Dr. Greenfields – Divabetic

12/01/2017

12 Days of Blue Christmas Gift Ideas from Mr. Divabetic

We understand why the holiday season can be difficult for people living with diabetes, or their loved ones.

It’s bound to be a stressful time as you are confronted with numerous social commitments, overly helpful relatives, busy holiday travel, financial burdens and an abundance of food and drink indulgences. A dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, on top of managing your diabetes can ruin your holiday spirit and compromise your hurt your diabetes health.

If you’re fearful about the toll the holidays will take on your diabetes then let us help.

Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression. Seek out community, religious, sports and/or other social events. They can offer support and companionship.

Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. And learn to say ‘no’. Saying ‘yes’ when you should say ‘no’ can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every project or activity.

Still feeling blue?

To help you de-stress and feel blessed I‘ve put together my first-ever 12 Days of Blue Christmas Gift List!

Apart from repeated listenings to Elvis Presley sing ‘Blue Christmas’ in preparation for December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast, I was inspired to compile this 12 Days of Blue Christmas Gift Guide after reading this blog post:

”Several friends and I are planning on doing the 12 Days of Christmas for a lady who really needs some pampering right now. She is sole care-giver to her husband, who is a double amputee, has diabetes and is on dialysis everyday. We are wondering what are some things we could give her to correspond to each of the 12 days. Doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, can be cute or funny. Just something to let her know we are thinking about her” posted on thriftyfun.com

If you’re feeling stressed about overspending during the holidays but still want to be show your gratitude to that special someone living with diabetes in your life, then check out our 12 Days of Blue Christmas Gift Ideas list:

Day 1 – Board game. I love Quiddler, winner of over 20 Best Game Awards. It’s easy to learn and fun for everyone! The goal is to arrange all the cards in your hand into one or more words. My friends and I had a blast playing this game in Ptown over the Columbus Day weekend.

Day 2 – Pair of gloves. Peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes. Poor circulation and loss of feeling in the hands can cause people with diabetes not only to have cold hands, but also to fail to realize when cold temperatures are endangering their hands. UGG now sells gloves for men and women! Their rich leather gloves lets you use your touchscreens while keeping your hands warm. … Leather and sheepskin. Everybody I know raves that they are the “Best Gloves” ever owned. Warm, snug, and striking appearance.

Day 3 – Picture of the friends, co-workers, nieces, nephews, pets and/or grandkids (three).

Day 4 – Four single servings of a healthy snack! Since portion and calorie control are much easier to calculate, single-serve food products provide the health and wellness many are looking for with the added benefit of convenience. I like to carry Emerald 100 calorie pack, natural almonds & walnuts packs around with me as I run checking out all the holiday windows in New York City.

Day 5 – The Best of the Temptations Christmas album. How it relates to ‘5’? (The “Classic 5” lineup of the Temptations featured: David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, and Eddie Kendricks. The Temptations’ version of ‘Silent Night’ is the most beautiful version. The “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” intro is from Floyd Cramer’s medley. First released August, 1980, on the Temp

tations’ album “Give Love At Christmas.”

Day 6 – Six pack of seamless socks. I used to giveaway Dr. Scholl’s Seamless socks at various Divabetic outreach events. They were the most popular giveaway I had! Constructed with premium materials, features a soft, non-binding top that doesn’t constrict your legs. Moisture dispersion technology keeps your feet dry and antimicrobial properties keep your feet feeling fresh. These socks feature a smooth toe seam to prevent irritation and friction on your toes, and a cushioned bottom for additional protection. The socks are cotton-free to reduce moisture absorption and latex-free to help avoid common allergic reactions

Day 7 – Lucky 7 lottery tickets!

Day 8 – 8 oz diabetic foot & body creams from Dr. Greenfield’s and/or PEAK 10 SKIN care products. Dry skin, a frequently overlooked complication of diabetes, is an irritating side effect of chronically high blood glucose levels. Try these tricks to keep your skin healthy and soft. Dr. Greenfield’s Diabetic Foot Cream helps reduce the risk of foot complications due to diabetes. The patented formula of emollients, vitamins, antioxidants and protein luxuriously moisturizes and softens feet while reducing painful cracking and dryness.

PEAK 10 SKIN skin care products use high levels of proven active ingredients that will make a difference in the hydration and protection of your skin. PEAK 10 SKIN products contain no parabens, no added fragrances, no gluten and are never tested on animals.

Day 9 – A gift certificate for Nine West Shoes (flats preferred).“You only get one set of feet in this lifetime,” says Dr. Curry. “It’s important to take care of them properly. The sacrifice of wearing the latest fad in shoe wear is not worth the health risk of permanent foot deformities with accompanying knee or hip pain.” Our pick is to add a dose of luxury to any holiday ensemble with the Nine West® Sholette loafer.

Day 10 – Ten hours of great movies (your favorite DVD’s)

Day 11 – Eleven toothbrushes (one for almost every day of our Diabetes Blue Christmas celebration! ). Regular dental visits are important. Do you know tat when diabetes is not managed properly, high glucose levels in saliva may help bacteria and plaque thrive. Plaque that is not removed can eventually harden into tartar? Research suggests that treating gum disease can help improve blood sugar management, and decrease complications.

