When my older brother Mark was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of 13, I was nine years old. I absorbed the basic science of high and low blood sugars, and how he needed daily insulin to regulate his blood sugar. But little did I expect an awaiting surprise.

One day my mom returned home from grocery shopping and pulled out two giant bags of Jolly Rancher hard candies. I remember the scene clearly. You see, I was a candy addict (still am). Big bags of watermelon Jolly Ranchers had my full attention.

My mom explained how this candy was purchased for Mark, in case he had low blood sugar at school. I nodded my head in full agreement, then began stuffing handfuls of them in my pocket every day or so thereafter. Yet, whenever the bag of Jolly Ranchers was nearly empty, my hand wavered, unable to steal the last candies. Deep inside my sugared-up, pre-adolescent consciousness, I knew better. Jolly Ranchers were my brother's mini-life preservers, just in case he floundered in the seas of low blood sugar.

A new survey reveals that most people prefer to treat diabetes by changing their diets, rather than using medicines.

According to a survey of 1,022 adults (515 women and 507 men), 69% of Americans would prefer to try a dietary approach, whereas only 21% preferred treating diabetes with medicines. The survey reinforces results from clinical research on diabetes, which has consistently found that people with diabetes adapt well to low-fat vegetarian diets and gain important health benefits. A dietary approach to diabetes based on scientific research shows that a low-fat vegan diet can lower high blood sugar levels three times more effectively than oral medications.

Among the results: women are even more likely than men to prefer food changes over pills. People with more education and higher incomes were especially likely to favor a diet approach. For the financially savvy - this makes a lot of sense. You MUST buy food. You might as well buy healthier foods and curtail your Rx costs. Furthermore, Americans aged 45 to 64 were more enthusiastic about diet changes, compared with older Americans. I'll bet it's the convenience factor. A little less medication, a little more supper, please. The most pill-happy generation was the 18- to 24-year-olds. Don't look at me like that - I'm 28 and favor the flavor over medication, any day. Bon appetit!