Halle Berry Diabetes Scare

When you look at Halle Berry today, it’s hard to imagine the beauty as anything other than 100% healthy. But back in 1989, Berry passed out and fell into a diabetic coma while working on the set of her first television show, Living Dolls. Berry remained in the coma for seven days, and when she woke up, she was told that she had been diagnosed with diabetes and was at serious risk for losing her eyesight or even her legs. Scared into action, Berry took a hard look at her lifestyle and made some serious changes.

Though her doctor wasn’t sure at the time, Berry had developed Type II diabetes. Type I diabetes is associated with the auto-immune system and can’t be impacted by dietary or fitness changes. Most Type I sufferers are diagnosed as children. Type II diabetes, on the other hand, typically affects overweight adults and can occasionally be controlled without insulin, by changing your diet and exercise habits.

Berry immediately put herself on a strict diet and took her health seriously, concerned about cardiovascular complications that plague many diabetics as well as dramatic health threats to her vision, kidneys, and legs. She cut out overly processed foods, red meats, and sugary carbohydrates. She started to eat tons of fresh vegetables and healthy pasta, grilled chicken, or fish. She cut back on fruits due to their high sugar content, and turned to honey or molasses to sweeten her meals. Berry also took charge of the lifestyle habits that could impact her condition. She tries to lead a low-stress lifestyle, despite her booming Hollywood career, and has become a regular yoga practitioner. Berry announced last October that she was no longer insulin-dependent. Now, her life has gotten even busier with new baby Nahla, born this March. With her careful diet and outreach work for diabetes, she’ll no doubt handle this new phase in life with her characteristic grace and go-getting attitude.

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