Lorraine Brooks – Page 19

12/31/2016

‘Don’t Look Back’ by Poet Lorraine Brooks

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Another year means a new beginning for all of us. This is a perfect time to dream big and to become a better person than you were before. Divabetic’s aim is to encourage you to ‘sparkle’ not just survive with diabetes in 2017. Whether you’re confused about nutritional labels, outraged over health costs, stuck in a fashion rut, discouraged by your food choices and/or at a loss for words, we’re sharing expert advice to empower you to have a ‘New Attitude’ about living well with diabetes.

Poet Lorraine Brooks shares her words of inspiration in her newest poem, ‘Don’t Look Back’:

Another year of life and love

And many things to be proud of.

Surviving all the ups and downs

The strength to smile, instead of frown.

Many people we lost last year,

And still we strive to be of good cheer.

Forward looking, into the sun,

Thankful for things done and undone.

Ever increasing our knowledge and worth

Enjoying all of our time here on earth.

We strive to be honest, courageous, and bold,

Regardless of age, trying not to act “old”.

Accepting the world with its troubles and woes,

And being OK with your friends and your foes.

What have we, then, at the end of the year,

When the clock is ticking, and midnight is near…

When we look into the eyes of our lovers

And look back at everything we’ve discovered

And understand all, of the things we have lost

And celebrate all of the bridges we crossed

And drink a big toast to the ones who passed on

Who we still love and cherish although they are gone

While the seconds are counting down to a few

And we take a deep breath to start anew

And the crystal ball moves down its silvery spike

And we wish for all of the things we would like

When its only 10 seconds left in ’16

And our hearts begin pounding while watching the screen

And there they are playing Auld Lang Syne

And we lift our glasses and toast with some wine…

What we have is stillness deep in our heart

And a new dedication to make a new start

To open new chapters and write a new book

And follow new avenues over the brook

Inventing new attitudes, trying new thoughts

Forgetting all yesterdays and what they have wrought…

Here’s to tomorrow

Cheers to the dawn

New times are coming

Time to move on.

Good lives I wish you

And also for me.

And toasting to everything…

Effortlessly.

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Divabetic wants to inspire you sparkle not just survive with diabetes in 2017. We’re asking our favorite experts in beauty/fashion, food and diabetes self-care to share advice on how to celebrate the holidays without compromising your diabetes health. Chef Ward Alper, The Decadent Diabetic share his healthy and delicious recipes for the perfect Divabetic New Year’s Day Brunch to help you kick off a New Year with a New Attitude! READ: http://divabetic.org/2016/12/29/the-perfect-bubbles-buffet-blouse-for-a-divabetic-new-years-day-brunch/

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LISTEN: Laugh a little, Learn a lot! Enjoy an exciting mix of diabetes education, poetry, games, prizes and music by today’s hottest artists courtesy of SONY Music on Diabetes Late Nite. Divabetic’s free monthly podcasts are available for free on demand anytime, anywhere on i-Tunes, Divabetic.org and blogtalkradio.com.

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LISTEN: Mr. Divabetic Show on Women’s Health Issues in 2017. From reproductive rights to Medicare coverage, there could be a lot of policy changes impacting US women over the next four years. Additionally, many women may feel threatened from hearing about a powerful leader’s many sexual assault accusations and the rising incidents of hate crimes post-election. Guests include: Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Peak 10 Skincare founder and Domestic Violence Advocate Connie Elder, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mary Ann Hodorowicz RD, CDE, Asha Brown, and the President of Women in Government Relations, Kathryn Schubert.

12/23/2016

What Every ‘Divabetic’ Should Know About Menopause

According to a recent article published in the New York Daily News women in perimenopause and menopause don’t realize they have diabetes. The symptoms of diabetes can be confused with symptoms of menopause including frequent urination, night sweats, anxiety, mood swings, foggy thinking, dry itchy skin, and vaginal infections.

In general, women with diabetes lose more years of life than men do. And while the death rate for women with diabetes has risen dramatically since the 1970s, it hasn’t risen for men with the disease. It’s estimated that girls born in the year 2000 have more than a 1 in 3 chance of getting diabetes in their lifetime.

