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Padre’s David “Boomer” Wells has Type 2 Diabetes

Linda von Wartburg

Mar 21, 2007

Photo courtesy San Diego Union-Tribune

All is not well with Boomer Wells, the 43-year-old pitcher for the San Diego Padres who found out two weeks ago that he has type 2 diabetes. A large man, 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 250 pounds, with a BMI of 30, he’s technically obese. But he says that he’s already making changes that will control the disease by eliminating rice, pasta, potatoes, white bread, and fast food from his diet. He’s also cut out alcohol (except for a glass of wine now and then so that he can “still run with the guys.”)

Wells has been off his game a little during spring training, which he attributed to the weather. He admitted that his energy level isn’t what it could be, but told the San Diego Union-Tribune, “When I get the program down, I’ll be fine. And I will be fine.” The program entails a “major lifestyle change” that is apparently a bit hard for Boomer to adjust to, judging by his comment that “I need some food in me. I’m eating like a rabbit … salads, fish, chicken.”

In the past Wells has had problems with gout (often associated with obesity, rich foods, and alcohol consumption), high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Since he’s been taking his new medicines and is on his new program, however, both his blood pressure and his cholesterol levels have improved considerably.

Wells told the newspaper that the diagnosis was a red flag but that “if I follow the rules I’ve been given, there’s no problem.” He also remarked, “I don’t want this going to type 1 diabetes.” Apparently his education on diabetes is still evolving; type 2 is a disease of insulin resistance and cannot turn into type 1. Type 1 is an auto-immune disease in which the pancreatic beta cells are destroyed by the immune system. Boomer’s teammate, pitcher Scott Cassidy, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in July 2000.

Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
North County Times

Categories: Celebrities, Diabetes, Diabetes, Food, Insulin, Personal Stories, Type 1 Issues, Type 2 Issues

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Mar 21, 2007

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