Man in the Street – Divabetic

07/04/202407/04/2024

Happy 4th of July

Mr. Divabetic stops by the 10th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party at Madison Square Park in New York City to find out how people stay on track with their Summertime health goals.

At the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, pitmasters from New York City, Alabama, and Texas come together to celebrate American barbeque.

According to the Webstaurant Store blog, the main styles of American BBQ are Kansas City, Memphis, Carolina, and Texas.

Kansas pitmasters brush wet ribs with sauce before, during, and after smoking them for a wet sauce. Memphis-style “dry” ribs are coated in a dry rub before they’re smoked and served without sauce, allowing their authentic flavor to shine.

Alabama white sauce is mayonnaise-based and punctuated with apple cider vinegar, brown mustard, and horseradish. It is usually served on chicken.

St. Louis is famous for its spare ribs, and most people refer to this meat cut when they mention St. Louis-style barbecue. In St. Louis, they prefer grilling their ribs rather than slow-smoking them over indirect heat.

California-style BBQ centers on wood-fired tri-tip steaks rubbed in salt, pepper, and garlic powder seasoning.

Everyone loves grilling food because the high heat and direct contact with your grill can make foods crispy on the outside while keeping them moist inside.

Kentucky is famous for perfecting slow-smoking mutton and developed a Worcestershire-based sauce to complement its rich, gamey flavor.

In recent years, contradictory reports have cited the benefits and dangers of grilling.

According to New York Health, research has found that grilling may reduce your risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. This is because grilling food makes it easier for us to eat fewer calories and fat.

According to Columbia Doctors, cooking over high heat, especially an open flame, exposes you to two main carcinogens: heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Studies show HCAs and PAHs cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer.

Staying healthy isn’t just about watching what you eat; it’s also important to be aware of the excessive calories and added sugar in your drinks. Many summer drinks, including soda, sports and energy drinks, lemonade, fruit juices, and sweetened waters, contain added sugar.

For example, a 16-fluid-ounce soda can contain over 12 teaspoons of added sugar, while a 16-fluid-ounce sports drink can contain 7 teaspoons. Added sugar can provide empty calories that can contribute to weight gain, obesity, heart disease, and tooth decay.

06/28/202306/28/2023

Mr. Divabetic Raises Awareness At Feria de Salud Festival in The Bronx

The happy healthcare host, Mr Divabetic raises awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at the American Diabetes Association’s Latino program, Feria de Salud, at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx, NY.

The annual Feria de Salud Festival offers free health screenings and education to South Bronx residents about diabetes.

Approximately 1,717,067 people in New York, or 10.7% of adults, have been diagnosed with diabetes. An additional 456,000 people in New York have diabetes but don’t know it, significantly increasing their health risk. Sadly, the Bronx is home to five of city’s worst 10 neighborhoods for diabetes-related deaths.

Play along as Mr. Divabetic challenges various American Diabetes Association staff members, Dr. Ileana Vargas – Rodriquez, Mimi Gonzalez BS, RN, with the food game, ‘Serve, Taste or Trash!’

You might be surprised by the results. In the game, players are given three choices of fruits and vegetables. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste, and which one you’d trash. Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more delicious than cooked to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones. And the texture is crispy rather than mushy.

Are You Living With PreDiabetes?

Why should I care about prediabetes? The sooner you know you have prediabetes, the sooner you can take action to reverse it and prevent type 2 diabetes. Click HERE to take a quick PreDiabetes Risk Test.

The CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program helps people with prediabetes make lasting lifestyle changes to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Working with a trained coach teaches you to eat healthy, add physical activity, and manage stress. With other participants, you’ll celebrate successes and work to overcome challenges. If you have prediabetes, now is your time to take action Click HERE for program details.

Mr. Divabetic is a 2011 WEGO Health Activist Award finalist and the happy healthcare host of Diva TalkRadio. Diva TalkRadio is Divabetic’s dynamic free online and mobile podcast channel where tens of thousands of fans, followers, and listeners turn to laugh a little and learn a lot. The channel features a line-up of live and archived programs and specials.

Do you need some inspiration to help you make healthier choices? Tune in to this episode of Divabetic popular podcast focused on Healthy Swaps. With a few simple swaps, you can help live your best life while managing your diabetes. Our experts offer straightforward, simple, and fun swap ideas for drinks, medications, self-care, and fashion. Plus, we share style tips and words of inspiration to help you maintain a healthy habit.

Developing these habits isn’t always easy. Adapting to a new routine can be tricky, and it’s often tempting to want to return to old ways if we don’t see immediate results. One of the biggest mistakes people make when forming a new habit is taking on too much too quickly. Focus on what’s working in your diabetes self-care plan before overhauling diabetes management. Instead of decluttering the entire house, why not focus on one room or closet? Why not focus on the calories you drink rather than everything you eat? If you want to eat healthier, try replacing one dessert daily with a piece of fruit rather than cutting out sugar completely. If you’re going to get into hiking, start with a walk at lunchtime. Setting small goals you can achieve will help keep you motivated along the way.

Guests include Catherine Schuller, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RD, CDCES, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay, MEd, NDTR, and Mama Rose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

04/10/202304/10/2023

Easter Bonnet Festival on Fifth Avenue

New York City’s annual Easter Bonnet Festival, a celebration that dates back to the 1870s, is a celebration of craftiness and creativity.

The event began as a post-mass stylish fashion show, but it’s a spectacle of floral whimsy and pageantry.

Many revelers wear traditional floral bonnets. From tailcoats, furs, and pearls to tweeds and herringbone, some couples are decked out in their 40s and 50s finery. They go to great lengths to recreate head-to-toe sophisticated vintage looks.

But in between these swanky fashion plates are massive, at times monstrous, absolutely fabulous creative creations. These spectacular works of art of epic vertical proportions can make you forget about the high cost of living in New York.

Some paraders subscribe to the adage, ‘Bigger is always better.’ For example, this parade found inspiration from the year of the rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac. In Chinese culture, the rabbit is known to be the luckiest out of all the twelve animals. It symbolizes mercy, elegance, and beauty.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic rolls out the Red Tomato Carpet and tests everyday people’s Food IQ with his Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game at the Easter Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City, NY. Special guests Carla Cravens and Catherine Schuller add some glamour to the occasion.

The New York City Easter Parade has been an annual tradition since the Civil War. It features marchers in elaborate Easter finery, including some of the fanciest Easter bonnets imaginable.

Watch this dynamic duo in the diabetes outreach challenge, everyday people, to play Divabetic’s original food game, Serve, Taste or Trash!

You might be surprised by the results. In the game, you’re given three choices of popular foods. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste, and which one you’d trash. The game’s goal is to encourage people to become more open-minded eaters.