Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 3

Britannia Coffin’s death was NO accident. The police have determined that she was murdered! Britannia’s body was discovered near the dumpster in The Kitchen Island parking lot, and it was covered in cash! Apparently, the store was also robbed. The police found Millicent Merriweather, the Kitchen Island store shop owner, locked in the storeroom. The store’s cash register had also been emptied.

This is big news! The death of a member of one of Nantucket’s founding families coupled with this robbery has the whole town buzzing. And everyone, except Max, is glued to the TV and radio for the latest updates.

Max: Oh, well, I bet the competition is going to be canceled. We’d better pack up and head back to New York.

Tonya: Max, we can’t leave now. You might have been the last person to see Britannia Coffin alive.

MaryAnn: That’s true. An eyewitness reported seeing a suspicious man with Britannia in the parking lot right before she was killed. The police think he’s the murderer!

Patricia: That sounds like it could be you!

Max: But I’m innocent.

Mama Rose Marie: Son, if you are a suspect in one more murder, we’re going to have to buy a getaway car!

Patricia: Hey, Max, what are those receipts sticking out of your pocket?

MaryAnn: Let me see, this one’s an herbal pain reliever. They seem harmless on TV but they can interact with other medications and cause problems.

Patricia: I advise my patients to always consult with their doctors before buying them.

MaryAnn: And this receipt is for Botox injections.

Max: What? That’s not mine. I don’t know where that came from.

Patricia: Botox isn’t just for wrinkles, silly. It’s also used to ease hand and foot pain caused by nerve damage. Given her health issues, it must be Britannia’s!

MaryAnn: There’s a list of dates, times and numbers on the back of this receipt. It looks like Britannia must’ve been logging her blood sugars.

Patricia: Good for her! Diabetes and data go hand in hand. Without data it’s hard to know what to change and where to focus on in your self-care management.

MaryAnn: Keeping your blood sugars within a range can help alleviate pain related to neuropathy.

Tonya: Wait! Maybe Britannia stuffed these receipts in your pocket on purpose. They’re clues! In my book, Fixin’ to Die, my character, Kenni Lowry nabs the culprits and solves the murder using clues just like these.

Mama Rose Marie: We should turn them over to the police.

Max: No, if we go to the police they’ll find out who I really am and then it will be all over the papers just like it was in New York.

MaryAnn: It’s a good thing you put on that pirate costume before anyone recognized you.

Max: This can’t be happening again. My baking career won’t survive another scandal.

Tonya: Then, our only option is to stay and solve this murder.

Max: Tonya. (pause) I swear you left my food processor in New York just so something like this would happen.

Mama Rose Marie: Stop bickering you two and let’s put on our thinking caps. Max, who else was in the store when you were there?

Max: Just the owner and Britannia. Britannia was at the cash register when I walked in. Then, Britannia and I left together to go to her car.

Patricia: What about in the parking lot? Did you notice anything unusual?

Max: I got too distracted by all the shiny new food processors in her trunk. Oh, Wait! As I was leaving, Britannia took a box out of the back seat and headed across the parking lot to the antique shop.

Tonya: What was in the box?

Max: I didn’t notice. I was in a hurry to get back to the prep kitchen.

MaryAnn: Hold on a second, didn’t Peggy tell us Britannia rarely left her house because of her neuropathy?

Patricia: She sure did! Maybe Peggy lied to us to protect someone?

Tonya: You mean like her husband, Floyd? Peggy said his lobster business wasn’t doing well and the news reports said Britannia Coffin was rich. Money is always the top motive for murder in my novels!

MaryAnn: Well, if Peggy wasn’t lying to us, then Britannia must have had a pretty compelling reason to leave her house this morning if she was in pain.

Mama Rose Marie: Whatever’s in that box might tell us. We’d better head over to the antique shop and find out.

Max: No, no, no! This is exactly why I left New York. Please, I don’t want to get mixed up in any more murders.

