Leon Petrossian – Page 2

Dr. Michelle May, who is a recovered yoyo dieter and the award-winning author of ‘Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle’ joins us to talk about emotional eating on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast on Thursday, April 19, 2018, 6 – 7:30PM, EST.

“Emotional eating only becomes a problem when it’s over-used to cope with or avoid feelings,” says Dr. Michelle May.

Experts define emotional eating as eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. Major life events or, more commonly, the hassles of daily life can trigger negative emotions that lead to emotional eating and disrupt your weight-loss efforts.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to heal the emotional connection to food that wasn’t serving my highest good”, admits Dr. Michelle May. “I’ve also learned to embrace my healthy emotional relationship with food. When I’m craving chocolate even though I’m not hungry (and sometimes when I am!), I’m probably bored of working at my desk or I’m feeling overwhelmed and in need of a break. I also love the emotional connection of cooking with my chef-husband, dining with my friends and family, and savoring a fabulous piece of chocolate–simply for pleasure!”

Though Luther Vandross enjoyed success after success in his professional life, he was beset by personal struggles with his weight — the cruel cycle of gaining and losing 100 pounds dominated his life. He lost more than 100 pounds over thiriteen times during his lifetime.

“It’s the most awful, dark feeling in the world,” Luther said of the times when he put back on 100 pounds. “It feels like you’re wearing an 80-pound hat and a coat that weighs 300 pounds … You feel like it’s always dark and gloomy.”

While many people struggle with significant weight fluctuations, Luther’s yo-yo relationship with food was displayed before millions of fans.

“It makes it very hard,” he said. “You wear it externally so the minute you walk through the door, everybody knows ‘Luther’s not winning his battle with his demon.'”

Luther Vandross suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension, both of which may have been brought on by family genetics as well as lifestyle and nutrition. He had just finished the final vocals for the album ‘Dance With My Father’, when on April 16, 2003 he suffered a severe stroke at his home in New York City. The stroke left him in a coma for nearly two months, during which time he also had to fight both meningitis and pneumonia (which required a tracheotomy). The stroke also left Vandross with noticeable difficulty speaking and singing, as well as confinement to a wheelchair.’

TUNE IN: Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast on Thursday, April 19, 2018, 6 -7:30 PM, EST. Guests include Dr. Michelle May, Alyson Williams, ‘Here & Now’ songwriter and entertainer Terry Steele, Luther Vandross Historian Leon Petrossian and superfan, John Price. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Busy Body’ courtesy of SONY Music. On ‘Busy Body’, Luther Vandross’ third album features ‘Superstar’, ‘For the Sweetness Of Your Love’, and the duet with Dionne Warwick entitled ‘ How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye’.

Join us for the inaugural Fandross Festival presented by the Vandross Family Estate and Divabetic celebrating the musical legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for the prevention of diabetes health-related complications such as stroke.

Fandross Calendar of Events: Fandross Kick-Off Party at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar on 5/10/18, Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton at the Blue Note on 5/11/18, Fandross Festival at SVA Theater on 5/12/18, Fandross Sunday Brunch at Casa de Femme on 5/13/18. All tickets sold separately on Eventbrite.

More event details at Divabetic.org

We’re honored to celebrate Luther Vandross, his musical legacy and raise awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) on this Luther Vandross Tribute podcast scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

Luther Vandross died at age 54, two years after suffering a stroke related to his type 2 diabetes.

African-American men have a significantly higher risk of stroke, and death caused by stroke, than white males, according to the American Stroke Association. In 2002, the latest year for which data are available, the stroke-mortality rate for black men was 82 per 100,000 population, while the stroke mortality for white men was 54 per 100,000. Likewise mortality is higher in black women, at 72 per 100,000 population, versus white women, who die from stroke at a rate of 53 per 100,000.

Black men and women generally have more stroke risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension, according to George Howard, Dr. P.H., who chairs the department of biostatistics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. He is an authority on the demographics of stroke.

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.

Luther’s style harkened back to a more genteel era of crooning, with songs that spoke to heartfelt emotions and gentle pillow talk rather than explicit sexuality.

“I’m more into poetry and metaphor, and I would much rather imply something rather than to blatantly state it,” said Luther. “You blatantly state stuff sometimes when you can’t think of a a poetic way to say it.”

Featured guests on our Luther Tribute podcast include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Tawatha Agee, Steve Kroon, Seveda Williams, Pat Lacy, Luther historian Leon Petrossian, members of ‘The Luther Vandross Experience’, friends and fans.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Luther Vandross’ courtesy of SONY Music.

“One of the qualities that makes this album so good is the not merely the fact that Luther took so much time between his last studio album I Know but that he also took stock in his musical pros and cons,” writes Andre S. Grindle on Amazon. “The uptempo tunes on this album are some of the very finest,and funkiest he ever made and could easily work for lovers of a more 70’s sound and the music of today:again classic R&B flavors through contemporary means. “Grown Thangs”,”Say It Now”,”How Do I Tell You” and the bassy bottomed “Let’s Make Tonight The Night” bring out all the best qualities Vandross is truely capable of-offering up the kind of danceable songs Vandross threw down back in the Never Too Much days. There’s also a bit more of an edge to the musical production of these songs,a mildly darker tone that takes any possible silken softness from the surface of the songs.”

Tag: Leon Petrossian

‘Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat’ on Divabetic’s Luther Vandross Tribute Podcast

Don’t miss our Luther Vandross Tribute podcast