Let’s Talk About Salt PSA featuring Cheryl “Salt” James

More than half of the US population has hypertension and it is more prevalent in the Black community. We know that cutting back on salt can improve blood pressure control and save lives. Our animated music video and song, “Let’s Talk about Salt” provides evidence-based tips on how to do this in a fun and relatable way.

“Let’s Talk About Salt” is a animated music video PSA starring Grammy®-winning Cheryl “Salt” James from the iconic group, Salt-N-Pepa.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, which together kills more New Yorkers than any other disease.

About one in four New Yorkers has high blood pressure, but there are usually no symptoms. Black and Latino adults are more likely to have high blood pressure than other races/ethnicities.

Blood pressure is the force of blood moving through your blood vessels. The higher it is, the more damage it can do to the inside of your blood vessels. High blood pressure can also lead to problems with your kidneys, eyes and to sexual dysfunction.

Everyone should know their blood pressure. You can get it checked by asking your health care provider, visiting a pharmacy or checking it yourself using a home monitor.

Hip Hop Public Health’s 2020 rendition which was funded in part through the American Heart Association’s New York City Community Impact Grant encourages hypertension prevention by teaching young people about healthy eating and salt consumption with a visually stimulating music video.

Hip Hop Public Health’s mission is to foster positive health behavior change through the transformative power of hip-hop music.

Understanding Your Blood Pressure Numbers

Blood pressure is reported with two numbers, one written over the other. The top number, systolic blood pressure, reflects the amount of pressure in your arteries when your heart squeezes to pump blood. The bottom number, diastolic blood pressure, reflects the amount of pressure in your arteries when your heart relaxes between heartbeats.

For People Not Diagnosed with Hypertension

Systolic (upper) Diastolic (lower) Category and Recommended Action
Below 120 and Below 80 Normal. No action necessary.
120–139 or 80–89 Elevated. Talk with your your health care provider at your normally scheduled visit.
140–179 or 90–109 High. Talk with your health care provider soon.
180 or Higher or 110 or Higher Dangerously High. You could be in danger. Get medical care immediately.

MORE INFORMATION 

Divabetic Mystery Phrase #28

Can you solve Divabetic’s Mystery Phrase #28? Our phrase can help to reduce blood pressure and your risk of heart disease, and stroke.

Sodium — often simply referred to as salt — is found in nearly everything you eat and drink.

It occurs naturally in many foods, is added to others during the manufacturing process and is used as a flavoring agent at home and restaurants.

Sodium has been linked to high blood pressure which  increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

As for the general population, people with diabetes are advised to limit their sodium consumption to less than 2,300 mg per day – the equivalence of one teaspoon of salt. The American Heart Association advises a much lower intake of 1,500 mg (1.5 grams) per day.

However, Americans consume about 3,400 mg (3.4 grams) of sodium daily.

Sodium consumption is associated with calorie intake — the more calories you eat, the more sodium you consume (31Trusted Source).

SInce most people consume more calories than they need each day, simply cutting back on calories is the easiest way to reduce your sodium intake without much thought.

Sodium, Potassium Guidelines Rarely Met by Adults with Diabetes reports  Michael Monostra in Endocrinoloy Today

“Our study was that sodium and potassium intake is actually unlikely to change over time in people with diabetes. Therefore, the sodium and potassium intake in a person with diabetes today, is most likely going to be at the same level in the future, despite all the investment in public health advocacy,” said Sara Baqar, MBBS, FRACP, a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and endocrinologist at Austin Health in Heidelberg, Australia, reports Healio.

“It is simply not enough to recommend eating less canned food and packaged and salted meats, especially during COVID-19 when people may be food shopping less often and underserved communities may not have adequate access to fresh produce, fish and vegetables,” states Susan Greenberg Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES.

Enjoy Divabetic’s 10th Year Podcast Anniversary Special with music from the world’s most famous “Divabetic”– Ms. Patti LaBelle. She’s encouraging you to have a ‘NEW ATTITUDE’ about living with diabetes! Guests include: Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OB-GYN, Luther McRae, Mama Rose Marie, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Seveda Williams and Terri Seidman.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Virtual Cooking Party with special guest Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ on Zoom on Thursday, August 13, 2020, 7 – 7:40 PM, EST on Zoom.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to deny yourself all the foods you love, but you do want to make healthier food choices. One good choice is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are heavy in nutrition but light in calories.

During this virtual Cooking Party on Zoom, Chef Robert Lewis will prepare a recipe that won’t compromise your diabetes wellness.

Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic, is a nationally recognized author and motivational speaker who is passionate about helping people learn to live a healthier lifestyle. Chef Lewis graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 1976. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1998. Thus began his motivation to create great tasting dishes that are easy to prepare. He travels the country speaking on the benefits of healthy eating not only for people affected by diabetes, but also for anyone who would like to eat and live a healthy lifestyle. 

REGISTER NOW – IT’S FREE 

 

How Much Salt Are You Eating?

