On this episode of Divabetic’s podcast, we pay tribute to Doris Day. Her music, films, glamour, and perkiness are sources of happiness for many people.
Doris Day was the queen of early ’60s comedies, coyly flirtatious films filled with sexual innuendo and double entendres. The most famous of these, Pillow Talk (1959), the first of three that co-starred Rock Hudson, established her persona as an independent and successful career woman, as comfortable in the board room as she was in jazz clubs. Like her other roles, her character didn’t see herself as incomplete without a husband—an idea still quite revolutionary at the time. She got on with her life. Her characters often had chic apartments, exciting jobs, and smashing wardrobes. In most of her films, Doris showcased a spunky, can-do personality and jaunty independence.
Doris Day experienced many professional and personal ups and downs in real life, but nothing seemed to dim her dazzle. She said, “No matter what happens if I get pushed down, I’m going to come right back up.”
Often Doris Day credited her pets for their support during hard times. She was a lifelong animal lover and advocate who used her celebrity status to make a difference for animals.
Pets can help their owners overcome depression through their companionship and unconditional love. They possess the natural ability to help you relax and enjoy life more. Pets can also help when you experience times of loneliness. They can also help lower blood pressure; if trained, they can alert their owners to dangerously low blood sugar levels.
Pets can also help you improve your lifestyle. Eric O’Grey’s weight had ballooned to 320 pounds, and he was spending more than $1,000 a month on medications for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol when his naturopathic doctor suggested he adopt a shelter dog.
Eric took that advice, heading to the Humane Society, and adopted an obese middle-aged dog named Peety.
Together, Eric and Peety started walking for at least a half-hour a day. Eric also adopted a plant-based diet. Ultimately Eric lost 140 pounds, and Peety lost 25 pounds.
Hear Eric’s interview on this episode of Divabetic’s popular podcast.
Another book, Elle & Coach: Diabetes, the Fight for My Daughter’s Life, and the Dog Who Changed Everything, describes how a trained diabetes alert dog can help alert its owner to low blood sugar levels. It’s the true story of a Type-A mom struggling to care for a daughter with Type 1 diabetes and of an incredible service dog who changes their lives for the better.
Listen to our interview with Elle & Coach author Mark Dagostino about his book on this podcast:
Our Doris Day Tribute Podcast guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDCES, Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDCES, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author and Romance Psychology Expert Rachel Van Dyken and Marguerite van Reenen from South Africa.
Since its inception, Broadway Barks has helped thousands of NYC shelter animals find permanent homes.
The event prompted me to revisit a past Divabetic podcast with guest, Walking With Peety: The Dog Who Saved My LifeAuthor Eric O’Grey, who turned his type 2 diabetes diagnosis around after adopting a rescue dog.
Eric O’Grey’s weight had ballooned to 320 pounds, and he was spending more than $1,000 a month on medications for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol when his naturopathic doctor suggested he adopt a shelter dog.
Eric took that advice, heading to the Humane Society, and adopted an obese middle-aged dog named Peety.
Together, Eric and Peety started walking for at least a half-hour a day. Eric also adopted a plant-based diet. Ultimately Eric lost 140 pounds, and Peety lost 25 pounds.
Hear Eric’s interview on this episode of Divabetic’s popular podcast.
Podcast guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog, and Scent Detection Expert Debby Kay, Walking with PeetyAuthor Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author Rachel Zinman, and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE.
Throughout the podcast, we will feature songs from P!nk’s Beautiful Trauma album courtesy of SONY Music.
Although it was apparent to everyone else that Eric was morbidly obese, he wasn’t aware of it or his health issues. But by age 51, Eric was 351 pounds with a 52-inch waist, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. He estimates that he was on about fifteen different types of medication. “It was a cruel, gradual, slow process. It’s not like you wake up one day and you’re a hundred pounds heavier than you were the day before. The worse it gets the more you get used to it and it becomes your new normal.”
Eric admits that one of his biggest problems was that he wasn’t personally involved in his own health. He was taking both metformin and insulin and his A1C was 12. “I didn’t know how my own body worked. I relied upon other people, namely MD’s, to make those decisions for me.”
Eric turned his diabetes health around after seeking the help of a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Preeti Kulkarni.
