Divabetic’s Top 3 Podcasts of 2020

This year’s Top 3 Divabetic podcasts came together a little differently than before. Our top rated podcast from October featured an exclusive interview with singer, songwriter Angela Bofill. Angela’s fighting spirit after experiencing two strokes is truly inspirational. Additionally, it seems all the extra rehearsals and script revisions have paid off as our annual mystery podcast topped the Luther Vandross tribute for the first time in the ratings. We think you’ll enjoy these three shows no matter your situation in life right now.

#3: Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute Podcast

We’re celebrating the musical legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as vision loss) on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast.

Diabetic eye disease, caused by diabetes, is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss. Because of the high risk for eye disease, all people with type 2 diabetes should receive an annual dilated eye exam.

A 2019 Vision Source study of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that more than 50% had issues with their vision in the past year, and 34% did not go for a professional eye exam. The major barriers to having an annual eye exam included not thinking they needed one (33%), unsure of where to go (25%), lack of insurance, (22%) and expense (22%).

Comprehensive eye exams are key to overall wellness and preserving a high quality of life. In addition to evaluating vision, annual eye exams can detect serious health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, and even cancer.

Guests include Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown, Nat Adderley Jr.,  Dr. Khoshnevis, Danny Clay, and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE.  Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s album, ‘The Night I Fell In Love’ courtesy of SONY Music.

#2: Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast: Kill Me Madam

There’s a good indication that murder might be part of the recipe when Nantucket’s ten time reigning Baking Champion’s last name is ‘Coffin’. But resentment, greed and Britannia’s own bad dealings turn everyone into a suspect when she’s found dead in the parking lot just before the Annual Decadents on Deck! Bake Off competition is about to kick off.

Delusional baker and amateur sleuth Mr. Divabetic is even shocked to find himself being treated as a suspect in the case by the local police, after meeting her just once!

As if his life wasn’t crazy enough before, escaping a murderous mishap in New York and attempting a fresh start in Nantucket has turned into a complete and utter baking disaster, now Max, along with his friends and nosy mother, have to add tracking down a murderer to his To-Do list, as well.

Can our team hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Will he become the next victim? Can Max ever manage to bake a cake that’s actually edible?

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

#1: Diabetes Late Nite Podcast Inspired by Angela Bofill

We’re talking about the symptoms, causes and prevention of stroke with musical inspiration from Angela Bofill.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the US. As many as 5 to 14 percent of stroke survivors have a second stroke within one year.

With her strong, distinctive alto, Angela Bofill carved a niche as an outstanding interpreter of soul ballads and became a mainstay on the Quiet Storm radio format.

Angela Bofill suffered two strokes but neither stroke could take away her positive, humorous personality and her fighter spirit. After she lost the ability to sing, she returned to the stage for “The Angela Bofill Experience” in which she skillfully narrated her life story, while her band and other singers .

Podcast guests include Angela Bofill, Catherine Schuller, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Neva White DNP, CRNP- BC, CDE, and Rose Hall from Tessie’s Teas.

Throughout the podcast we will feature music from Angela Bofill’s albums Angie and Angel of the Night courtesy of SONY Music.

Coming Up: Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Aaliyah

We’re talking about a ‘New Year, New You‘ attitude about living with diabetes with musical inspiration from Aaliyah on Diabetes Late Nite scheduled for Tuesday, January 12, 2020.

Although Aaliyah died at the age of 22 and had a short music career due to her early passing, the singer’s music helped to redefine R&B, pop, and even hip-hop. And her legacy continues to live on. Her hard work ethic, creativity, and her sweet demeanor have inspired fans over the past two decades.

Diabetes Late Nite podcast guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Pendulum Glucose Control‘s Colleen Cutcliffe, Ph. D., CEO and co-founder of Pendulum Therapeutics and Virginia Valentine, APRN, BC-ADM, CDE, FAADE, Dr. Darren Wayne from MealBetix and Yoga For Diabetes Author Rachel Zinman.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Aaliyah’s Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number album courtesy of SONY Music.

Tune in over 140 Diva TalkRadio podcasts available for free on i-tunes (search ‘Divabetic’).

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts: Day Five

Divabetic’s first Annual Luther Vandross Tribute from April 2011. Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who worked for Luther Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this special hour-long birthday tribute to the late Grammy Award-winning legend. Guests include friends, family and colleagues who remember the moments, the music, the man and the motivation to ensure that no one has to struggle with diabetes alone or in silence.

Luther suffered a stroke related to mismanagment of type 2 diabetes in 2003. He died in 2005.

What happened to Luther is not unique.  In general, people with diabetes are 1.5 times more likely to have a stroke than people without diabetes.

Stroke is a condition in which blood vessels in the brain are damaged. Strokes are characterized by a number of factors, including the size of the damaged blood vessel, where in the brain blood vessels have been damaged, and what event actually caused the damage.

Let Luther’s voice  inspire you to take a look at the medical and lifestyle risk factors and ask yourself what you can do to help reduce your risk of stroke.

