If you watch Paula Deen’s show, ‘Paula’s Best Dishes,’ on the Food Network, then you know she is a decadent cook, adding butter, cream and sugar without restraint to her dishes. So it’s not shocking to hear this news, although it is sad: Paula announced she has Type 2 diabetes. She was diagnosed three years ago.

“I made the choice at the time to keep it close to me, to keep it close to my chest. I felt like I had nothing to offer anybody other than the announcement. I wasn’t armed with enough knowledge. I knew when it was time, it would be in God’s time.”

Paula says she did not keep quiet out of concern for her reputation (you know Anthony Bourdain is screaming “I TOLD you so!” somewhere) but because she didn’t know anything about Type 2 diabetes.

Now, however, Paula is starting a campaign called “Diabetes in a New Light” with “lightened up” versions of her dishes. She’s working with Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company that makes diabetes medication.

Paula says she herself doesn’t cook or eat the dishes she makes on her show most of the time and advocates moderation.

“I suspect I’ll stick to my roots but will say a little louder, ‘Eat this in moderation.’ You don’t want to make a steady diet of just lettuce. You don’t want to make a steady diet of fried chicken.”

Moderation. I can deal with that. I’ll be checking out the lightened up versions of her classic recipes!

Photos by C. Smith/Michael Wright/RHS/WENN.com