can anyone breathe by Lorraine Brooks

with a foot on their neck

or a knife in their back

or a gun in their face

or a chain on their feet


can anyone breathe

who cannot be taught to read

who cannot congregate in groups

who receive inferior healthcare

and who die in the streets


can anyone breathe

who earns less than their peers

or must live only where they are allowed

and cannot marry who they please

and thrown crumbs to eat?


can anyone breathe

when the government fails

and the men are in jails

and when chaos prevails

and the president tweets


but new breath is coming

new air in our lungs

a country suffocated by its own hatred

gasping and dying

is now on life support

building walls around itself

when the real poison is in its own veins.


can anyone breathe?

In the words of the greatest president of our lives…yes we can.

This Divabetic podcast is in solidarity with and dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice. 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.

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

Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes Mystery Podcast Debuts on 9/10/19

Don’t miss Divabetic’s 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 6 -7 PM, EST.

This year’s Divabetic Mystery Podcast takes place at the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges. Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape. 

Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?

The cast of Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes features Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR), Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Seveda Williams, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Dave Jones, Lorraine Brooks and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes featuring the iconic Carol Channing courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

TUNE IN

Chef Robert Lewis Stars in Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast: Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes

Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ stars in Divabetic’s 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 6 -7 PM, EST.  Chef Robert portrays Former Councilman Skeeter Jones who introduced legislation on the Sugar Tax.  The Sugar Tax is a tax or surcharge designed to reduce consumption of drinks with added sugar. Drinks covered under a Sugar Tax often include carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juices and energy drinks.

The tax is a matter of public debate in many countries and beverage producers like Coca-Cola often oppose it. Advocates such as national medical associations and the World Health Organization believe the tax will discourage unhealthy diets and offset the growing economic costs of obesity

READ MORE 

In a recent profile on the Everyday Diabetes website, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ admitted that he feared the worst for his own love of great food following his diagnosis with Type 2 Diabetes in 1998.

“I suspected that my days of good eating were over,” Lewis writes on his blog. “Yet, as I worked through my ups and downs, I came to realize that the selection of foods I could and should eat was vast and included many of my favorites. This motivated me to attempt to create delicious, diabetic-friendly dishes that were also easy to prepare.

Today he’s a man on the go! is a man on the go. When he’s not working as a director of training for 60 restaurants in the Midwest, he’s  traveling around the country as a keynote speaker for Taking Control of Your Diabetes and/or hosting his own podcast, ‘The Happy Diabetic Kitchen Podcast’! Read more about Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ in Diabetes Health Monitor magazine.

This year’s Divabetic Diabetes Mystery Podcast, Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes, takes place at the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges. Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape.         

Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?

The cast of Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondesfeatures Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR), Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Seveda Williams, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Dave Jones, Lorraine Brooks and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes featuring the iconic Carol Channing courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

TUNE IN

Phantom of the Okra Mystery Podcast

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic gets caught up in a murder mystery when he agrees to host the Red Tomato Carpet at the 6th Annual Bake Bethesda A Pie Contest at Central Farm Market in Bethesda, MD. 

Will orange be the ‘new black’ for Mr. Divabetic?

Find out what happens when Mr. Divabetic, the Diabetes Late Nite cast and some special friends try to solve this diabetes murder mystery loosely based on “The Phantom Of The Opera”. Enjoy diabetes self-care advice and nutrition information in between moments of suspense, wide-goose chases, and entertaining banter. 

Featuring Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown (founder of the We Are Diabetes organization), Central Farm Markets Co-Founder Debra Moser, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Good Like This Author Peter Arpesella, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDE, CDN, Leisa Chester Weir, Terri Seidman,  Mama Rose Marie and Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek.

This podcast features song selections from “The Phantom Of The Opera” soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music. 

LISTEN NOW

Happy Diabetic’s Turkey Joe’s Fast Recipe

Chef Robert “The Happy Diabetic” Lewis, who is living with type 2 diabetes, has made it his  goal is to live happy and healthy and to create recipes that celebrate great-tasting food that both diabetics and non-diabetics can enjoy. His cookbooks are filled with tips, tidbits and humorous anecdotes that he hopes will make cooking fun! Below is one of our favorites:

Happy Diabetic’s Turkey Joe’s Fast Recipe

“Happy and Healthy sloppy style joes made with simple ingredients and ground turkey. Can you feel the love?”, says Chef Robert Lewis. 

What’s In It?

2 pounds ground turkey

2 cups tomato sauce (low sodium)

1 can tomato paste

1 Tablespoons garlic powder

¼ teaspoon Mrs. Dash Table Blend Salt

¼ Tablespoons chili powder

2.5 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup

1 16 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (optional I like to reserve the juice incase I want or need to thin down the sauce)

Let’s Put It Together:

In a large sauce pan, brown ground turkey over medium heat until completely cooked.

Stir in all ingredients. Once mixed, heat on low for an additional 10-15 minutes.

The NUTRITION Facts (approximate): Serving Size 4 oz, Calories 220, Total Fat 8 g, Sodium 178.7 mg, Total Carbohydrates 14.5 g, Protein 22.1 g

In a recent profile on the Everyday Diabetes website, Chef Robert Lewis admitted that he feared the worst for his own love of great food following his diagnosis with Type 2 Diabetes in 1998.

“I suspected that my days of good eating were over,” Lewis writes on his blog. “Yet, as I worked through my ups and downs, I came to realize that the selection of foods I could and should eat was vast and included many of my favorites. This motivated me to attempt to create delicious, diabetic-friendly dishes that were also easy to prepare.

Today he’s a man on the go! is a man on the go. When he’s not working as a director of training for 60 restaurants in the Midwest, he’s  traveling around the country as a keynote speaker for Taking Control of Your Diabetes and/or hosting his own podcast, ‘The Happy Diabetic Kitchen Podcast’! Read more about Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ in Diabetes Health Monitor magazine.

Chef Robert “The Happy Diabetic” Lewis stars in Divabetic’s 5th Annual Diabetes Mystery podcast, “Swan Wake”  starring 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 will be featuring music from Leonard Berstein’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. Available for free on demand LISTEN NOW