Unfortunately Divabetic’s Baking Party with The Diabetic Pastry Chefhas been postponed. We apologize for the inconvenience. We were looking forward to spending time together virtually with our special guest, Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’in 2021.
Sure, it’s disappointing that tonight’s virtual event is postponed but ‘Don’t get Down, Get DIVA!’ and enjoy these holiday offerings to help keep you safe, well and happy throughout the season.
Enjoy this December’s Holiday edition of our popular Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Dan Houdeshel, Pendulum Glucose Control‘s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Orville Kolterman and Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy Author Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDCES, Mama Rose Marie and music from Harry Connick, Jr.’s Harry For The Holidays album.
Flashback to last year’s Holiday edition of Diabetes Late Nite with Dr. Bart Roep, Janis Roszler, LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDCES, Hint Water‘s Anthony Fiorello, Know Diabetes By HeartAmbassador Christina Herrera, Diabetes Alert Dog owner Elizabeth Gallagher, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES and festive music from Yolanda Adams’s What A Wonderful Time Of The Year album.
2 Great, Quick Reads To Keep You Healthy!
Navigating the Holidays With Diabetes from our friend, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES – READ
Watch highlights from Divabetic’s last virtual outreach event featuring a Hat & Mask Fashion Show presented by Harlem’s Heaven’s Hatsand poetry from Lorraine Brooks.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic rings in the holiday season with inspiration from Grammy® Award winner Anthony Hamilton on Diabetes Late Nite.
This fast-paced, fun-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice focuses on healthy celebrations for the holidays.
Diabetes Late Nite guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Susan Weiner RD, MSN, CDE, CDN, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Author Lisa Eugene, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.
When it came to recording for his first ever Christmas album, “Home For The Holidays” Anthony Hamilton said, “This album is for the people who really love the holidays and what feelings they bring. I wanted to remember every joyful, wholesome, tender, raw moment you feel during the holidays. I feel like some of the things we enjoy most, we can only feel with our hearts.”
Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring songs from “Home For The Holidays” courtesy of SONY MUSIC.
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 Lewiswill 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.
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.
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 23, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite ‘The Angry Show’podcast from August 2016. We’re discussing how common it is to feel angry about a diabetes diagnosis with musical inspiration from Evelyn “Champagne” King.
We all know what anger is, and we’ve all felt it: whether as a fleeting annoyance or as full-fledged rage.
Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But keeping your temper in check can be challenging especially while managing your diabetes.
Diabetes is the perfect breeding ground for anger. Anger can start at diagnosis with the question, “Why me?” You may dwell on how unfair diabetes is: “I’m so angry at this disease! I don’t want to treat it. I don’t want to control it. I hate it!”
One reason diabetes and anger so often go hand in hand is that diabetes can make you feel threatened. Life with diabetes can seem full of dangers – insulin reactions or complications. When you fear these threats, anger often surges to your defense.
While it’s true that out-of-control anger can cause more harm than good, that’s only part of the story. Anger can also help you assert and protect yourself. You can learn to use your anger. You can even put it to work for better diabetes care.
Ready to get your anger under control? Are you ready to recognize, sit with, and move beyond the triggers that cause destructive anger.
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
One way to help minimize stress during the pandemic is to de-clutter!
Experts agree that if we set aside 15 minutes per day to straighten up one place, such as a messy desktop, medicine cabinet or kitchen drawer we will feel happier and more relaxed at the end of the day! If you like to exercise and dance around while you’re cleaning, then give yourself an extra pat on the back!
Why not take the time to declutter your diabetes life?
As I toured the beautiful rooms at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Decorator Show House in New York earlier this year I was reminded how important our homes are to are overall diabetes health. That statement might not be so surprising when you stop and ask yourself these questions:
Do you struggle to keep track of health-care invoices and payments? Do you succeed at keeping an active health journal for a week or two and then neglect it for a year or two? Can you test your blood glucose if you can’t locate your meter or testing supplies?
“People with diabetes may need some strategies to keep track of medical paperwork to stay up to date with important information,” says Susan Weiner. “So, I contacted my friend Leslie Josel, an organizing guru, and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. We collaborated on this book to help all people with diabetes organize their supplies, daily routines, medical paperwork, and much more! It’s a hands-on “how-to” book, with simple strategies.”
