First, is anyone really surprised by Paula Deen’s revelation that she has type 2 diabetes? Assuming she eats what she cooks, the woman has been courting disaster for years. That said, she is charming, gracious, smart, and hilarious, and I am absolutely rooting for her to make some lifestyle changes, manage the disease well, and spread the message that healthy eating can be delicious too. It sounds like she’s already made some steps in that direction—she told USA Today that she’s started walking on the treadmill and has stopped drinking sweet tea. That’s a great start, and I hope she is inspired to make some other healthy tweaks as well, rather than continuing her old habits and relying on the diabetes medication she recently became the spokesperson for. Diabetes is not a death sentence, as she pointed out on The Today Show this morning, but it is a serious condition that she’ll have to deal with for the rest of her life. And I think she’d be doing herself and her fans a real disservice if she continues her career as if nothing has changed. I, for one, am eager to see how she handles it.
***UPDATE***
I saw this post on People.com this morning, in which Ms. Deen says she has dropped two pants sizes since she’s started walking 30 minutes a day and cutting her portion sizes in half. Congratulations! Keep it up!
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