Celebrities With Type 1 Diabetes

Having a sugar tooth is not a problem, but letting this sweet tooth affect your body and organs can be dangerous. Diabetes has spread across the globe affecting the health of thousands of people. But did you know there are so many living and kicking along type 1 Diabetes? Below are a few famous Indian celebrities with type 1 diabetes and their story just for you.

1. Sonam Kapoor:

I know it is hard to believe, but this Bollywood diva was diagnosed with diabetes when she was just a teenager. And according to her medical advisory team, one of the reasons for it was obesity! Didn’t see that coming, did you? Sonam has been on medication for several years now and even takes insulin injections daily, yes she does. She believes, “Running away from a remedy of an illness is like running away from water while you are burnt”.

Her story:
She has been juggling between movie promotions, preparing for her grand wedding with Anand Ahuja and her sugars. While we can imagine how stressful and hectic it must be to balance between the three, isn’t it credible how the star has been looking just so glittery and energetic? This is because she is pinned to diet and exercise. She follows a strict diet regime, with several small meals throughout the day. The smashingly gorgeous actress also makes it a point to never skip exercising. To keep her self engrossed she tries various ways of burning carbohydrates and sugars by doing yoga, meditation at times, dancing, Hits a Pilates class, plays squash and weight training at the gym. Hah, this list is enough to keep you excited each day for a workout. Have you found out which kind of workout keeps you kicking?

2. Fawad Khan:

The sweetheart of all ladies out there, Fawad Khan was diagnosed with Diabetes (Type 1) at the age of 17. He revealed that he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and it was told by his doctor that he developed that because of an Autoimmune disorder. No, he was not obese. According to his interview, he agreed that the reason for his condition is most likely smoking which, he started at a very young age. The actor then tells us how he got detected. He recalled a childhood incident where he had gotten hurt but ignored it and jumped into a swimming pool. Fawad developed an infection post this swim and that’s how his diabetes was discovered.

His Story:
“I am diabetic. So diet control is a pre-given for me” – Fawad Khan. The control and strict monitoring of diet keep his sugars under control. This is how a normal diet day looks like. He starts his morning with warm water mixed with lemon juice. Lemon having great healing properties is a good thing to start your day with. He embraces a diet of low-fat milk to boost his body’s metabolism. His Breakfast would include eggs and a lot of cereals. Being very fond of vegetarian food, he prefers taking roti, vegetables and dal for his lunch and ideally ends his day with a very light dinner. For him, diet and exercise go hand in hand. He is very stern about the schedule of his exercise and follows it regularly. He starts his work out with a  15 minutes walk, then proceeds with weightlifting and other exercises.

3. Nick Jonas:

Priyanka Chopra’s husband, Nick Jonas was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 13. That’s the age you were probably figuring out why learn Math, Science, and History in school.

He said at the 2017 Radio Disney Music Awards “It was something I thought would slow me down before I even got started, But thankfully it didn’t. I’m in the healthiest place I’ve been since my diagnosis.” In November 2019, he wrote on Instagram: “This experience has shaped how I approach my health – working out, eating well, and always thinking about my blood sugar and insulin needs.”

His Story:
He experienced heavy weight loss (lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks) which got him diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The singer also faced symptoms like persistent thirst, a poor attitude, and going to the bathroom all the time. Doesn’t this sound like a 1980’s sad story where everything seems so wrong?. He turned it around by opening up to his fans about this disorder. Not like a person hungry for sympathy but like a person feeling lonely. Today he is happy and healthy. Prioritizing his physical health with work out schedules and eating healthy which keeps my blood sugar in check. He is a classic example of a winner. Having a passion for singing, Nick Jonas released a song inspired by diabetes with Jonas Brothers (a band comprised of himself and siblings Joe Jonas and Kevin Jonas) called “A Little Bit Longer”. This song is going to zone you out for a while if you are a type 1 diabetic. I hope you have calculated the time for this masterpiece contribution.

4. Wasim Akram

Leading a healthy sportsman’s life, diabetes was breaking news. He has been dealing with it since he was 30 along with cricket. He said once, “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. It seemed strange that it happened to me when I was 30, but that was a very stressful time of my life. The doctor told me to keep calm as stress could trigger it”

His story:
Akram was diagnosed in 1997 in the middle of a Test cricket series. He had been losing weight, fatigue kicked in and so much thirst, hence was forced to see a doctor. When he was first told that he had Type 1 diabetes, he got quite upset, especially after all his friends were telling him that he would have to give up his passion, ‘Cricket’. Determined to prove them wrong, he brought his diabetes under control. How? He says one must self-accept himself with diabetes. He also recommends you watch your plate especially your carb intake at night. If you feel tempted to eat sugary things, limit it to very little quantity. Lastly closely monitoring exercise levels and regularly checking blood glucous levels helped him to become a world-class cricketer and went on to become a legend in his times. All this despite having to inject insulin three times a day, not easy. But he did. I need not say, it is evident that Wasim didn’t let diabetes get him down.

5. Kamal Hassan:

Let’s begin with a very thought-provoking statement by Kamal Hassan, “Sugar level blood mein dikhne se koi problem nahi hain, bus Aapka chehrey mein nahi dikhna chaahiye”. Kamal Haasan, one among the most versatile actors, has Type 1 Diabetes.

His Story:
The actor hasn’t let the disease dampen his zest for life. How? He prefers yoga to calm his nerves, he has developed a taste for black tea. He follows a strict gym regime and stays away from sugary and dairy products. Being insulin dependent he still lives a healthy life as he believes that Diabetes is miles away from him. He says that Diabetes is just a metabolic disorder that we can easily conquer.

These celebrities kept their passions going even though they were let down with diabetes. They have seen the brighter side of type-1 diabetes as they have accepted that this auto-immune disorder is something irreversible. With experience and appropriate medication, each one of them has learned how to successfully manage. I had disclosed a small secret for you all, The type-1 diabetes management formula. Follow it to stay happy and healthy.