Divabetic’s Mysteries podcast, Kill Me Madam, is packed with loads of diabetes information and self-care tips wrapped up in a cozy mystery radio drama.
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 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 become a complete and utter baking disaster.
Max, along with his friends and nosy mother, have to add tracking down a murderer to his To-Do list, too.
Can our team hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Will he become the next victim? Can Max ever manage to bake an edible cake?
Stevia, acesulfame K, and sucralose are low-calorie sweeteners that can be 200–600 times sweeter than sugar. Our friend, Stacey Harris known as the The Diabetic Pastry Chef recommends using multiple sugar substance rather than just one substitute in your best recipes for the best results.
Almond or coconut flour are lower in carbohydrates and higher in fiber, which can help slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
For more baking tips and a captivating murder mystery, tune in to Divabetic’s Mysteries podcast: Kill Me Madam on YouTube, Blog Talk Radio, iTunes and Spotify.
FEATURING Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, CoachThe Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, and Seveda Williams.
Carb Kitty make carbohydrate counting fun! Carbohydrate counting, or “carb counting,” can help you manage your blood glucose levels. Foods that contain carbohydrates raise your blood glucose values. By monitoring the amount of carbohydrates you eat can help to better understand your blood glucose levels.
Carbohydrates (“carbs”) can be counted 2 ways: by grams or by carb choices. Remember: 1 carb choice = 15 grams of carbohydrate. Mr. Divabetic’s new educational game, Carb Kitty, makes counting carbs fun.
Check out this delightful scene from Divabetic’s Gypsies, Tramps, and Peas murder mystery podcast, available on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and BlogTalkRadio!
This isn’t just for the mystery enthusiasts; it’s a fun and engaging way to learn about diabetes and self-care. Between the vibrant characters, wild adventures, and intriguing settings, we sneak in health and wellness tips to help you take charge of your diabetes.
Next time you find yourself facing unexpected blood sugar changes, think like a detective! Look for clues, jot down your observations, chat with your support system, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare team for solutions.
A collaborative approach to managing diabetes can work wonders!
Synopsis: Meet Mr. Divabetic, a diabetes advocate turned amateur sleuth, as he takes a leap into his new role as a healthy caterer. With the help of his quirky co-workers and his nosy Italian mother, he heads to Coney Island to cater a party on a yacht for his old swim coach, Ted Rockow.
But things take a dark turn when the guest of honor turns up dead! Was it just an unfortunate accident, or is something more sinister at play?
Now, Mr. Divabetic is grilling a colorful cast of characters—a lively group of Burlesque dancers, a charming lifeguard, a mystical gypsy fortune teller, and even a few sparkling mermaids—each trying to keep their secrets hidden beneath the waves.
Can Mr. Divabetic conquer his fear of green peas and uncover the truth about his coach’s death: murder or mishap? Will he float to safety or sink into despair?
Tune in to see if he can crack the case with a bit of help from his loving Italian mother and his friends. Along the journey to unveil the murderer, he’ll share valuable diabetes self-care tips perfect for those sunny summer days!
Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, best-selling authorTonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Asha Brown of We Are Diabetes, Chef Robert Lewis aka The Happy Diabetic, Mama Rose Marie, and Seveda Williams.
Enjoy our fully animated Mystery podcast, Murder Plain As Vanilla, packed with excellent diabetes information, a fun whodunnit, and many crazy characters.
Our mystery podcast is not just for mystery lovers. It’s an engaging way to learn about diabetes and self-care. Amidst colorful characters, thrilling adventures, and delightful settings, we offer health and wellness tips to help you take charge of your diabetes self-care.
We also promote the idea of thinking like a detective when you experience unexpected blood sugar fluctuations. Look for clues, gather data, talk to witnesses (friends, co-workers, and family members ), and present your ideas to healthcare professionals for solutions.
A team approach to managing your diabetes is also a great idea.
Here is a summary of Divabetic’s 10th Annual Original Mystery podcast, Murder Plan As Vanilla. Mr. Divabetic, a baking enthusiast, is invited by his arch-nemesis, Renata Whisk, to participate in the Visions of Vanilla baking competition.
