S. cities and empower women affected by, living with, and at risk of diabetes. The experience was life-changing for each of us, so within no time, we were walking down memory lane, sharing our favorite moments.

Our comprehensive educational approach, partnered with free makeover services, boosted their confidence and helped them manage their condition effectively. Participants could enjoy one-on-one education sessions on fitness, nutrition, appearance, intimacy, diabetes education, and goal setting. They were also treated to free makeovers, mini-massages, image advice and safe manicures. Our Diva photography studio, fashion show, fun workout demonstrations, stage games, and prize giveaways had people smiling all day.

Divabetic’s six one-on-one education stations were branded with nonclinical names: “Twist & Shout” (fitness), “Grab Green & Go” (nutrition), “Glam More Fear Less” (appearance), “Tunnel of Love” (intimacy), “Denial’s Not My Style “(A, B, C’s of diabetes), and “Sweet Inspirations” (goal setting. These stations were surrounded by a Makeover Maze (free makeup application, mini-massage, and safe manicure stations)so that participants could jump back and forth from education to self-pampering without losing a beat.

Catherine and Jeff discussed their initial meeting and shared hesitations about their roles in the makeover program in an elevator as we headed to our first team meeting in Atlanta, GA, in 2006. No one was more surprised at that meeting in Atlanta than my parents, who initially thought they were helping me at someone else’s program, not hosting my first national program. They were shocked to learn I had gained funding from Novo Nordisk to pilot an outreach program geared toward women in two major cities, Atlanta, GA, and Philadelphia, PA; even more surprising was that it became one of their most popular outreach programs ever. Our Novo Nordisk Presents Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes ran for three remarkable years, reaching thousands of women in eight major cities.

I found myself retelling the unbelievable origins story of the program and how I was in the right place at the right time to conceive and implement a program of this magnitude. My experience volunteering backstage at dLife TV tapings in New York played an instrumental role in making it all happen.

02/01/202402/01/2024

Love Across Life Stages Of Diabetes Is Coming

Divabetic is partnering with Diabetes Sisters on the first-ever survey on love and relationships for women with diabetes, called “Across All Life Stages of Diabetes.”

Your participation will make a real difference in understanding your unique experiences and struggles with diabetes and your friends, spouses, and partners. Please take a few moments on February 13th to share your thoughts and experiences by taking this unique survey.

12/31/202312/31/2023

Divabetic 2023

This year, one of Divabetic’s many accomplisments was publishing Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes by Dr. Janis Roszler PhD, LMFT, RDN, LD/N, CDCES, FAND, and Donna Rice, MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FADCES. This ebook is the first in a series to help you enjoy a happy, healthy intimate life with diabetes.

Many people don’t know that diabetes can impact physical and emotional intimacy. And intimacy-related issues can be especially difficult to discuss with a partner or a health care provider. But don’t let diabetes hinder the romance. The Sweet Romance series is here to give you practical information and expert advice to tackle this sensitive subject. These comprehensive, interactive guides cover everything you need to know to enjoy a fulfilling sexual and emotional life despite the challenges of diabetes.

Get drenched in a hefty dose of R&B and Soul with Crystal Penny as this musical duo has come back again with another gem of a musical creation, ‘Standards’. Standards. I wrote the lyrics fo the breezy tunes celebrating our favorite female vocalists from the Quiet Storm radio format.

In October, we presented Divabetic’s World Menopause Day Panel discussion. Our panel was moderated by Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller and featured Dr. Julianne Arena, Donna Rice, and Amparo.

Dr Julianne Arena is a double board-certified physician, a board-certified OBGYN who applies traditional, integrative methods and a multi-layered approach to helping women with sexual health and intimacy issues. She’s also a practitioner of Cliovana, the only treatment available that improves long-term clitoral stimulation with proven sound wave technology. Her goal is to help women create optimal and vibrant lives.

I worked with my hands for Halloween, making sculptures with paper mache to display on one of New York’s most iconic Halloween streets. The process taught me that working with your hands promotes mindfulness and provides a sense of personal accomplishment.

