Learning you have diabetes may trigger a variety of feelings: denial – maybe the doctor’s diagnosis is wrong, diet – thinking you’ll never get to taste pecan pie or ice cream again, depression – worried that your life will be controlled by the disease. It’s important, though, to realize that you will control the diabetes (not the other way around).

Diabetes runs in families, so you may know close family members with the disease. (You can also develop diabetes even if it does not run in your family.) If you’ve been around people with diabetes, you’ll know that they can live happy, healthy and productive lives, fully participating in life. The key is taking control over the things that control diabetes:

• Accept your diagnosis and vow to implement (or continue) healthy lifestyle changes. Things like gaining control over your weight through exercise and diet can not only help control your diabetes, they can help you live a longer life and even feel and look better. That’s something we all want.

• Find a diet that works for you. With the guidance of a dietitian who is a certified diabetes educator, you will learn how foods affect your condition. You’ll learn how to enjoy most foods without an undesirable effect on your blood sugar levels.

• Keep a positive attitude and check your sugar levels as required during the day.

• Make regular appointments to have your eyes and feet checked. Diabetes can affect these and you don’t want to lose your vision or your limbs.

• Learn all you can about diabetes. A Willis-Knighton diabetes educator is a good start, plus you can keep up with the latest developments through the American Diabetes Association and their website, diabetes.org.

Remember, every person has issues they must address, problems they must overcome and situations they would prefer not to be involved in. How you handle it can identify you as a winner or a loser.

Be a winner!