The Visions of Vanilla competition will feature renowned culinary giants such as Lily Frost, Best-Selling Cookbook Author, Green Thumb Gourmet, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess. Max, who owes his mother a debt, accepts the invitation.
The competition will feature renowned culinary giants such as Lily Frost, Best-Selling Cookbook Author, Green Thumb Gourmet, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess. Max, who owes his mother a debt, accepts the invitation.
However, before Max can start baking, he discovers the dead body of the Vanilla King of Madagascar. As luck would have it, Max was the last person to see the Vanilla King alive.
To prove his innocence, he seeks help from his team, USA Today’s best-selling author Tonya Kappes, health educator MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR, former FBI Agent Pauline, and his mother, Mama Rose Marie.
Things take a turn for the worse when another baker is found dead near Max’s station, raising suspicions about his involvement in the murders. Even Max’s mother is at risk.
Now, with only Renata Whisk’s Puffed Pastry recipe, a rolling pin, and his team’s expertise in solving murders and providing diabetes health information, Max must solve the mystery or die trying.
Diabetic Mysteries: Murder Plain As Vanilla features Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, MaryAnn Nicolay, Catherine Schuller, Dave Jones, Seveda Williams, Leisa Chester Weir, and Amparo Peterkin. Written by Max Szadek and Wendy Radford. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Animated by Max Szadek
This year’s Mystery podcast, Murder As Plain As Vanilla, is set in a real place – The Hedges Inn in East Hampton, NY. Our excellent narrator, the lovely Lorraine Brooks, explained how the Hedges Inn was named after one of the Hamptons’ founding families who settled there in 1644.
Two hundred years later, the restored family home became a boarding house. Word quickly spread nationwide about Mrs. Hedges’s delicious New England cooking. Her outstanding reputation turned her home into a place where the elite liked to meet and eat.
When Mr. Divabetic’s arch-nemesis baking sensation Renata Whisk calls, offering a chance to participate in the Visions of Vanilla baking competition, he can’t refuse. After all, it’s an invitation to compete against culinary giants Best-Selling Cookbook Author Lily Frost, Green Thumb Gourment, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess and, most importantly, a chance to pay back his debt owed to his mother.
But before Max’s hands touch flour, he discovers the dead body of the Vanilla King of Madagascar lying in a bed of roses. As luck has it, Max is the last person to see the Vanilla King alive. Rumors start swirling about Max’s past involvement in legendary TV Chef Sweet Sally Buttercup’s untimely demise. To prove his innocence, he enlists his team, USA Today’s best-selling author Tonya Kappes, health educator MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR, and his mother, Mama Rose Marie.
But when another baker’s dead body is found near Max’s station, even his mother tastes a recipe for disaster. Could he be ladling out something lethal?
Now, armed with only Renata Whisk’s Puffed Pastry recipe, a rolling pin, and his team’s expertise in solving murders and dispersing diabetes health information, Max has no choice but to solve the mystery or at least die trying. To win the Visions Of Vanilla grand prize, it will be a fight to the death.
Co-Starring Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Dave Jones, Seveda Williams, and Amparo Peterkin. Script Editor Wendy Radford. Producer, Leisa Chester Weir. Music from the Broadway Cast albums of Anything Goes courtesy of SONY Music.
We’re taking you inside some of the most beautiful homes to raise awareness for diabetes in a new way with our new podcast series, Divabetic Home Tours.
From the kitchen and bathroom to the family room and bedroom, diabetes affects all aspects of your home life.
We’re sprinkling between pictures of rooms with diabetes advice and videos from Homeworthy’s most gorgeous homes to spark your interest in self-care.
Welcome to the Divabetic House Tours: the Kips Bay Show House New York edition.
Celebrated interior designers transform a luxury Manhattan home into an elegant exhibition of fine furnishings, art, and technology each year. This event began in 1973 when several dedicated Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club supporters launched the Decorator Show House to raise critical funds for after-school and enrichment programs for New York City children. Over the decades, the project has become a must-see event for thousands of design enthusiasts and is renowned for sparking worldwide interior design trends.
Throughout our tour, enjoy Divabetic’s exclusive audio of wall-to-wall diabetes advice and conversations room-by-room to help you keep your house a home.
Start in our state-of-the-art kitchen and meet Jill Weisenberger RD, CDCES, who chats about how to make your food environment less stressful.