“Dr. Kulkarni put me on a plant-based diet and told me to adopt a dog from my local shelter. I had never had a pet before so I immediately asked her if it was OK if I got a cat instead.” She said, “have you ever walked a cat?”
Eric chose to rescue an obese middle-aged dog. He says, “I thought we’d have something in common.”
The first time the two went for a walk, they were only able to go about a hundred yards before they had to stop and rest. “I was so out of shape I was out of breath just tying my own shoes.”
Within three months of a program that consisted of eating a plant-based diet and walking Peety for 30 minutes twice a day, he lost 5 pounds a week, and all of his medical stats improved. His A1c also dropped from 12 to 5.
Listen to more of EricO’Grey’s transformative story on Diabetes Late Nite with music from P!nk. Other guests include Chilbrook Kennels breeder, author, and diabetes alert dog and scent detection expert, Debby Kay; poet Lorraine Brooks; Yoga for Diabetes author, Rachel Zinman; and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE. Throughout the podcast we feature songs from the P!nk’s Beautiful Trauma album courtesy of SONY Music.
How great was 2018? Well it was fabulously great for our Diabetes Late Nite podcast with ground-breaking topics, expert guests, exciting games and trending musical inspiration. Let’s look back at the top 3 most popular podcasts from the past year.
Show Synopsis:When the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic heads to the Gotham City Ballet Company’s box office to fix a mix up with his ‘Swan Lake’ tickets he’s faced with a even bigger problem – a MURDER! To make matters worse, one of his latest culinary creations, a gluten free cheesecake, seems to be covering the victim’s face. Could our happy healthcare host’s wacky culinary skills make him an accessory to the crime? Mr. Divabetic and his team must whip a crime-solving recipe before a deadly dash of danger ends his diabetes advocacy and healthy catering career once and for all. Guests included Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, We Are Diabetes organization founder Asha Brown, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Mary Ann Nicolay MEd, DTR, Mama Rose Marie, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ and Poet Lorraine Brooks. Throughout the podcast we featured music from Leonard Bernstein’s recording of Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 in celebration of the centennial of America’s greatest classical composer and conductor courtesy of SONY Music. LISTEN NOW
Behind the scenes of the Broadcast:I am thrilled that this podcast is one of our highest rated of the year! I spent more hours researching, writing and editing this mystery podcast than the previous four mystery podcasts combined. Since a physical injury prevented me from having much of a social life, I had no excuses but to write. My daily mantra: “if you can’t have an active body then, at least have an active mind” helped me when I was dealing with another physical setback.
It’s interesting to note that some dialogue at the very end includes actual quotes from women who are involved in the MeToo movement. I am excited to be working on the next diabetes mystery podcasts scheduled for September 2019 – details soon!
Show synopsis:We’re honored to celebrate Luther Vandross and his musical legacy as well as raise awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) on our annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast. This podcast presented details of the inaugural Fandross Festival in New York City. 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 not only monumental success, but an instant recognition when you hear him singing–through your stereo, car radio, on TV or in a movie. Coupled with that voice was Luther’s unique ability to write and sing about love and the shared emotions we all feel in that search for and enjoyment of love. Through his songs, for the last two generations Luther Vandross became a staple in the most joyous moments of people’s lives. Guests included Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes Author Dr. Michelle May, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, R & B Singer Alyson Williams, “Here & Now” Songwriter and Entertainer Terry Steele, Seveda Williams, Luther Vandross Historian Leon Petrossian and Luther Superfan John Price. Throughout the podcast we featured songs from Luther’s third album, Busy Body courtesy of SONY Music. It featured such hits as “Superstar,” “For the Sweetness Of Your Love” and the duet with Dionne Warwick entitled “How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye.” LISTEN NOW
Behind the scenes of the Broadcast:After we finished the live broadcast of our Annual Luther Tribute podcast in 2017, I thought it would be great to bring a tribute podcast to life! I wanted to connect the fans with Luther’s vocalists, musicians, friends and family members to celebrate his legacy. That’s how our 4 day celebration entitled Fandross was born. Fandross 2018 featured four wonderful events in New York City including a Live Tribute Concert at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar, Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton in concert at the Blue Note, a Luther Film & Video Presentation and Panel Discussion at SVA Theater and a Luther-themed Brunch, Fashion Show & Dress Auction with Runway the Realway. It was a magical experience to hear Luther’s music performed live by his musicians and vocalists. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