“Our first podcast sounds like a crazy party line,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. “Everyone’s talking over each other, sharing their favorite Luther memories and celebrating our collective history.”

What are the symptoms of a stroke?

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of a stroke is a crucial first step to getting someone help before it’s too late reports Healthline. In an effort to help people remember how to recognize a stroke, the American Stroke Association endorses the mnemonic FAST, which stands for:

Other symptoms that can signal a stroke include sudden:

https://youtu.be/Gu2JBMNBbKo

Celebrate ELEGANCE in Music, Love & Health with our Spotify playlist featuring the greatest Quiet Storm songs. Be inspired to learn more about the health and wellness issues affecting many of these vocalists and musicians to keep the music alive for future generations. Quiet Storm Fans on FB.

 

Louie Vega Pays Tribute to Luther Vandross on Lockdown Sessions

DJ Louie Vega is hosting a Special Luther Vandross Tribute on tomorrow’s Lockdown Session (virtual Dance party) featuring Luther’s friends, musicians and singers, and FANDROSS family sharing their favorite Luther memories on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

This is a great opportunity to take a break, get on your feet and dance to some wonderful music.

For me, Max ‘Mr. Divabetic‘ Szadek, this virtual dance party will be an opportunity to reflect on the time I spent working for Luther as well as the past 15 years of I’ve spent working as a diabetes advocate. I will always regret that I didn’t know more about diabetes and diabetes self-care while I was working for him. My regret, anger, and sadness motivate me everyday to wake up and get to work to serve you as a member of your diabetes wellness entourage.

Luther Vandross was the ultimate entertainer, a generous boss and a kind-hearted friend who in life and death made me a better person. Since his passing in 2005, I have dedicated my life to raising awareness for diabetes and diabetes health-related complications such as stroke. I strive to create diabetes programs, podcasts and videos that inform, inspire and entertain. I seek out friendly diabetes educators, stylists, healthcare professionals, therapists, fitness experts, makeup artists, musicians, chefs, actors, authors, poets and more to lift your spirits and provide expert advice on the topics that matter the most to you, even the embarrassing ones,: like mental and sexual health.

https://youtu.be/Gu2JBMNBbKo

I’d like to encourage fellow listeners to ‘keep their house a home’ by asking their loved ones, friends, co-workers and bosses (!) to get checked for diabetes.

Share my story (I showed up to work to find my boss laying on the floor after suffering a debilitating stroke. “This could have been avoided” were the first words that the doctor in the emergency room told me after we arrived. Then, tell them that many of the symptoms of diabetes can be subtle. Maybe you’re thirstier or more hungry than usual. Perhaps you’ve noticed patches of darker skin in your armpits, elbows, knees, groin, or on your neck. Or you can’t figure out why you’re more tired than usual. All these symptoms can be caused by type 2 diabetes. If you are living with type 1, type 2, prediabetes and/or gestational diabetes, please take the necessary steps to prevent a diabetes health-related complication from occurring. After all, well managed diabetes is the leading cause of NOTHING but mismanaged diabetes can lead to stroke, blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage and heart disease. Trust me, I know. I also know it takes a team effort of friends, family members, co-workers and healthcare professionals to help you stay upbeat, proactive and motivated to cope with the day-to-day challenges of living well with diabetes. We’re here to help!

Diabetes is also an invisible disease that puts a lot of fabulous people at high risk for COVID-19. Wearing a mask helps to keep my house a home ( all of the members of the diabetes community (divabetic.org) that I serve) safe and well Join us for Louie Vega’s Luther Vandross Tribute on Lockdown Sessions click here

Enjoy this look back at my trip to New York City’s Pride March to raise awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way!

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Virtual Outreach Party best-selling Intimacy & Diabetes co-author, Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND on Thursday, July 16, 7 – 7:35 PM, EST. REGISTER NOW

Divabetic Remembers Luther Vandross

We’re celebrating R & B legend, Luther Vandross on his birthday weekend. Luther suffered a severe stroke linked to diabetes and hypertension on April 16, 2003. He was in a coma for nearly two months before relocating to a rehabilitation center at the JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey.

Divabetic shines the spotlight on Luther Vandross with its annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcasts to celebrate his musical accomplishments as well as raise awareness for the link between diabetes and stroke. Keep your ‘house a home’ and learn how to prevent a diabetes health-related complication from occurring.

Luther Vandross

We’re honored to celebrate our friend and mentor, Luther Vandross and his musical legacy as well as raise awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) on Divabetic’s annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast.

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.

Divabetic’s 2017 Luther Vandross Tribute podcast guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Luther percussionist Steve Kroon, Luther vocalists Tawatha Agee and Pat Lacy, Luther historian Leon Petrossian, members of ‘The Luther Re-Lives Experience’, family members, friends and superfans.

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

LISTEN

Nat Adderley Jr. on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute Podcast

Nat Adderley Jr., Luther Vandross’s music director, co-writer, producer and arranger joins us for Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Podcast on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, 6:30 – 8 PM, EST. 

TUNE IN

Nat Adderley Jr. wrote (and arranged) Luther’s first top 20 pop hit, “Stop to Love”, as well as “Wait for Love” and the Grammy-nominated “Give me the Reason”.