Overweight women at any age with any one of the following risk factors should also be checked for diabetes: inactive, have a first-degree relative with diabetes, have polycystic ovaries, delivered a baby over 9 pounds, have high blood pressure above 140/90 or take blood pressure medication, have low good cholesterol. Be sure to measure your blood sugar regularly.

Divabetic (divabetic.org) is a national diabetes organization dedicated to women.

LISTEN NOW: On the Mr. Divabetic Show: That State Of Women’s Health we’re talking about the state of women’s equality and diabetes and sexual health post-election. While the outcome of the Presidential election means different things to different people, it is no secret that many of the words, values, and behaviors Americans have heard and seen during this election have deeply affected many people, including women.

Did you know that women are more likely than men to suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and PTSD? Also, the numbers show us that women have not historically enjoyed the same power and privilege as men. For some women, the result may be a subtle but constant sense of vulnerability and vigilance.

From reproductive rights to Medicare coverage, there could be a lot of policy changes impacting US women over the next four years. Additionally, many women may feel threatened from hearing about a powerful leader’s many sexual assault accusations and the rising incidents of hate crimes post-election.

Guests include: Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Peak 10 Skincare founder and Domestic Violence Advocate Connie Elder, Poet Lorraine Brooks, We Are Diabetes organization founder, Asha Brown, Mary Ann Hodorowicz RD, CDE and the President of Women in Government Relations, Kathryn Schubert.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Leona Lewis’ “Christmas, with Love” album courtesy of SONY Music.

12/20/2016

There’s A Pill For That

We live in a world where appearances rule.

And its what we look like that matters.

People make comments that sometimes are cruel

And can leave our emotions in tatters.

We live in a world where performances reign

And if we are lacking or tired…

Or even if we are in physical pain,

We still want to do whats required.

We’re told there’s a pill for whatever we lack,

Read “There’s A Pill For That” in its entirety HERE

12/20/2016

Special Podcast: Woman’s Health 2017

Mr. Divabetic discusses the state of women’s equality and diabetes and sexual health post-election tonight, Tuesday, December 20, 2016, on a special Diabetes Late Nite podcast at 6 PM, EST.

While the outcome of the Presidential election means different things to different people, it is no secret that many of the words, values, and behaviors Americans have heard and seen during this election have deeply affected many people, including women.

Mr. Divabetic’s guests include: Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Peak 10 Skincare founder and Domestic Violence Advocate Connie Elder, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mary Ann Hodorowicz RD, CDE, Asha Brown, and the President of Women in Government Relations, Kathryn Schubert.

TUNE IN: Special podcast: Woman’s Health 2017

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Leona Lewis’ “Christmas, with Love” album 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.” Enjoy over 100 free podcasts available on demand at i-Tunes, divabetic.org and blog talk radio.

12/14/201612/20/2016

‘There’s A Pill For That’ by Poet Lorraine Brooks

On December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we focus on people with diabetes’s interest in ‘getting off their meds’.

Today, a full 61 percent of adults use at least one drug to treat a chronic health problem, a nearly 15 percent rise since 2001. More than 1 in 4 seniors gulp down at least five medications daily as reported by Healthination in US News & Reports. The trend has multiple causes: a spike in diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis related to obesity; revised medical guidelines that treat high blood sugar, hypertension, and high cholesterol sooner; and a multibillion-dollar push by pharmaceutical companies to speak directly to consumers about the payoff in trusting our hearts to Lipitor, say, or taking Boniva to help stop bone loss. But many experts worry that one unintended effect of all the pharmacological success is that many people may be blithely taking drugs they don’t need, potentially setting themselves up for severe consequences.

Poet Lorraine Brooks shares her insight on this topic with her poem, ‘There’s A Pill For That’ on December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast:

There’s A Pill for That by Lorraine Brooks

We live in a world where appearances rule.

And its what we look like that matters.

People make comments that sometimes are cruel

And can leave our emotions in tatters.

We live in a world where performances reign

And if we are lacking or tired…

Or even if we are in physical pain,

We still want to do whats required.

We’re told there’s a pill for whatever we lack,

From energy, to building breasts.

there’s something that soothes your aching back,

There’s something helps you to rest.

There’s something to aid with your bloating and gas,

There’s pills that will keep you from eating.

There’s medicine that makes erections to last,

And stuff that will aid with excreting.

So off to the pharmacy, scrips to be filled,

And looking for fixes and cures.

