Aida Turturro, best known for her role as Janice Soprano on HBO’s The Sopranos, is among the more than 20 million Americans living with diabetes. In 2000–2001, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a condition where the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or fails to use it effectivelygluxus.comWikipedia.
Initially, Turturro went into denial and neglected to follow diet, exercise, or medication recommendations. Her doctor warned her that persistently high blood sugar levels could lead to serious complicationsgluxus.comDiabetes Reversal Talk. Reflecting on her journey, she shared:
“As soon as I started learning more about the potential complications of the disease, I realized I should have taken action sooner… It is scary what can happen to you if you fail to manage your diabetes effectively.”Diabetes Reversal Talk
At first, she struggled to achieve her target A1C—a long-term measure of blood glucose—despite oral medicationsDiabetes Reversal TalkOlder and Healthy. With her doctor’s guidance, she integrated Lantus (once-daily, long-acting insulin) into her treatment plan. This enabled her to maintain her A1C below the American Diabetes Association’s goal of 7 percentDiabetes Reversal TalkOlder and Healthy.
Turturro now emphasizes the importance of education and self-advocacy:
“Managing diabetes is not easy. What I have learned is the best way to manage the disease is by becoming educated, motivated and an advocate for yourself… It is a 24‑hour disease and you have to put in a real effort to keep your blood sugar levels under control.”Diabetes Reversal Talk
