Divabetic’s Spice And Seeds Quiz

How much do you know about Seeds and Spices? Both are used to flavor food, but research shows they’re chock-full of healthy compounds and have many health benefits. Try your luck at our fun quiz!

PLAY QUIZ NOW

 

 

We’re celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Month with musical inspiration from Angela Bofill. With her strong, distinctive alto, Angela Bofill carved a niche as an outstanding interpreter of soul ballads and became a mainstay on the Quiet Storm radio format. Angela Bofill suffered two strokes but neither stroke could take away her positive, humorous personality and her fighter spirit.Podcast guests: Angela Bofill, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, San Francisco & Palm Springs drag performer Mutha Chucka, and Evetta Petty from Harlem’s Heaven Hats. Throughout the podcast we will feature music from The Essential Angela Bofill album courtesy of SONY Music.

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?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Tea Party with special guests, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine SchullerTessie’s Teas’ owner Rose Hall and Harlem Heaven’s Hats owner Evetta Petty on Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

Tessie’s Teas are all natural caffeine-free, chemical-free instant crystallized teas that meet all of your healthy-living needs.

Harlem’s Heaven Hat shop specializes in providing the right head wear and face mask for the right occasions.

Catherine Schuller is a fashion curator, former plus model, coach, speaker, writer, producer, and image consultant.

How it works: Register prior to this event and we will send you the unique code to sign in to our Zoom Video feed. You will need a camera. We’ll all get acquainted and share niceties before the demonstration begins. At the end of our zoom event we’ll sit back, laugh, make smoothies and enjoy a toast together!

Cost: Free.

REGISTER NOW

 

Gorgeous Mask & Hat Combinations for Fall from Harlem’s Heaven

For over 20 years, our friend, Evetta Petty has designed hats in her uptown New York studio, Harlem’s Heaven Hat Shop. Her hats have captured worldwide attention and have been worn to the Kentucky Derby and Royal Ascot in England. Recently, she’s put her design skills to work making fabulous, functional face masks.

Don’t get down, get DIVA!

Having type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19.  But living in the new ‘normal’ and wearing a mask out in public doesn’t have to cramp your style. You can stay safe, live well with diabetes, and still feel beautiful wearing one of these gorgeous hat and mask combinations!

Q: Tell us about your face mask collection. What colors and styles do they come in? Are they for both women and men?

Evetta Petty: My mask collection is functional and fun. Its for ladies and gentlemen. I use the same high quality textiles for my masks that I use for my hats which makes them very special. I’m using beautiful brocades In rich jewel tones and rhinestone embellishments for the couture mask collection.

Q: What styles are new for Fall?

Evetta Petty: For fall I focused on the classic pillbox hat, it’s so sultry and sophisticated and the mask is an added plus. I also wanted to showcase a dressy holiday FASCINATOR or cocktail hat with a Couture mask for the holidays. It’s the new normal with HIGH STYLE!

Q: How has your life changed living in New York City and you’re living with type 2 diabetes since the pandemic? 

Evetta Petty: Being quarantined at home during this pandemic is very challenging with Type 2 diabetes. I’m really being careful not to overeat because food is too available. The good thing is that I can do some healthy cooking and try new dishes that I normally would not have the time to do.

Q: How do you cope with the stress and anxiety?

Evetta Petty: Being busy making masks and adding new items to my website has given me a great since of accomplishment. I really have been able to keep the stress level down by concentrating on daily tasks and limiting my time watching the News.  I realized early on that when I watched the News all day, it gave me too much anxiety.

Q: How can people purchase your hats and masks? 

Evetta Petty: You can purchase my hats and masks on my website www.harlemsheaven.com and we will promptly ship them out. My Hat shop up in Harlem has been closed during this pandemic and will reopen as soon as the law allows.

Harlem’s Heaven Hat Shop is located 2538 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.   (@W.147) New York, NY 10039. Phone:  212-491-7706. Store hours: 12PM to 6PM. Closed Sunday & Monday. Appointments available after hours

Hat Designer, Evetta Petty

See hat desginer, Evetta Petty’s sensational hat designs sweeping across the New York Fashion Week runway. Evetta who attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City was inspired by the exhuberance of the Poppy Flower for this unique collection. Her hat designs are fierce!

 

Listen to Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcast Anniversary Special with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”–  Ms. Patti LaBelle. She’s encouraging a ‘NEW ATTITUDE’ about living with diabetes! Guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OB-GYN, Luther McRae, Mama Rose Marie, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Seveda Williams and Terri Seidman.

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Sixteen

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 16, we’re spotlighting Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by the Pointer Sisters from December 2013.

“This podcast was a game changer for Divabetic,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.”It was the first time we featured music from various SONY music artists on our broadcast.”

 

The Pointer Sisters began their formal vocal training in their father’s church, The Church of God in West Oakland, California. June, Anita and Ruth Pointer achieved its greatest commercial success in 1983 with their biggest-selling album ever with Break Out. The Break Out album features the hits, Jump (For My Love), Automatic, Baby Come And Get It, I Need You, Neutron Dance and I’m So Excited.

The Pointer Sisters won several Grammy Awards,  American Music Awards and have been inducted onto the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic is ‘so excited’ to host this hourlong whirlwind of wellness inspired by the Pointer Sisters with superstar guests including music journalist Christian John Wikane, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Kathy Gold RN, CDE, Neva White MSN, CRNP, CDE, Evetta Petty, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Laura Laria and Lindsay from Baton Rouge, LA living with diabetes. Show highlights include Mr. Divabetic’s ‘Favorite Things’ list of great gift ideas to keep you happy and healthy.

