Reflections of a Unicorn with Type 1 Diabetes by Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDCES, Part 5

Reflections of My Journey with Diabetes

Over the past 46 years of living successfully with diabetes, I have developed some coping strategies that work for me.

Nobody is perfect! It is impossible to manage diabetes perfectly. If my blood sugars are fluctuating, I try to keep a close watch on stabilizing them. Diabetes is not an exact science and many factors, other than just food and insulin, affect their variability. Don’t panic and do the best that you can.

Take life – and taking care of your diabetes – one day at a time. When you look to the past, and focus on what you could have done, should have done, and would have done, that can leave you feeling depressed. It’s water under the bridge. No use dwelling on the past which you cannot change, Likewise, if you look to the future and focus on worrying, such as what if I go blind, what if I contract the Coronavirus, that will leave you feeling anxious. Worrying about the future does not make it more likely to happen or less likely to happen. It just zaps your energy. No use dwelling on the what if’s. The answer is: stay in the here and now.

Connecting with others. My journey which started in 1975 was before the Internet. There were not a lot of resources available for me. Today, there are books and blogs, online and in-person support groups, podcasts such as the monthly “Diabetes Late Nite” podcast hosted by Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek with guests and games to learn about diabetes and have fun at the same time.

Think of long-term benefits. Managing your diabetes is one of the primary ways to reduce your risks of complications. My personal motivation (I know it sounds silly) is to be able to wear cute shoes with heels. The same can be said for staying safe during the pandemic. Even if you are tired of wearing a mask, maintaining social distance, and following hand hygiene, the long-term benefit is keeping yourself safe and others safe, as well. It’s important to remember that you have control over how you will respond to the pandemic and do your part to control the spread.

Last, but not least, is feeling and expressing gratitude. I am grateful that I was born after the discovery of insulin or else I would not have lived to tell my story. I am thankful to all the doctors who have taken care of me during the past four decades. I am thankful to my patients with whom I have learned insights. A big thank you to Max Szadek for our collaborations over the years.  And. most especially to the love and support that I have received from my family. I will always appreciate the encouragement from my parents, my brother, my sister, my son, my daughter, and my step-son.

Wishing you success in your journey with diabetes!

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

Read Part 3

Read Part 4

Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDCES has published two books which include insightful lessons of empowerment written by successful men and women with diabetes. Available for purchase.

Dr. Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDCES guests on Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring music from Meghan Trainor.

Megan Trainor’s break-out hit, “All About That Bass” features lyrics about body acceptance.  In this case, the bass is a metaphor for the booty. “Yeah it’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size two / But I can shake it, shake it like I’m supposed to do,” she sings.

How well are you at accepting the fact that you’re living with diabetes? Negative emotions such as anger, frustration, hopelessness, fear, guilt and shame is very common among people with diabetes. Navigating your way through a range of emotions as well as learning to accept your diagnosis can prove to be a major stumbling block for many people’s daily diabetes self-care management.

Meghan Trainor Diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

Meghan Trainor has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during her pregnancy. The singer is set to welcome her baby boy in early February.

Approximately 2-5% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes according to the American Pregnancy association.  this number may increase to 7-9% of mothers who are more likely to have risk factors. The screening for this disease usually takes place between your 24th and 28th week of pregnancy.

The 26-year-old mum to be is just two months away from welcoming her bundle of joy but now has to take extra care with her blood sugar levels as a result.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Meghan Trainor (@meghan_trainor)

 

Gestational diabetes is diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy. It is a temporary (in most cases) form of diabetes in which the body does not produce adequate amounts of insulin to regulate sugar during pregnancy. It may also be called glucose intolerance or carbohydrate intolerance.In women with gestational diabetes, blood sugar usually returns to normal soon after delivery.

“I got gestational diabetes, but so many women have it,” Meghan told Jimmy Fallon via a video call on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

“It was just the unknowing. I didn’t know what it was. It’s like a genetics thing. My mom had it and she didn’t even give me a full warning.”

The songstress added: “I just watch what I eat now. I write everything now, I check my blood. And we’re good now. I’ve been crushing it.

If you’ve had gestational diabetes, you have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. You’ll need to be tested for changes in blood sugar more often.

Tonight, we’re talking about BODY IMAGE & DIABETES with musical inspiration from Meghan Trainor. Guests include Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ , the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE), Style Blogger Doris Hobbs, Emmy Award winning Producer Linda Bracero Morel,  Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast we will be playing selected songs from Meghan Trainor’s “Thank You” album courtesy of SONY Music.

31 Days Of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Twenty

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 20, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Meghan Trainor from 2015.

Megan Trainor’s break-out hit, “All About That Bass” features lyrics about body acceptance.  In this case, the bass is a metaphor for the booty. “Yeah it’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size two / But I can shake it, shake it like I’m supposed to do,” she sings.

How well are you at accepting the fact that you’re living with diabetes? Negative emotions such as anger, frustration, hopelessness, fear, guilt and shame is very common among people with diabetes. Navigating your way through a range of emotions as well as learning to accept your diagnosis can prove to be a major stumbling block for many people’s daily diabetes self-care management.

Guests include: Dr. Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.

 

 

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

 

 

Billie Eilish Shares Powerful Short Film About Body Shaming

Billie Eilish is hitting back at body-shamers in a new short film.

The 18-year-old Grammy winner shared her message in a new spoken word short film called “Not My Responsibility” on YouTube.

The video first depicts the pop star in her usual baggy threads, wading through what looks like a pool of tar as she strips her garments. Over a moody, ambient soundtrack, Eilish almost entirely removes her jet black tank top near the end — but obscures her body in the inky liquid instead.

Last year, she explained in a Calvin Klein ad that the reason she wears baggy clothes is to avoid body shaming. “I never want the world to know everything about me,” she said as reported in Buzzfeed. “I mean, that’s why I wear big baggy clothes: Nobody can have an opinion, because they haven’t seen what’s underneath, you know?”

She also discussed struggling with body image issues in an interview with Vogue. “I just hated my body. I would have done anything to be in a different one,” she explained. “I really wanted to be a model, really bad, and I was chubby and short.”

Billie Eilish – NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY – a short film

 HomeDiva TalkRadio  October’s Diabetes Late Nite Podcast

Diabetes Late Nite Podcast on Body Image & Diabetes

oct2016meg-001

We’re talking about BODY IMAGE & DIABETES with musical inspiration from superstar Meghan Trainor on Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

Think about it. Have you considered if your body image impacts your diabetes?

For people with diabetes, these attitudes may be very healthy which actually helps them manage their diabetes or they may be unhealthy which may lead to blood glucose values that are damaging.

People with a healthy body image see themselves as they really are and are happy with the way they feel and look.

For people that do not have a healthy body image, the term body dysmorphic disorder is sometimes used.

One of the biggest hits of last year, Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” isn’t your typical pop song.

“My producer and I wanted to do a fun song, so we thought why not do a song about loving yourself and loving your body, because I don’t think girls love themselves as much as they should,” Trainor says.

Guests include Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE) Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.

Throughout the podcast we will be playing selected songs from Meghan Trainor’s “Thank You” album courtesy of SONY Music.