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Julie Wanner Rossetti knows about how to seize control of her health and how to live a full life, despite being diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, such as diabetes. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 13, but rather than feel helpless, sick, or doomed, she embraced a positive attitude and willed herself to better health. She took concrete steps to gain control of her life - and health ' as outlined in her book, Diabetes Can Be Sweet'Once You Bury It.

Lose the Label, she suggests, 'You have a full life ahead of you no matter what your age is, and diabetes can be made to fit into your daily schedule. It's all up to you, and your diabetes consultant can guide you in the right direction. With a little organization and skill you can do it.

"If you fall down (I have many times), get back up and start again. It's okay to make mistakes and learn from them. What's even more important is that you start over and make the necessary changes. Every decision you make will determine the outcome of how diabetes affects your life. Making no decision is still a decision and a negative one at best. Now is a good time to evaluate the words or colors that you are choosing to use every day. What does your life portrait look like so far? Choose the right words and lose the labels, then you will win!'

1. Establish Your Health Goals For Exercise.
Determine where you want to be as far as your health is concerned. Decide on an exercise program. What's important is that you set a goal to begin with and consistently do the activities so the end result is favorable. Keep a logbook so you can make changes in your daily activities.

2. Regularly Monitor Your Blood Glucose Levels.
In order to be healthy and not feel like you have diabetes, you will need to gain control over your blood glucose levels. Become a pro at blood glucose testing by keeping your blood sugar in the normal range. Many people carry a cell phone. I recommend you carry your blood glucose meter.

3. Eat Well.
Eat right with an individualized meal plan. Eat foods that make you not only healthy, but happy too! Quality is important here. Remember, everything that you put into your body is either a positive or a negative, and yes, that includes all foods. Eat the right foods and you will feel fabulous! You should eat a diet that's based on your blood type, just as Dr. Peter D'Adamo lays out in his book, Diabetes: Fight It With The Blood Type Diet. There are vitamins, supplements, herbs, and food that fit your blood type, rather than consuming those that destroy your body. Your blood type is the main component to your body's entire immune system.

4. Stay Stress-Free!
If you don't get rid of the stress, it will get rid of you. There are lots of natural remedies that you can use. Have your naturopathic physician assist you in what vitamins, supplements, and herbs to take. Laughter, of course, is the best medicine of all. Some stress-busters may include: exercise, prayer, rest, relax on a beach or in a hammock, light some scented candles and take a long bubble bath or go to a spa and order every treatment available, listen to soothing music, and/or watch a funny movie, and keep smiling.

Any information provided in this article is not medical advice and should not be substituted for consulting with your own physician.