An evening of delightful online baking featuring delicious treats without the guilt of sugar was presented at our Holiday Baking Party. The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosted this free Holiday Sugarfree Baking Party on Zoom with Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, and GUIDE Beauty’s founder, Terri Bryant. Terri was influenced by her dexterity challenges and Parkinson’s diagnosis to create a more inclusive approach for the beauty industry with products designed for the broadest universe of makeup users.

At the end of the program, we raffled off a Divabetic Gift Package featuring gifts courtesy of Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes’s Camper Cozy Mystery and Peak 10 Skin‘s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream.

In December, we presented Divabetic’s 10th Annual Mystery podcast, Murder Plain As Vanilla, which is now streaming on Spotify, iTunes, and BlogTalkRadio.

In this excerpt, we discuss the dangers of Insulin rationing. Insulin rationing is when someone with diabetes is forced to cut back on their use of insulin due to the medication’s high costs as a short-term measure. Sadly, new studies report that 1.3 million Americans are rationing insulin. Insulin is “like oxygen” for people with type 1 diabetes. Those with type 1 diabetes who go without it can get very sick within hours or days and end up in the hospital with ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening complication. It can even be deadly. Those with type 2 diabetes who don’t have adequate insulin can have high blood sugar levels, putting them at risk for complications such as heart disease, blindness, and kidney failure.

Our mystery podcast isn’t only for mystery lovers. It’s a fun way to learn about diabetes and self-care. In between colorful characters, crazy adventures, and mysterious surroundings, we pack health and wellness tips that can help you take charge of your diabetes. We also encourage you to think like a detective the next time you experience unexpected blood sugar fluctuations. Search for clues, collect data, talk to witnesses, and bring your ideas to the authorities (healthcare collaborators) for solutions. A team approach to managing your diabetes isn’t a bad idea either.

11/07/2023

Don’t Miss Divabetic’s Gift Guide

This November, we’re sharing gift ideas to help you live life to the fullest in Divabetic’s Gift Guide.

Gift-giving can be stressful, especially when you’re shopping for someone’s wellness and are committed to finding the perfect present. We’ve rounded up our favorites from practical to “just because” for 2023 with exclusive discounts for you to enjoy. You’ll find many options we hope to infuse a little bit of joy or ease into your daily diabetes life. We sourced gift ideas from our community members, including people living with diabetes and professionals who work with people with type 1, type 2, and prediabetes.

Let us know what you think of our suggestions, and feel free to email me with your favorites, too —after all, you’re the expert on what will put a smile on your loved one’s face.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free culinary diabetes program with Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef on November 30, 2023 at 3 PM, EST.

During this fun-filled Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a holiday Sugar-Free Dessert recipe, demonstrates her favorite kitchen tools, and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes.

Win a Splenda Baking Kit! Plus, gifts courtesy of Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes’s Camper Cozy Mystery and Peak 10 Skin‘s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

Celebrate National Diabetes Awareness Month with us. Over 150 people have participated in our past Divabetic Baking Parties on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW

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.

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.

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.

09/03/2023

The Divabetic Vault: Mother Love, Jessica Issler and Catherine Schuller

Enjoy another flashback from the Divabetic Vault. We spotlight three fantastic divas: Mother Love, Jessica Issler RD, CDCES, and Catherine Schuller.

Here’s the backstory on how I met these fabulous divas photographed and how they helped me pioneer diabetes outreach for women.

I met comedian and talk show host Mother Love, who is living with type 2 diabetes, while volunteering backstage on the National TV show dLife. Mother Love was one of the four hosts on the program. She was under contract with Novo Nordisk when Divabetic partnered with Novo to sponsor Divabetic’s national outreach program, “Divabetic- Makeover Your Diabetes.” Every show needs a diva, so I chose Mother Love over the other celebrities under contract when Novo Nordisk asked me if we wanted a celebrity to join us at our outreach events in Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, and Cleveland, OH. She even appeared in one of our Serve, Taste, or Trash! Videos at the American Diabetes Association’s Expo in New York, NY.

