Ella Fitzgerald – Divabetic

03/04/202403/04/2024

Divabetic Salutes Alyson Williams

My friend, Alyson Williams, is an incredibly talented entertainer who knows how to captivate an audience. I had the pleasure of seeing this Emmy Award winner live at Ashford and Simpson’s Sugar Bar on Valentine’s Day, where she performed with Nat Adderley Jr. Her stage presence was absolutely dazzling. She had everyone in the room mesmerized by her music and stories.

In an interview with Perspectives on BronxNet, Alyson said, “There is still an audience that looks to me for what I bring to the table. I have to find new and creative ways to reinvent myself, make it good, and keep it steeped in elegance.”

With a lifetime of experience in the music industry, Alyson has dedicated herself to making people smile through her music. She comes from a musical family, with her father being the bandleader Bobby Booker. She began performing at a young age, showcasing her singing and dancing skills. After college, she became a well-known backing vocalist for Melba Moore, Bobby Brown, and Evelyn Champagne King. She was also part of the singing group High Fashion.

Her work on several early hip-hop songs helped her make a name for herself in the music business, leading to her signing by the Def Jam label’s Russell Simmons in the late 80s. Her sultry signature song, “Just Call My Name,” and success earned her the title of “The First Lady of Def Jam.” Alyson Williams’ soulful delivery of “Just Call My Name” struck a chord with listeners, contributing to its instant success. Its meaningful lyrics and heartfelt delivery make it a powerful expression of love, support, and the universal human yearning for emotional connection.

Recently, Alyson teamed up with Najee for a beautiful rendition of “Valentine Love,” which topped the charts. The song is a true work of art; everything about it feels just right. In addition to her music career, Alyson is an on-air personality on Harlem’s WHCR-FM, where she hosts the popular show “Love Notes with Alyson Williams.” In an interview on Dreamers Unite with Sherri Pullum, she said her favorite singer is Ella Fitzgerald. Dr. Maya Angelou called her ‘the songbird.’

Her talent and charisma shine through in everything she does, making her a true icon in the music world. She said, “Every day is a day at the school of hard knocks. You get another lesson in making it work, keeping the balls in the air, juggling, and still keeping your sanity.”

Her advice about saying healthy is straightforward, “just try.”

Hear how Alyson Williams, who is living with type 2 diabetes, made a triumphant return to the stage after her near-death experience from COVID on this Divabetic podcast. Additionally, “The Rollercoaster Ride Of Diabetes” blogger, FatCatAnna, who is living with type 1 diabetes, opens up about her attempted suicide and managing diabetes in a mental hospital.

Additionally, we’re sharing an honest, no-filter look at the daily grind of living with diabetes and practical ways to help you pivot and stay positive. We encourage others with diabetes to live fully and apply Barry Manilow’s attitude to their daily lives.

“I believe that we are who we choose to be. Nobody is going to come and save you. You’ve got to save yourself. Nobody is going to give you anything. You’ve got to go and fight for it,” says the Grammy, Tony, and Emmy award-winning music icon with 50 Top 40 hits, 12 #1 singles, and more than 85 million albums.

Guests include The First Lady of Def Jam Alyson Williams, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, diabetes advocate, blogger, and mentor FatCatAnna. Music from The Essential Barry Manilow courtesy of SONY Music. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

04/25/2023

Happy Birthday Ella Fitzgerald!

Happy Birthday Ella Fitzgerald, on her 106th birthday!

Ella Fitzgerald was living with type 2 diabetes. Sadly, she had both of her legs amputated. But losing her limbs didn’t stop her from performing on stage. I think that’s a great testament to her strong will and determination.

There are still so many obstacles blocking people with disabilities from living their best life. I’m sure Ella Fitzgerald encountered many of them, from the smallest stair to the pity and scorn in people’s eyes. Week after week, traveling on the road from city to city to perform at night makes it difficult to maintain and sustain a health regimen, especially diabetes self-care. As someone who has traveled on the road supporting musician, I can easily understand how the rigors of touring can take a toll on your physical and mental health.

It’s easy for someone to write her off for not taking care of herself because it’s harder to admit how easy it is to ignore your diabetes. The number of people who don’t manage their diabetes dramatically outnumbers those who do.

Sadly, ignoring your diabetes leads to disastrous consequences. Mismanaged diabetes can lead to amputations, usually of the toes, feet, or legs. Causes include reduced blood flow or peripheral neuropathy. Managing your blood sugar is one way to help prevent it.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)Trusted Source, about 130,000 people in the United States who have diabetes have amputations yearly.

