Embracing Your Body & Your Diabetes

“I would look in the mirror, and I didn’t feel beautiful,” says singer Elle King about the insecurities she felt as a teen.

The “Ex’s and Oh’s” Grammy Nominated singer felt pressures to measure up to conventional beauty standards. But her mother, model London King, encouraged her to accept herself.

“My mom always raised me to love myself; she always told me I was beautiful,” King adds in the video reports PEOPLE magazine. “You’ll never feel beautiful unless you believe it inside. I had to go on my own journey to find that.”

Elle King’s personal journey to self-acceptance meant focusing on her passion for creativity, from writing songs — to experimenting with body art.

“I don’t sing, walk, talk, act like anyone else. That’s what I think is beautiful: People that stand out. Because if we all looked the same, I think the world would be a really boring place.”

Today, the singer has about 50 tattoos, which are inspired by her adventures in life and love.

Don’t Get Down, Get DIVA!

Research shows that self-esteem can be a key factor influencing health care behaviors.

Let our Diva Inspiration Elle King’s journey inspire you to see the beauty inside of you. Recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape or size – focus on how strong and healthy you are!

Diva Inspiration Elle King says she doesn’t believe you can love another person or be in love unless you love yourself. We wholeheartedly agree and hope her music  inspires you to love yourself just the way you are!

Guests include Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, We Are Diabetes founder, Asha Brown, Author Ginger Vieria, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP and Mama Rose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

Throughout this Diabetes Late Nite podcast we are playing selected cuts from Elle King’s “LOVE STUFF” courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

Note: Elle King is not living with diabetes. However, she has battled substance abuse, depression and PTSD. Today, having made it through the darkness, Elle King shares her story on her album, Shake the Spirit to help inspire others. We hope she can inspire you to ‘GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS.’

Elle King adds, “I’ve changed a lot. I’m finding my own self-love, and I’m inviting love, outwardly in. … You can go through something crazy in your life, and you can come back from it.”

Dolly Parton’s Coming to Diabetes Late Nite This February!

We’re talking about ‘Self-Acceptance & Diabetes’ with musical inspiration from Dolly Parton’s Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture soundtrack on February’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 6 PM, EST.  

February’s line up of guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr.Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP,  Lisa R Young, PhD, RDN, and the Type 2 Diabetes – What To Know Community moderator Autumn Reed. Plus, we’re giving away copies of Lisa R. Young’s new book, ‘Finally Full, Finally Slim:30 Days to Permanent Weight Loss One Portion at a Time’ – tune in to win!

The Netflix film, Dumplin’, based on the best-selling 2015 novel by Julie Murphy, is about a plus-size Texas teenager named Willowdean, who uses Dolly Parton’s music and life philosophies to cope with the death of her Aunt Lucy. When Willowdean decides to challenge the unrealistic beauty standards of her Texas town, Dolly’s music guides her to find friendship and support in unlikely places.

Most psychologists agree that self-love or self-esteem (which are similar, although maybe not exactly the same) begin in childhood. If your parents love you, you are likely to feel better about yourself. But many parents are too stressed or too wounded to give their kids that kind of love. As a result, people may feel unlovable or unworthy their whole life. Media images might reinforce those negative feelings.

During the podcast we will be discussing why the journey to self-love may be complicated for many people living with diabetes and how to love yourself when your body seems to be betraying you, or when you blame yourself for health problems. Additionally, our guests will  share tips on how to resist the power structures that make them believe they aren’t worthy of love or celebration

Throughout February’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we will be playing music from Dolly Parton’s Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music. Dolly Parton wrote six new songs for the Dumplin soundtrack with producer, Linda Perry. One of those original songs, “Girl in the Movies,” scored Dolly Parton a Golden Globe nomination. Dolly also reworked some of her classics with today’s leading recording artists including Miranda Lambert (“Dumb Blonde”); Macy Gray (“Two Doors Down”); Sia (“Here I Am”); and Elle King (“Holdin’ On To You”).