Longevity without vitality has no real value.

Dear Friends,

I’VE NEVER been shy to admit that I’m a little vain. I like feeling good in my clothes, and yes—I enjoy catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and thinking, ‘You’re doing alright.’

But for me, it’s not just about looks. It’s about having the energy, mobility and confidence to do the things I love. I enjoy dancing—particularly jiving—and I even started horse riding a year ago. ‘At your age,’ someone commented. How dare they! Also, I fully intend to be a young energetic granny one day, and for that, I need to stay healthy.

Wanting to look good isn’t something to be ashamed of. When we feel comfortable in our bodies, it affects our mood, confidence, and even our motivation to make healthier choices. It’s all connected. My mother taught me respect for my body and appearance from an early age. She’s now 88, still looks after her figure, paints her nails, dresses stylishly, and drives her car.

I often ask my new patients a question that tends to catch them off guard: ‘How long do you intend to live?’ Usually, I get a puzzled look, as if I’d just grown horns. But my point is simple—we have the power to influence that answer through our daily choices. My own goal is to live to 95, but not just to reach that age—to reach it with good quality of life. Longevity without vitality has no real value.

When I think of health, I think far beyond appearances. Behind every glowing complexion and every ‘fit’ photo on Instagram lies a much deeper story about how well our metabolism functions, how we manage stress, sleep, hormones, and relationships, and how we balance diet, exercise and rest to maintain both physical and mental health.

Let me be honest: this is a life-long fight. I, too, have that little devil on my shoulder whispering, ‘Just one glass of wine.’ I plan meals, stay organised, and resist temptations—most of the time. I’m a self-confessed chocoholic, and keeping that in check is a daily challenge. But prevention is always easier than repair.

On World Diabetes Day today,, I invite you to pause and ask yourself: What does true well-being mean to me? What kind of life do I want for the years I have ahead?

As a doctor, it has been both my professional and personal mission for over twenty years to raise awareness about type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome and to help patients reverse these conditions through lifestyle changes. Many have succeeded, regaining health and freedom they thought they’d lost. Almost every one of them has said, ‘I wish I had done this earlier.’

To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt: “Nothing worth having comes easy.” Or, in the modern version you might have seen on social media: “Do hard things if you want an easy life.”

Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome are often silent—invisible signs that our inner systems are struggling. Around 20% of the Irish population either have diabetes or are on the verge of developing it. Among people over 40, that number rises sharply. These aren’t just statistics—they represent lives affected, energy lost, and dreams postponed.

The early warning signs—fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, irritability, tingling or numbness in hands or feet, frequent infections, low libido, or loss of motivation—are the body’s whispers long before diabetes starts to shout. By the time blood tests show an HbA1c over 42, damage may already be happening silently inside the body.

And while medication can help, we must remember that drugs don’t cure—they only manage. As one doctor once told me, ‘It’s either diabetes that will kill you, or the side effects of the drugs prescribed to treat it.’

The good news? Type 2 diabetes is, in most cases, a reversible condition. It’s a lifestyle disease which means lifestyle can also heal it. A modest weight loss of just 5-10% is often enough to restore normal blood sugar levels. I’ve seen patients reverse their diabetes by losing as little as 6 kg.

Lifestyle change isn’t about punishment or perfection. It’s about consistency. Diet makes up about 80% of the picture, but as we age, maintaining muscle mass becomes vital. Protein, fibre, movement, good sleep and stress management—these are the true medicines.

I’m proud of the fact that my metabolic age is 46—though my knees and back like to remind me of my real age! But these little reminders are not discouragements, they’re motivation. I want to live the next 35 years with the best possible health, energy, and self-awareness.

Recently, I’ve been studying the work of Alfred Adler, a psychologist who believed that we are not prisoners of our past. We have free will and the courage to change. Adler said, “The important thing is not what one is born with but what use one makes of that equipment.” He also believed that all problems are, at their core, problems of relationships—and that happiness is a choice requiring courage.

When we try to change, we face fear and discomfort—but change is possible. What stops us is usually not circumstance, but excuses. As Adler’s famous dialogue in The Courage to Be Disliked reminds us: if you want to change your life, decide to stop your current lifestyle—and start now.

To stay focused, I’ve created a vision board for myself—divided into nine areas of life. In the Health section, I’ve written words like muscle strength, mobility, pain-free, pharmacological freedom, good sleep, high energy, and zero alcohol. (I still enjoy the occasional glass of Champagne—but my goal is to one day not need it at all.)

In the Relationships and Community section, inspired by Adler, I’ve written horizontal relationships—not vertical ones. Equality, belonging, connection—these are what sustain us.

So yes, it’s perfectly fine to want to look good, feel attractive, and fit into that little black dress. But the real goal isn’t just to look well—it’s to be well. To protect the body and mind that carry you through life, because at the end of the day, health is your greatest wealth and it’s worth every bit of effort.

I wish you the courage to change your lifestyle, so that you can create the long, healthy, and fulfilling life you deserve.

With love, Dr Eva