Outside stress triggers our drive for comfort food, including excess sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets such as baked goods. At the same time, during stressful moments, we tend to lower our intake of whole foods, fruits, and vegetables. This, in turn, leads to a higher risk of insulin resistance, excess visceral fat, and type 2 diabetes.
MaryAnn Nicolay talks about reading nutrition labels. One tip for people with diabetes or prediabetes is to focus on the total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and calories to help reach your health goals.
Plus, before you, treat yourself to Paulette McWilliams’ soulful song, Mama’s Kitchen Table.
Gospel Singer Pat Lacy shares how she practices portion control. One option is to reduce your carbohydrate portion sizes and keep them to less than a quarter of your plate. Still hungry? Fill up on green vegetables and eat lean protein and healthy fats instead.
Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish.
Stroll through the spacious family room where Lorraine Brooks and RachelZinman get comfy on the sofa and talk about the feelings related to managing diabetes in today’s world.
Clarence Waldron tells how acting F.A.S.T. after experiencing a stroke was the key to his recovery.
Don’t leave before clicking on the LINK to share a free pre-diabetes test with our loved ones.
The Center for Disease Control offers a National Diabetes Prevention Program to help people with prediabetes make lasting lifestyle changes to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Relax in the luxurious spa-inspired bathroom, where you can pick up tips from beauty and style tips experts and find out how diabetes can affect your skin, hair, and teeth.
For instance, hair loss can be a symptom of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Experts believe it is caused by hormonal imbalances, poor circulation due to hyperglycemia, or an autoimmune disorder. Hair loss can often be reversed with medications and by tighter blood sugar management.
Falling can be a concern if you live with diabetes and have peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage (loss of sensation in the feet, legs, and hands), retinopathy (damaged blood vessels in the eyes), and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Mama Rose Marie offers an easy tip for anyone afraid of falling in the shower.
Crawl into bed for some pillow talk on addressing and overcoming intimacy and sexual health concerns.
Even though people with diabetes are at a higher risk for sexual problems, a study in Diabetes Care found that only about half of all men with diabetes and 19 percent of women with diabetes have broached the topic with a doctor.
Dr. Janis Roszler PhD opens our eyes to what intimacy can mean for people affected by sexual health issues related to diabetes.
Many men with erectile dysfunction, for instance, later learn that they have diabetes. For people with diabetes, sexual problems can indicate nerve damage, blocked arteries, and even out-of-whack hormones.
Ambrice Miller founded Relic Interiors, a dealing company that curates incredible art, antiques, and beautifully handcrafted furniture. She gives a tour of her English countryside home.
Men and women experience low libido as a result of poorly managed diabetes. If your sex drive is stalled, look at your diabetes management and take steps to lower your blood glucose levels. Then, consider your medications. Certain drugs, such as antidepressants, can reduce sexual desire, so be sure to talk to your doctor.
Divabetic’s Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide To Love And Intimacy With Diabetes is available on Amazon
Finally, if you don’t stumble on any surprises, crawl into bed for guidance on overcoming sexual health and intimacy concerns.
Plus, at the end of the tour, you can get a copy of Divabetic’s Top Questions to discuss at your next Doctor’s visit.
Divabetic: It’s All About Attitude!
This Homeworthy episode features the beautiful Connecticut home of renowned interior designer Bunny Williams. Bunny graciously invites us to tour her 1860s Falls Village home and discover her converted barn that was originally a garage, but is now filled with many of her and her husband John Rosselli’s extraordinary antiques.
My New York Fashion Week festivities began with the 92Y’s Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis and Gabriela Hearst. Coming directly from New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ fashion event at Gracie Mansion appeared to knock Fern off her game, but Gabriella Hearst sparkled when she hit the stage.
Gabriela Hearst wears multiple hats. She is the founder and creative director of her namesake fashion brand, creative director of Chloé, and is a wife and mother. She’s also the leading advocate for sustainability in fashion. Her website states her line is committed to making the highest quality possible product with the lowest impact on our environment.
But she works in a luxury business where clothes and handbags pay bills and salaries. Balancing the books between the environmental and business bottom lines can be challenging.