Tanya: Too late. Let’s retrace your steps and get to the crime scene.

Narrator: Our team heads over to the Petticoat Row Shopping district where The Kitchen Island store is located.

The women-run retail district, Petticoat Row, on Centre Street was an entirely post–Civil War institution, which developed in the 1860s and lasted into the 1930s. It comprised between two and twelve businesses at a time and involved about thirty female proprietors in all. While whaling created conditions that led some island women to enter the commercial sphere, it was actually the economic and population disruptions that followed the collapse of whaling that brought Nantucket women into the paid workforce in significant numbers.

The Kitchen Island is a quaint baking store packed with tableware, cooking tools, appliances and recipe books as well as delicious pastries. The stylish owner, who just happens to be one of the Decadent Desserts on Deck sponsors, is Millicent Merriweather.

SOUND EFFECT: store bells

Narrator: After exchanging pleasantries, our team gets down to business with their investigation.

Tonya: Millicent, was Britannia in your store for any particular reason?

Millicent: She was bargain hunting for a new zester.

MaryAnn: If she loved a bargain, I’ll bet she also saved money by buying generic medications like Metformin for her diabetes. It’s just as safe and effective as the brand name but it costs a whole lot less.

Millicent: Oh who knows; all she wanted to talk about was entering her famous lemon meringue pie in today’s competition.

MaryAnn: Are you sure? The Perky Pie Princess told us Britannia had dropped out.

Millicent: And you believed Peggy? I wouldn’t trust anything she had to say about Britannia. Especially after what happened between them.

Max: I don’t trust her either after that crack she made calling me an amateur baker. But go on, tell us what happened?

Millicent: Peggy’s husband Floyd was involved in one of Britannia’s slip and fall scams. He lied on the stand. Britannia is the reason Floyd did jail time.

Mama Rose Marie: The big house really changes you; I should know.

Max: Mom, what are you talking about? You were behind bars less than an hour.

Mama Rose Marie: Well, an hour in the pen feels like a lifetime.

Tonya: Do you two mind? Can Millicent finish what she was saying?

Millicent: Paying off the fines almost made Floyd lose the family’s lobster business. To make it worse, Britannia walked away scot free thanks to her high-powered lawyers.

Max: She sounds pretty devious to be scamming people with phony slip and fall lawsuits given her condition.

MaryAnn: Her neuropathy would make her more prone to fall. So how did they prove it was a scam?

Millicent: It turned out Britannia wasn’t using her Nordic poles that day like Floyd testified. The judge threw out the suit because Britannia hadn’t taken the necessary safety precautions.

Mama Rose Marie: Mmmm. My Bridge partner also suffers from neuropathy. Her doctor wants her to check her feet daily but she has difficulty bending over.

Patricia: Her doctor is concerned she could develop a bad infection if she cut her foot. A hand mirror can remedy that. By placing a mirror on the floor you can easily see the bottom of your feet.

Tonya: Anywho. . .was anyone else in the store with Britannia?

Millicent: Loretta Hussey. I overheard Britannia tell her to make room on her mantle for another second-place ribbon!

Patricia: Oooo! That must’ve made Loretta mad.

Tonya: Yeah, but mad enough to commit murder?

Millicent: She was furious. Britannia never missed an opportunity to ruffle Loretta’s feathers. Just last week Britannia announced she was going to sell all the Hussey family treasures. There’s motive enough for murder right there!

Patricia: What would give Britannia Coffin the right to sell Loretta Hussey’s family possessions?

Millicent: Britannia used to be married to Loretta’s older brother. She got the house and everything in it in the divorce settlement. Britannia was heartless. I heard Loretta say, “You’ll get what you deserve!” as she stormed out of my store.

Tonya: But wait! Wasn’t Britannia‘s murderer the same person who robbed you?

Millicent: Maybe – I did tell the police I saw a strange man in the parking lot right before Britannia was killed! He should be at the top of the list of suspects, right next to Loretta!

