Best known for her role as Janice on the mega-hit mob drama "The Sopranos," actress Aida Turturro faces one more bad guy: diabetes. She was diagnosed with Type 2 in 2001.

She made the mistake many diabetics make: ignoring the condition. Finally, symptoms worsened to a dangerous level and forced her to pay attention.

I was in denial and wasn't exercising and not checking my numbers, and I needed more help. One day, my new doctor said, "Aida, do you know what can happen if you continue to live with these high blood sugars? Do you understand the severity of the risk that you are putting yourself in?" I guess at that point I started to get it.

It's so important for people to educate themselves. Help yourself. Read a book. Go on the Internet. Visit a nutritionist. Exercise. Monitor your blood sugar every day. Get your A1C checked every three months. This is something that is not going to just go away. And don't expect to be perfect every day.


This interview with the actress is both informative and inspiring.

Have you ever ignored diabetes symptoms? What made you finally take responsibility for your health?