One of the keys to her success, she admitted to Fern, is that she rarely listens to advice from men. She feels women will find the solutions for climate change.
Gabriela believes less is more. Galvanizing metal, like silver and gold, to produce the hardware on Chloe’s luxury bags creates a lot of toxic waste. Her solution? Cut back on the amount of different metals being used. She and Chloe use only one gold and one silver to produce their handbags.
Additionally, 60% of fabrics used are “lower impact” materials, and Under Chloé no longer sells cotton T-shirts, to avoid the water-intensive production of that fabric.
Cashmere has been replaced by recycled cashmere, and denim by circular denim, made of a mix of recycled cotton and hemp or linen.
Gabriela Hearst was born in Uruguay, where she learned a commitment to sustainability working on her family’s ranch. She applied what she learned to fashion. She started her signature clothing line with an environmentalist approach. However, she doesn’t believe “vegan” leather is an environmentally friendly choice. “For as long as we are eating meat, leather is a byproduct of that,” she told the Guardian. “So it is a good fabric to use. When I go home to my ranch in Uruguay, they ask me – what’s happening in the north? They are having to burn leather, because people want to wear polyester instead. The idea that vegan shoes are helping the environment is just good marketing.”
Earlier this week, the Museum of FIT honored Gabriela Hearst with the 2023 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion.
Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT, said, “The industry is moving toward collections with a conscience. Gabriela is a role model for designers who are embracing their responsibility to reduce and prevent climate change. She leads by example using deadstock fabric, eliminating plastic in her work, and she even created the first carbon-neutral runway show.”
Over the next two weeks, she will present her Gabriela Hearst collection in New York and show her final Chloé collection on Sept. 28 during Paris Fashion Week. As reported, Gabriela Hearst is stepping down as creative director of Chloé this fall after a three-year collaboration.
Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller is a passionate advocate for sustainably in fashion. Catherine shares how ‘Cloth Swaps’ are helping fashionistas get their fix without harming our environment on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast.
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 MamaRose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic presents a diva-style approach to diabetes empowerment on this podcast for fashion lovers. We’re playing our Buy, Borrow, or Burn! fashion game features plus-size swimwear and iconic swimsuits worn by Halle Berry, Farrah Fawcett, and Annette Funicello.
Plus, get the scoop on what Hemoglobin A1 C is on ‘Sexy Little Numbers’ with Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES.
Guest include Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Kendra Charisse Porter body expert, style architect, and founder of Honor You ( image consulting agency), Dalia Strum, consumer and business strategic digital media expert and fashion-related social media shopping consultant and special guest, Alexis living with type 1 diabetes from New York City.
Divabetic will present its 10th Annual Divabetic Mysteries podcast, Murder Plain As Vanilla, this fall. The cozy mystery podcast features a Murder She Wrote-style whodunit with loads of diabetes and self-care information.
Murder Plain As Vanilla Synopsis
When Max’s arch-nemesis baking sensation Renata Whisk calls late at night, offering a chance to participate in the Visions of Vanilla baking competition, he can’t refuse. After all, it’s an invitation to compete against culinary giants Best-Selling Cookbook Author Lily Frost, Green Thumb Gourment, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess and, most importantly, a chance to pay back his debt owed to his mother for using her credit card at the Jersey Shore to buy kitchen equipment.
He arrives bright and early at the historic Hedge’s Inn in East Hampton, New York, with nothing to lose. But before his hands touch a flour canister, he discovers the dead body of the competition’s sponsor, Conrad Rivera, the Vanilla King of Madagascar, lying in the Hedges Inn’s bed of roses. As luck has it, Max is the last person to see the Vanilla King alive. Soon, rumors are swirling about Max’s involvement in legendary TV Chef Sweet Sally Buttercup’s untimely demise at Central Park’s Gingerbread Man competition. To prove his innocence, he enlists his team, USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, health educators MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, and his mother, Mama Rose Marie. But when another baker’s dead body is found near Max’s baking station, even his mother refuses to taste his newest recipe. Could it be as lethal as a cup of kale hot cocoa?
Now, armed with only Renata Whisk’s Puffed Pastry recipe, a rolling pin, and his team’s expertise in solving murders and dispersing diabetes health information, Max has no choice but to solve the mystery or at least die trying. To win the Visions Of Vanilla grand prize, it will be a fight to the death.