“Plan out your meals and snacks for the week ahead. Make sure that everything you need (including ingredients, measuring tools and cookware) are available, “ says Susan Weiner. “Chop and dice your vegetables in advance and store them in labeled bags or clear containers in the refrigerator. You’ll stay organized and in control of your diabetes healthy meal plan.”
Superstar Gloria Estefan inspires this episode of Divabetic’s Diabetes Roundtable podcast featuring Best-Selling author, Cherry Adair, Patricia Addie Gentle RN, CDE, ‘The Complete Diabetes Organizer’ co-authors Susan Wiener RD, CDE and Leslie Josel, Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Jeff James, Mama Rose Marie and ‘My Bleeding Finger’ blogger, Tim Brand, who is the father of daughters living with type 1 diabetes.
Help us choose topics for upcoming Divabetic podcasts. Fill out our quick and easy Survey.
How are you coping with stress and anxiety related to the new ‘normal’ from the pandemic?
Are you binge watching TV or are you reading books like me? I just finished reading Linda Holmes’ debut novel, “Evvie Drake Starts Over”.
Unfortunately I’ve been known to polish off a salty snack or two while I’m reading without noticing! Since many Divabetics like to read after dinner and/or before bedtime, I contacted our good friend, a Diabetes Late Nite podcast guest, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES for her advice about healthy snacking.
Q: I’ve been known to polish off a bag of pretzels while I’m reading without noticing! And a lot of us like to read after dinner and/or before bedtime.
Susan Weiner (SW): Try not to eat directly out of a bag, container or box! You can avoid portion distortion if you pre-portion your snack and put it in a small bowl or dish.
Familiarize yourself with the difference between a serving and a portion. The nutritional information listed on a food item is based on a single serving (a specific amount will be listed for an individual food item). Portion size is the amount you eat or what you put on your plate. Please note that the portion that you are eating may be much larger (or smaller) than the serving size listed on the nutrition facts label. If you eat twice the amount of the listed serving size, you will be consuming twice the calories, carbohydrate, fat, sodium etc as listed.
Cut up colorful, low carb veggies in advance. Try some radishes, cucumbers, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. That way you have them at the ready, and can much on them as you read. In the mood for a dip? Mash up a ripe avocado and mix in some lime juice, garlic and onion powder.
Q: What you recommend as a late night snack?
SW: If you are not a late night snacker, there is really no reason to start now! But if you are looking for something crunchy and yummy, try a couple of flaxseed crackers with a spoon full of almond butter. It’s a delicious snack anytime!
Q: In Divabetic’s Diabetes Mystery podcast, ‘Phantom of the Okra’ you used a combination of carbohydrate counts to unlock a safe, how can counting carbohydrates help people with diabetes? Can you provide a few tips for beginners?
SW: Carbohydrate counting, or carb counting can help a person with diabetes manage their blood sugars. Carbohydrate containing foods raise your blood sugars, and therefore it’s important to be aware of which foods contain carbohydrates and how much carbohydrate is in a serving of a particular food item. That way you can count the amount of carbohydrate in a serving of a food.
Common foods which contain carbohydrates include bread, pasta, cereals, rice, fruit, beans, sweets, cakes, cookies, candy, regular soda and fruit drinks.
In addition to reading food labels, there are a number of websites and apps which can get you started with carb counting. Please know that in addition to food, many other things can affect your blood sugar, including your physical activity level, stress, medications and lack of sleep and so much more. So, please take good care of yourself and reach out to your health care professional.
Find out what happens when Mr. Divabetic, the Diabetes Late Nite cast and some special friends try to solve this diabetes murder mystery, Phantom of Okra, loosely based on “The Phantom Of The Opera.” Enjoy diabetes self-care advice and nutrition information in between moments of suspense, wide-goose chases, and entertaining banter.
Co-starring Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown (founder of the We Are Diabetes organization), Central Farm Markets Co-Founder Debra Moser, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Author Peter Arpesella, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, Leisa Chester Weir, Terri Seidman and Mama Rose Marie.
This podcast features song selections from “The Phantom Of The Opera” soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music.
In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash. Everyone in town, even her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and Evvie doesn’t correct them.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Dean Tenney, former Major League pitcher and Andy’s childhood best friend, is wrestling with what miserable athletes living out their worst nightmares call the “yips”: he can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why. As the media storm heats up, an invitation from Andy to stay in Maine seems like the perfect chance to hit the reset button on Dean’s future.
