"Sopranos" Star Whacks Diabetes

Aida Turturro shares her advice on fighting the battle against type 2 diabetes.

On The Sopranos (the sixth season starts this month), Aida Turturro's character, Janice Soprano, deals with her problems head-on: When her lover slapped her, she shot him dead. But Turturro didn't act as quickly when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She explains, "I didn't understand that every day I wasn't controlling it, I was putting my health at risk."

Turturro started taking her diabetes seriously after her doctor finally scared her into comprehending what could happen: blindness, amputation, heart disease. Here, her tips for anyone fighting diabetes:

Get support. Find a good doctor you like, and enlist your friends. Ask a pal to take walks with you, or otherwise get moving.

Get smart. See a dietitian to balance your diet. Keep a food journal until you get a handle on what you're really eating.

"You can't do it overnight -- it's not like bing, bing, bing," says Turturro. "I'm still learning, and I battle every day." But this battle, unlike her televised fights, won't end with anyone hauled away in a body bag.

From Reader's Digest - March 2006

 

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• Diabetes Resources
• Organizations dedicated to providing you with information and support about living with, and preventing, diabetes.
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• Tips for Helping a Person With Diabetes
• Your support can make a big difference in how well your loved one copes with diabetes.
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• Diabetes Tests You Should Know About
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• Your Diabetes Prevention Plan
• Decrease your risk of getting diabetes.
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• 3 Supplements Every Diabetic Should Know About
• Get your blood sugar under control with these must-have supplements.
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• RD.com Diabetes Center
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