Show synopsis:We’re taking about MINDFULNESS with musical inspiration from P!nk. Mindfulness is a technique to be aware of moment-by-moment thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in a non-judgmental way and is increasingly used for eating habits and diabetes management. Research has shown that mindfulness enhances clinical effect of glycemic control. Mindfulness also allows you to accept the way you are feeling rather than constantly battling to try and change it. Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Walking with Peety Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Yoga for Diabetes Author, Rachel Zinman, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE. Throughout the podcast we featured songs from Pink’s Beautiful Trauma album courtesy of SONY Music. LISTEN NOW
Behind the scenes of the Broadcast:I can’t always personally pick the CDs we play on our podcasts. Sometimes the artists and/or albums I want are not available in the SONY catalogue or as in this case, I featured music that SONY recommended. As a P!nk fan, I was welcomed their suggestion. Over the years I’ve come to realized just how big a role the music plays in our monthly podcast. It creates a theme, reinforces a key message, adds excitement to our games and leaves the listener with a beautiful final thought. Several of P!nk’s songs “Beautiful Trauma,” “What About Us” and “Better Life” inspired me to tackle the topics discussed on this podcast. I usually listen to an album about 20 times prior to producing the podcast. I listen to it while I’m developing the show, choosing and booking guests, researching topics and coming up with game ideas. Then, I listen to it one more time about an hour before we broadcast to get in the right frame of mind.
Thanks for being a part of our 8th year of Diabetes Late Nite and Cheers to you for an inspiring and productive 2019.
We’re talking about ways to proceed with ‘CAUTION’ in 2019 with musical inspiration from the iconic Mariah Carey on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 6 PM, EST. TUNE IN
Join us as we talk to experts about the link between Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).
Do you know living with type 2 diabetes puts you at greater risk for heart disease and stroke? Unfortunately most people don’t. We want to help you get CLUED INN and make a healthy comeback worthy of Mariah Carey. Music critics agree that Mariah’s latest collection of songs not only maintains her status as one the best singer/songwriters in the game, but also eloquently displays her truth. She opens up about love, loneliness, and self-worth in a cautionary album that reminds us that she is still a force to be reckoned with after nearly three decades in the industry. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, 2015 AADE Diabetes Educator of the Year Susan Weiner, MS RDN CDE FAADE, Mama Rose Marie, WeAreEatNeat.com’s Lloyd Owens, Nick Zevgolis, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Mariah Carey’s “CAUTION” 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.”
Join Mr. Divabetic and cast of Diabetes Late NIte for the first-ever Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease Escape Room Experience, Clued Inn,on National Diabetes Alert Day (March 26, 2019) in New York City sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.
Barely a day goes by without my social media feed buzzing over the miraculous powers of some type of chocolate. Most recently, I’ve been bombarded by the news of the new KitKats coated in the pink-tinged, berry-like chocolate (Ruby Chocolate) offered in Japan. This pink Kit Kat is made from ruby cocoa beans without the addition of any coloring or flavoring and is being hailed as the first new type of natural chocolate to appear in over 80 years.
What’s the deal? Is this legitimate claim or just another example of the manufacturers enticing us to buy their food products without regard for our diabetes health?
Q: Is this ruby chocolate healthier than dark chocolate? Why or why not?
JW: There’s not much information available about the nutritional composition or the flavanols in ruby chocolate. Because the processing is different and the beans may also be different, I would have to assume that there are differences among ruby chocolate and a flavanol-rich dark chocolate. I just can’t guess what they are.
Q: What advice can you offer someone living with type 2 diabetes about adding this Kit Kat as a snack to their meal plan?
JW: Treat this like any other indulgent food. Work in the calories, carbs and saturated fat. You’ll need to swap this food for another. The best way to know how any food – indulgent or not – affects your blood sugar is to measure your blood sugar before eating and again about 2 hours later.
Q: Is this Kit Kat bar or any other chocolate a good way to treat a low blood sugar?