This popular podcast will be available for free on all streaming platforms. Stay tuned for more details!
Tune in to Divabetic’s 9th Annual Mystery podcast, Tomorrow Is Not on The Menu.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, lands his to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage’s Wellness Retreat on the Jersey Shore. Everything seems low pressure and low calorie until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s new chef knives. Now he’s the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation!
Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Or will he be trading his fruit suit for coveralls with stripes?
Weight loss murder never tasted so good.
Starring Mr. Divabetic, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage,’ Seveda Williams, Dave Jones, Catherine Schuller and Lorraine Brooks. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Special thanks to our colleague, the multi-talented Wendy Radford.
The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village.
But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge, named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic, our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit hoping his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.
Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.
Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.
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.
Artist Heidi Hankaniemi creates one-of-a-kind artworks by collecting and compiling numerous pieces of laces. Her mission is to give discarded handiworks and the creators a new existence.
While heading to the subway, I stumbled upon her work on display at Chashama Work/ Display Space in Chelsea, New York. Heidi came out to talk to me when she saw Joe and I discussing her artwork outside on the sidewalk in front of Chashama Work.
Heidi patiently answered my battery of questions with an upbeat and friendly demeanor. She explained that many works feature lace and embroidery from different centuries and places worldwide. When I asked her how she decides which pieces and how many to put together, she said her process is organic. As she talked us through the exhibit, she mentioned that her earlier works are large tapestries of all-white lace, but her latest works incorporate different colored lace and flower embroidery.
In an interview the Finnish Cultural Institutein New York for their Creative Conversations series, Heidi said, “I love the handmade and tactile aspects of textiles and appreciate the process of working by hand. I find damaged and discarded handiworks at flea markets, and people send me things they don’t know what to do with. I mend them and construct them into larger pieces in my “Mending Tapestries” series.”
Ten years ago, she underwent surgery for a brain tumor. During her recovery, she continued to hand-sew lace and embroidery into art. While the doctors were stitching her up, she said, she stitched together fabrics. She found the practice of mending to be meditative and therapeutic. Heidi gained the strength to persevere through her health crisis from the generations of women before her who created vintage pieces of handwork. Her website states that her work “draws from domestic activities: habits, objects, and intimacy, and looks for ways to create paths between the private and the public, between the inside and the outside.”
Her fascination with lace began at an early age. She admits, “I handmade objects have a physical memory and absorb the essence of their makers. The sewing process is essential to Heidi. Piercing the fibers, she says, allows her to create both a physical and an emotional bond with the material.
Through her art, she’s found a beautiful way to give old pieces of lace and embroidery new life. People hire Heidi to create works of art to memorialize past generations from their family’s lace and embroidery. As she put it, the sewer’s essence is embedded in the fabric each time the cloth is hand-pierced with thread. I immediately thought of my grandmother’s Hummel collection displayed on dollies when she said no one puts lace dollies under the TVs today. These commissions are wonderful and sustainable keepsakes.
Heidi’s work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions in Europe and the United States, including at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, St. Petersburg Metro Museum, and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. It has also been featured in publications ranging from Artnet, Vogue UK, FJORDS magazine, Elle Deco ES, Elle Decoration UK, Elle UK, Architectural Digest, Frame, I.D. magazine, Interview magazine, Crystallized, Dazed and Confused, Marie Claire to Hello and Hola!.
Divabetic Image &. Style Advisor Catherine Schuller shares how the newest trend in shopping, Fashion Swaps, is a sustainable way to express your sense of style on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast.
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 MamaRose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.
Mermaids of nearly every imaginable description (Swedish Fish singing ABBAand Mime-Maids) lined Surf Avenue in Coney Island for the 41st Mermaid Parade.
It was an incredible display of art, body positivity, cleverness, and creativity.
This year’s parade is billed as the nation’s largest arts parade. Hip-hop legend Kool Keith was its king, and city Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo was its queen.
The main goal of the parade is to spread positivity and fun, and it continues to do so year after year.
The Mermaid Parade is all about body positivity. Body positivity is a movement that promotes acceptance of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities.