Max: Oh, no. That strange man had to be- (Tonya cuts me off)

Tonya: -Just one more question.

Millicent: Anything. The sooner Britannia’s killer is caught, the happier I’ll be.

Tonya: Can you think of anyone who would rob you?

Millicent: No. Like I told the police, whoever it was grabbed me from behind and in these high heels, I lost my balance and fell over. Next thing I knew, I was blindfolded and shoved in the stockroom.

Patricia: You know, flats are better for your back and your feet. No one needs to wear 5-inch heels.

Max: But those shoes ARE fabulous!! Do they hurt?

Millicent: What can I say – “Pretty is Painful.” But wait, you look kind of familiar. I think I’ve seen you before. Take off that eye patch!

Mama Rose Marie: Oh, Bartholomew! Look at the time! You promised to take me to the antique shop across the parking lot. Let’s go!

TO BE CONTINUED

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast, Kill Me Madam, 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.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

HEALTH TOPICS

A new study suggests that Botox, or botulinum toxin, may offer successful relief for neuropathy, not just one form, but two.

10/23/202010/23/2020

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 2

The island of Nantucket is known for its cobblestone streets and weathered grey-shingled cottages, but the island also distinguished itself for being the only place in the United States that was effectively run by women.

With their husbands out to sea for up to four years at a time, the whaling wives ran a variety of businesses located in the area known as Petticoat Row.

Today Peggy’s Pie Shop is hosting an event for the contestants, and everyone, including Max and his pals, are eager to learn some tips that might improve their chances of winning.

Peggy: Our goal this morning is to achieve the perfect pie crust. Too much mixing or over baking can ruin your creation. Baking is all about precision.

Tonya: So is Murder.

Max: Keep your voice down. She might hear you.

Peggy: Is there a question in the back?

Max: Yes, how can I stop my key lime pie crust from getting soggy?

Peggy: Oh, that’s easy – you should use blind baking. Our Decadent Desserts on Deck reigning champion, Britannia Coffin, swears by it. Her award-winning pie crusts are never soggy.

Max: I’d better write this down. What is blind baking?

Peggy: Sometimes it’s called pre-baking, it’s the process of baking the pie crust without the filling. The trick is to line the bottom of the crust with pie weights, it will prevent the pastry from puffing up in the oven.

Tonya: Excuse me, what did you say the champion’s last name is again?

Peggy: Coffin. C-O-F-F-I-N.

Tonya: Holy Smokes, Max! I mean “Bartholomew.” This is your lucky day!

Peggy: Why’s that?

Tonya: “Bartholomew” here loves facing ‘STIFF’ competition!

Peggy: Sadly, Britannia’s not competing this year. But she has agreed to come, poles in tow, and crown our new champion.

Max: Oh, I think I met her! That sounds like the woman who sold me the food processor.

Peggy: I bet she loved your costume. She has a thing for Johnny Depp.

Max: Oh, no, I wasn’t wearing this when I met her. Why does she carry around ski poles?

Peggy: Actually, they are Nordic Walking poles. Britannia suffers from neuropathy due to her diabetes. She uses the poles to help her maintain her balance. Her constant pain makes her so irritable. She says it feels like she’s stepping on pins and needles when she walks.

Patricia: Chronic peripheral neuropathy is the most common diabetes health-related complication. High blood sugar levels cause damage to the nerves in the hands and feet.

MaryAnn: And it can affect every part of a person’s life; walking, sitting, and even sleeping.

Tonya: There must be something she can do.

MaryAnn: Well, believe it or not exercise can help.

Peggy: She’d laugh if you told her that. She barely leaves her home. Just standing is painful. That’s why she’s not competing this year. Are all of you competing?

Tonya: Oh no! We’re here to help Maa —- uh, “Bartholomew,” in case a dead body turns up. His baking is known for killing more than taste buds!