Better diabetes management and foot care have caused lower limb amputations over the past 20 years. However, 2018 research suggests that young and middle-aged adults in the United States are experiencing an uptick in diabetes-related amputations.

With ongoing diabetes management, foot care, and wound care, many people with diabetes can limit their risk of amputation or prevent it entirely. Education is crucial.

We proudly celebrate the First Lady of Song and raise awareness for the greater need for diabetes education on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast with Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, CDN, Lorraine Brooks, Ansley Dalbo, Anna J. Stewart, and Leola and Cornelia.

01/10/2023

Serve, Taste or Trash! At the Apollo Theater

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic plays the food game, Serve, Taste or Trash!, outside the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. The game spotlights the harmful added sugar in some of our favorite drinks.

Most of us drink more calories and added sugar than we think.

Added sugars include sucrose, dextrose, table sugar, syrups, honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices.

Added sugars contribute calories to your diet but no essential nutrients.

Popular sugar-sweetened beverages that contain added sugar are iced teas, sports drinks, soda, fruit juice, and flavored iced coffees.

Drinking too much added sugar makes achieving a healthy eating pattern difficult without taking in too many calories.

The American Heart Association suggests limiting the amount of added sugar to no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams) for most adult women and no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar) for most men.

The Apollo Theater is a national icon with a legacy that resonates across generations, ethnic groups, and continents. Since opening its doors in 1914 and introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in the emergence of innovative musical genres, including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel blues, and soul. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Bill Cosby, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo stage.

Mr. Divabetic talks to Billy Mitchell, the resident historian and official tour guide for the Apollo Theater, about some little-known facts about the theater and the legendary people who performed there.

Tune in to Divabetic’s free monthly podcasts hosted by Mr. Divabetic on blog Talk-Radio, iTunes, and Spotify. Guests include healthcare collaborators, beauty, image/style, fitness experts, entertainment industry leaders, and VIPs: women and men living with, at risk of, and affected by diabetes.

We’re honored to celebrate Luther Vandross and his musical legacy and raise awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) on our annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast.

In the years since Luther’s passing, one constant has remained to define his life and musical success: the voice. Like any great singer of the past 100 years, Luther Vandross’ voice and distinct singing style led to monumental success and instant recognition when you hear him singing–through your stereo, on the car radio, on TV, or in a movie. With that voice was Luther’s unique ability to write and sing about love and the shared emotions we all feel in searching for and enjoying love. Through his songs, for the last two generations, Luther Vandross became a staple in the most joyous moments of people’s lives.

Featured guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Luther percussionist Steve Kroon, Luther vocalists Tawatha Agee and Pat Lacy, Luther historian Leon Petrossian, members of ‘The Luther Re-Lives Experience’, family members, friends, and superfans.

Throughout the podcast, we feature songs from the album entitled Luther Vandross courtesy of SONY Music.

06/07/202006/10/2020

Black Lives Matter Podcast

June’s Divabetic podcast is in solidarity with and dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, 6 PM, EST.

We are making time to reflect, share our feelings, listen and identify ways in which to fight for real and meaningful change. Guests include Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Keith Anthony Fluitt, Leisa Chester-Weir, and Jeff James. Join the conversation and call in to our studio line: (347) 215-8551.

“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.” — James A. Baldwin

Ella Fitzgerald was not allowed to play at Mocambo because of her race. Then, one of her biggest fans made a telephone call that quite possibly changed the path of her career for good.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6GsbCdhoja/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

To help combat systemic racism, please consider donating to these organizations:

Campaign Zero, which is dedicated to ending police brutality in America through research-based strategies. LEARN MORE

Color of Change, which works to move decision makers in corporations and government to be more responsive to racial disparities. LEARN MORE

Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal services to people who have been wrongly convicted, denied a fair trial, or abused in state jails and prisons. LEARN MORE

#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.

TUNE N

Divabetic’s June podcast guest, Jeff James helped to create a Black Power Spotify playlist for Black Music Month. “It reflects my feelings (activism-optimism),” states Jeff.

Cassandra Wilson recorded “Strange Fruit,” a protest against racism — specifically, the lynching of African-Americans in 2015. Her version takes on renewed purpose in light of the recent high-profile police killings of unarmed black men, and the Black Lives Matter movement which rose in their wake.

04/03/2017

A Dazzling Array of ‘Wheelchairs with A Wow!’

Divabetic is committed to helping people living with diabetes health-related complications lead more independent, fuller lives. Don’t get down, Get Diva!