JW: Only if that’s your only option. I’ve known some people who say they actually look forward to having low blood sugar, so they can eat chocolate bars or other desserts. This just isn’t a good idea though. The quickest way to restore blood sugar levels is to consume something like glucose tablets, table sugar or fruit juice. Another big advantage is that glucose tablets or something similar provides many, many fewer calories and no unhealthy saturated fats. Here’s a good intro to treating low blood sugar levels: http://www.joslin.org/info/how_to_treat_a_low_blood_glucose.html
The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition offers bite-sized nutrition tips for busy people looking for solutions to their everyday food and nutrition problems. This book is filled with diet strategies for weight loss and overall better health that can help anyone, on any schedule, eat and feel better. Meant to be picked up and read piecemeal, every page is packed with interesting tips designed to improve nutrition and relieve stress and guilt. Healthier habits can fit with any schedule!
Whether she’s speaking, writing, chatting on social media, appearing on TV or working with individuals, Jill’s candid and energetic approach appeals to busy people, and her sound nutrition and fitness advice gets results. In fact, her appreciation for science and ability to translate science into actionable information earned her a place in US News & World Report’s 10 Dietitian’s You Need to Follow on Social Media.
Jill Weisenberger‘s specialties include weight control, heart health, diabetes, pre-diabetes, wellness and nutrition for people with hectic lives. She’ll make nutrition science understandable, realistic and oh so delicious.
Tune in to January’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast available on demand, at any time, using this LINK. We’re taking about ‘MINDFULNESS’ with musical inspiration from Pink. Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the P!nk’s ‘Beautiful Trauma’ album courtesy of SONY Music.
Connected, injected, collected, in touch,
Devices are sometimes a need or a crutch.
If I find myself in the mall with no phone,
I suddenly feel afraid and alone.
With all this technology right in our hands
It increases pressure and makes more demands.
I’m beeping, and buzzing, and vibrating too,
They tell me the traffic and tell me what’s new.
Weather, and movies, and amber alerts,
Baseball and football and music concerts.
I have the world in my pocket at will,
But often I feel that I’m out of it still.
There’s hazards to all of this need to be known.
There’s risks to,our health, as studies have shown.
The false sense of intimacy when we’re online
Is making connections that aren’t genuine.
There’s many days when I just put down my screen,
And those are the times when I feel most serene.
I put up my boundaries, turn off the sounds,
And try to connect with the peace to be found.
We all need alone time, to take care of us,
Time away from the hustle and fuss.
My message is always essentially this…
Take care of YOU FIRST, And don’t be remiss.
Don’t allow,life to just fritter away,
And turn off your phones for a part of the day!
Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her poem, ‘Disconnect’ on January’s Diabetes Late Nite with music from P!NK. We’re talking about ‘Mindfulness & Diabetes’ with guests: Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE. Throughout the podcast we’re spotlighting songs from P!nk’s album, ‘Beautiful Trauma’ courtesy of SONY Music. LISTEN NOW
A Finnish study suggests that regular sauna visits can reduce the risk for high blood pressure.
Nearly 79 million adults in this country — one of three — have high blood pressure, and half of those being treated for it still have systolic pressures over 140.
The study, in the American Journal of Hypertension reported that people who took two to three sessions were 24 percent less likely to have hypertension, and four to seven visits a week reduced the risk by 46 percent.
The study controlled for body mass index, alcohol consumption, resting heart rate, smoking, family history of hypertension and other variables as reported by the New York Times.
Did you know the best exercise to manage high blood pressure may be to divvy up your workout into bite-size pieces?
In a 2012 study by Dr. Gaesser, three 10-minute walks spread throughout the day were better at preventing subsequent spikes in blood pressure — which can indicate worsening blood pressure control — than one 30-minute walk. And if even a 10-minute walk sounds daunting, try standing more often.
“Exercise intensity does not appear to play any significant role” in helping people control blood pressure, Dr. Gaesser said
A: Troponins rise after a heart attack, or after excessive sitting.
Troponins are proteins produced by cardiac-muscle cells when they are hurt or dying. A heart attack releases a sudden tsunami of troponins into the bloodstream.
