Diabetes poses a huge threat to the whole society as time passes. Despite advancement in technology, it still is the leading cause of 1.6 million deaths in 2015 according to WHO or the World Health Organization. They projected it could even lead more deaths in 2030 and could be tagged as the seventh leading cause of death worldwide.
The thing about diabetes is it can happen to anyone, even celebrities. Listed below are the top 10 popular celebrities who candidly confessed having Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Tom Hanks. – Although diagnosed in 2013, Academy award winner, actor and filmmaker, Tom Hanks, made headlines in 2016 about publicly sharing his battle with Type 2 diabetes. In an interview with Radio Times, he said he was part of the lazy American generation that has blindly kept dancing through the party and now finds themselves with a malady. The sickness has made him bold to speak about his condition. He now constantly reminds everyone to look after their health especially, if there are already many red flags glaring. He shared that he blames himself for getting the condition for having lived his life the way he used to in his younger years.
Larry King – In 1995, American television and radio host Larry King was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, Larry King shared how his health and lifestyle influenced each other. Before being diagnosed with diabetes, he underwent bypass surgery in 1987. This was when he decided to change his lifestyle such as quitting smoking and living a healthier routine. Despite living a healthy lifestyle, still he was diagnosed with the disease. Family history could have caused his disease said King. Being a lifelong disease, he has learned how to manage his disease and make sure it can fit to his lifestyle now especially, his work. At 84, he is still fit and has a positive attitude towards his health.
Salma Hayek – Academy Award nominee, actress and producer, Salma Hayek, became a known spokesperson for diabetes after she acquired gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with her daughter. Not all people know that gestational diabetes can increase the risk of a person to develop Type 2 diabetes. According to Parents, Salma Hayek vouched if she had to do it all over again, she would never eat too much fruit in the beginning of her pregnancy. She added she did not know eating too much fruit is a big No to women who have gestational diabetes. Hayek admits to having a history of diabetes in her family.
Nick Jonas – At the age of 13, pop star singer Nick Jonas, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. In an interview with Diabetes Forecast, he shared he is in his best health. Over the years, he has learned to manage his disease. His active lifestyle has helped a lot in managing his condition. He always makes sure to carefully watch and monitor what he eats. Also, he is always in check over how long he should stay in the gym and even, how long he should be seated in a studio. Knowing that his condition is a lifetime disease, he learned how to program his mindset in order to still live a full life despite diabetes. He shares he takes full responsibility of his condition and does not depend on others for him to get better. He even said the condition is like a blessing in disguise because if it were not for the disease, his mental awareness would not be as strong and as sharp as it is now.
Paula Deen – According to The New York Times in 2012, most popular Chef, Paula Deen, has publicly shared her battle with Type 2 diabetes. Being diagnosed three years earlier, she said, she purposely delayed the announcing of her condition as it was a part of her personal journey. She now endorses Victoza, a noninsulin injectable diabetes medication. She wants to share to the world that having diabetes is not a world sentence especially, with a medication that is readily made available to those who need it.
Randy Jackson – In 2003, Grammy Award winning producer and American Idol judge, Randy Jackson, admits to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Although his father was diagnosed with the same disease, he was still shocked to learn he got the disease. Since his diagnosis, he has made huge efforts to make sure his lifestyle change could positively affect his condition. In 2004, he went through gastric bypass surgery to lose 100 pounds. To help those affected people live a full life in spite of the disease, he teamed up with a campaign in honor of the National Diabetes Month. One of his recommendations included going to the doctor right away especially, when there are already glaring signs of the condition.
Jay Cutler – In 2008, National Football League player and Chicago Bears quarterback, Jay Cutler, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. In a show in ESPN 1000, he shared that having diabetes is all about insulin levels and sugar levels and what one should put in his body. He said the more food anyone puts in his body, the more he has to regulate it with insulin. He happily shared that he has positively dealt with his condition through healthy diet. To help diabetes research, he will grow mustache as part of a nationwide charity event. This is to help raise funds for men’s health issues such as diabetes.
Sherri Shepherd – According to USA Today, Comedian Sherri Shepherd, shared that her diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes served as a blessing in disguise. Instead of killing her, she said the disease saved her. She thanks her diagnosis because if it were not for the disease, she would have lived a lifestyle not minding her weight and wouldn’t be enjoying her married life as she is enjoying right now. Because of proper diet and regular exercise, her doctor has taken her off all her medications. She has managed to keep her blood sugar on the right range for many years now.
Delta Burke – At the age of 41, American actress, producer, and author Delta Burke, has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Because of the disease, it pushed her to get people to talk about how to manage diabetes. In fact, she leads the BYETTA Let’s Talk Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to help educate other patients with Type 2 diabetes on how largely medication can help in managing the disease. Also, it further encourages patients to live an active and healthier lifestyle.
Bret Michaels – Leader of the Poison band, Bret Michaels, has been living with Type 1 diabetes ever since he was six years old. He said his diagnosis at an early stage was a blessing in disguise. He has since then accepted his condition. He shared that at an early age, he received daily injection of insulin to keep him going. According to him, he does not follow any strict diet however, he takes a specially formulated diabetes supplement everyday.
Despite being known to cause limb amputation, kidney failures, heart attacks, and stroke, among other else, the positive response of these celebrities have shown that diabetes will not end one’s life. For some, it even served as a blessing in disguise for them. Because of their diagnosis of the condition, they are now living a healthier lifestyle. Today, they are enjoying life more. It is important to remember that a healthy diet and maintaining a normal body weight can do wonders in stopping any condition from going their way.
Resources:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/
https://www.today.com/health/tom-hanks-what-led-type-2-diabetes-diagnosis-i-was-t93111
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/diabetes/10-celebrities-who-have-diabetes/5/
http://everydaydiabetes.com/celebrities-diabetes/
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/dining/paula-deen-says-she-has-type-2-diabetes.html
http://www.health.com/type-2-diabetes/randy-jackson-talks-type-2-diabetes
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/celebrities/randy-jackson.html
http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4679925/cutler
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/29/sherri-shepherd-diabetes/2104109/
http://www.battlediabetes.com/delta-burke-fighting-diabetes
https://www.diabeteshealth.com/bret-michaels-diabetic-lead-singer-of-poison/
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