Peggy: Good heavens! (more shocked)

Max: Ignore her. She has a morbid sense of humor.

Peggy: We can use a few laughs. Everyone is shocked that Britannia is not defending her crown. Well, except for her arch rival, Loretta Hussey. She and her ten second-place ribbons are overjoyed!

Mama Rose Marie: Ten? Oh, that must be so frustrating to lose ten times to the same person.

Peggy: Their families have been feuding since Nantucket was the whaling capital of the world. Our yearly baking competition only fuels the fire.

Max: What about you? Are you entered?

Peggy: Ha! I’m a Professional baker. We are not allowed to compete. And anyway, I’ve got too many pie orders to fill. Right now, we really need the money. My husband Floyd’s lobster business is sinking fast and these weather conditions aren’t helping one bit.

Tonya: The storms must be really bad to scare away the lobsters.

Peggy: No, it’s the warming waters caused by climate change that are forcing our lobstermen out of business. Just like the petroleum industry destroyed whaling a century ago.

SOUND EFFECT: phone ring

Peggy: Hello? Peggy The Perky Pie Prin- Wait, wait, what? Oh No! That’s horrible! Britannia Coffin is dead! What do you mean she was the victim of a hit and run accident? In the Kitchen Island parking lot. Oh Dear! Now the whole competition is up in the air.

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.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

10/19/2020

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 1

It’s a bright and sunny morning on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Part of what makes Nantucket a unique historic gem is its place on the map; as Herman Melville wrote in Moby-Dick, it is “away offshore.” Max has just returned from running an errand to join his friends in a small prep kitchen overlooking the beach. He and our team are busy doing food prep for his new recipe for Nantucket’s Decadent Desserts on Deck Baking Competition. Everyone is hoping that Max will stay out of trouble long enough to win the cash prize with one of his healthy dessert recipes.

Tonya: Hey Max, now that you’re back from your shopping errand, let’s take these aprons off and go sightseeing!

Max: There’s no time, I’ve got to prepare for the competition. Mom, can you turn on the oven?

Tonya: You mean we travelled all this way to Nantucket just to be stuck in a kitchen?

Patricia: He’s only here to escape the bad press surrounding Sweet Sally Buttercup’s murder.

MaryAnn: And to prove he’s a serious baker.

Mama Rose Marie: And not a deranged killer, isn’t that right, dear?

Max: Those wouldn’t be my exact words, Mom!

Tonya: Sweet Sally took one sip of your kale hot cocoa and dropped dead. Big deal!

Max: We’ve gone over this. It wasn’t me. A lunatic poisoned my kale hot cocoa. I didn’t kill her.

Tonya: Details, details. Why do you insist on splitting hairs? You’re notorious! There’s even a ‘Killer Cocoa’ Twitter account dedicated to your mishaps.

MaryAnn: Yeah, it has 5 million followers.

Max: That’s precisely why I registered under a different name: Bartholomew Maxwell. I’m keeping my true identity a secret so they’ll judge me on my recipe and not my ‘notorious’ reputation.

Patricia: Running away from your past is a big mistake. It always catches up with you.

MaryAnn: Besides, someone is bound to recognize you – your picture’s been all over the media.

Max: Not if I compete in this costume – dressed as a pirate.

Patricia: Wait a minute! You think changing your name and wearing that stuffed parrot on your shoulder along with that eye patch, wig and beard can keep you out of trouble?

Max: It couldn’t hurt. My Fruit Suit is like a magnet for murder! Besides this competition is on an old pirate ship. I’ll blend in.

Mama Rose Marie: Son, you have finally lost your marbles. What do you think, Tonya?

Tonya: I think if he’s going to walk around dressed like Blackbeard, we should all get to dress up and change our names. This recipe of yours better be dee-licious.

Max: I’m packing all the flavor of a classic key lime pie into my dairy and gluten free, vegan recipe with a pecan pie crust!

