A new attitude about diabetes

The first lady of R&B is waiting for her pink nail polish to dry. It's a tiny, rare chunk of time for Patti LaBelle to talk about the things that are important to her: food, music, family and, well, food.

The chart-topper who began her career in the '60s with Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles is a busy woman. She's on the road with that powerful, distinctive voice. Her long-awaited gospel CD, "The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle" is scheduled for release Oct. 17. And she's busy reminding us about diabetes via commercials for a blood-glucose monitoring system.

Her mother died from complications of the disease. And LaBelle was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1995 after collapsing onstage. The disease, which she keeps under control through diet, exercise and testing, changed her life.

Today, LaBelle can't dive into fried chicken and potato salad the way she used to. But her new lifestyle of healthful, low-sugar eating not only has allowed her to continue her hectic singing schedule but also has given her a new platform — as a spokeswoman for diabetes — to spread the word about getting diagnosed and getting the disease under control.

We chatted by phone:

Q: You had a hit with "New Attitude" but, really, you had to develop a whole new attitude toward food and eating once you were diagnosed with diabetes. How hard was that?

A: It was hard. For a few years I was in total denial. I was like, if I have that fried chicken it won't hurt. Honey, that was a lie. But just because you have diabetes doesn't mean you can't cook with flavor. You find ways of cooking your food with lots of garlic and hot peppers. Just look at my cookbooks. When you grill that chick or sauté it, it's going to taste like fried chicken, honey. There's so many ways to live with the disease.

Q: Your "Lite Cuisine" cookbook has plenty of diabetes-friendly recipes. Has the disease taken any of the joy out of cooking?

A: No, because when you taste that chocolate mousse, you'll swear you're sinning. There's so many recipes that feel like cheating, but honey, trust me, the stuff I make we can live a long time with diabetes.

Q: So diabetes hasn't stopped you from cooking?

A: No, I cook for everyone. And I watch everybody eat. I still love to cook.

Q: What foods do you miss most?

A: Pasta. Oh God, pasta and the potato salad. And fried chicken. But I can do mine.

Q: You like it hot, too.

A: Spicy hot. That saves me. I know how to make food cute. Cute meaning good.

Q: What about getting the diabetes message out to blacks, Hispanics and American Indians, who have high percentages of diabetes within their ethnic populations? Do you think that's important?

A: That's why Johnson & Johnson wanted me to be their spokesman (for the glucose meter). So many people come up to me and say, "Thank God you did that commercial." I sometimes get mad at them and say, "Why would it take an entertainer to wake you up and save your life?"

But black people won't go to the doctor; they won't go to the hospital. I know all about that. I didn't check mine. I didn't find out until I passed out on stage. But I take my black Patti there now. Believe me. After losing Luther (Vandross), that was a wake-up call for so many black people. But not just black people — just people. You don't feel (diabetes). You think you're cool.

Q: Do you talk to your audiences about diabetes?

A: Every night.