 

 

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

 

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

Raising Awareness for Diabetes Related Eye Disease at NYC Easter Parade

For the fifth year in a row, I’’ll be raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Sunday, April 16, 2017, 12:30 PM.

We will discussing symptoms, causes and treatments for diabetes related eye disease.

Did you know that diabetic retinopathy is a  health complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness?

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels inside the retina, the tissue at the back of the eye. Diabetes also can cause leaking of blood vessels in the eyes, which leads to scarring and loss of vision.

How much do you know about diabetes related eye disease?

Test your knowledge with 2 questions from Mr. Divabetic’s Diabetes “Eye”-Q quiz courtesy of dLife

ANSWER: D (All of the above)  Diabetic retinopathy is when there is damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens. Cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes. Glaucoma is an increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision. A person with diabetes is nearly twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults.

ANSWER: B (False)  Tightly managing your blood sugars is one way to help prevent diabetic eye disease or its progression. Controlling elevated blood pressure and cholesterol can also reduce the risk of vision loss. People who have good control of their diabetes are at much lower risk for diabetic eye disease.

In people with diabetes, high blood sugar damages the walls of the small blood vessels in the eye, altering their structure and function. As part of this condition, called diabetic retinopathy, these vessels may thicken, leak, develop clots, close off, or grow balloon-like defects called microaneurysms. Frequently, fluid accumulates in the part of the retina used in tasks such as reading; this condition is called macular edema. In advanced cases, the retina is robbed of its blood supply and grows new, but defective, vessels — a process called neovascularization. These fragile vessels can bleed, creating vision-impairing hemorrhages, scar tissue, and separation of the retina from the back of the eye (retinal detachment). The new vessels can also block fluid flow within the eye, producing glaucoma.

Pain or pressure in one or both of your eyes could be a sign of damage to your retinas. Blurry or double vision, dark spots or blank areas and trouble seeing out of the corners of your eyes are other symptoms to watch for.

If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may notice no changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss.

It’s important that anyone who has diabetes gets annual eye exams from an ophthalmologist so that retinopathy can be detected early.

Diabetes & Easter: Easter can be a difficult time to have diabetes, not least because of the temptation READ MORE

Don’t let the parade pass you by!  Tune in to Facebook Live (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds live from the Red Carpet with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, diabetes advocate Laura Laria and Harlem’s Heaven hat designer, Evetta Petty and more! 

Never been to the New York Easter Parade?

“Sunday best” gets new meaning during this annual procession, wherein participants show off elaborately constructed hats— shaped like gigantic Easter baskets, the NYC skyline and the Coney Island Cyclone! The tradition started in the mid-1800s, when high-society ladies would promenade in their Easter finery after church, and has since evolved into a showcase for millinery.

Raising Awareness for Diabetes at the Easter Parade 2017

I’’ll be raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Sunday, April 16, 2017, 12:30 PM 

Don’t let the parade pass you by!  Tune in to Facebook Live (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds live from the Red Carpet with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP and hat designer, Evetta Petty and more! 

Never been to the New York Easter Parade?

“Sunday best” gets new meaning during this annual procession, wherein participants show off elaborately constructed hats— shaped like gigantic Easter baskets, the NYC skyline and the Coney Island Cyclone! The tradition started in the mid-1800s, when high-society ladies would promenade in their Easter finery after church, and has since evolved into a showcase for millinery.

While most of the hats on display at the Festival will be outrageous you can still add an extra touch of magic, refinement, and/or edge to an outfit with a much modest sized hat.

What’s one big hat trend for Spring/Summer 2017?

“With access to Cuba, its retro influence is having a powerful impact on the fashion industry,” according to Evetta Petty, the owner of Harlem’s Heaven Hat Shop in New York City. “There are colorful exotic prints that are mixed with natural raw elements.  Rich, graphic, brilliant patterns paired with kitschy accessories like bold voluminous necklaces and bangles as well as tassels, pompoms, and ruffles for an updated vintage look.”

Hats are also an important staple for the summer season, since they help to shield us from the sun.

If you have diabetes, it’s important to avoid too much sun exposure and sunburn, particularly if you take certain medications, such as glyburide (brand names Micronase, DiaBeta, and Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), and glimepiride (Amaryl), as well as diuretics and NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and celecoxib [Celebrex] according to Diabetes Self-Management magazine.

People with diabetes should avoid sunburn because it can stress your body and raise your blood glucose. Wear a good sunscreen (we recommend PEAK PROTECTION sunscreen spray SPF29), lip balm that contains SPF, sunglasses as well as a hat when out in the sun and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Most people don’t realize that while driving your neck, hands and left side of your face is exposed to sun!

“If you drive 1/2 hour or more per day to work  the sun is constantly beaming through the windshield on your hands,” says PEAK 10 skincare founder, Connie Elder.“Use sunscreen on the back of your hands and neck.”

I’ll be challenging people’s Diabetes Wellness IQ with games at the Easter Parade & Bonnet Festival. Test your  knowledge with this question: Sunscreen doesn’t expire – True or False?

Answer: TRUE. Go ahead and throw out last summer’s bottle of sunscreen. Although sunscreens are usually labeled with an expiration date and have a shelf life of approximately two years, it’s important to buy a new bottle every summer to ensure that your skin is well-protected.

There are lots of amazing designs to try on this year but what’s the one trend that will set you a part from the other run-of-the-mill fashionistas in your town?

“The headwear industry welcomes the return of the turban with feathers and glitzy embellishments!,” says Evetta and adding, “also, wide brimmed hats with floral trimmings are a strong look this season.”

Have fun dressing for Sunny days and HAVANA NIGHTS.