Patricia: Smart ingredients! Pecans are low in carbs and can also reduce the risk of heart disease.

MaryAnn: Plus, they’re high in fiber and contain lots of vitamins and minerals.

Tonya: First of all, Max, it’s “pecawns” not “peecans”. And, it sounds way too healthy to win a Decadent Dessert competition.

Patricia: Well, many desserts contain butter and dark chocolate which are low in carbohydrates.

MaryAnn: But they can also have loads of sugar and flour, which are high in carbohydrates. There are healthy carbs—ones that are high in fiber and low in sugar, like fruits and vegetables—and then, the not-so-healthy carbs.

Tonya: What about rice, potatoes and flour? My sister-in-law won’t go near any white foods.

MaryAnn: Rice, potatoes and flour can still be part of a healthy diet. The key is moderation. And potato skins are a great source of potassium and fiber.

Max: Who cares about potato skins? My pie crust is made out of finely chopped pecans that are loaded with nutrients. That’s why I ran out to buy a food processor. It’s going to help cut down on my prep time.

Tonya: You didn’t wear this disguise out in public, did you?

Max: No, I stopped by a costume shop on my way back. Luckily no one recognized me at the local baking store. You wouldn’t believe the outrageous prices! Good thing, I got a deal. Actually it’s a weird story. This eccentric lady with ski poles sold me this brand new food processor right out of her trunk.

Mama Rose Marie: What was she doing with ski poles in the middle of summer!?

Max: Beats me. But she was a real lifesaver! Since someone, dropped voice (Tonya!) forgot to pack mine!

Tonya: Eccentric sounds about right if she was selling food processors out of her trunk!

Max: She told me she wins a new one every year in the Decadents Dessert competition. Enough chit chat. I’ve got to soak these cashews for the pie filling before we leave.

Tonya: You mean we finally get to explore the island, Max?

Max: No, we’re meeting up with all the other competitors at a Peggy the Perky Pie Princess’s baking seminar. She’s famous for preventing baking disasters.

Tonya: Can she prevent your type of disasters?

TO BE CONTINUED

09/21/2020

How To Blind Bake Pie Crust

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’ in Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast, ‘Kill Me Madam’. The secret to her success is blind baking.

What is blind baking?

Blind baking a pie crust is pre-baking the crust, without filling, then adding the filling once the crust is baked according to the King Arthur Baking Company. The pie can then be placed back in the oven for the filling to bake; or the baked crust can be filled with cooked filling, the whole left to cool and set.

Why is it necessary to blind bake pie crust?

READ MORE

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.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Are you interested in learning how to bake with sugar substitutes? Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 10, 2020, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

FREE REGISTER

09/20/202009/20/2020

Divabetic Exclusive: Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes Interview

USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes stars in Divabetic’s newest Mystery Podcast, ‘Kill Me Madam’ available on demand with this LINK.

Tonya Kappes has written more than fifty Southern Cozy Mysteries, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and two of them have been selected as a Woman’s World Book Club pick. Best known for stories charged with southern charm, emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews.

We caught up with this busy best-selling author to ask her a few questions about her books and to learn more about her passion for diabetes advocacy.

Q: I don’t even know where to start with questions because you’re such a busy author. Why don’t you tell us about your Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery series.

Tonya Kappes (TK): I really wanted to create an older sleuth since most Cozy Mystery sleuths are in their 20’s. And…it’s easier to give the sleuth, Bernadette, some real life issues since she’s older and has seen more of the world than a 20 year old. With that said, I knew I could make the sleuthing a little more fun by her using her knowledge and her skills as a mail carrier to help sniff out the killer. Trust me…your mail carrier knows a lot of secrets you’d never want anyone to know. I knew that would be a great angle for a sleuth too.

Q: You mentioned on July’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast that your involvement in Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcasts, over the past eight years, inspired your main character, beloved mail carrier, Bernadette Davis’s health issues. Can you explain?

