From slurring words or forgetting lyrics to her famous side-to-side, stutter-step shimmy, Chaka Khan‘s performance at the recent Verzuz “competition” with Stephanie Mills has many speculating that she was either drunk or high.
But could she have been experiencing low blood sugars?
Some symptoms of low blood sugar can look the same as being drunk. The most common ones are feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or confused; and getting sleepy. However, others may think your signs of low blood sugar are due to drinking. As a result, they may not realize you need help.
The Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes back in 2011. She credits her vegan diet for helping her lose a significant amount of weight after her diagnosis.
“I felt like I needed to heal my body, so I would just fast and eat no meat, no dairy,” she said. “I’ve never been a fan of meat, dairy, and sugar. And when I developed diabetes I said, ‘Oh OK, I’m not going to be here long. A change is coming,’” Chaka Khan told the lifestyle website Essence.com.
Assuming Chaka Khan experienced low blood sugar levels on stage with Stephanie Mills, let’s review some suggestions for treating it.
First, eat or drink 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates, then check your blood sugars and retreat if necessary.
The best options are sugary foods without protein or fat. Chocolate contains fat which slows down the absorption of sugar, so it’s not the best option. Instead, you need food or drinks that easily convert to sugar in the body. Try glucose tablets or gel (sold in your pharmacy), fruit juice, regular — not diet — soft drinks, honey, and sugary candy. Keep in mind, 15 grams of carbohydrates is far less than a whole can of soda or a tall glass of juice. The amount is significant because if you overtreat a low blood sugar by eating or drinking too much, you risk experiencing high blood sugar levels.
Finally, you should know that alcohol makes your blood sugar levels drop by inhibiting the liver’s ability to release glucose.
Ivan Hampden, Jr., Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Pam Butler MS, CDCES, Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDCES, CDN, Cookbook Author and Culinary Expert Holly Clegg and Ginger Vieira on this episode of Divabetic’s monthly podcast.
Don’t let the end of Summer get you down, get DIVA! Our Divabetic Go Ginger! Labor Day Celebration spotlights different ‘ginger’ recipes by our good friend, Chef Ward Alper aka ‘The Decadent Diabetic’ to help put a kick in your 3 day weekend.
This fabulous ginger side dish recipe is inspired by one our favorite redheads, the iconic Lucille Ball. Her TV show, “I Love Lucy” pretty much invented the TV sitcom as we know it.
Did you know that before the show’s 1951 debut, sitcoms on the new medium of television were essentially filmed half-hour plays, with fairly static cameras and minimalist sets?
But on “I Love Lucy” there were three cameras shooting simultaneously from different angles, on 35mm film, so that scenes could be performed in sequence, just once, with shots and reaction shots edited together later.
‘Lucy Ricardo’ was kind of a comedic superheroine, capable of doing just about anything, but only for a few minutes, before her efforts inevitably went catastrophically awry. Behind the camera, Lucille Ball was a heroine, too, blazing a path for TV performers and producers for which she’s never received proper credit. Both fiery redheads — the restless housewife and the woman who created her — managed to create an indestructible sitcom; not even colorization can mar it. READ MORE
The Decadent Diabetic shares this fabulous ginger inspired recipe, “For Lucy the queen of carrot tops spicy with a nutty crunch!”
The Decadent Diabetic’s Orange/Ginger Glazed Carrots with Pecans Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Two 1 cup servings
Net carbohydrates:less than 11 grams per serving
Ingredients
6medium carrots, peeled and sliced on an angle
3 -TBSP. butter
4 ounces TROP 50 low sugar orange juice
3/4 cup water
1 TBSP. Sugar alternative of choice
small pinch of salt
½ -tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup toasted pecan halves
HOW TO PREPARE THE RECIPE:
Melt butter in a sauce pan. Cook carrots in the butter of high heat for 1 minute. Add TROP 50, water, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and sugar alternative. Continue cooking over medium high heat until all the liquid is evaporated, about 10-15 minutes.
Garnish with the pecans for extra spark of flavor and crunch.
Summer lasts a little longer with a tropical flower centerpiece (see above) for Divabetic Labor Day-inspired party and is surprisingly simple to create. An easy trick of the trade for centerpieces is to use multiples of like objects, vases or even lanterns and repeat- either down a long table or clustered symmetrically in the center of a table. The consistency creates a bold visual impact. To add a little more reflection and drama to the basic neutral table cloth place square mirror tiles to cover the tabletop (An easy to remove self adhesive helped keep the mirrors secure to the tablecloth).
How Are Baby Carrots Made?
The carrots now used to make “baby-cut carrots” are typically ones that have been specially bred to contain more sugar than their standard-sized cousins, because this extra sweetness appeals more strongly to children according to Snopes.com. Likewise, their bright orange color has also been bred into them, as has the evenness of that color all the way through the root. READ MORE
Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic finally takes the plunge and ventures into a new career as a healthy caterer. With the help of his co-workers and nosy Italian mother, he heads for Coney Island to cater his first party aboard a yacht for his former swim coach, Ted Rockow. But his nautical soiree quickly capsizes when the guest of honor is found swimming with the fishes. What it an accident or foul play? Now Mr. Divabetic’s grilling Burlesque dancers, a lifeguard lothario and some sequined mermaids, all intent on keeping their secrets buried deep within the sand. Can Mr. Divabetic prove Coach’s death was a murder, not an accident? Or will he end up floating out to sea?
Will he sink or swim? Tune in to find out if he can solve the murder of his former swim coach with the help of his friends, some sassy mermaids and a cooky fortune teller. Along the way to revealing the identity of the murderer he uncovers expert tips for diabetes self-care during the Summer months.
USA Today Best-Selling Author, Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Seveda Williams, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, Mama Rose Marie and Poet Lorraine Brooks help the fruit suit clad sleuth in this seaside adventure. Healthy delicious recipes provided by Chef Robert Lewis and Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’.
This year’s mystery podcast features music from the original cast recording of ‘Gypsy’ courtesy of SONY Music.
Join the show! Get the full script for ‘Gypsies, Tramps & Peas’ and read along as our cast performs. Please e-mail: mrdvabetic@gmail.com
