Blogger Amy Tenderich at Diabetes Mine recently ran a quirky contest based on Michael Pollan's famous seven-word manifesto: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Pollan's seven words of wisdom, the lead to a New York Times Magazine piece that became the basis for his new book, In Defense of Food, have inspired others to craft their own "seven word" mantras and hold haiku-like, seven-word competitions, including at the Times. In the same vein, Tenderich challenged the diabetes community to come up with just a few key words to live by.

Her winners, announced today:

• Be diligent. Be educated. You're not alone.
• Check your glucose. Check again. Check again.
• Every day is different, not exact science.

My personal favorites:

• Live as if you were not ill.
• Check your blood. Eat moderately. Live joyfully.
• Find support. Become an expert. Keep learning.

That last one seems particularly on point for people caring for parents with diabetes.

Think of the contest as a jumping off point. Now it's your turn. What would your seven words be?

Image by Flickr user Kevin Collins used under the Creative Commons attribution license.