Day 12 – Calendar. Grab a T1D Exposed calendar. The mission of this beautiful Nude Diabetes Advocacy Project is to promote awareness, connect people living with type one diabetes (T1D), and fundraise for both local and global diabetes organizations. Living with T1D changes a person’s body, and the T1D Exposed calendar features tasteful nude portraits of individuals embracing those changes and their lives with type one. Our good friend, Doris Hobbs, participated in this year’s calendar.

Remember, the holiday season can be an extremely stressful time for all of us. But stress, both physical and mental, can send your blood sugar levels out of whack. It’s important to start taking steps now to relax, unwind and/or mediate to keep yourself and your family healthy for life.

TUNE IN: Don’t miss December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring music by Elvis Presley on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, 6 PM, EST. We will be discussing ways to not let diabetes make you feel ‘blue’ during the holiday season with our panel of experts. Guests include ‘Walking With Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the new “Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” album courtesy of SONY Music. The album brings together Elvis Presley’s best-loved yuletide performances from “Elvis’ Christmas Album” (1957) and “Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas” (1971) re-imagined with sublime and exquisite new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Our panel of experts, Divabetic community members and past Diabetes Late Nite guests will be sharing their Blue Christmas Gift suggestions on this blog for the next twelve days to help you enjoy the festive spirit of the season without compromising your diabetes health!

10/17/2017

Divabetic Delivers Big Divas on World Diabetes Day!

Our favorite divas from the world of entertainment, beauty/fashion, poetry and diabetes education, Whitney Houston, Constance Brown-Riggs, Karline Ricketts, Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle, Mama Rose Marie and ‘Dr. Bev’, join us to celebrate World Diabetes Day on Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for Tuesday, November 14, 2017, 6 -7:30 PM.

First up, we have an exclusive first listen of “Whitney Houston – I Wish You Love: More From ‘The Bodyguard’” ahead of the album’s release date courtesy of SONY Music.

The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack Album set a record for the most albums sold in a single week since the Nielsen SoundScan introduced a computerized sales monitoring system in May 1991, with sales of 1,061,000 copies during Christmas week of 1992, becoming the first album sold over 1 million in one week.

In November 1999, Houston and The Bodyguard Soundtrack, were named the “Top-selling R&B Female Artist of the Century ” by the RIAA, respectively.

Whitney’s iconic songs are inspiring us to discuss how to become your own ‘Diabetes Bodyguard’.

Safeguarding yourself and your diabetes health requires a healthy dose of Self-Compassion.

Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE discusses how the ‘negative talk’ inside our heads affects our diabetes.

How do you talk to yourself? Do you talk to yourself with kindness? Or do you beat yourself up for being diagnosed with diabetes, unexpected high’s and low’s, your weight and/or unhealthy habits?

There is a vast difference between feeling sorry for yourself and feeling kindness toward yourself. When you see yourself as a victim, you indulge in self–pity. You are a bottomless pit of misery, and you may find yourself crying endless victim tears.

Dr. Beverly Adler (aka “Dr. Bev”, right) is an award-winning certified diabetes educator and diabetes psychologist. She has combined her first-hand knowledge of living with Type 1 diabetes with a PhD in clinical psychology to serve the mental health needs of those within the diabetes community. She’s also written two self-help books ( “My Sweet Life: Successful Men with Diabetes” and “My Sweet Life: Successful Women with Diabetes”) and many articles, and does speaking engagements.

Constance Brown-Riggs discusses her personal fitness journey as well as her new book, “Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World”.

Constance Brown- Riggs is an award winning Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and the co-author of the new book, “Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World”. This guide provides information on native foods and flavors, strategies for healthy eating, recommended healthful pleasures, dishes for special occasions (or smaller portions), and carbohydrate counts for popular dishes for 11 popular ethnic cuisines. Help your clients learn to quickly identify the best choices for their meal plan, whether preparing ethnic foods at home, eating in restaurants, or traveling abroad.

Karline Ricketts believes“Beauty starts from the inside.” In 1997, Karline opened her first salon in West Palm Beach, FL, to provide an upscale client environment for a growing ethnic consumer market. This former NYC accounting professional, who spent many evening hours working for the legendary Studio 54, retrained and retooled under the tutelage of Paul Mitchell Systems.

You can be an INSTANT WINNER! Enjoy a Divabetic Prize package featuring a Nu Naturals gift basket filled with diabetic safe, low glycemic tooth friendly sweeteners, a Cabot Cheese gift basket filled with an assortment of delicious low-fat cheeses, Dr. Greenfield’s Diabetic Foot, Hand & Body Lotions which specifically designed for people with diabetes with sensitive and delicate skin, and a TRU Chocolate gift box. TRU Chocolate is the only 72% dark chocolate snack that’s sugar free, gluten free, ethically sourced and incredibly delicious. It’s TRU, you can finally eat chocolate and be healthy with their chocolate covered flame raisins, almonds, wafers and gluten free pretzels!