I’m so glad I did!! She was terrific on and off stage. She lights up the room. She would join me on stage to host our Glam More, Fear Less fashion shows and host one of the six education stations, The Tunnel Of Love, in the Makeover Maze. The Tunnel Of Love offered advice on love, intimacy, and sexual health issues related to diabetes.

I hosted pre and post-outreach program meetings and dinners in every city for my national team members and their families. Mother Love and her husband would join us for both meetings (which wasn’t in her contract.) She was hysterically funny and always, always made everyone feel loved. At our post-event dinners, I made it a tradition to toast everyone at the table and express my gratitude. After Luther’s stroke, I didn’t want to take a moment for granted. I also wanted people to know how much I enjoyed presenting this program. I consider Divabetic’s Makeover Your Diabetes national tour my biggest accomplishment. And I didn’t do it alone – I had a dazzling team of incredible people who partnered with me.

My parents and I met certified diabetes care and education specialist Jessica Issler CDCES (second from left) backstage at dLife, too. We met everyone in the diabetes community, including Jessica, while volunteering as audience coordinators at show tapings. Jessica attended a taping with two other young female diabetes educators, whom I nicknamed “Charlie’s Angels of Diabetes.” After the taping, we exchanged contact information after realizing a shared passion for helping empower and educate at-risk people affected by and living with diabetes in fun ways. I invited her to one of our monthly Divabetic Club support meetings at the local YMCA. Shortly after, she began volunteering as a facilitator at several meetings.

Jessica also volunteered as our sole diabetes educator at our first makeover program, Lipstick & Laughter, at MESS Makeup Studios in New York City. She met with women after they received free makeup applications to discuss issues concerning their diabetes.

When Novo Nordisk requested that I create a core National Makeover team consisting of diabetes care and education specialists, stylists, fitness experts, and makeup artists, she was the second name on my list. Between stops on our makeover tour, Jessica and I created several new, original outreach programs targeting children and their families affected by diabetes with Mount Sinai’s Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Department. All of our programs, like our Makeover program, featured progressive education. Participants would travel from one education station to the next, getting the information they needed to problem-solve issues related to self-care and diabetes wellness. I am opposed to lecture-style outreach.

Our first program, Walk To The Penguins, featured an obstacle course through Central Park that ended at the Zoo’s Penguins exhibit.

Our second program, the Broomstick Bash was a healthy Halloween party featuring several education stations, Ghost & Boast (goal setting for the holidays, Monster Moves (fitness), Freaky Foods (nutrition), and a broomstick decorating area. The program was first held in the Department offices and moved to Mount Sinai’s main lobby in the following years. The third annual Broomstick Bash was our largest outreach event, with over a thousand attendees.

Jessica replaced Joy Pape, we met at dLife too, as the lead educator for Divabetic’s Makeover Your Diabetes program from 2007-2009. She also worked with me on another health and wellness program called Energy Up!, targeting at-risk young women. Then, Jessica consulted and created recipes for Energy Up! founder Katie Dolgin aka High Voltage’s bestselling book, The Sugar Savvy Solution.

I’m wearing an Energy Up! t-shirt instead of a Divabetic t-shirt in this photo because I was moonlighting for my friend High Voltage’s Energy Up! wellness program. Early in Divabetic’s history, I chose to focus solely on adult women, not children. Since there wasn’t any diabetes outreach exclusively for women yet, I didn’t want to dilute our message by trying to all things to all people. But I still wanted to help younger people living with, at risk, and affected by diabetes, so I channeled my creativity into helping High Voltage with her programming rather than muddy the waters with Divabetic. I had a great time presenting and producing programming for both organizations.