TK: As you’ve been doing the mystery podcast and weaved information about diabetes self-care, I realized how I could easily inject real-life issues into Bernadette’s story. It makes her more relatable as an everyday person. For examples, I made her a widow with a not-so-great dead husband because relationships can be stressful and not always rosy behind closed doors. And what 50-something woman hasn’t gone through a socially awkward menopause moment? Bernadette’s moment might just be during a stakeout, but her health provides a shared connection of a genuine situation.

Q: Share a diabetes self-care tip you’ve learned from one of Divabetic’s past Mystery podcasts?

TK: My dad has diabetes with severe neuropathy. I’ve learned how much you need to take care of your feet, which leads to making sure your blood levels are good, which leads into your diet. These tips have made me more educated when I go to his doctor appointments with him and talk to his doctor. It’s made me a better advocate. In fact, he will tell you that now he’s feeling better than he has in twenty years. He’s had diabetes for twenty-seven years.

Q: You were known as a storyteller, but not as a writer or reader. How did you become a best-selling author?

TK: Gosh, that’s hard to answer. I like to think that my interactions with my readers and my gratitude for them has played a big role.

Q: What do you love about mysteries? Specifically, Cozy Mysteries?

TK: I love the small town, quirky characters, and the gossip that goes into solving the crimes.

Q: When did you realize that you’d actually made it as a writer?

TK: Have I?

You can find Tonya Kappes all over social media and at Tonyakappes.com.

09/08/2020

Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast: Swan Wake

When the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic heads to the Gotham City Ballet Company’s box office to fix a mix up with his ‘Swan Lake’ tickets he’s faced with a even bigger problem – a MURDER!

To make matters worse, one of his latest culinary creations, a gluten free cheesecake, seems to be covering the victim’s face. Even more shocking are the numerous scandals swirling around the Gotham City Ballet and it’s members that have everyone walking around on tip toes. Could our happy healthcare host’s wacky culinary skills make him an accessory to the crime or even a possible side dish? Now Mr. Divabetic with the help of his team of Certified Diabetes Educators, a Best-Selling Mystery Author and his own nosy Italian Mom must whip up his own crime-solving recipe, and fast–before a hearty dose of intrigue and a deadly dash of danger ends his diabetes advocacy and healthy catering career once and for all.

Our Swan Wake cast features Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, We Are Diabetes organization founder Asha Brown, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Mary Ann Nicolay MEd, DTR, Mama Rose Marie, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ and Poet Lorraine Brooks.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Leonard Berstein’s recording of ‘Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20’ in celebration of the centennial of America’s greatest classical composer and conductor courtesy of SONY Music.

09/02/202009/02/2020

Divabetic Mystery Phrase #35

Can you solve Divabetic’s Mystery Phrase #35? Our phrase could be useful in preventing and treating Rheumatoid arthritis and insulin resistance.

If you have diabetes, you may be wondering if gluten is something you should avoid.

Gluten is a type of protein found in certain grains. These include wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten can cause inflammation of the small intestine in people with celiac disease. Roughly 10 % of people living with type 1 diabetes have celiac disease according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Celiac disease is chronic; there is no cure. “The only treatment is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet,” says Edwin Liu, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist and director of the Colorado Center for Celiac Disease at Children’s Hospital Colorado as reported by Diabetes Forecast magazine. The diet helps relieve symptoms and allows the intestine to heal.

Gluten-free foods are currently trendy, so the diet is easier than ever to follow. Still, it can present some challenges due to all those sneaky sources of gluten including soy sauce and some hot dogs. Unless you see a “gluten-free” label, assume most pastas, baked goods, beer, and snack foods have some gluten.

People with non-celiac gluten sensitivities might notice digestive problems, lethargy, headaches, joint pain, and other issues after ingesting gluten. The only way to keep symptoms at bay is sticking with a gluten-free diet. In this case, you should consult with a doctor or try temporarily removing gluten from your diet to see if it helps.