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend the average adult consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium or about one teaspoon — over the course of a day. 

An even lower daily limit of 1,500 milligrams a day is suggested for people who:

– Have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease.
– Are 50 or older.
– Are African American; this population has higher rates of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. 

Alternatively, aiming to at least lower your sodium intake by at least 1,000 mg also can help. 

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Divabetic’s 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast

Divabetic presents their 6th Annual Diabetes Mystery Podcast, “Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes,” which takes place at the fictitiously decadent world-renowned Gingerbread Men Cookie Baking Competition in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Mr. Divabetic’s culinary misadventures continue in this year’s escapade as he enters the competition with headless cookies and pureed kale hot cocoa for the judges to sample. As if this dreadful combination wasn’t bad enough to land him at the bottom of the throwdown, his mother, Mama Rose Marie, is accused of poisoning one of the celebrity judges. Things go from bad to worse when the snake phobic Mr. Divabetic hears about the giant python’s escape.         

Now, the happy healthcare host must decide to face his fear of snakes and recipe rejection or throw in his apron and risk getting caught up in another murder investigation. Can Mr. Divabetic and his team of amateur sleuths hunt down the real killer and get Mama Rose Marie out of jail? Will he be the next murder victim? Can he ever create an edible recipe?

The cast of Gingerbread Men Prefer Blondes features Mama Rose Marie, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach (Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and MaryAnn Nicolay BA, DTR), Asha Brown, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Dave Jones and Lorraine Brooks.

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from the original Broadway cast recording of ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

TUNE IN

Fast Food Menus Are Less Healthy Than They Were 30 Years Ago

Fast food menus are less healthy than they were 30 years ago according to The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics study published last week. 

The researchers studied 1,787 entrees, sides and desserts at 10 chains — Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Dairy Queen, Hardee’s, Jack in the Box, KFC, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s and Wendy’s — from 1986 to 2016. In that time, the number of items in those three categories rose 226 percent.

Across the 10 chains, the researchers found, the average entree weighed 39 grams more in 2016 than in 1986 and had 90 more calories. It also had 41.6 percent of the recommended daily allotment of sodium, up from 27.8 percent.

Sodium content rose to 23.2 percent of the recommended daily allotment from 11.6 percent, even though portion size did not grow substantially.

Divabetic will presenting the first-ever Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience: Clued Innon Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in New York City. Currently we have over 150 pre-registered for Clued Inn but there’s still room for you and your friends to participate! Register now at CluedInn.org.

Hold the ‘Salt’, Add Some ‘Pepa’!

Americans consume an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day. Yet we should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day (most experts agree it’s even better to stay below 1,500 milligrams a day).

Because 75 percent of the excess sodium in American diets comes from prepared and processed foods, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking food companies and restaurants to lower their sodium levels over the next 10 years.

Most of us have heard about the dangers of salt. So alternatives like Sea Salt, Kosher Salt and Pink  Himalayan Salt seem tempting. Are natural salts more nutritious than table salt?

According to an article on the Cleveland Clinic’s website the short answer is: not much.

No matter where it comes from, salt contains the same amount of sodium chloride.

So matter which salt you choose its still important to reduce your salt intake. Here’s what you can do:

a). Avoid processed foods. Anything that comes in a box or that’s labeled “quick and easy” may be loaded with sodium.

b). Ask restaurants to hold the salt. When dining out, ask that foods be prepared without adding salt.

c). Always read the nutrition labels. Pay special attention to soups and processed meats like deli meats, hot dogs and ham. They’re packed with sodium!

d). Buy salt-free snacks. Munch on crackers, nuts and other snacks that have no added salt.

e). Flavor food with herbs. Hold the salt. Herbs won’t raise blood pressure, and many have anti-inflammatory benefits.

f). Enjoy black pepper! Black pepper is an important healthy food owing to its antioxidant, antimicrobial potential and gastro-protective modules.

Mr. Divabetic, the cast of Diabetes Late Nite and our special guests are proudly participating in the 4th Annual Diabetes Podcast week (February 10 – 16, 2019). Our collective goal is to encourage listeners to donate to the Spare a Rose campaign, to benefit Life for a Child. 

The idea behind Spare a Rose, Save a Child is simple: buy one less rose this Valentine’s Day and donate the value of that flower to children with diabetes. Donations go to Life for a Child, an International Diabetes Federation program which provides life-saving diabetes supplies, medication, and education that children in developing countries need to stay alive.

Please tune in to Diabetes Late Nite on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 6 -7: 30 PM, EST for a lively discussion about ‘Self-Acceptance & Diabetes’ with musical inspiration from Dolly Parton.

Recently, Dolly ceived a Golden Globe ‘Best Original Song – Movie’ nomination for her song ‘Girl In the Movies’ from her album, Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

“Netflix’s Dumpin’ film has an emotionally impactful message of self-acceptance, wrapped in a charming coming-of-age story & steeped in Dolly Parton music,” says ScreenRant

Dolly Parton may not star in the Netflix film Dumplin‘, but she’s the driving force behind its story and gives it some sparkle along the way.