Funny side note: I wanted to be booked as a guest when I heard about the national TV show dLife starting. Sadly, the producers disagreed. However, I still volunteer backstage during show tapings as a production assistant. One day, the producers took pity on me and let me host a table selling Divabetic merchandise in the cellar where the audience waited before the tapings. It turned out to be a life-changing moment because the Who’s Who of the New York City Diabetes Community (at the time) attended these show tapings. I met people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, their family members, authors, fitness instructors, hospital administrators, nurses, doctors, politicians, diabetes educators, and celebrities (like Mother Love). So I was rubbing elbows with the Who’s Who, hosting a Divabetic merchandise table in the cellar.

After a taping, I invited my parents to fly to NYC from Columbia to help me backstage on the show. We would put on Divabetic and Dude-A-Betic t-shirts and head to the studio. We sold merchandise as well as offered free healthy snacks. Yes, I coerced my Mom into making snacks in my tiny one-bedroom apartment before shows for audience members!! One day, the tapings upstairs in the studio were delayed, so the head of the production asked me if I could entertain the audience while they waited. Let’s say a star was born when I got handed the boombox with the microphone!!! I held runway contests between audience members, played games like charades, and made everyone dance to Luther Vandross‘s music. Sometimes we would have so much fun in the cellar that no one would want to go upstairs for the tapings. People noticed us. I don’t think they had a choice.

The woman in the picture on the far right is Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller. I didn’t meet Catherine at dLife. I met Catherine when we sat next to each other as judges for a Plus Size Beauty contest. We fell into a quick and easy friendship. She is amazing! She inspires me every day. She inspires me to create, challenge myself, and live my best life. Over the past twenty years, she has given her time, talent, support, and enthusiasm to Divabetic.

The morning of our last Makeover program, Catherine suffered a stroke. We hosted the program at Riverside Church, the location of Luther’s memorial. Catherine was rushed to the same hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, where Luther Vandross recovered from his stroke related to mismanaged type 2 diabetes. She also received treatment from the same team of physical therapists who helped Luther during her recovery. Catherine also put our Glam More, Fear Less philosophy to work at rehab. She did her hair and makeup and wore a glitzy sweatsuit before going to rehab sessions. She felt the attendants treated her differently because she made an effort.

Looking back, I feel grateful and fortunate to partner with so many women on Divabetic. Thank you for letting me share my memories from our 20-year history. It’s been a fantastic journey for me.

06/28/202306/28/2023

Mr. Divabetic Raises Awareness At Feria de Salud Festival in The Bronx

The happy healthcare host, Mr Divabetic raises awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at the American Diabetes Association’s Latino program, Feria de Salud, at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx, NY.

The annual Feria de Salud Festival offers free health screenings and education to South Bronx residents about diabetes.

Approximately 1,717,067 people in New York, or 10.7% of adults, have been diagnosed with diabetes. An additional 456,000 people in New York have diabetes but don’t know it, significantly increasing their health risk. Sadly, the Bronx is home to five of city’s worst 10 neighborhoods for diabetes-related deaths.

Play along as Mr. Divabetic challenges various American Diabetes Association staff members, Dr. Ileana Vargas – Rodriquez, Mimi Gonzalez BS, RN, with the food game, ‘Serve, Taste or Trash!’

You might be surprised by the results. In the game, players are given three choices of fruits and vegetables. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste, and which one you’d trash. Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more delicious than cooked to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones. And the texture is crispy rather than mushy.

Are You Living With PreDiabetes?

Why should I care about prediabetes? The sooner you know you have prediabetes, the sooner you can take action to reverse it and prevent type 2 diabetes. Click HERE to take a quick PreDiabetes Risk Test.

The CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program helps people with prediabetes make lasting lifestyle changes to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Working with a trained coach teaches you to eat healthy, add physical activity, and manage stress. With other participants, you’ll celebrate successes and work to overcome challenges. If you have prediabetes, now is your time to take action Click HERE for program details.

Mr. Divabetic is a 2011 WEGO Health Activist Award finalist and the happy healthcare host of Diva TalkRadio. Diva TalkRadio is Divabetic’s dynamic free online and mobile podcast channel where tens of thousands of fans, followers, and listeners turn to laugh a little and learn a lot. The channel features a line-up of live and archived programs and specials.