But even slightly elevated troponin levels, lower than those involved in heart attacks, are worrisome if they persist, most cardiologists believe. Chronically high troponin levels indicate that something is going wrong inside the heart muscle and that damage is occurring and accruing there. If the damage is not halted or slowed, it could eventually result in heart failure.
Sitting for hours on end is unhealthy, even if you occasionally exercise. People who sit for more than about nine or 10 hours each day — a group that includes many of us who work in offices — are prone to developing diabetes, heart disease and other problems, and most of these risks remain relatively high, even if we exercise.
Excessive sitting also has been associated with heart failure, a condition in which the heart becomes progressively weaker and unable to pump enough blood to keep the rest of the body oxygenated and well. But how sitting, which seems to demand so little from the heart, could be linked to heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot respond adequately to exertion, has been unclear.
We’re taking about ‘MINDFULNESS’ with musical inspiration from Pink on January’s Diabetes Late Nite podcastscheduled for Tuesday, January 9, 2018, 6 PM, EST.
Mindfulness is a technique adopted to becoming aware of moment-by-moment thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in a non-judgmental way. … In the US, mindfulness is being increasingly used for eating habits and diabetes management. Research has shown that mindfulness enhances clinical effect of glycemic control.
Mindfulness can help break down the constant cycle of becoming stressed, anxious and depressed. Pressures and strains of everyday diabetes life cause an internal battle of avoidance.
People strive to avoid ‘negative emotions’ such as guilt, sadness, frustration and anger and instead are attracted to feelings of happiness and contentment.
Mindfulness allows you to accept the way you are feeling rather than constantly battling to try and change it.
Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, ‘Walking with Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Yoga for Diabetes’ Author, Rachel Zinman, 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 Pink’s ‘Beautiful Trauma’ album courtesy of SONY Music. TUNE IN
Divabetic is celebrating a Blue Christmas to bring attention to the mental health issues related to living with diabetes.
You probably know better than we do how diabetes affects your holiday experience. You might feel the weight of diabetes more at this time, because you can’t let go and celebrate like everyone else. Or maybe you do let go and then beat yourself up over it.
That’s why we asked our panel of experts, friends and past Diabetes Late Nite podcast guests to spread some holiday cheer by sharing their favorite products to help keep you ‘happy and healthy’ all year long.
Eric O’Grey was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of type 2 diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that’s when Eric met Peety: an overweight, middle-aged, and forgotten dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, forming a bond of unconditional love that forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together, and eating plant-based foods, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric reversed his diabetes, got off all medication, and became happy and healthy for the first time in his life-eventually reconnecting with and marrying his high school sweetheart. ‘Walking with Peety’ is for anyone who is ready to make a change in his or her life, and for everyone who knows the joy, love, and hope that dogs can bring. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue. This is an epic story of friendship and strength.
On December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we’re celebrating a Blue Christmas. I chose this theme in December because ‘Blue’ is the color that I most closely associate with diabetes and I feel that the mental health issues related to diabetes are often overlooked and ignored. Some listeners may feel that talking about depression is depressing which is understandable. However, I feel it is far more important to reach out to those coping with diabetes distress and burnout and let them know they are not alone.Please join us!
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 Niteguests will be sharing more 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!
Are you feeling ‘blue’ this holiday season?
If so, you’re not alone. While it’s true that sadness and/or depression at holiday time can be a reaction to the stresses and demands of the season, people with diabetes are more likely to be depressed than others states David Spero BSN, RN for Diabetes Self-Management.
Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may worsen symptoms of depression. Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions, such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking and weight gain — all of which are risk factors for diabetes.
The good news is that diabetes and depression can be treated together. And effectively managing one can have a positive effect on the other.
If you think you might be depressed, seek help right away. Your doctor or diabetes educator can refer you to a mental health professional.
We’re celebrating a Diabetes ‘BLUE’ Christmas with musical inspiration from Elvis Presley on December’s Diabetes Late Nitepodcast scheduled for Tuesday, December 12,2017, 6 PM,EST.
Feeling blue?
Know someone with diabetes who gets irritated without any rhyme or reason? And it’s hard to guess what triggered the mood swing.
