DR. WALLACE: I'm only 16, but my mother sat me down the other day and told me that our family has a tendency to develop diabetes. She warned me that several older family members are struggling mightily with this condition and that I should do everything in my power to avoid a similar fate.

My mother mostly told me to do my best not to gain weight and to eat healthy foods as often as possible, and to avoid unhealthy and fattening foods. Now I'm really worried I could develop diabetes, and it may make my life very difficult. What do you think I should do about what my mother told me? — Worried About Diabetes, via email

WORRIED ABOUT DIABETES: I'm sorry to hear that your mother's discussion with you has caused you to worry, but I feel that she came to you with entirely good intentions.

You can talk to your family doctor about getting screened for prediabetes as early detection since your mother feels your family history to be potentially concerning, and intervention can often help the development of type 2 diabetes.

Your mother is correct about suggesting that you maintain a healthy weight, and I'll also add that you should focus on eating a balanced diet, which means lots of fruit and vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats like avocados, while limiting your consumption of sugary drinks, unhealthy fats and processed foods.

You should also engage in regular physical activity, especially those of the aerobic variety. Walking, jogging, hiking or engaging in any sport that keeps you moving would be a good start. Start out slowly and seek to build endurance gradually. Don't feel like you have to push yourself really hard right at the beginning. Gradual consistency is much more important than trying to put yourself through epic workouts!

Finally, seek to manage your stress levels, as chronic stress for some individuals contributes to insulin resistance. There are many healthy coping mechanisms available that you can try, such as meditation and yoga, and if you maintain your exercise program, this will also help manage your stress in a positive way. Getting out in front of the situation now is a very good thing, and I commend both you and your mother for taking this subject seriously and seeking to make positive steps to ensure your long-term health and well-being.

MY SUMMER BOYFRIEND HAD A HIDDEN AGENDA!

DR. WALLACE: I'm a second-year college student, and I met an awesome guy my age this summer. We dated literally five days a week, and I've grown very fond of him!

But just when I started daydreaming about a future with him, he dropped news on me that shook me to my core! He told me that his girlfriend was transferring to our college from her school in the next state. He said that they had an agreement they could each date other people "casually" until they were reunited.

Now, not only have I lost him, but I'll have to see him spending time with her all year at our campus right in front of my face! Now I feel like I'm the one who wants to transfer to another school. What should I do in this situation? — He Crushed My World, via email

HE CRUSHED MY WORLD: In my opinion, this guy was absolutely acting in an intellectually dishonest way the entire time he was dating you. He owed you the information that he was simply dating "casually" while he was awaiting his girlfriend's transfer to your same university. Had you known this immediately upon meeting him, your whole perspective toward him and the relationship would've been different. It's disingenuous that he withheld this information from you, but at least you can now see his poor character.

My advice is to do your best to move on, stay at your school and pursue your studies. Tell yourself that you wouldn't have wanted to stay in a relationship with someone that dishonest anyhow, as that may help you to get over this situation a little more quickly. Try to get out there and date someone else as soon as an organic opportunity arises, and once you're spending time socially elsewhere, the memory of him and what he did to you should slowly fade or at least be dulled down to the point that you'll feel much better about how you're moving forward.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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