Solving the Mystery of Your A1C

Many people wonder how their hba1c number relates to their blood sugar levels. After all, daily diabetes self-care management can be a jumble of numbers: weight, blood sugar levels, carbohydrate counts, fat grams, serving sizes, etc. Hopefully, this handy chart will provide some clarification.

When it comes to the numbers, there’s no one-size-fits-all target. A1C target levels can vary by each person’s age and other factors, and your target may be different from someone else’s. If you feel your hbA1C number is on a higher side, say over 7 or 8%, do not worry! Knowledge is power. You can lower your hbA1C by creating your own personal self-care plan with your healthcare professional.

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.

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.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

08/27/202008/27/2020

Vegan Key Lime Pie Recipe (with Pecan Pie Crust) from Kill Me Madam

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic offers an interesting twist to key lime pie with a gluten and dairy free, vegan recipe in Divabetic’s newest Mystery Podcast: Kill Me Madam available on demand.

His creamy dreamy vegan key lime pie is made with a crunchy pecan pie crust. When making this recipe it’s best to use a food processor or blender to get pecans very finely chopped. They need to be in tiny pieces so that they form a crust to hold together all of that delicious pie flavor. Enjoy!

Kill Me Madam Key Lime Pie Recipe

Pie Filling Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours or overnight, then drained)
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
3-4 large limes juiced (3-4 limes yield ~1/2 cup juice)
1 tbsp lime zest
1/2 cup agave nectar

Pie Crust Ingredients:
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp monk fruit sweetener

Instructions

For the Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush pecans finely using a food processor until you achieve a fine meal.

Add butter and monk fruit sweetener to crushed pecans and pulse until all of the ingredients are mixed throughly

Grease a pie pan then add crust mixture.

Grease the back of a spoon and use it to carefully smooth the pecan mixture in the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides.

Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool.

For the Filling:

In a blender (but you can also use a hand mixer) blend the raw cashews, coconut milk, coconut oil, lime juice, lime zest and agave nectar until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lime zest/juice for more tart, or more agave for added sweetness.

Pour filling mixture into pecan crust and set aside.

Spread the homemade whipped cream on top of the key lime layer.

Freeze your key lime pie for 2 hours before serving or until it sets up.

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.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

08/26/202008/27/2020

Divabetic’s 7th Annual Mystery Podcast: Kill Me Madam Premieres Tonight!

Divabetic’s 7th Annual Mystery Podcast: Kill Me Madam Premieres Tonight

Click HERE for LIVE BROADCAST starting at 6 PM, EST

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! Can our team hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Will Mr. Divabetic become the next victim?

Featuring 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. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

08/25/202009/16/2023

How Much Sugar Is In Starbuck’s Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Starbucks announced that the popular Pumpkin Spice Latte is officially coming back today, August 25, for its earliest recorded release day ever!

The drink is back for its 17th year (!!!) and as always you can get it hot, iced, or blended.

Starbuck’s Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte with 2 percent milk and whipped cream is 380 calories, according to Starbucks’ website. This includes 14 grams of fat, 52 grams of carbs and 50 grams of sugar.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends eating no more than 12.5 teaspoons of sugar each day, or about 50 grams (the same amount found in a Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte and a 16 oz. bottle of Coke!). You are having a day’s worth of sugar in one drink!

The idea is to limit sugar consumption to 10 percent of a person’s daily total calories. Currently, Americans get about 16 percent of their calories from added sugars on average.

Over time, consistently taking in more sugar will lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up glucose from your blood, leading to prediabetes.

Prediabetes means your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

A new report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that among Americans age 20 and older, as many as 73 million Americans have prediabetes, which is about 1 in 3 Americans! That’s a lot of missed opportunities to prevent diabetes by cutting down on sugar intake.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

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’ in Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast, Kill Me Madam

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 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, 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 a cake that’s actually edible?

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast cast includes Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast, we will feature music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.