Moods swings affect people living with both type I and type II diabetes alike. It is difficult to say whether diabetes triggers mood swings or living with diabetes makes you moody. ‘Fluctuations in blood glucose level leads to change in levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and 5HT. When this happens it makes one prone mood swings and then to anxiety and depression, in the long run,’ explains Dr. Pradeep Gadge, Diabetologist, Shreya Diabetic Care, Mumbai.
Mood swings are more evident when one fails to express pent up emotions. So whether it is feeling low or inability to concentrate, it is better to talk and express it. If that doesn’t help, writing notes to yourself even on your phone’s notepad can also do the trick. Social interactions can also help in managing moods and emotions.
The holiday season triggers mood swings for many of us. We may stress about finances, fight with family members, feel overwhelmed, slip into bad eating habits, ignore blood sugars and/or gain weight.
We will be discussing ways to not let diabetes dim your dazzle during the holidays 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.
TUNE IN: Click on this Diabetes Late Nite link for inspiration to live healthfully during the holiday season.
It is a well-documented fact that more people living in the USA are overweight than any other country. This also seems to be true for American dogs as well. Research has shown that being overweight not only causes dogs to suffer more frequently from joint disease and related problems but it also reduces their life span by up to 30%. Yet people for whatever reason continue to feed their dogs too much food.
In my 40+ years of dealing with people who overfeed their dogs I have noticed that most of them do not even recognize that their dogs are overweight. So how do you tell if you have a fat dog. The easiest way is to compare it a chart that Purina research has put out that shows what the differences in weights on dogs looks like. Even with this great chart many people still cannot tell fat from muscle. Muscle is lean and when a dog is in proper weight you can see the cuts in the muscle very distinctly. Fat will make a hard rounded appearance and a very obese dog will have sides that roll back and forth like Jello™ when they are trotting towards you. The ribs of the dog should be easy to feel with lean muscle over them just enough to cover but not hide them.
If you have determined however, that your dog is overweight here are a few tips to help you get those pounds off.
1. Cut the amount you are feeding in half for one week. If let’s say, you are giving 2 cups of dry food in the morning and the same in the evening, then cut back to 1 cup for each meal.
2. Snacks should be meat or raw veggies like carrots and nothing else.
3. Double the exercise and make sure this is aerobic exercise. For example, if you take the dog on a walk to park once a day, keep that but add in another session where you jog instead of walk. Or if your dog likes to swim, add in a session of 30 minutes of vigorous swimming.
4. If you don’t jog you can put your dog on a treadmill for 30-60 minutes a day. I have one just for dogs with a longer base but, if you do things slowly, your dog will adapt to a human treadmill no problem.
Once you get the weight off keep it off by regularly weighing your dog at the vets. They don’t charge for it and it will give you a good guide that those pounds are not creeping back on when you thought you have gotten them all off.
You might want to switch foods as the one you are feeding may have too many carbohydrates or grains in it. A good grain free, balanced food like Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Grain Free diets might just the ticket to keeping those pounds off.
Debby Kay has been a pioneer in scent detection work for over 40 years. Debby teaches Super Sniffer® workshops for amateur dog owners and professional trainers alike.She has set up several non profit organizations worldwide for Diabetes Alert Dogs and her Sweet Snoopers program is now in 22 countries around the world helping people manage this disease better through the use of trainedalert dogs.
Debby isafounding officer and lifetime member oftheLabradorRetrieverClub of thePotomac, and a memberofthe LabradorRetriever ClubInc. Sheisa professional memberoftheDogWriters Association ofAmerica, The Association of Professional Dog Trainers, andtheInternational Association of CanineProfessionals.
Eric O’Grey was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of type 2 diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that’s when Eric met Peety: an overweight, middle-aged, and forgotten dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, forming a bond of unconditional love that forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together, and eating plant-based foods, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric got off all oral medication, and became happy and healthy for the first time in his life-eventually reconnecting with and marrying his high school sweetheart. ‘Walking With Peety’ is for anyone who is ready to make a change in his or her life, and for everyone who knows the joy, love, and hope that dogs can bring. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue. This is an epic story of friendship and strength. ORDER NOW
Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Author Eric O’Grey on Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for Tuesday, December12, 2017, 6 PM, EST.