Just one more tonic, or two of these pills,

And perfection of health can be yours!

But all of these things, while they may work for some,

They also may lead to frustration.

There’s some things you cant easily overcome

By relying on quick medication.

But also there’s people who may need these aids

For reasons that suit their conditions.

And those are the people we shouldn’t dissuade

From listening to their clinicians.

For me, I am different, as 1 is my “type”

And I get confused and defeated.

because if I listen to all of the hype,

I sometimes feel like I’ve been cheated.

Pills and elixirs, and lifestyle adjusting

Are not part of my repartee.

What I need is the knowledge that people are trusting

That I’m making choices best for ME.

So here’s my 2 cents, and its just my own take.

Everyone’s life is unique.

Do what works for YOU, the decisions you make,

Will put you on your own winning

LISTEN NOW: December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with guests include Diabetes Alert Dog expert, Debby Kay CDT, CDTA, PDTI, Megrette Fletcher, MEd, RD, CDE, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Janis Roszler RD, CDE, LDN, Emmy winning Producer, Linda Bracero Morel, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. Plus, we’re giving away 6 months access to mySugr Pro in our INSTANT WINNER challenge. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Leona Lewis’ “Christmas, with Love” album courtesy of SONY Music.

12/07/2016

Is the IUD The Best Form of Birth Control for Women with Diabetes?

On the upcoming Women’s Health podcast, Mr. Divabetic will discuss birth control options for women with diabetes with his guest, Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, FACOG OB-GYN.

According to a new study the two most effective hormonal birth control methods for women with diabetes are intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants.

Both forms of birth control are linked with the lowest risk of blood clots in these higher-risk women.

Hormonal contraceptives boost women’s risk for clots, which can lead to heart attack and strokes. That’s a particular problem for women with diabetes, who are at increased risk for blood clots to begin with.

While many contraceptives use a combination of two hormones, estrogen and progestin, the World Health Organization advises that women at increased risk of a blockage caused by a blood clot – known as a thromboembolism – use contraceptives containing only progestin reports FOX News.

Dr. Natalie Whaley, an obstetrician/gynecologist and family planning provider at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, said that women with diabetes need to time their pregnancies for a number of reasons, including the fact that having good control of their blood sugar will reduce the risk of miscarriage and fetal anomalies

TUNE IN: Upcoming Special “State of Women’s Health” podcast on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, 6 PM, EST. Guests include Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, FACOG, OB-GYN, Poet Lorraine Brooks and PEAK 10 Skincare Founder, Connie Elder. Music by Leona Lewis courtesy of SONY Music.

10/22/201610/22/2016

‘I Gotta Be OK’ by Lorraine Brooks

I’m innocently watching a bit of TV
To relax, with a hot cup of joe.
I put my feet up, on the chair next to me,
And got ready to enjoy the show.

I breathed in and out, in a sigh of relief
As the day is beginning to end.
A moment of silence, however brief,
In this moment, feels like a friend.

But just as I start to unwind and get quiet,
I feel my jaw start to get tight.
A million commercials that tell me to diet
That what I look like isn’t right.

So,come to Weight Watchers, or try Jenny Craig
And what about Zumba or swimming?
Or,how about hopping on just one leg,
Or wearing these pants that are “slimming”?

Or maybe a pill that will help me eat less
Or an operation on my belly.
Or maybe I need to control all my stress,
So my buttocks won’t shake like it’s jelly.

And books that are titled “Eat This, and Not That”
And DVDs set to pop songs.
And spokespeople yelling “get rid of,your fat!”
And showing young models in thongs.

So I change the channel and what do I see?
But more of the same, it’s so sad.
Get “healthy”, get “fit”, it’s so easy to be!
And. making me feel pretty bad.

So I turned off the telly, and got out a book
And started to read for my pleasure.
To forget about diets and how I must look,
And what I should do in my leisure.

‘Cause this is the package that I’m wrapped up in
And no sense me feeling ashamed.
I’ll never be skinny or painfully thin,
And likely I’ll mostly get blamed.

But I’m not complaining, well, not any more,
I’m just gonna chill, and be mellow
And celebrate all that my life has in store,
While enjoying my sugar-free jello.

Because in the end I just want folks to say
Even though she did not wear size seven,
She was kind, she was honest, and she was OK…
And we hope that there’s chocolate in heaven.