When he moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, the two make a deal: Dean won’t ask about Evvie’s late husband, and Evvie won’t ask about Dean’s baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken—and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more. To move forward, Evvie and Dean will have to reckon with their pasts—the friendships they’ve damaged, the secrets they’ve kept—but in life, as in baseball, there’s always a chance—up until the last out.
Keep ‘your house a home’ during the holidays by learning how to prevent a diabetes health-related complication such as stroke from occurring. Tune in Divabetic’s seasonal Diabetes Late Nite podcasts featuring expert advice, powerful testimonials and your favorite holidays songs. Enjoy every episode on demand for free!
Mariah Carey’s 1994 carol ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ officially hits the top of the Hot 100 charts for the first time! We’ve got all of her holiday hits on Diabetes Late Nite along with expert advice on how to stay MERRY while managing diabetes this season.
Having diabetes shouldn’t stop you from enjoying holiday celebrations and travel. With some planning and a little preparation, you can stay healthy on the road and at holiday gatherings with friends and family.
Preparation is the most important step in managing diabetes during holiday travel and festivities. Know what you’ll be eating, how to enjoy a few traditional favorites while sticking with a healthy meal plan, how to pack necessary supplies for a trip, and you’re ready to celebrate!
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, ‘Unleash Your Inner Diabetes Dominator’ Author Daniele Hargenrader, CEO of Insulcloud Jose Luis and Mama Rose Marie.
We’re taking about ways to celebrate a Diabetes ‘BLUE’ Christmas with musical inspiration from Elvis Presley.
Feeling blue?
The holiday season triggers mood swings for many of us. We may stress about finances, fight with family members, feel overwhelmed with commitments, slip into bad eating habits, ignore blood sugars and/or gain weight.
We will be discussing ways to not let diabetes dim your dazzle during the holiday season with our panel of experts. Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, Mandy Reece PHARMD, CDE, BC-ADM, FAADE, Rachel Zinman, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the new “Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” album courtesy of SONY Music.
We’re talking about celebrating the holidays without compromising our diabetes wellness with holiday music from Kelly Clarkson.
“Wrapped in Red” quickly becomes a welcome gift to fans of the powerful pop star as Kelly Clarkson mixes classic carols and hymns with several originals co-written by the singer.
Kelly Clarkson’s inspiring us to lend our ‘voice’ to topics such as the link between HIV medications and type 2 diabetes, how the homeless manage diabetes, great gift ideas for loved ones with diabetes, and how you can lose weight during holidays (!) on this podcast.
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Kathy Gold RN, MSN, CDE, FAADE, Glucose Revival’s Kris Maynard, Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece, PharmD, CDE, BC=ADM, BCACP, FAADE, Maria Sakowitz, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.
We’re talking about ways to proceed with ‘CAUTION’ when coping with Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) with musical inspiration from Mariah Carey.
Do you know living with type 2 diabetes puts you at greater risk for heart disease and stroke? Unfortunately most people don’t. We want to help you get CLUED INN and make a healthy comeback worthy of Mariah Carey.
Music critics agree that Mariah’s latest collection of songs not only maintains her status as one the best singer/songwriters in the game, but also eloquently displays her truth. She opens up about love, loneliness, and self-worth in a cautionary album that reminds us that she is still a force to be reckoned with after nearly three decades in the industry.
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, 2015 AADE Diabetes Educator of the Year Susan Weiner, MS RDN CDE FAADE, Mama Rose Marie, Yoga For Diabetes Director & Author Rachel Zinman, WeAreEatNeat.com’s Lloyd Owens, Type 2 Diabetes What To Know Community Moderator Nick Zevgolis, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.
Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Mariah Carey’s “CAUTION” courtesy of SONY Music.
Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled show of diabetes education and wellness advice with a twist that Diabetes Forecast Magazine describes as “not your typical fare”.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic gets caught up in a murder mystery when he agrees to host the Red Tomato Carpet at the 6th Annual Bake Bethesda A Pie Contest at Central Farm Market in Bethesda, MD.
Will orange be the ‘new black’ for Mr. Divabetic?
Find out what happens when Mr. Divabetic, the Diabetes Late Nite cast and some special friends try to solve this diabetes murder mystery loosely based on “The Phantom Of The Opera”. Enjoy diabetes self-care advice and nutrition information in between moments of suspense, wide-goose chases, and entertaining banter.