November’s Diabetes Late Nite guests include Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE and Constance Brown Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN along with Poet Lorraine Brooks, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie Gentle RN, CDE, Karline Ricketts and Mama Rose Marie.

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.”

CLICK HERE to Listen to November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, 6 -7:30 PM, EST.

01/07/2017

Don’t miss Diabetes Late Nite inspired by Alicia Keys this Tuesday!

We’re getting up close and personal on two big issues concerning your diabetes health on Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for this Tuesday, January 10, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

Our music guest, Alicia Keys’ make-up free movement is inspiring us to take an unfiltered look at food waste and food safety as well as some of the new innovative solutions to solving the biggest food and agriculture concerns with President and Founder of Food Tank Danielle Nierenberg. Food Tank, a nonprofit organization focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters.

We’re also going with speak to Mary Ann Hodorowicz RD, MBA, CDE about President Elect Donald Trump’s potential reforms and provisions to the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare.

Although, neither President-elect Donald Trump nor Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who met with House and Senate Republicans at the Capitol, offered lawmakers details about their repeal plan, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday he expects to have legislation to replace, as well as repeal, the Affordable Care Act this year.

“Our legislating will occur this year,” Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, said at a news briefing. “What date all of this gets phased in on is something we do not now know,” partly because the administration is not in office yet.”

Plus, The Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle), Mama Rose Marie and Poet Lorraine Brooks will be joining us. And our INSTANT WINNER will receive a prize package featuring 6 months free access to mysugr pro, a Cabot Cheese gift box, an assortment of Dr. Greenfield’s Diabetic Foot, Hand & Body Creams and Nu Naturals samples.

Alicia says her makeup free crusade has served her well as an a self-empowerment tool. She said, ”I don’t want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing.”

She even talked about it in one of her new songs, “When a Girl Can’t Be Herself,” quoting the line “Who says I must conceal what I’m made of / Maybe all this Maybelline is covering my self-esteem.“

Let Alicia Keys help inspire you to push past your fears and face the issues that concern you most about your diabetes self-care this year!

Throughout this podcast will be playing selected songs from Alicia Keys’ sixth studio album,“Here” courtesy of SONY Music.

TUNE IN: Click on this link to listen to Diabetes Late Nite podcast inspired by Alicia Keys scheduled for Tuesday, January 10, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

11/02/2016

We’re Giving Away Prizes for National Diabetes Awareness Month

We’re celebrating National Diabetes Awareness month with special Diabetes Game Show podcast featuring fantastic prize giveaways courtesy of Dr. Greenfield’s Diabetic Foot, Hand & Body lotions and musical inspiration from Jazz Legend, Ella Fitzgerald.

Ella Fitzgerald, whose sweet, silvery voice made her the most celebrated jazz singer of her generation, stayed in the ‘swing of things; after having both of her legs amputated below the knee due to complications related to diabetes. But she didn’t let that stop her from doing what she loved doing best – singing.

I saw her perform live in San Francisco, CA in the early 90’s and thought she was sensational. I can only imagine the difficulties she faced while she traveled in and out of airports, hotels and venues around the world to entertain her fans. As anyone who has suffered a diabetes health-related complication such as stroke and/or amputation knows the world doesn’t slow down for you. It takes a lot more time and effort to complete everyday tasks from taking a bath to getting the mail or going to the mall. We’re proud to salute our listeners who has experienced a complication for getting back into the ‘swing of things’ like Ella Fitzgerald and living their life to the fullest by taking care of their health.

I also want to remind you that you can prevent amputations from occurring by inspecting their feet daily and by being vigilant for warning signs of ulcers, including irritation, redness, cracked or dry skin.

LISTEN NOW: We’re giving away great Dr Greenfields Diabetic Foot, Body & Hand Cream prizes on Diabetes Game Show podcast in celebration of National Diabetes Awareness month.

10/27/201610/27/2016

Weekly Wow: Foot Health

BE AN INSTANT WINNER: Correctly answer this question on Divabetic’s FB page and you could win our Prize Giveaway on November’s Diabetes Game show podcast scheduled for Tuesday, November 1, 2016, 6 -7 PM, EST.

People with diabetes are at risk for a variety of foot-related health concerns.

25% of people with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime.
50% of those foot ulcers will get infected and up to 15% of those will require amputation.
Diabetes is the leading cause of lower extremity amputation accounting for over 60% of these amputations.
Every 30 seconds a leg is lost from a medical complication due to diabetes.

If left untreated, these relatively minor foot problems can develop into serious health complications, eventually leading to amputation of the foot or leg. Foot care is key.

TUNE IN: Diabetes Game Show podcast hosted by Mr. Divabetic with prize giveaways courtesy of Dr. Greenfields Diabetes Foot, Hand & Body Creams and Lotions. Special Guest: Dr. Stanley Greenfield, PhD. Dr. Stanley Greenfield is pharmaceutical chemist, with a passion for helping people with diabetes.