Emmy Award-winning singer Alyson Williams shares her experience of living with LADA (Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults) which develops in adults and shares characteristics with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
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Alyson Williams, well-known for her hit singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, such as Just Call My Name, Sleep Talk, My Love Is So Raw, and I Need Your Lovin, inspires many with her music and her journey.
Living with LADA presents its own unique challenges, especially while touring and performing in different cities.
Alyson emphasizes the importance of self-care, encouraging everyone to prioritize their health regardless of their career demands. Seeking support from healthcare professionals can make a significant difference in managing fluctuating blood sugar levels.
Remember to treat yourself kindly today! Focus on positive self-talk, engage in self-care activities, and don’t hesitate to reach out to loved ones or diabetes support groups. It’s a journey we can navigate together, and every step counts!
You are doing great by taking care of yourself and staying informed.
Today, let’s celebrate the incredible strength and pioneering spirit of mothers everywhere! One remarkable story is that of Elizabeth Hughes Gossett, who became the first American woman to receive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes. Her journey began in 1919 when she was diagnosed at just 12 years old.
Before she received insulin in 1922, Elizabeth faced tremendous challenges, as her health deteriorated and her weight dropped to a mere 45 pounds. However, with the groundbreaking treatment pioneered by Sir Frederick Banting, everything changed. Elizabeth started receiving insulin injections, and soon after, she began regaining her strength and vitality, illustrating the power of resilience and hope.
Insulin is not just a major medical breakthrough; it transformed lives, and Elizabeth’s story has inspired many as a true pioneer in insulin therapy. In 1930, she married William T. Gossett and welcomed three beautiful children into the world, showing that love and determination can overcome any obstacle.
Today, let’s honor all mothers and their amazing journeys, just like Elizabeth’s. They inspire us with their courage and remind us of the power of love and perseverance. Wishing a joyful and uplifting day to all mothers!
For the past 64 years. Barbie has been a part of our lives, a cultural touchstone, or the quintessential image of what a woman should be but never will be – a sex or beauty object. Greta Gerwig’s big screen makeover and the related marketing blitz are making us revisit and reevaluate Barbie’s impact on our lives, including our sex lives.
After all, if Barbie and Ken are confused about what to do at sleepovers, you might be too, especially if you’re dealing with sexual health issues related to diabetes. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in nearly all countries. People with diabetes experience sexual dysfunction more often than the general public.
Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes, book one in the series, is your key to a happy, healthy intimate life with diabetes. Inside you’ll find: The common physical and emotional sexual complications of diabetes and treatment options for men and women. An overview of diabetes nutrition, physical activity, weight loss, and diabetes medications Information on how aging impacts diabetes management and intimacy. Guidance on how to talk to your healthcare provider about intimacy-related issues. Ideas and techniques for building sexual intimacy and communicating effectively with your partner. Tips to help you avoid dangerous or money-wasting fraudulent sexual treatments, Authors Dr. Janis Roszler and Donna Rice use humor, helpful examples, and insightful questions to present key topics about sexual health in an engaging, approachable way.
This series is perfect for anyone (regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, or health status) looking to rekindle intimacy with their partner or be proactive about their sexual and emotional well-being.
In Bed With Barbie & Ken Podcast features music by Doug Clay.
We’re thrilled to launch the 2nd annual Love Across Life Stages of Diabetes Survey for Women in partnership with DiabetesSisters. By sharing your experiences, you play a vital role in shaping the future of diabetes care and support.
With approximately 15 million women in the U.S. navigating the challenges of diabetes every day, your stories are invaluable. Our survey aims to highlight the unique experiences of women managing diabetes, providing insights that can enhance care, support, and encouragement.
Stay tuned for the results in March, where we’ll share new insights and approaches to managing diabetes with love and resilience. Your voice matters!
The co-authors of Divabetic’s ebook, Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide To Love & Intimacy With Diabetes,Dr. Janis Roszler PhD, LMFT, CDCES, LD/N, FAND, and Donna Rice MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FADCES offer advice on discussing your diabetes diagnosis as well as issues related to intimacy, fertility, and menopause with the people you care about the most.
I was talking to a friend with type 1 diabetes yesterday, and he shared an experience with me that highlighted the challenges of managing diabetes. His insurance company had miscoded his request for insulin, which caused his pharmacy to be unable to refill his prescription. After hours of phone calls, a trip to the Emergency Room, and a lot of frustration, he finally resolved the issue.
This situation emphasized how difficult and frustrating it can be to advocate for one’s health with diabetes. Many people assume that individuals with diabetes should be able to manage their condition without any problems. Unfortunately, empathy, compassion, and encouragement for those living with diabetes are rarely expressed. Instead, there’s an assumption that it’s “no big deal.”
Statistics show that many people struggle with medication compliance, even with oral medications. It raises the question: why don’t others recognize the courage, determination, dedication, and perseverance it takes to manage diabetes day in and day out, year after year? While I don’t have an answer to that rhetorical question, I do recommend giving yourself a pat on the back, encouraging yourself, and appreciating the hard work you put into managing your health.
Remember, it starts with you. Take a minute to love yourself, and let this post be a reminder to you that we see you, recognize your commitment to your health, and love you too. You are amazing!!!
Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes, book one in the series, is your key to a happy, healthy intimate life with diabetes. BUY NOW
We’re here for you, no matter where you are on your diabetes journey! Whether you’re newly diagnosed, have been managing your condition for over 50 years, juggling multiple health challenges, facing a setback, or simply trying to come to terms with it all, you’re not alone.
Remember, there’s strength in community. There are others out there who understand what you’re going through, and together, we can support each other!
Enjoy Divabetic’s 8th Annual Mystery podcast, A Christmas Peril, packed with holiday tips for people living with, at risk, and affected by diabetes.
