Love Symbol – Divabetic

08/01/2022

Language Matters in Diabetes Care with Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES

On Divabetic’s March podcast, we’re talking about how language impacts people’s confidence to manage their diabetes self-care with musical inspiration from Prince. Tune in with the link.

Words can elevate or destroy someone’s perception of themselves and their health.

Our musical inspiration chose to be identified as the infamous “Love Symbol” rather than a word for many years. He wrote: “It’s all about thinking in new ways, tuning in 2 a new free-quency.”

Could using symbols rather than words, like Prince, help you manage your diabetes wellness?

Unfortunately, much of the language around diabetes has been focused on adverse outcomes and complications and laden with judgment and blame without considering individual needs, beliefs, and choices.

Some enlightened health professionals, like our friend, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES choose to encourage and use collaborative messages to enhance a person’s health outcomes. “How we collaborate with people with diabetes plays an important role in treatment outcomes and the psychosocial well-being of the individuals,” says Susan.

“As health care professionals, we often want to “fix” problems and forget to “listen” to the person with the lived experience. Rather than overwhelming a person with information, she says it’s vital to listen to what is most important to an individual and discuss that issue at the beginning of the appointment or conversation. “For example, if someone is concerned that they can’t afford their medication, they will not be ready to listen to information about nutrition or physical activity. Collaboration and active listening on the part of a clinician is essential to help build a good rapport and help reduce stress for a person living with diabetes.“

We encourage you to show yourself some love!

Divabetic March podcast guests include Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, CDN, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, with music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.

03/16/2022

Judging And Grudging by Lorraine Brooks

On Divabetic’s March podcast, Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her latest poem, Judging and Grudging.

Judging and Grudging is about Lorraine’s recent real-life encounter with a podiatrist. “I felt she was quite offensive in her lack of knowledge and her lack of using the appropriate language,” says Lorraine. “She was making judgments about me and how I handled my diabetes.”

Judging and Grudging by Lorraine Brooks

My new podiatrist, who has never met me,
Feels it is her duty to address my diabetes,
Which does not offend me, although her comments make it clear
That she doesn’t “get” me.

She asks for my latest a1c, and the date,
And l dutifully tell her it was just last month,
that l stay on top of my bloodwork every 90 days,
And it’s been hovering around 8.

She doesn’t even look up from my feet
She shakes her head and makes that disapproving face,
While telling me l could “do better”, and l should lose weight
But in that moment, l refused to feel defeat.

I politely said, with all due respect, that statement is offensive
You have not done a history or proper exam,
You are making assumptions about who and what l am,
And your assessment of me is anything but comprehensive.

First of all, l am type 1, not 2,
I’ve had this disease for over 40 years, and yes, it is a struggle.
But l have no complications, and that includes my feet,
And now l feel l must educate you.

Everything in my life is not a result of what you see.
Every medical concern needs to be addressed objectively.
Whatever you would tell someone of average size
Is exactly what you should be telling me.

Pinched nerve? Tell me what to take, what to avoid, help me to cope.
Gastric reflux? Give me some practical advice l can use.
Don’t assume everything is about my size
Meet me where l am. Offer me hope.

Acknowledge that weight is just another statistic
That health, and well-being, are what you prescribe.
Tell me I’m ok without reservation
And examine yourselves to be more realistic.

Mr. Divabetic discusses language’s power to help or harm someone’s ability to manage their diabetes self-care with guests, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, and Lorraine Brooks. March’s musical inspiration is Prince and the New Power Generation. We feature songs from their Love Symbol album to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its release, 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, hosts Divabetic’s upcoming free, fun Virtual Mother’s Day-themed Baking Party with special guests, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to be entered in our gift drawings.

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

03/11/202203/11/2022

Lizzo Speaks Our Kind Of Language On Divabetic’s March Podcast with Music From Prince

Have you ever thought about the language we use when talking and writing about overweight and obesity and people living with obesity?

If the rash of criticism directed at superstar Lizzo is any indication, we have a long way to go before society embraces and supports people of different proportions and sizes.

We’re tackling this topic and more on Divabetic’s upcoming podcast scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, 2022, with guests Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, and Poet Lorraine Brooks. We will be featuring music from Prince and the New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music. Please join us!

We love Lizzo‘s attitude about herself and her music. She has no patience for fat-shaming and neither do we! Her body-positive, self-love anthems are part of our workout playlist.

I feel like [being] fat is the worst thing people can say about me at this point,” Lizzo shared on Apple Music’s The Zane Lowe Show. “This is the biggest insecurity. It’s like, ‘How dare a pop star be fat?’ I had to own that.” She added, “I feel like other people who were put on that pedestal, or who become pop stars, probably have other insecurities or have other flaws, but they can hide it behind a veneer of being sexy and being marketable.”

Unfortunately, it’s all too common to see and hear obesity talked about negatively, which risks reinforcing stereotypes, simplifying the causes of obesity, and contributing to weight stigma. Currently, obesity is commonly described in the media and society with negative images of people living with obesity and weight stigmas.

“There’s still so many people who suffer from being marginalized systemically,” she says. “Meanwhile, there’s a plus-size Black girl at the Grammys. But plus-size Black women are still not getting the treatment they deserve in hospitals and from doctors and at work.”

01/24/2022

Prince Inspires Divabetic’s Podcast in March 2022

We’re talking about the power of language used in diabetes care with musical inspiration from Prince on Divabetic’s podcast scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at 6 PM, EST.

Words have the power to elevate or tear down someone’s perception of themselves and their diabetes health.

For decades, much of the language around diabetes has been focused on adverse outcomes and laden with judgment and blame without considering individual needs, beliefs, and choices.

On the other hand, encouraging and collaborative messages can enhance health outcomes.

In 1992, Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable, infamous “Love Symbol.” He wrote: “It’s all about thinking in new ways, tuning in 2 a new free-quency.” It derives from a combination of the symbols for both males and females.

He adopted the symbol as a tool for contract negotiations with his record label. According to Rolling Stone, Warner Bros. wanted Prince to slow down the pace of releasing new music for fear of flooding the market. Unwilling to consent to their request, Prince actually increased his rate.

The Love Symbol meant so much to him that he continued to use it long after changing his stage name back to Prince when his contract with Warner Bros. finally expired.

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.