4 Female Celebrities That Have Diabetes
While some celebrities aren't quick to talk about living with diabetes, others are quite transparent and inspiring - acting as advocates for the condition and donating time and money toward finding a cure. The following five female celebrities are not only known for their creative and professional talents, but also for the fact that they have all struggled with diabetes.
1. Halle Berry
Following a scary episode where she was in a week-long coma, actress Halle Berry received a type 1 diabetes diagnosis when she was 22. While Berry has said the condition is inconvenient, many admire her "that's just life" attitude when it comes to living with diabetes.
2. Salma Hayek
Superstar actress and model Selma Hayek developed gestational diabetes while pregnant with her daughter.
"It occurs in women who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy," Hayek told Parents.com. "I didn't know whether I was feeling bad because I was pregnant or whether something was seriously wrong. I was nauseated for nine months, which can be one of the symptoms."
3. Patti LaBelle
Refering to herself as the "diabetic," Grammy-award winning Patti LaBelle didn't know she had type 2 diabetes until she fainted during a performance in 1994. Since then, LaBelle has cut back on "fried chicken and pasta" and has released several diabetic-friendly cookbooks.
4. Vanessa Williams
As a type 1 diabetic, Vanessa Williams is the author of "Healthy Child," a book about diabetes for children. The actress and singer says her health philosophy is about enjoying good food while maintaining some discipline.
"I listen to my body," Williams said in an interview with Web MD. "I don't weigh myself. I'm not obsessed with pounds - if I feel good in my clothes, I feel good. If my clothes start to get tight, I know I've got to modify what I'm eating."
Sources: Health.com, Women's Health, A Sweet Life
Photo: Wikimedia Commons