Menopause And Diabetes

Half of the human population goes through a significant hormonal shift, yet few people are willing to talk about it, and many suffer alone.

I was walking through the airport when I spotted O Magazine’s Straight Talk About Menopause magazine. Instantly, I was reminded of Divabetic’s Menopause and Diabetes workshops, podcasts, and YouTube videos.

Both O Magazine and Divabetic offer expert advice on recognizing and treating symptoms and weathering mental and emotional storms.

Oprah has spoken about her own experiences with menopause, including having trouble concentrating, heart palpitations, and feeling muted. She also shared that she started taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and said, “I got my first click of estrogen, and I was like, the sky is bluer!”.

Oprah Daily launched a menopause guide with discussions, classes, tools, and expert advice on navigating menopause.

Menopausal symptoms include heavy bleeding, weight gain, joint pain, and mental health symptoms. But only 17% of OB-GYNs are trained to treat menopause.

However, Divabetic tackles the topic of menopause from a diabetes perspective. Our panel featured Dr. Julianne Arena and Donna Rice and was moderated by Catherine Schuller. According to research, hormone levels (most notably estrogen and progesterone) fall dramatically during menopause. Changes to our hormones can affect our blood sugar levels and make managing diabetes more difficult.

Dr Julianne Arena is a double board-certified physician, a board-certified OBGYN who applies traditional, integrative methods and a multi-layered approach to helping women with sexual health and intimacy issues. She’s also a practitioner of Cliovana, the only treatment available that improves long-term clitoral stimulation with proven sound wave technology. Her goal is to help women create optimal and vibrant lives.

Donna Rice is a registered nurse and a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She is a national and international thought leader and author of four books, including Divabetic’s ebook Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide To Love And Intimacy With Diabetes. She is a Past President of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and the Past President of the Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute for Baylor Health Care Systems in Dallas, Texas. Donna is the Chief Operating Officer for DiabetesSisters and The Chief Evangelist for Call-ai, working on voice-driven AI for diabetes care and education.

05/14/202405/14/2024

Oprah Winfrey Admits To Perpetuating Toxic Diet Culture

Is the tide changing toward diet culture? Perhaps, when one of America’s most prominent icons admits to fanning the flames of body shaming and the lack of willpower in millions of Americans trying to lose weight. By ‘Diet Culture,’ we refer to a societal obsession with dieting and weight loss, often characterized by the promotion of restrictive eating habits, unrealistic body standards, and the stigmatization of those who do not conform.

Recently, Oprah Winfrey acknowledged her role in abetting America’s toxic ‘Diet Culture during a three-hour WW special. For decades, she promoted guilt and shame as well as the redemption of weight loss on her various media platforms, including a cable TV network, magazine, and talk show.

“I’ve been a major contributor to it. I cannot tell you how many weight-loss shows and makeovers I have done, and they have been a staple since I’ve been working in television,” she admitted.

Sadly, Oprah isn’t the only one. Famous women’s magazines, Morning and Daytime Talk Shows, cartoons, and stand-up routines are rife with weight loss stories, jokes, and new diet programs promising quick results.

How harmful is our obsession with losing weight by any means possible?

Numerous studies indicate that yo-yo dieting is bad for your heart. Yo-yo dieting, also known as weight cycling, can stress your heart and increase your risk of heart disease. In the short term, regaining weight can cause problems like angina, heart attack, and stroke. The more significant the swings in weight, the bigger the risk.

My boss, Luther Vandross, gained and lost over a hundred pounds at least eight times while working for him. His developing stroke and untimely death at age 54 are primarily associated with a result of weight cycling.

He, like Oprah, lost a hundred pounds on the infamous liquid diet. But millions of other Americans suffer from this vicious cycle of hating themselves and their bodies for their inability to maintain and sustain weight loss.

Oddly, Oprah’s confession was part of WW’s slick rebrand as a weight-health company that offers drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. I’m still trying to understand why she confessed in this forum. But I cannot deny she seems to have seen the light since Oprah Winfrey backpedaled from her statements about weight loss medications being an “easy way out” to admitting they’re redemption.

Oprah Winfrey backpedaled from her statements about weight loss medications being an “easy way out” to admitting they’re redemption.

She added, “I’m absolutely done with the shaming from other people, particularly myself.”

03/04/202103/05/2021

Jessye Norman Is Our Diva Of The Month in March!

“A person has the right, and I think the responsibility, to develop all of their talents” – Jessye Norman.

