Angelina Jolie’s Double Mastectomy

Divabetic

Angelina Jolie revealed to The New York Times that she underwent a preventive double mastectomy back in April after she learned that she was at high risk for both breast and ovarian cancer. Now, Hollywood is standing behind the 37-year-old mother-of-six, with everyone from Giuliana Rancic to Elizabeth Banks speaking out in support of Jolie.

Having lost her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, to breast cancer and knowing the pain of such a loss, Jolie said she did not want her kids to ever have to suffer like she did. “My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was,” Jolie writes in an op-ed piece.

“We often speak of mommy’s mommy, and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a faulty gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.”

Jolie said she decided to open up about the surgery because she wanted to educate and empower other women who might be at risk to do the same. The Girl, Interrupted actress will be joining the likes of Christina Applegate, Sharon Osbourne, Wanda Sykes, Kathy Bates, Montel Williams and Giuliana Rancic who all have undergone double mastectomies.

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Roundtable podcast focused on “Breast Cancer & Diabetes” http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/10/09/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-nicki-minaj

Surprising Findings on Alcohol And Breast Cancer

Divabetic’s Diva Inspirations Kathie Lee and Hoda

A study published online  in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that breast cancer survivors who have a drink a day actually fare better than women who don’t!

Questions surrounding a potential link between alcohol use and breast cancer risk have been a concern since 1977, when data from the Third National Cancer Survey showed a significant association between alcohol use and the increased risk of a variety of cancers, including breast cancer. Since then, additional studies have confirmed that daily alcohol use can increase a woman’s relative risk of developing breast cancer by 7 percent.

It was less clear, though, whether women who drank alcohol — before and/or after their breast cancer diagnosis — were at an increased risk of recurrence or death.

Should you immediately take up drinking alcohol? Probably not. But you should remember to do other things that improve your heart health and decrease your cancer risk, like achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. And if you are someone who enjoys life to the fullest by having an occasional drink, go for it! Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-m-love/breast-cancer-research_b_3112140.html?utm_hp_ref=health-news&ir=Health%20News

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Roundtable podcast Inspired by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb featuring news on divas, drinking and diabetes http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2013/04/09/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-kathie-lee-and-hoda

Mr. Divabetic at the NY International Auto Show 2013 video

Meet the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic at the Taking Control Of Your Diabetes Conference & Health Fair in Savannah, GA on Saturday, May 18, 2013. For more details visit: www.divabetic.org 

Breast Cancer Death Rates Higher for Black Women

Black breast cancer patients are more likely to diet han white patients, regardless of the type of cancer, according to a new study.

This suggests that the lower survival rate among black patients is not solely because they are more often diagnosed with less treatable types of breast cancer, the researchers said.

The researchers found that black patients were less likely than white patients to be diagnosed with either the luminal A or luminal B breast cancer subtypes.

“African-Americans were more likely to have the hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer subtype and had a lower likelihood of having the luminal A subtype, which tends to be the most treatable subtype of breast cancer and has the best prognosis,” study author Candyce Kroenke, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente, said in an association news release.

Kroenke and her colleagues found, however, that lower survival among black patients was consistent across breast cancer subtypes. Black patients were 2.3 times more likely to die from the luminal A breast cancer subtype compared with white patients, 2.6 times more likely to die from the luminal B subtype, 1.3 times more likely to die from the basal-like subtype and 2.4 times more likely to die from the HER2-enriched subtype.

“African-Americans with breast cancer appeared to have a poorer prognosis regardless of subtype,” Kroenke said. “It seems from our data that the black/white breast cancer survival difference cannot be explained entirely by variable breast cancer subtype diagnosis.”

READ MORE: http://www.everydayhealth.com/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-death-rates-higher-for-black-women.aspx?xid=aol_rss

Health news Copyright @ 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

LISTEN NOW:  Serve Taste or Trash! Food Game podcast featuring Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, author Ginger Vieira, Central Farm Market Co-founders, Deb Moser and Mitchell Berliner, ‘The Queen of Green’ Ms. Aida Romaine and Laura from Chattanooga, TN: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2013/04/02/serve-taste-or-trash-game-2

Easter Parade in NYC with Mr. Divabetic:

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by Melba Moore http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2013/03/12/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-melba-moore

Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game at Easter Parade in New York, NY

Experience Mr. Divabetic‘s “wellness with a wow” programming in New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA, Bethesda, MD and Pittsburgh, PA in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org

Why Some Women Shouldn’t Eat Ice Cream

Women who have ever had breast cancer might want to walk away from the brie, the butter and the black cherry (and every other flavor) ice cream.

According to a study of 1,893 women, breast cancer survivors who average as little as one serving per day of high-fat dairy foods have a 49 percent higher risk of dying from breast cancer than those who eat little or no high-fat dairy.

In absolute terms, breast cancer survivors who consumed the most high-fat dairy had about a 12 percent risk of dying of the disease.

The elevated mortality risk is therefore “modest,” said lead author Candyce Kroenke, a staff scientist at Kaiser Permanente, the nonprofit healthcare provider. “But since it may not be so difficult to lower your consumption of high-fat dairy, I think if you have breast cancer it’s worthwhile.”

The research, published on Thursday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is notable because more than a dozen studies since the late 1980s have examined whether consuming milk, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products is related to breast cancer. The results have been a confusing muddle: Some studies found that women who eat a lot of dairy have a higher risk of breast cancer, others found they have a lower risk and still others found no effect either way.

The Kaiser study is the first to separate out the effects of high- and low-fat dairy on women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Serve, Taste or Trash! Game at ADA Expo in New York with Mr. Divabetic:

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by Melba Moore http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2013/03/12/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-melba-moore

Basics In Diabetes Pattern Management – Divabetic

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in New York, NY, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org

Victoria’s Secret Developing Mastectomy Bras for Breast Cancer Survivors

After starting a petition with Change.org asking Victoria’s Secret to consider making mastectomy bras for breast cancer survivors, Allana Maiden‘s voice has been heard by the lingerie giant.

Maiden, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, was contacted by Victoria’s Secret after her petition garnered more than 120,000 signatures.

The 27-year-old and her mom met with Tammy Roberts Myers, a rep for the company, to discuss the idea.

After the meeting, Maiden said:

“We didn’t really know what to expect going in. She had been really nice on the phone when I had talked to her before, and she seemed really interested in my ideas, so I kind of thought it would continue to go that way, but I wasn’t really expecting it to go that high.”

Apparently, Victoria’s Secret has already begun researching how to go about making a mastectomy bra and they also have plans to fly Maiden and her mom to their HQ in Columbus, Ohio to meet with developers.

A spokesman for the company said:

“We celebrate those who champion the fight against breast cancer. Victoria’s Secret and our parent company, Limited Brands, have been dedicated to helping eradicate this disease and have committed $10s of millions to cancer research. Ultimately, we are working towards celebrating the day when breast cancer is a thing of the past. In the meantime, we are listening and learning to understand if there are additional ways for our company to continue to extend its support.”

Are You Wearing the Right Bra? Bra Fitting Advice from Divabetic: http://youtu.be/6VVH4-rT3yQ

Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game at Making Strides Walk 2012 with Mr Divabetic

Let’s Talk About Sex!  Here’s a sneak peak of  Divabetic’s upcoming ‘Love On A Two Way Street’ free outreach program focused on ‘Sexual Health & Diabetes’ and presented at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital on Sat., Feb, 9, 2013

TUNE IN: Free to Diabetes Roundtable podcast Inspired by Rihanna with guests: Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDE, Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, author Elsie Spruill, poet Lorraine Brooks, hairstylist and makeup artist Charlene Wilson, Mama Rose Marie and Allison from Jersey City, NJ living with diabetes http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2013/01/08/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-rihanna

 ’Movie Girl Workouts’ with Mr. Divabetic and fitness expert, Katherine Adamenko

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org

Why You Should ‘Eat Your Vegetables’ If You Have Breast Cancer

It looks like wearing a ‘FRUIT SUIT’ to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetable is a smart idea according to a new study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The new study reports that including lots of nutrient-rich vegetables in your diet is associated with a decreased risk of a specific type of breast cancer,  The researchers analyzed the women’s fruit and vegetable consumption as well as their breast cancer development — along with their type of breast cancer — throughout the years.

The researchers reported an association between higher vegetable intake and a decreased risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. The association between fruit consumption and estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer was not statistically significant, though.

However, in an accompanying editorial, experts from the University of Arizona Cancer Center pointed out that merely an association was noted, and other health behaviors could play a major role in the decreased risk of this breast cancer subtype.

SERVE, TASTE or TRASH! Food Game at Making Strides Walk 2012 with Mr Divabetic

Let’s Talk About Sex!  Here’s a sneak peak of  Divabetic’s upcoming ‘Love On A Two Way Street’ free outreach program focused on ‘Sexual Health & Diabetes’ and presented at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital on Sat., Feb, 9, 2013

TUNE IN: Free to Diabetes Roundtable podcast Inspired by Rihanna with guests: Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDE, Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, author Elsie Spruill, poet Lorraine Brooks, hairstylist and makeup artist Charlene Wilson, Mama Rose Marie and Allison from Jersey City, NJ living with diabetes http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2013/01/08/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-rihanna

 ’Movie Girl Workouts’ with Mr. Divabetic and fitness expert, Katherine Adamenko

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org

Diabetes Risk May Increase After Breast Cancer

Some women who survive breast cancer may be more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, say Ontario doctors who suggest prevention and screening for the metabolic disease.

Knowing that women with diabetes have a higher risk of postmenopausal breast cancer than those without diabetes, researchers set out to explore the reverse: are breast cancer survivors more likely to develop diabetes?

Diabetes specialist Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe of Women’s College Research Institute in Toronto and her co-authors looked at the incidence of diabetes among women in Ontario aged 55 years or older diagnosed with early stage breast cancer compared with women the same age without breast cancer.

The women were followed for an average of six years for the study published in Wednesday’s issue of the journal Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

“The increase in diabetes we saw was modest,” Lipscombe said.

“We certainly don’t think this means that breast cancer causes diabetes or that all breast cancer survivors are at higher risk of diabetes. Rather, this is a study that raises awareness of a potential association between the two conditions.”

The reasons why are unclear and more works needs to be done to determine which women who survive breast cancer could be at higher risk of getting diabetes, the researchers said.

“In the meantime, greater diabetes screening and prevention strategies among breast cancer survivors may be warranted,” the study’s authors concluded.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer  with Mr. Divabetic

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer with Mr. Divabetic

Diabetes & Exercise? What real women living with diabetes have to say about blood sugars, marathons and motivation with Mr. Divabetic 

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes Podcast Inspired by Anne Hathaway with guests: Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDE, Cheryl Marco CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, author Dr. Beverly S. Adler,  Mama Rose Marie and Lorraine from Long Island, NY living with diabetes

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/12/11/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-anne-hathaway

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic rolls out the red tomato carpet at the 68th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org 

12 Divas Of Christmas: Nicki Minaj

12 Divas Of Christmas

Our tenth Diva of Christmas is Nicki Minaj. She’s the Barbie of Hip-Hop, complete with interchangeable wigs and all pink everything.Whether you’re Team Nicki or would rather send her and her gimmicks packing, you have to admit that as one of the lone females in mainstream rap she is holding her own with her multiple personalities and over the top, theatrical fashion sense. Nicki Minaj draws inspiration from everything from Barbie to the Harajuku girls. She combines influences calling herself the “Harajuku Barbie” and her love of pink is reflected in her clothes, nails and wig colors.

Nicki Minaj rose to prominence when she released her debut album, Pink Friday, in 2010, peaking at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and being certified Platinum by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release. She’s the first female solo artist to have seven singles on the Billboard Hot 100  at the same time. Her seventh single,“Super Bass” has since been certified quadruple-platinum by the RIAA, and has sold more than four million copies, becoming one of the best-selling singles in the United States.

ON THE SHOW:  Mr. Divabetic hosts this thirty minute whirlwind of PINK which includes a ‘Breast Cancer & Diabetes’ Hot Topics discussion, Bra-Fitting and Shapwear Advice, our popular Dining Out With A Dietitian segment at Pink’s Hotdog Stand in LA, a Diabetes Numerology Puzzle with a Titanic twist and a Mother Your Diabetes commentary. We’re also raising awareness for Domestic Violence. Guests include the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach: Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Kathy Gold RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller, Connie Elder and Mama Rose Marie. The program’s special guest is Leola C., from Grand Rapids, MI living with type 1 diabetes. Don’t get down, Get DIVA!

LISTEN NOW: 12 Divas Of Chrstmas: Nicki Minaj http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/10/09/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-nicki-minaj

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes Podcast Inspired by Anne Hathaway  with guests: Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDE, Cheryl Marco CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, author Dr. Beverly S. Adler,  Mama Rose Marie and Lorraine from Long Island, NY living with diabetes

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/12/11/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-anne-hathaway

Mr. Divabetic plays his nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! in Central Park

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic rolls out the red tomato carpet at the 68th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org 

Miss D.C. Opens Up About her Double Mastectomy

At 16,  Allyn Rose, the 2012 winner of Miss District of Columbia and upcoming Miss America contestant,  lost her mom to breast cancer, the same disease that killed her grandmother and great-aunt. Several years later she elected to have a double mastectomy, removing both breasts as a preventative measure to decrease her chances of developing the disease.

Her genetic makeup was tested when she was a child, so she knew at a young age that she could be genetically predisposed to contracting breast cancer. But after her mother, Judy, passed away eight years ago, she began thinking about her options.

Rose knew she could be incredibly vigilant for the rest of her life. But there was another, more drastic route to consider: a double mastectomy.

While some doctors disagree with Rose’s decision, encouraging her to have the surgery later in life, Rose’s family history was a bigger factor in her decision. Read the full story on Abc.com .

Mr Divabetic shares a Behind-the-Scene look at presenting diabetes education with DAZZLE at the ADA Expo in Pittsburgh, PA for the past five years

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes Podcast Inspired by Chaka Khan celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Month with guests: Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, Pam Butler MS, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, cookbook author Holly Clegg, Mama Rose Marie and Ginger Vieira, from Burlington, VT living with type 1 diabetes

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/11/13/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-chaka-kahn
See Mr. Divabetic‘s nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones.

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org 

Wednesday’s World Premiere Video: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic salutes breast cancer survivors living with diabetes by rolling out the red tomato carpet at the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Central Park, NY.

The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk unites communities to celebrate people who have battled breast cancer, educate people about ways to reduce their risk, and brings us all one step closer to a cure and new treatments. Since 1993, nearly 7 million walkers have raised more than $400 million to help fight breast cancer by participating in non-competitive, 3- to 5-mile events.

Mr. Divabetic plays his nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! with New Yorkers in Central Park to hilarious results. In the game, you’re given three choices of fruits and vegetables. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash. Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones. And the texture is crispy, rather than mushy.

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes ‘PINK FRIDAY’ Podcast Inspired by Nicki Minaj saluting Breast Cancer Survivors living with diabetes and  raising awareness for Domestic Violence with guests: Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Kathy Gold RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller, Connie Elder, Mama Rose Marie and Leola C., from Grand Rapids, MI living with type 1 diabetes http://ning.it/PUQy9B

See Mr. Divabetic’s nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash!  You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones.

Look who’s on the red tomato carpet with Mr. Divabetic at Plus Night Out -NYC

Meet Mr. Divabetic on his quest to glamorize good health at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo in Pittsburgh, PA  and the Taking Control Of  Your Diabetes Conferences & Health Fairs in San Diego, CA.