Black History of Health: Halle Berry

Though Halle Berry is well known for her acting these days, she actually started out as a model. This venture eventually led to her being crowned the first runner-up in the 1986 Miss USA pageant. It wasn’t until three years later that she moved to New York to pursue a career in acting. While things started slowly, Halle got her big break in the romantic comedy ‘Boomerang’ in 1992.

Working consistently, Halle eventually received awards for her performances in "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" and "Monster’s Ball". Though her career has mostly centered around acting, she has been a spokesmodel for Revlon since 1996 and made her directorial debut with the Netflix drama "Bruised" in 2020.

Halle Berry isn’t only known for her acting prowess, however. Over the years, she’s been very vocal about being diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 22.

There was even a bit of controversy when she stated that switching to a keto diet allowed her to keep the disease under control. Even so, dealing with diabetes was the inspiration behind her new health-based platform, Re-Spin.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where your body doesn’t break down sugar as efficiently as it should. This issue is attached to the body’s production of the hormone, insulin.

When you have diabetes, you’re either not producing enough insulin or your body isn’t using the hormone well. If this is happening, it can result in significant fluctuations in the sugar level in the body, which in turn affects how much energy you have.

The condition can also cause other health issues such as heart disease, kidney disease, and vision loss.

Additionally, you can get diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. While the former is an autoimmune condition, the latter is typically influenced by lifestyle issues such as poor eating habits or being overweight. In some cases, people may not notice any signs of having the condition. However, some of the symptoms to look out for include persistent thirst, unexplained weight loss, increased frequency of urination, and chronic fatigue.

How Diabetes Is Diagnosed

If you have concerns about being diabetic, your doctor may use several different blood tests to determine your status. The first option is a glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test, which can roughly diagnose whether you have Type 1, Type 2, or prediabetes. Unfortunately, this test isn’t always accurate so your doctor may opt for other blood tests that can pinpoint what’s going on.

The options include a fasting blood sugar test, oral glucose tolerance test, initial glucose challenge test, and follow-up glucose tolerance testing. Once it’s clear which type of diabetes you’re dealing with, your doctor will move on to your available management options.

Diabetes Treatment Options

As mentioned previously, diabetes can be a chronic condition for which there is no cure. In cases where your doctor thinks a healthier lifestyle can reverse your diagnosis, they’ll likely recommend a diet change and an exercise routine.

In the meantime, everyone with diabetes will be prescribed insulin to deal with their body’s insufficient supply of the hormone.

Depending on what you need, your doctor will determine how often you need to administer insulin as well as which methods work best.

While you’re taking insulin, it will be important for you to learn the signs of a diabetic emergency and how to handle them. You’ll also need to pay more attention to changes in your body such as with your feet, your blood pressure, and your cholesterol levels.

If there are any signs that you’re developing other conditions, you may receive medications for those as well. In some cases, people can be cleared for a pancreas implant, which may have a positive effect on the disease.

Diabetes is a life-changing condition that must be handled carefully. Living well with the illness typically involves sticking to your doctor’s medical regimen, monitoring your body, and making healthy lifestyle choices.