Help! My mom has diabetes, and I don't want to get it

My mom didn't take care of herself her whole life, and now she has a whole slew of health problems, including diabetes.

I want to be committed to taking care of myself, but it is so hard.

Is anyone ever scared they will turn into their parents?

That's one of the main reasons I embarked on this healthy lifestyle journey.   My mom has diabetes along with high blood pressure and heart problems.  My mom and I have joked that we do everything 30 years apart. We were born, graduated, and had our first child all 30 years apart. Jokingly we've said that when she dies I better start really living my life as I will know that I have 30 years left.  A few years ago when my mom had to have heart surgery it hit me that I don't want to go through life dealing with the health issues she has had to live with.  So I decided that I had to take control of my life and take better care of myself. 

I've taken small steps and deal with things one day at a time. Some days it is easy to stick with a healthy lifestyle (eating right and exercising) other days it isn't.  Just take it one day at a time and start with small changes. If you get off track just pick up where you left off.  Remember that this isn't some diet or fad it is your life. Before you know it those small changes will become habits and won't seem so hard.  Good luck!

The odds are in your favor more than you know.  Both of my fathers parents had diabeties.  My mother talked to my grandfathers specialist and he told her that their children all had a 99 percent chance of developing diabeties.  3 out of the 4 have so far.   But, he also told my mom, that if Daddy (who didn't have it at the time) developed it and she didn't then my sister and my chances of developing it were around 25 percent.  

As long as you eat healthy, don't over eat, and keep your weight down you will be fine.  

Parents split into two camps.... they're either a 'good example' or a 'dire warning'! :-)  (Personally, I'm aiming to be the latter)

Seriously.... if you look after your health as best you can, keep your weight under control, stay fit and active, don't smoke, drink too much or eat a poor diet then you could live a long and happy life without wasting half of it as an invalid.  You don't have to be obsessive about it....  being relaxed and enjoying life is also a recipe for longevity.

Having said that, my poor father used to be an athlete, kept himself in trim, didn't smoke, drink or anything else 'risky' and landed up with Parkinsons Disease at the age of 65.   As I may have the same gene I'm thinking I don't want to compound any future health problems with being overweight as well.

My suggestion would be commit to taking care of yourself but find a way that is enjoyable for you and fits your tastes and lifestyle.  If you don't like pounding treadmills at the gym, for example, find an activity you do like.  If you don't want to give up unhealthy foods.... limit them to a once-a-week treat.   Keep it realistic & personal rather than trying to shoe-horn yourself into some drastic regime invented by someone else.  Best of luck. 

I can totally relate to you, jomy.  Not only have I had to seemy grandparents be diagnosed with many health problems (anxiety, diverticulitis, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease-which my Grandpa died of 10 years ago), but now it has hit closer to home with the onslaught of health problems that are now plaguing my Mom, which are mostly auto-immune diseases, as well as obesity.  Seeing the struggle that my Mom has gone through the past few years has really woke me up and has let me know that I need to take care of myself.  And now, having a young daughter myself, it is more important than ever to take care of myself, not only to stay around a long time for her, but to also teach her how to be a healthy, active person so those nasty diseases don't get to her.

I have gone as far as to switch to my Mom's doctor, so that she can keep a good eye on my health and fully understand my fears.  I have become a little bit of a hypochondriac, but I feel that being proactive about your health is your best defense.  And it's hard for me, too, but I always look at it this way...I have an entire lifetime to fill with cake, ice cream, pizza, etc, but if I over-indulge, I won't be able to enjoy that lifetime as much, or worse, not have as much time as I could have had.  Good luck and know that there are many people out there who feel the same fears that you do!