Vocalist Jessye Norman was indisputably one of the major artists of our time. A triumphant career associated with the highest level of music making has led to many honors and awards, including the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Glenn Gould Prize for Music, and more than 40 honorary doctorates.

Unfortunately Jessye Norman’s size and girth were big points of conversation for listeners and reviewers alike dating back to the 1970’s. She was referred to as “a woman of generous proportions with voice to match,” and “an entire orchestra in person”.

Jessye Norman candidly said, “dress size has nothing to do with opera singing” in an interview. “And certainly there were those instances when singers were told they need to fit into a certain size dress. Of course, women. Men? They just make the costume bigger.”

It has never been reported that Jessye Norman was living with or affected by diabetes during her lifetime. However, we still admire her for standing up to criticism and being a strong, independent woman and trailblazer. She didn’t let people’s meanspirited comments stop her from being who she was! She lived her life to the fullest and continued to challenge herself as an artist.

How do you deal with criticism about your size and/or weight?

Unfortunately insults, criticisms, and hidden messages often make us awful about ourselves. Especially if they are being said by someone close to us.

People who comment on how you look are really just offering insight into how little they would value themselves if they looked different. People who worry a lot about putting on weight might actually be afraid that they won’t be loveable if they don’t conform. They don’t trust that they are good enough regardless of how they look. In this case, their comments can make you appreciate that you don’t have the same insecurities that they do.

Reflecting on how you respond to criticism will make you better at addressing criticism the next time. As the old adage goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Sometimes, someone’s criticism towards you has nothing to do with you. If a stranger is criticizing you on social media, for example, sometimes it is best not to respond.

Oprah Winfrey learned to not ask herself, “What’s wrong with that person?”but rather, what happened to that person?”

We also like to recommend building a really good self care routine to boost your self esteem and happiness as these will give you resilience to any criticism too.

Tune in to Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, 6 – 7:30 PM. EST. We’re talking about weight loss drugs, how to maximize your metabolism, self-love, and heart health makeovers with music from Jessye Norman.

Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE offers her opinions on the top home blood pressure monitors.

Pharmacist and Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialists Mandy Reece PharmD CDCES, BC-ADM, BCACP, FADCES provides insight on the effectiveness and side effects of weight loss drugs including iraglutide, and semaglutide.

“Maximize Your Metabolism: Lifelong Solutions to Lose Weight, Restore Energy, and Prevent Disease” Co-Authors Dr. Noel Maclaren and Sunita Singh Maclaren discuss how brain health is related to insulin resistance.

American Heart Association’s Know Diabetes By Heart Ambassador, Sarah B. shares why her mindset about her health changed after her husband’s death and how she came to adopt the motto: “We have a habit of putting limits on ourselves. We need to push beyond them.”

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Jessye Norman’s Roots: My Life, My Song (Live at The Philharmonie Berlin) album courtesy of SONY Music.

http://https://youtu.be/5pDgmCigaGY

02/24/2021

James Corden Says He’s Fed Up With Being Unhealthy

I’m fed up with the way I look, I’m fed up with being unhealthy. This is the year I’m doing it,” admitted late-night TV host James Corden who struggled with his weight for a long time.

The Emmy Award winning actor shared his weight loss goals in an emotional video posted to the WW YouTube Page.

“I’ve realized that every year for the past decade — probably even 15 years — on January the 1st I’ve told myself and anyone that would listen that I’m going on a diet, I’m going to lose a load of weight,” the new WW spokesperson said.

He said he hasn’t had much success with diets in the past. He’s hopeful that this time will be different. He said his son, Max, 9, is a major source of inspiration.

He goes on to mention that he believes that WW has the tools to make him fulfil his resolution for this year. With James Corden’s weight loss goal, the company is also giving away a hundred of thousands of memberships.

Five weeks after starting the program, James Corden said he’s lost 16 lbs.

“And I’ve been doing some exercise, which I hate. I just can’t bare it, so I’m using the word ‘hate’. But my wife is so good at it.”

During James Corden’s YouTube interview, Oprah Winfrey said, “WW is all about making yourself more aware of what you are eating and taking responsibility for that.”

Tune in To Divabetic’s popular Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring Mila Clarke Buckley ‘The Hangry Woman’, Sex Therapist Janis Roszler, PhD, RD, LD/N, CDCES, FAND, and Bella Krueger and music from Celine Dion’s ‘Falling Into You’ album.

Love New Recipes?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free Virtual Cooking Party with special guest, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND on Zoom on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, 7-8 PM, EST. Jill shares her favorite quinoa recipes with us!

Tag: Oprah Winfrey