5 Celebrities with Diabetes and How They Fight It

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with this condition, then extra care must be taken to prevent its symptoms from getting worse. Thousands of people around the world suffer from either diabetes type I or type II, and that includes celebrities. And just like anyone else, these celebrities don't let this condition stop them from living the life they dreamed of. Instead, they push past it and also advocate their lives and careers to making more people aware of diabetes. But who are these celebrities with diabetes, anyway? Here are five famous people who have this condition but fight through it.

Diabetes Overview

Diabetes is a serious condition that affects the body because of its incapability to maintain glucose levels in the body. Insulin, an essential hormone to convert glucose into energy, is no longer produced in proper amounts or used by the body the right way. And because of that, whatever you eat that contains glucose won't be able to accurately convert into energy, resulting in high glucose levels that lead to complications in the long run. The common symptoms would be excessive thirst or frequent urination, as well as always feeling tired and hungry. Sudden weight gain or loss is common among those who have diabetes as well. A doctor will diagnose diabetes by looking through your family history, as well as a glucose test to be taken after you fast for a few hours.

Five Celebrities with Diabetes

Here are five celebrities with diabetes and how they fight their battles:

Nick Jonas

Nick Jonas is the youngest member of the famous band, The Jonas Brothers. He had been diagnosed with type I diabetes at 13 years old and currently promotes himself as a representative of people with diabetes. He keeps a positive attitude with his condition, trying to do his best to raise awareness through talking about coping with diabetes and how he supports future research on the disease. He is also a diabetes ambassador for Bayer Diabetes Care, also writing a book to inspire young diabetics to live to their potential. And, thanks to the Jonas Brothers, they have founded The Change for the Children Foundation, donating up to $750,000 for research and treatment for diabetics. He continues to remain active and promotes good health. He uses a Bayer Contour to test his blood glucose levels quickly, and manages his diabetes with its help.

Paula Deen

Paula Deen is a cooking host and American chef who announced that she had type II diabetes in 2012, though diagnosed back in 2009. It is speculated that her illness could be due to her ingredients for cooking, which contain a lot of sugar and fat in her recipes. It's also due to her excess weight and age, as all of these factors increase the risk of the condition. But after she announced her diagnosis of diabetes, she then began to take action, curing out sweet tea to help lessen the reaction of insulin spikes.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is one of the most famous Hollywood actors in history, winning two Oscars and four Global Globe awards. In 2013, Tom revealed in an interview with David Letterman, that he was diagnosed with type II diabetes. He saw this coming, as he has been suffering from high blood glucose levels for more than two decades. Tom proves that it is not just about obesity, but also from lifestyle and extreme diets. Hanks admitted that he had to live on junk food without exercise for periods of time to gain weight for certain roles, then losing a lot on extreme diets right after. He still stays positive and has reduced his body weight, vowing never to take any roles that would make his weight fluctuate.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry is one of the best-known actresses around the world, who is also a fashion model and a former beauty pageant contestant. She currently has type II diabetes and was diagnosed shortly after lapsing into a diabetic coma while taping in 1989. Ever since she has been diagnosed with diabetes, the actress is determined NOT to let the condition interfere with her personal life and career. While she does have to interrupt her meetings due to her insulin levels shooting up, she continues to have a prospering career with perseverance and a positive attitude that doesn't stop her from working hard. She is currently an active volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Association, a charity based in the United States.

Larry King

He is known as one of the popular American television and radio hosts of all time, working as a voice artist, host, and comedian. King was diagnosed with type II diabetes in 1995 after surviving a heart attack and bypass surgery back in 1987. Since his diagnosis, King has stopped smoking, replacing all greasy food with fresh food. He makes sure that he exercises at least 30 minutes a day by dancing. He also takes medication to control diabetes. King has set up a Larry King Cardiac Foundation, providing cardiac care to patients who aren't able to afford the procedures. He is also involved in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, speaking publicly about the dangers of diabetes and its silent symptoms.

How You Can Treat Diabetes and Raise Awareness

Unfortunately, there is no cure for diabetes. But there are ways on how you can manage it to lessen the symptoms. Depending on the type of diabetes you have, you will need to take insulin now and then, ensuring that your blood sugar levels are well-maintained. You will also need to create a few lifestyle changes, such as losing weight (if prescribed), along with lessening your sugar intake. As long as you eat and exercise right, then you will have minimal problems when managing diabetes. Just like these celebrities, you will be able to raise awareness for diabetes as well. Many organizations all over the world focus on funding for the studies of diabetes, as well as holding fundraisers or events to create awareness. You can join these organizations to help make a change, further funding the necessary studies to find better treatments, and hopefully a cure, to the disease.

In Conclusion

Currently, there are no treatments to cure diabetes permanently. But as long as people begin to raise awareness and fund the studies to curing diabetes, there will hopefully be a way to treat it for the future correctly. It all takes unity to fight this disease. And when we have these celebrities with diabetes advocating their time to spread awareness, we become one step closer to finding a possible solution. And you can join that fight as well. If you or a family member has diabetes, then grab the opportunity to fight it together with fellow advocates of the disease.