Wow. I love the Internet. All you wanted to know - and then some! - about rocker Bret Michaels and his experiences with Type 1 diabetes can be found at DiabetesHealth. No, wait! Don't leave. I swear, this is really quite interesting reading.

Michaels (44) is the longtime vocalist with the campy hair metal band "Poison," most famous for the weepy 1988 power ballad "Every Rose Has its Thorn." Don't laugh. The guy has sold 25 million albums. Anyway, about the diabetes: Michaels was diagnosed with the condition at age six. The early diagnosis, Michaels says, was a blessing in disguise in that he grew up accepting it as part and parcel of everyday life. He remembers going to insulin shock at least four times as a child, and recalls one incident when his father, afraid Michaels was having a seizure, tried to force his mouth open and Michaels bit down so hard he nearly separated dad from finger. Aww. Good times!

Like lots of diabetic kids, Michaels attended diabetes camp and says he remains a big supporter, even contributing fundraising dollars to underwrite camp scholarships.

His observations on diet are worth reading. Favorite food/dietary weakess? Peanut butter: "Man, I could eat a jar of it, and that's why I have to just keep it away from me." And he stresses his secret comes down to portion control. "Cut 'em back," Michaels says. "The more carbs you pound in, the more your blood sugar's just going to rise. Your blood sugar goes high, you start to gain a lot of weight, and next thing you know, it's a lose, lose, lose situation that just spirals down."

Michaels is now on a three shots-a-day regimen and checks his blood sugar levels four to six times daily, and makes it eight times a day when he's on tour. He goes backstage twice during shows to check his blood sugar. He also admits he's "a little old school," in that he sticks with standard injections and meters. Pumps? Apparently, Michaels is not "cosmetically ready for the pump just yet." Guess it's hard to conceal a pump under spandex...

Overeating can shut down a natural brain function that is key to preventing common cardiovascular and diabetic diseases..

Researchers found that chronic overeating can overwhelm the neural pathway that regulates the amount of fats flowing into the bloodstream from the liver. The liver is partly responsible for regulating fats entering the blood stream. It produces triglyceride fats the body can turn into LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can cause arteriosclerosis and blood vessel blockage. Glucose can enter the brain when levels are elevated in the bloodstream. When glucose enters the brain, it is broken down into an acidic substance known as lactate. Lactate signals the liver to stop making fat. It appears that chronic overeating can overwhelm the brain's ability to metabolize glucose into lactate. When lactate is no longer produced -- the signal to stop the liver from releasing fat into the blood stops, too. As small arteries get clogged, they create the circulatory problems common in type 2 diabetes, linked to overeating, obesity, and limb amputations.

Smaller portions, less glucose in the brain, better traffic flow. After all - nobody likes getting mixed signals. Let's do all we can to keep the lines of communimcation (and our arteries) open.

It's impossible to eat healthy if you don't exercise a little common sense about portion control. If you're diabetic and trying to improve your health by making changes to your diet: good for you! But keep in mind the following: 1. portion control is important for healthy living, but 2. portion control isn't about eating a meager diet and being hungry all the time--that's just  a recipe for disappointment. Enjoy your food, but be aware how much food constitutes a portion. You may be surprised to realize it's not as much as you perhaps thought. Aim to create a good balance between eating sensible portions and eating a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. That way you can be both happy and healthy.

A good place to start is the Mayo Clinic's website. It contains a slideshow of photos of various food groups, indicating for each how much equals one portion. A tool like this is a great way to get some perspective. Then, next time you eat out, you may be surprised to realize that the sandwich, salad or pasta dish you ordered really constitutes a whole lot more food and calories than are good for you!