5 celebrities you didn't know have diabetes and how they overcame it

In honour of World Diabetes Day

Did you know November 14 is World Diabetes Day? It was established back in 1991 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in response to growing concerns about the health threat posed by the disease.

Almost each and every one of us either has diabetes or knows someone who does. It’s a fast growing condition which doesn’t discriminate between age, size or gender. In fact, evens some of our favourite – and apparently healthy – celebrities are affected by the chronic condition. Here is a list of 10 celebrities you didn’t know suffer from diabetes and how they have overcome it.

Sonam Kapoor



Hard to believe it but this Bollywood fashionista was diagnosed with diabetes when she was just a teenager. And according to her doctors, one of the reasons for it was obesity! Didn’t see that coming, did you?

Sonam has unfortunately been on medication for several years now and even takes insulin injection daily. She also follows a very strict diet regime, with several small meals throughout the day, reported Modasta.com.

The Khoobsurat actor also makes sure never to miss out on exercise and combined yoga, meditation, dance, Pilates, squash and weight training to regulate her sugar levels.



Fawad Khan

PHOTO:FILE

Speaking of Khoobsurat, even our resident hottie Fawad Khan is diabetic, having been diagnosed with Type 1 at the age of just 17.

According to what Fawad said in an interview once, the reason for his condition is most likely smoking which, he admitted, he began to do at a very young age as well. The Humsafar actor recalled a childhood incident where he had gotten hurt but ignored it and jumped into a swimming pool. But since the water in it hadn’t been treated, Fawad developed an infection and that’s how his diabetes was discovered.

Now, however, Fawad is older and looks after himself. He’s a strict vegetarian who commences his day with a glass of warm lemon water, eggs and cereal, reported Free Press Journal.

Halle Berry



PHOTO:FILE

Back in 1989, a then 23-year-old Halle Berry went into a diabetic coma on the show Living Dolls and didn’t wake up for seven whole days. And that was just the beginning for the Hollywood beauty.



Fortunately, Halle – who also takes insulin daily – has been able to turn her condition into strength, thanks to yoga and dieting. “Diabetes gave me strength and toughness because you had to face reality, no matter how uncomfortable or painful it was,” she told The Daily Mail back in 2005. Good going, girl!

Wasim Akram

PHOTO:FILE

Wasim Akram’s diabetes is no breaking news. Even those not too familiar with cricket know that he has been dealing with it since he was 30, despite leading the life of a healthy sportsman.

“I remember what a shock it was because I was a healthy sportsman with no history of diabetes in my family, so I didn’t expect it at all,” Wasim once said. “It seemed strange that it happened to me when I was 30, but that was a very stressful time and doctors said that can trigger it.”

Needless to say, Wasim didn’t let diabetes get the better of him though. The former cricket team captain is still widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time, not just in Pakistan but around the world as well.

Nick Jonas

PHOTO:FILE

We can practically hear hundreds teenage girls screaming at this but it’s true…Nick Jonas has diabetes.

The tween heartthrob went public with his diagnoses back in 2007, after suffering from symptoms like excessive thirst and weight loss for quite some time. In fact, Nick has also shared that at the time of diagnosis, his blood sugar level was over 700 – when normal blood sugar levels range between 70 to 120!

The singer-turned-actor has even had to be hospitalised due to this condition but has learned to manage it better, now that he’s older. He’s a prime example of juvenile diabetes or Type 1 diabetes – the most common type to occur in people younger than 20.

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