According to the Office on Women’s Health, a healthy body image means feeling good about looking and feeling comfortable in one’s body. Conversely, they report that having a negative body image can put one at a higher risk for mental health conditions, including eating disorders.
The true meaning of being positive about your body is self-acceptance and learning what is healthy specifically for you.
It’s a gathering of scantily clad folks who aren’t afraid to wear sequins, bare midriffs, fins, and sea-inspired costumes in broad daylight, with thousands of people watching.
The Mermaid Parade allows women to dress up as Drag Queens.
“Just like the Halloween parade — it’s all authentic New Yorkers. And this is an authentic New York event, she said.
The parade has been held nearly every year since 1983 but went virtual in 2020 and was canceled in 2021 because of the COVID pandemic.
The Mermaid Parade is a chance to get made up, express yourself, hear live music, see classic cars, and enjoy the creative spirit of New Yorkers.
Organizers estimate hundreds of thousands of people come out each year.
A ceremony on the beach also marks the start of the official summer swimming season on Coney Island.
Check out Divabetic’s Mystery podcast, Gypsies, Tramps & Peas.
Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic finally takes the plunge and ventures into a new career as a healthy caterer in Coney Island. With the help of his co-workers and nosy Italian mother, he heads for Coney Island to cater his first party aboard a yacht for his former swim coach, Ted Rockow. But his nautical soiree quickly capsizes when the guest of honor is found swimming with the fish. Was it an accident or foul play? Now Mr. Divabetic’s grilling Burlesque dancers, a lifeguard lothario, and some sequined mermaids, all intent on keeping their secrets buried deep within the sand.
Can Mr. Divabetic prove Coach’s death was a murder, not an accident? Or will he end up floating out to sea?
Will he sink or swim? Tune in to find out if he can solve the murder of his former swim coach with the help of his friends, some sassy mermaids, and a cooky fortune teller. Along the way to revealing the identity of the murderer, he uncovers expert tips for diabetes self-care during the Summer months.
USA Today Best-Selling Author, Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic,’ Seveda Williams, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, MaryAnn Horst Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Mama Rose Marie, and Lorraine Brooks help the fruit suit-clad sleuth in this seaside adventure.
Divabetic Mysteries podcast features music from the original cast recording of ‘Gypsy’ courtesy of SONY Music.
Poet Lorraine Brooks shares her poem about habits on Divabetic‘s Healthy Swaps podcast. We’re offering simple ideas to help you live your best diabetes life on our podcast.
We understand many people deal with diabetes distress and feel overwhelmed by the rentlessness of diabetes.
Feeling this way about your diabetes is understandable and it’s a natural reaction for anyone that’s been diagnosed with a long-term health condition.
Lots of people feel like this sometimes but it’s important you get help. If you don’t get support to help you cope, you’re more likely to reach burnout and that can be really serious. Please let us join you on the journey.
Habits by Lorraine Brooks
To do somethig once
Doesn’t make a habit yet
You have to repeat
Some habits are good
Like eating our vegetables
And counting our carbs
Bad habits die hard.
Our chooices become lifestyles.
And sometimes are poor
What is a habit
A behavior that binds us
But you can break free
To age with kindness
Cmes from having good habits
From when we are young.
I dont mind aging
Because I have formed habits\
That serve e well now
I’m aging like wine
Rich and mellow and sparkling
My habits paid off
I know I’m OK
I have worked hard to get here
And I will not quit
Be Kind To Yourself
Try to manage your expectations about your blood sugar levels and A1c test results and set smaller, more realistic goals.
It also helps to stop using phrases like ‘good’ or ‘bad’ blood sugar – as this can constantly feel like you’ve done something wrong. Talk about high or low blood sugar instead.
Taking time for yourself, like booking a massage or setting an evening aside for a long bath can help you relax.
We’re sharing healthy swap ideas on this episode of Divabetic‘s podcast. 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 MamaRose Marie. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.
Clarence Waldron talks about his stroke, recovery, working as Senior Editor and Writer of Jet Magazine, and his memories of Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin in this YouTube video. Twenty years ago, Clarence interviewed Luther’s mother, Mrs. Mary Ida Vandross, for Jet Magazine after Luther suffered a stroke due to mismanaged type 2 diabetes.