He also arranged many of Luther’s most popular records, including “Superstar”, “Here and Now”, “If Only for One Night”,  “Creepin”, “If This World Were Mine”, “So Amazing”, “There’s Nothing Better Than Love”, “Never Too Much” , and “Love Won’t Let Me Wait”.  Additionally,  Nat produced tracks on the last seven Vandross studio albums.  These include “My Favorite Things”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “Going Out of My Head”, “Knocks Me Off My Feet”, and “The Closer I Get To You”, a duet with Beyonce Knowles. That track is featured on Beyonce’s grammy-winning  Dangerously in Love (best contemporary R&B album), on Luther’s grammy-winning Dance With My Father (best R&B album), and the track won the Grammy in 2004 for best R&B performance by a duo or group.  In 2003, Nat produced Luther’s Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall. Nat was Luther’s musical director from 1981 until his death. 

Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Podcast

We’re celebrating the musical legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as vision loss) on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast on Tuesday, March 10, 6:30 – 8 PM, EST.

Diabetic eye disease, caused by diabetes, is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss. Because of the high risk for eye disease, all people with type 2 diabetes should receive an annual dilated eye exam.

A 2019 Vision Source study of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that more than 50% had issues with their vision in the past year, and 34% did not go for a professional eye exam. The major barriers to having an annual eye exam included not thinking they needed one (33%), unsure of where to go (25%), lack of insurance, (22%) and expense (22%).

Comprehensive eye exams are key to overall wellness and preserving a high quality of life. In addition to evaluating vision, annual eye exams can detect serious health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, and even cancer.

Guests include Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown, Nat Adderley Jr.,  Dr. Khoshnevis, Danny Clay, and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE.  Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s album, ‘The Night I Fell In Love’ courtesy of SONY Music.

TUNE IN

Join fellow Luther Vandross fans, friends, musical peers for an evening of music, memories, and magic at the third annual FANDROSS concert on Sunday, April 19 at Joe’s Pub in New York, NY.  

BUY TICKETS

Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute Podcast in March 2020

It’s always an incredible honor to pay tribute to R & B legend, Luther Vandross on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2020.

Luther’s devastating stroke in 2003, linked to type 2 diabetes, was the catalyst for the creation of Divabetic (divabetic.org).

On this year’s Tribute podcast we will be spotlighting Diabetic Eye disease. Diabetes Eye disease, caused by diabetes, is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss. Because of the high risk for eye disease, all people with type 2 diabetes should receive an annual dilated eye exam.

A 2019 Vision Source study of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that more than 50% had issues with their vision in the past year, and 34% did not go for a professional eye exam. The major barriers to having an annual eye exam included not thinking they needed one (33%), unsure of where to go (25%), lack of insurance, (22%) and expense (22%).

Comprehensive eye exams are key to overall wellness and preserving a high quality of life. In addition to evaluating vision, annual eye exams can detect serious health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, and even cancer.

Join guests Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown, Michelle Cobbs-Hardy,  Dr. Khoshnevis, Danny Clay, Luther Vandross Historian Leon Petrossian, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach as we pay tribute to R & B legend, Luther Vandross and raise awareness for diabetes health-related complications in a musical way. Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s album, ‘The Night I Fell In Love’ courtesy of SONY Music.

TUNE IN

FANDROSS: The Night I Fell In Love Tribute Concert

Join fellow Luther Vandross fans, friends and peers for an evening of music, memories, and magic at the third annual FANDROSS concert on Sunday, April 19, 2020 in New York, NY. This incredible night will have audiences remembering the magic of his brilliant voice. 

“We are celebrating and continuing my uncle’s musical legacy through FANDROSS because it’s authentic and beautiful.,” says Luther’s niece, Seveda Williams, who serves as its FANDROSS CEO and Founder. “Fans will be immersed by the actual singers and musicians who played and worked with him. You won’t get better than that.”

The intimate crowd will be treated to an amazingly talented group including:

Nat Adderley, Jr. – Pianist/Composer/Arranger/Producer/Jazz Guru

Luther’s friend, co-writer, arranger and musical director had his hand is in Luther’s most popular songs including “Superstar,” “Dance with My Father,” “A House Is Not A Home,” “Here and Now,” and “Make Me A Believer” to name a few.

Alfa Anderson – Vocal Icon/Song Writer/Producer

Alfa Anderson sang background on studio albums and toured with Luther for many years. She was a member of the soul and dance group, Chic, that thrilled us with hits like “Good Times,” “Le Freak,” and “Everybody Dance.” On her 2017 solo debut Alfa wrote a loving tribute titled “When Luther Sings.”

And if this weren’t enough, prepare to be awed with performances by Brenda White-King, Cindy Mizelle, Patricia Lacy, Keith Anthony Fluitt, Michelle Cobbs-Hardy, Fonzi Thornton, Tinkr Barfield, Ivan Hampden Jr., and Robin Macatangay.

BUY TICKETS

Other Side Of The World – Luther Vandross