Featuring Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Asha Brown (founder of the We Are Diabetes organization), Central Farm Markets Co-Founder Debra Moser, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Good Like This Author Peter Arpesella, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDE, CDN, Leisa Chester Weir, Terri Seidman, Mama Rose Marie and Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek.
Have
you ever scrolled through Instagram and Facebook posts of endless carefree
moments and wondered, “is this every-day life”? The truth is that balancing
home, work and relationships can be challenging! Add in a diagnosis of type 2
diabetes and you may feel overwhelmed by the daily demands of diabetes
management. Every person with diabetes is unique and has his or her own feelings,
thoughts and perspectives about life with type 2 diabetes. Some folks view a
diagnosis of type 2 diabetes as a nudge to prepare healthier meals and add in
more physical activity into daily routines. Others may feel more anxious about
the cost of managing the disease and feel overwhelmed with the prospect of
following-up with their doctor or health-care provider.
As we get older, we may
have different thoughts about our health and everyday lives. A 25-year-old
woman may have different concerns about her type 2 diabetes diagnosis then she
will in her 60’s. Financial issues, romantic relationships and schedules
obviously change as we age and must be addressed. In order to tackle this
important issue, healthline.com conducted a survey of 1500 people with type 2
diabetes across generations to explore their feelings, concerns and
insights. https://www.healthline.com/health/state-of-type-2-diabetes The
survey explored feedback from Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. As one of
the medical reviewers for this important survey, I was intrigued by the varied
perspectives across generations.
I was very interested in how people of varying ages felt about their type 2 diabetes diagnosis. About half of Millennials surveyed and about a third of Gen Xers stated that they often hide their condition from others (which may include friends, family and co-workers), because they are worried about what others might think. Additionally, younger respondents were very concerned about the cost of managing their disease, which lead to a reduction in following health care provider treatment guidelines. The cost of healthcare is huge factor associated with proper medical care and can compound fears about potential long-term complications associated with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
As
I read the survey results, I was struck by the feelings of judgment,
embarrassment and guilt younger people feel when they follow up with their
doctor or health care provider. There are many challenges associated with being
overweight and type 2 diabetes. The stigma of type 2 diabetes referred to as an
“older persons” or “lifestyle” disease may cause younger people to feel
embarrassed. Many survey respondents felt their diabetes diagnosis was
perceived as a result of lack of self-control behaviors. This perception may
lead to less than optimal outcomes, and needs to be addressed with the health
care community as well as the general public. More education about type 2
diabetes is essential!
While non-judgmental diabetes language wasn’t specifically addressed in the survey, I believe it should be at the forefront of this conversation. What we say, and how we say it can make a significant difference for a person managing the complexities of diabetes. A task force with representatives from the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association developed a fabulous language guideline paper insightful tips around language use as it applies to addressing issues of with diabetes. https://www.diabeteseducator.org/practice/educator-tools/educator-guidance/diabetes-language-paper
Simple
language swaps such as “checking blood sugar” instead of “testing blood sugar”
may put a person at ease. Blood sugar is not a pass-fail grade. A person with
type 2 diabetes may feel extremely guilty when they see their doctor, and
therefore may not return for a follow-up appointment.
Body image was viewed differently
across generations. More
than 50% of Millennials and more than 40% of Gen Xers reported feeling ashamed
about their bodies on a daily or weekly basis. In contrast,
only 18% of Baby Boomers feel that way! Millennials and Gen Xers had recurrent
feelings of guilt, embarrassment, while this was not seen as frequently in
older adults. Hiding the condition was more common for younger people, which
lead to issues with romantic relationships and feeling of isolation.
Gender divides were also acknowledged in the survey. Women reported more issues with self-care, including weight management. Many of the women felt that as care givers, they often put others needs before their own.
Rather than feeling overwhelming with all the “must-do’s” associated with daily diabetes care, consider taking small steps which will add up to big changes. Please speak to your health care provider, family, friends, certified diabetes educator or others in your peer support community about your concerns. You are not alone!
Join Susan Weiner MS RDN CDE CDN FAADE and two other outstanding certified diabetes educators, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE and Rachel Stahl MS, RD, CDN, CDE’ at Divabetic’s Clued Inn: Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim on 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.
Susan Weiner MS RDN CDE CDN FAADE helped us to make carbohydrate counting fun with a series of colorful Carb Kitty videos available on YouTube:
