Empowered
Promoting Diabetes Awareness through Soul & Hip Hop Music

"Empowered" is a song about living with diabetes, from the project You Should Know

You Should Know is a love story about a young man, who just discovered that he has diabetes and his relationship with his fiancé.  In the song, he tells her about his fate.  The specific situation represented in the song is a dramatic and realistic expression of love.  More importantly, it provides a credential to talk about diabetes.  The second song on the project is called, "You'll Never Know."  This song is the fiancé's (a nurse) reply.  The song is also an upbeat R&B listing of diabetes symptoms.  In "You'll Never Know  (a day without my love)," the fiancé proclaims her commitment and return love.  She lets him know, in song, that she recognized the symptoms early.  The program also includes a song about their visit to the doctor (treatment options) and, other songs about topics such as diet management, physical exercise, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, medication, and checking blood sugar.  The music CD project concludes with a moving love ballad describing their wedding, and this track Empowered.

Draft Recording/Draft Lyrics

Chorus

It took me a while, but now I see - A way to go forward is to go on and on and on

Sometime obstacles seem impossible to overcome

I woke up this morning feeling empowered

I met my dawn with the strength to carry on - And finally I'm feeling empowered

Verse 1

The hardest thing is the every day - Can't let my guard down, diabetes don't play

A simple thing like what to eat - Can be a life threatening decision for me

I was feeling sorry for myself, building walls, living in a shell

Depression becoming a friend to me

But once, I knew I had help, I started playing the hand I was dealt

Everything started to change for the better

Verse 2

You see, basically, this just a sugar thing

That's what my body needs to live; I learned that's my energy

My blood sugar can't be to high, and there great danger if it's low

I need just the right amount of blood glucose

(excuse draft pronunciation error)

They say that there's currently no cure, but I can control this

The key is keeping my sugar level right in my target

So, I check my blood before I eat, when I wake up, and before I sleep

And I know what certain body symptoms can tell me

Everyday it's small healthy meals, it's my reason to eat right

I take my insulin, and I get regular exercise

My outlook has changed; I can live a normal life

Knowledge has helped me to become

Empowered

Breakdown

Over 21 million people live everyday with diabetes

But know that a careful balance of diet, exercise and medicine

can help you live a normal life

The first rule is to know the glucose level in your blood, so check it regularly

Next, watch your diet

Food can make your sugar level go up,

and insulin and exercise can make help it to go down

You don't want you blood sugar level to be a rollercoaster so try to stick to a regular diet plan that features small healthy meals

Also remember, low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia can sneak up on you, especially if you skip a meal or exercise to much, you might become lethargic, grouchy, dizzy or even have a seizure

So if you have diabetes, you have to always be prepared

Doctors generally recommend that you keep a glucose tablet with you, but in a pinch, some orange juice, regular soda, or candy can provide an emergency fix to hypoglycemia

And to avoid hyperglycemia, that's high blood sugar, you might need an fast-acting insulin injection so be prepare for that too

Chorus

Groovy Pyramid

The Groovy Pyramid program is designed to address obesity and to help nutrition advocates initiate a dialogue about lifestyle subjects such as diet, nutrition, water consumption, exercise and rest.