The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge named Mr. Pincher, almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic and our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.
Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation.
Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.
Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama RoseMarie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford.
Special thanks to the Houdeshell family and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion‘s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.
In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.
We’re talking about coping with diabetes, depression and shame during the holidays on Divabetic’s podcast with musical inspiration from Leona Lewis.
‘Tis the season for family, festivity, and temptations that may disrupt daily diabetes health routines. That means it’s also the season when eating healthy, staying active, and taking medication on schedule is more challenging. The added stress and anxiety of staying on track with your diabetes self-care may cause even those who are usually content to experience loneliness, anxiety, and a lack of fulfillment.
Several studies show that people with diabetes have a greater risk of depression than people without diabetes.
Just like denial, depression hinders good intentions in self-care. It can even make it harder to do things you enjoy.
“I have a best friend who has severe depression, who takes medication and still struggles, so I know how bad it can be,” says Leona Lewis.
Leona’s friend describes herself as having “highs and lows” brought on by circumstance, not a clinical illness.
If you’re feeling down, remember you’re not alone. It’s important to share your feelings with your healthcare team. Seeking help takes courage and can be the first step toward feeling better.
Leona Lewis’ holiday song, One More Sleep, sparks our discussion about how the holidays affect your sleep. Insomnia during the holidays is quite common. The holidays bring parties, overeating, later bedtimes, shopping, overspending, and traveling, which may bring on jet lag. The financial pressures associated with gift-giving can also cause sleep disruption during the holidays.
Changing your behaviors and attitudes and adding more physical activities can go a long way toward eliminating insomnia so you can enjoy a deserved and joyous holiday season.
Traveling or spending time with family can shake up our usual meal routines, too. Megrette Fletcher, a diabetes educator, mentioned in an interview that everything changes and can be quite stimulating when we’re away from home, which might lead us to let our guard down a bit. Common sense says eating too much doesn’t improve the food experience, but when faced with an array of delicious treats, it can be hard to resist. As Megrette says, “Food is part of the enjoyment.” Just because you can’t take the food home with you doesn’t mean you have to eat everything in sight if you’re already full. It’s okay to savor the moment and stop when you’ve had enough!
We also have some fantastic guests on the Divabetic podcast, including experts like Debby Kay and Megrette Fletcher, and inspiring people like singer Leona Lewis, who will be sharing her music from the Christmas, with Love album. Plus, don’t miss our chance to win 6 months of mySugr Pro access in our INSTANT WINNER challenge!
Throughout the podcast, we will feature music from Leona Lewis’s Christmas, with Love album courtesy of SONY Music.
Enjoy our fully animated Mystery podcast, Murder Plain As Vanilla, packed with excellent diabetes information, a fun whodunnit, and many crazy characters.
Our mystery podcast is not just for mystery lovers. It’s an engaging way to learn about diabetes and self-care. Amidst colorful characters, thrilling adventures, and delightful settings, we offer health and wellness tips to help you take charge of your diabetes self-care.
We also promote the idea of thinking like a detective when you experience unexpected blood sugar fluctuations. Look for clues, gather data, talk to witnesses (friends, co-workers, and family members ), and present your ideas to healthcare professionals for solutions.
A team approach to managing your diabetes is also a great idea.
Here is a summary of Divabetic’s 10th Annual Original Mystery podcast, Murder Plan As Vanilla. Mr. Divabetic, a baking enthusiast, is invited by his arch-nemesis, Renata Whisk, to participate in the Visions of Vanilla baking competition.
The Visions of Vanilla competition will feature renowned culinary giants such as Lily Frost, Best-Selling Cookbook Author, Green Thumb Gourmet, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess. Max, who owes his mother a debt, accepts the invitation.
The competition will feature renowned culinary giants such as Lily Frost, Best-Selling Cookbook Author, Green Thumb Gourmet, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess. Max, who owes his mother a debt, accepts the invitation.
However, before Max can start baking, he discovers the dead body of the Vanilla King of Madagascar. As luck would have it, Max was the last person to see the Vanilla King alive.
To prove his innocence, he seeks help from his team, USA Today’s best-selling author Tonya Kappes, health educator MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR, former FBI Agent Pauline, and his mother, Mama Rose Marie.
Things take a turn for the worse when another baker is found dead near Max’s station, raising suspicions about his involvement in the murders. Even Max’s mother is at risk.
Now, with only Renata Whisk’s Puffed Pastry recipe, a rolling pin, and his team’s expertise in solving murders and providing diabetes health information, Max must solve the mystery or die trying.
Diabetic Mysteries: Murder Plain As Vanilla features Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, MaryAnn Nicolay, Catherine Schuller, Dave Jones, Seveda Williams, Leisa Chester Weir, and Amparo Peterkin. Written by Max Szadek and Wendy Radford. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Animated by Max Szadek
We are excited to announce our partnership with Diabetes Sisters to conduct the first-ever Survey on LOVE for women with diabetes across all stages of life.
Relationships, including the ones we have with ourselves, play a crucial role in managing diabetes. From marriages to best friends, we hope to gain insight into the topics that matter the most to you and what kind of support and guidance you need, particularly if you’re dealing with sexual health issues.
It’s time for the voices of the approximately 15 million women in the United States who have diabetes, or about 1 in every 9 adult women, to be heard.
Managing diabetes can be challenging. Depending on what’s happening in your life, such as hormonal changes, how you manage your diabetes may need to change over time. Staying on track with your body, relationships, and attitude towards living with diabetes can be a daunting task.
We plan to release the survey on Galalantines Day, February 13, and publish our results on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024. Your participation can help us improve the quality of our care, support, and encouragement.
