Halle Berry, star of the action film Kidnap and Oscar winner for her emotional role in Monster’s Ball, has perhaps got this longevity thing down pat because at age 50, the actress looks stunning and has a fantastic physique. Diabetes hasn’t seemed to slow this mom of two down one bit.
At 19, Berry was rushed to the hospital after collapsing on set of the TV series Living Dolls. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which later in life was ramped up to type 2 (though now she says it is back to type 1).
She says the disease caught her off guard, but she wasn’t about to let it change how she lived and functioned. What she did do was change her lifestyle and diet.
Upon leaving the hospital that day, she vowed to take better care of herself. Fast forward 31 years, and Berry seems to have kept her word because she is fit and healthy and managing her diabetes through lifestyle rather than pharmaceutical means. Just be sure to talk to your doctor before trying to manage your diabetes on your own; everyone’s situation is different.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to death at its very worst, but can also lead to blindness and loss of the limbs. Excess sugar in the kidneys can lead to kidney failure, and those with diabetes are five times more likely to develop heart disease; so keeping the disease under control is crucial.
Halle Berry’s Lifestyle Change and Diet
Halle Berry cut out all sugar, red meat, and processed foods from her diet immediately and developed a new diet that consists of fresh vegetables, chicken, and fish.
One of her favorite go-to dishes is grilled tuna with garlic and mashed potatoes.
The Kidnap star also follows a low-carb diet. Both sugar and simple carbs are not good for those with diabetes because they cause spikes in blood glucose levels. Berry follows Harley Pasternak’s 5-Factor Diet.
The main idea behind this diet is everything in fives: five meals a day with each meal containing five-factor foods such as low-fat protein-rich foods, low to moderate carbs, high fiber, healthy fat, and non-sugary drinks. Recommended foods include chicken breast, egg whites, fish, salmon (as much as is desired), cottage cheese, and low-fat milk. The best way to manage diabetes is through a healthy diet that balances carbs, fats, and sugar.
Berry recently posted an Instagram photo of herself wearing a see-through lace cover-up, proving that turning 50 doesn’t have to mean anything other than looking and feeling fabulous. Having come from the beauty pageant world, Berry knows that a workout at least a few times a week is key to looking and feeling your best.
She loves to do a mix of cardio exercises and strength training that lasts only 25 minutes, in accordance with the 5-Factor workout plan. But clearly it is effective.
Sources:
“The 5 Factor Diet for Weight Loss,” Super Skinny Me web site; http://www.superskinnyme.com/5_factor_diet.html, last accessed September 6, 2016.
