Does Diabetes make us healthy?

I have recently read blog posts about people getting healthy and in shape. I have begun to notice a term "sweatbetes".  I am not into much of the new lingo and I admit to being pretty slack on the entire fitness scene.  We try to get a walk in on a regular basis. When the sun comes out, there is a walking trail that we try to visit on a semi-regular basis.  My son plays hockey with his friends now and then but is not a fitness guru or currently concerned about his abs.

We are working on trying to loose a bit of weight in the house but have always maintained pretty healthy eating habits.  My children love fruit.  They eat little junk (unlike their mother).  I try to bake with less sugar, apple sauce instead of margarine, and use flax or whole wheat flour whenever possible.

Do I do this on purpose? Am I trying to teach my sons to eat healthy? Am I trying to keep them off the obesity track? I guess in a way I am.  I have always felt it was important for them to eat right. Their mother has a sweet tooth, I really wanted to help them avoid that. 

Did diabetes impact this decision? I don't think so.  I gave my boys plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables long before diabetes.  I have tried to modify my cooking to have more grains and less preservatives for years.

When I grew up, I saw people struggle with their weight. They made me very conscious of how difficult it can be if you end up having to deal with obesity.  I have tried to make sure that my children were not weight conscious and respectful of people of all sizes.  They have been perfect in my eyes no matter what their weight. I have also worked to try to show them healthy options.  We have had chicken nuggets but with age, my children would rather have a good salad.  We have cakes but they would often prefer an extra helping of strawberries. 

Did I make these choices because of diabetes? No.  Did diabetes mean that I was more concerned than ever? Yes.  In our family, we know that diabetes increase the risk of heart problems.  We know that good cholesterol levels, even in my youngest son, are vital.  We work to keep them in check and so far we are winning.