Danielle Batiste

“The only person that can stop me is me,” says Danielle Batiste, author of Let Go My Glucose (2018) and Diabetes Made Better (2021).

Danielle, a Louisiana native, was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in June 2013. Ever since, she has been driven to help others successfully manage the disease. The best-selling author is a mom, speaker and advocate for the fight against diabetes.

In Let Go My Glucose, Danielle chronicles her journey with Type 2 Diabetes. It is a positive and motivating work, revealing to readers that it is possible to win the battle against Type 2 Diabetes.

In Diabetes Made Better, Danielle gives more insight into the disease after becoming more informed. She educates other diabetics on how to live a better, more fulfilling life with the disease. Whether talking about the glycemic index or the best ways to travel with diabetes, the book is a beneficial resource.

“I wanted to empower and educate other diabetics on how to live, look and feel good without stressing so much about their numbers,” she says.

Danielle has established an array of products and services under her brand named Diabetes Made Better, which includes her books, along with helpful online services and various products.

Danielle wrote her very first book titled Crying Out: Separation Anxiety & the Soldier’s Child (2012) prior to her diagnosis. It solidified her as a noteworthy author. In the book, Danielle writes candidly about striving to help her then four-year-old son cope during a challenging time after being diagnosed with separation anxiety following his dad’s deployment to Afghanistan.

Overcoming the Odds

Prior to her diagnosis, Danielle experienced symptoms, including consistent cottonmouth, frequent urination and shaky hands. She was later told that her A1C level (glycated hemoglobin) was over the limit at 8.6, which was a diabetic level. Still, Danielle denied the results for a long time. After all, she thought the disease primarily affects older people or those who practice poor eating habits. It certainly should not be her burden to bear, right?

In time, Danielle came to terms with it all, and the fighter within took shape. She made up her mind that the disease was merely a detail in her life—it was NOT her life. She would live life to the fullest. She exercised, and over time, she lost 40 pounds.

“That helped out a lot. It turned that 8.6 A1C to a 4.1! The doctor informed me that levels below 5.7 are normal, non-diabetic levels. I was in remission,” she says.

Danielle’s level increased again. That is when she learned that stress and diabetes do not mix. That is a big point that she strives to get through to other diabetics, that regarding stress—less is best. Early on, she battled with a big issue: she did not like needles.

“I had to prick myself in the morning and afternoon. I would actually stand there, counting to five or 10 before I even pushed the button to prick my finger,” she says.

That, however, has not been Danielle’s story for quite some time, as she has been determined to overcome the odds while educating as many people as possible.

“I educate myself on diabetes every day. Whatever I learn, I tell others. Know your body because we are not all the same; our bodies are different. It’s my job to change how you’re thinking. When you change your mindset, you change your life,” she says.

Good Resources are Essential

Danielle offers a “Conquering Diabetes and Positivity Call” on her Instagram page. She invites anyone to visit who may have questions or just needs some positive and helpful advice. Those interested can register for 15 minute sessions with her.

She offers a Conquering Diabetes Course on her Instagram page as well. It is designed to help “beginner diabetics” learn more about their condition and cope with it.

“When you’re first diagnosed, you really don’t have a lot of information. I put my all into the course. I did it so beginners won’t feel alone,” she says.

She, too, is looking forward to introducing one of her new endeavors in August—a diabetic planner—in an additional effort to help make the day-to-day lives of diabetics flow more easily.

Danielle is also excited to be in the process of launching her second T-shirt line, showing that anyone can feel and look good in spite of the disease. Further, she is a sponsor for Enhanced Performance

Nutrition (EPN) supplements in order to support healthy living. She is also a proponent of FreeStyle Libre.

Paying it Forward

Danielle is happy to be a mentor for diabetics. “I’m able to get up every day and pray; then I do what I do—I just do it! It’s about consistency. It’s about mindset. Let’s do this. Let's live!” she proclaims. As an accomplished businesswoman, Danielle is proud to be an inspiration to any woman striving after their professional aspirations. “Stay positive. Stay focused. Say to yourself, ‘The only person that can stop me is me.’ When you get down, get back up more focused than you were when you went down—it’s called hunger,” she says.

TO LEARN MORE about Danielle’s products or services, visit www.daniellebatiste.com or Instagram page: @diabetesmadebetter.