Amputation is a major complication of diabetes with the number of amputations caused by diabetes rising 24% from 1988 to 2009. The most common amputations in people with diabetes are the toes, feet, and lower legs.

Since Jazz legend, Ella Fitzgerald was a double-amputee who didn’t let her condition stop her from performing, we decided to take a ‘jazzy’ look at some of the newest trends in wheelchairs.

First up, a wheelchair that drives itself!

MIT researchers have managed to pack the same hardware of self-driving vehicles into a wheelchair according to Wired Magazine.

Equipped with three LiDAR sensors, the wheelchair works much like a self-driving car. Before going into service, someone manually drives it through a given area, and the sensors build a map details how wide the hallways are, where the pillars are, and so on. Once that’s set, the user selects where he or she wants to go by click on the map, and the chair gets going, using the sensors to look for “dynamic obstacles”—like people walking around, or that chair that wasn’t there earlier.

Unfortunately the MIT chair’s not quite ready for primetime. MIT researcher Daniela Rus and her team would like the wheelchair to work both indoors and outdoors, and to teach the system to make predictions, like where that person pushing the food cart is heading, and how best to avoid them.

The Lawrence Kwok Nimbl concept wheelchair design is easy on the eyes and is constructed with carbon-fiber. It is specially made for home use. It is user-friendly, highly adjustable and allows for a smooth ride.

Need help reaching the top shelf?

Researchers at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna have created an advanced prototype of a wheelchair that raises the user up to a standing position so they can have access to out-of-reach items. Plus it adapts allowing the wheelchair user to climb stairs and slopes easily.allows It also allows the user to have easy access to the toilet via a trap door.

Looking for something sleek and stylish?

02GEN futuristic concept wheelchair is designed to enrich the lifestyles of wheelchair users. The design concept merges the functionality of an electric wheelchair with a sleek modern design that encourages good sitting posture. The wheelchair user will be able to control the wheelchair easily as it adapts to the needs of the user.

Let’s not forget that back in 2013, Lady Gaga to turn a wheelchair into an accessory! Left with limited mobility after undergoing surgery on her hip, Golden Globe winning actress was never going to be limping around on scruffy old crutches. Instead she is using a 24k gold plated vehicle specially created for her by Ken Borochov of luxury brand Mordekai.

Her one of a kind chair comes with a black tufted calf leather seat, a removable leather canopy, vintage wheels, a padded leg rest and even gold-plated brakes.

Designer Borochov said in a statement that he created the ‘chariot’ in a week and took inspiration from a throne.

‘I certainly wasn’t expecting that phone call and have never done a wheelchair but am always up for a challenge and was thrilled to create it.

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Late Nite inspired by Ella Fitzgerald. Guests include the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN) Poet Lorraine Brooks, Ansley Dalbo, Best-Selling Author Anna J. Stewart, Leola and Cornelia,and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast we will be playing songs from Columbia Jazz: Ella Fitzgerald’s Live album 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.”

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.

10/24/201610/24/2016

Ella Fitzgerald is our Diva Inspiration for National Diabetes Awareness Month

We’re getting ‘jazzy’ for National Diabetes Awareness month in November.

Jazz legend, Ella Fitzgerald is our musical inspiration for November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2016, 67- PM, EST.

Ella Fitzgerald had to have both of her legs amputated below the knee due to complications related to diabetes in 1993.

However, people with diabetes can prevent amputation by inspecting their feet daily and by being vigilant for warning signs of ulcers, including irritation, redness, cracked or dry skin (especially around the heels), or drainage on their socks.

The reason why amputation is common is because of nerve damage related to diabetes. A person with diabetes who experiences nerve damage is more likely to be unaware of a foot injury until it becomes infected. Infection can lead to partial or full amputation of the foot or lower leg. Regular care from a podiatrist can help reduce amputation rates between 45 and 85 percent, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

Podiatrist, Dr. Jodie Sengstock, DPM, MPMA says, “it’s important for those with the disease to receive regular foot exams by a podiatrist.”

“Although ulcers can occur anywhere on the foot or ankle, they are typically found on pressure points on the foot, like the ball of the foot or bottom of the big toe,” added Dr. Sengstock “If an ulcer is discovered, or other symptoms, a podiatrist should be seen immediately. In many cases, the foot can be saved with early treatment.”

TUNE IN: November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with music by Ella Fitzgerald. Guests include the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN) Poet Lorraine Brooks, Ansley Dalbo, Best-Selling Author Anna J. Stewart, and Mama Rose Marie.