Do you need some inspiration to help you make healthier choices? Tune in to this episode of Divabetic popular podcast focused on Healthy Swaps. 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.

01/18/2023

Don’t Miss Divabetic’s First Podcast In 2023

Mr. Divabetic talks with international yoga teacher and author Rachel Zinman, living with LADA diabetes, on Divabetic’s popular podcast on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 6 PM, EST.

Rachel shares how she overcame the years of frustration and confusion associated with a misdiagnosis.

There have been many bumps in the road on Rachel’s journey with LADA diabetes (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults) related to her initial misdiagnosis. She was initially misdiagnosis with type 2 diabetes. Although many of her symptoms were similar to type 2 diabetes, she has another condition that may be more closely related to type 1 diabetes called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA).

It’s not uncommon for someone with LADA to be initially misdiagnosed. Unfortunately, the years spent treating the wrong condition without success can take a toll on your mind, body, and spirit. She shares how yoga and meditation helped her to overcome years of frustration and confusion.

Rachel shares a guided meditation, “Compassion Meditation,” focusing on self-love and compassion to help you live well with diabetes. Rachel’s meditation references Tara, a female deity in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Tara personifies compassion and offers salvation from suffering. She is thought to have been born of empathy for the suffering world and is regularly invoked for protection, guidance, and deliverance from difficult situations.

In Hinduism, she is the second of the ten Mahavidyas, avatars of the great Mother Goddess Mahadevi.

In Buddhism, Tara is a savior deity who liberates souls from suffering. According to origin tales, she emerged from the tear of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara who cried when looking upon the suffering world. She is therefore associated primarily with compassion but can take on many forms to help and protect her devotees.

In her book, Yoga for Diabetes: How to Manage your Health with Yoga and Ayurveda, Rachel Zinman shares her journey and the hard-won wisdom gained from her own experience of yoga and diabetes.

“If you are at all open or curious to learn about an ancient holistic way of healing and supporting the body, this book is for you. Zinman is clearly an expert and looks so glowingly healthy at 50 years old, one may wonder just how much benefit we too can get from incorporating some yoga into our lives.”—Diabetes Daily

05/07/2022

Pass The Boa at Divabetic Club Meetings

Roughly nineteen years ago, I began hosting Divabetic’s first free monthly diabetes support meetings in New York City. Our meetings were open to all types of people living with, at-risk, and affected by diabetes and were held at the McBurney YMCA. At the first, the meetings were structured as ‘coaching sessions’ and presented by Life Coach, Dana Hariton, professional dancer and choreographer, Amy Jordan, both living with type 1 diabetes, and myself. The three of us came up with the idea after meeting in the audience at a dLife TV show taping. Initially, these meetings were called ‘Be A Diva’ and I’d make flyers that I would post on the walls of the Y with our meeting dates and times.

Later when I began volunteering backstage on a regular basis (and appeared on screen) at dLife, I met a wonderful, kind, and knowledgeable educator named Joy Pape RN, CDCES.

As Dana and Amy’s appearance began to taper off at our meetings, Joy joined and agreed to moderate our ‘Pass The Boa’ discussions. ‘Pass The Boa’ was our way of introducing ourselves to each other at the start of each meeting. We took turns passing a hot pink-colored feathered boa around the room and sharing our stories with each other. Everyone had a chance to be in the spotlight and voice their diabetes wellness successes and struggles.

As the years went by, different guest speakers ranged from florists, tea makers, tai chi instructors, beauty experts, fitness instructors, and even a passion pleasure expert. Actually, the pleasure toys meeting inspired me to add a sexual health and intimacy education station to our free national program, Divabetic Makeover Your Diabetes. Through the years the program’s name continued to change until it became known as the Divabetic Club. We also began hosting similar meetings in Cleveland OH and Philadelphia, PA with outstanding local educators and organizations such as The Diabetes Center Of Cleveland and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Today, I’m proud to say that we’re still offering free programming but it’s now virtual. Please join us and pass the boa at our upcoming baking party!

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 Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.