The film is based on the book of the same name by Julie Murphy. It tells the story of Willowdean “Dumplin'” Dickson (Danielle Macdonald), the plus-sized teenage daughter of former beauty queen Rosie Dickson (Aniston), who signs up for her mom’s teenage pageant as a protest.

February’s Diabetes Late Nite guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr.Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP,  Lisa R Young, PhD, RDN, and Type 2 Diabetes – What To Know Facebook Community moderator Autumn Reed. 

Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Dolly Parton’s Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a  lot.” TUNE IN

Cuban Food: Eating Smart for Diabetes with Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN

A ham and cheese sandwich every day. Fried chicken and pork rinds. White rice, white bread, and few leafy greens. Soft drinks with every meal.  When interviewers asked a nationwide sample of Cubans what they ate on a typical day, and what they would put on a daily menu if they could choose whatever they wanted, these were among the top responses. Results of that landmark study revealed that a majority of Cubans eat too much sugar, not enough fruits and vegetables, and have an unhealthy predilection for fried food, red meat and saturated fats.

I reached out to Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN, who is the co-author of ‘Diabetes Guide of Enjoying Foods of the World’ for her advice on how to enjoy Cuban foods without compromising your diabetes wellness.  Below is our exclusive interivew for Divabetic:

Q: What do you eat if you love fried foods and you have diabetes?

Constance Brown-Riggs (CBR): Years ago, conversations about food and diabetes were based on what you couldn’t eat.  But having diabetes doesn’t mean the end of good eating. The principles of a healthy diet are the same for the person with diabetes as they are for everyone else. Fried foods prepared with minimal amounts of heart-healthy oils can be included in your meal plan. However, fried foods are higher in calories than baked foods. Therefore, it’s a good idea to eat fried foods in moderation. Click here for a step-by-step guide to healthy frying—your taste buds will be glad you did!

Q: What are the healthiest options to choose when eating Cuban foods? 

CBR: Cuban cuisine contains many healthy ingredients including fresh seafood, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.  Two popular dishes are ropa vieja and sancocho.

Ropa vieja is shredded beef made in a slow cooker with tomato paste, tomato sauce, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices. It’s often served over rice or on tortillas. 

Sancocho is a hearty Cuban stew made with native root vegetables—squash, yucca, yams, or potatoes with pork or beef. Beans, lentils or pigeon peas are also added.

Q: What advice can you give to someone trying to cut back on salt without comprising flavor?

CBR: Get familiar with your spice rack! Spices are low in sodium and add wonderful flavor to food. The good news is you don’t have to cut sodium out of your diet all at once.  If you cut back on sodium little by little, your taste for salt will change with time. While you’re cutting back, it’s a good idea to avoid adding salt to your food after it’s cooked. Contrary to what you might think you’ll use less salt and improve the flavor of your food by adding just a pinch of salt during the cooking process.

Q: How much visible fat on your beef, pork or lamb should you remove before eating?

CBR: The general recommendation is to remove as much visible fat as possible. To prevent the meat from drying out and becoming inedible, I suggest trimming some of the fat before cooking. Then trim the remaining fat before eating the meat.

Q: What kind of oil do you recommend to use for frying foods?

CBR: For healthy frying as mentioned above, it’s important to use heart healthy oils with a high smoke point, such as almond, avocado, hazelnut, or sunflower. Remember even healthy fried foods should be reserved for special occasions.

Q: How important is other people’s support when trying to change eating habits?

CBR: Changing eating behavior is one of the most challenging behaviors to change. Having a support system in place can really help. You may tell people around you that you are going to change your eating habits and lose weight so that they can encourage you—not police you! It’s also a good idea to schedule a consult with a registered dietitian (RD). An RD, especially one who has been trained as a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), can help you to understand how food affects your diabetes and how to make dietary modifications that increase your wellness. They can also help you develop strategies for dealing with the food police.

Q: I hate vegetables, what do I do? 

CBR: With a little creativity you can begin to eat vegetables every day. Add kale or spinach to your morning smoothie, order veggie pizza for lunch and mix cauliflower with mash potato for dinner. And for dessert have zucchini bread or zucchini brownies. Don’t forget basic tomato sauce counts as one veggie serving! To boost the veggie power of your sauce, add puréed carrots or winter squash, peppers, onions, or greens.

Constance Brown-Riggs, is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of the Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World, a convenient guide to help people with diabetes enjoy all the flavors of the world while still following a healthy meal plan. Follow Constance on social media @eatingsoulfully

We’re talking about different ways to ‘SPICE UP’ your diabetes life with musical inspiration from the “Queen of Salsa”, Celia Cruz on March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. Guests include Best-Selling Cookbook Author (Eating Well Through Cancer Cookbook – Spanish Edition), Holly Clegg, Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. LISTEN NOW