Dave Shellito

Dave Shellito took charge of cleaning up his health.

It seemed the optometrist could never quite get Dave Shellito's eyeglass prescription correct. Now they both know why: diabetes.

Diabetes can wreak havoc with eyesight, as well as most of the body's systems. At 46, it wasn't until a few years ago and at the persistence of Dr. Robert Orford of the Mayo Clinic Executive Health Program, that Shellito found out he had the disease, as well as a potential heart attack in the making.

"I'd had some questionable blood sugar tests that seemed like flukes and a marginal one that caused my family physician to tell me I was fine," says Shellito. "One visit with Dr. Orford and he was very blunt about my prognosis — he said, 'you have diabetes and you're going to have a heart attack if you don't make some changes.'"

Shellito has been coming to the Mayo Clinic Executive Health Program in Arizona for the past four years; the last two exams have been with Dr. Orford. The Whirlpool Corporation offers a preventive health benefit to its employees and Shellito took advantage of it, after several years of living abroad. He chose Mayo Clinic because of its reputation and Arizona because of its great location — and a desire to someday relocate. One of the things Dr. Orford asked of Shellito was that he lose 50 pounds, on top of the 10 he'd so proudly lost prior to his exam.

Recalls Shellito, "I told him that was crazy and besides, I'd played college basketball at 220. He marched me down to the Bod Pod to measure my body fat and then told me, that was muscle, this is fat. It was obvious that excuses weren't going to work. I have to admit, it was motivating!"

So motivating, that Shellito made the necessary dietary changes and began running every single day. About eight months later, his weight had gone from his initial high of 250, down to a comfortable 190.

Shellito is Whirlpool's vice president of local product development, the group that designs and develops washing machines and dryers. He frequently travels to tech centers around the world in China, Brazil, Mexico, India and the United States. It was this travel that made his adjustments more challenging.

"The running part is easy. I bring my shoes and I can run anywhere," he says. "The diet part is more difficult because I'm often entertaining and in situations where I can't control what I'm served. I believe in moderation. I've not eliminated sugars completely, but I've drastically cut back. I find I have more energy and my blood sugar is now completely constant."

At his follow-up visit, he'd taken off the weight, was able to drop one medication and his coronary scans were much improved.

Shellito is hoping his healthy habits will serve as a good example for his three children, ages 16, 15 and 11. It's been a big adjustment for the family, which went from eating pasta seven days a week while living in Italy, to just once a week now.

Quips Shellito, "I still get to have pasta, but my wife serves it to me as a side dish, not a main entrée!"

He advises others that nothing is impossible, even when it seems change is impossible. "Take that first step and give it a month or so to become habit. Soon, you'll find that your day just isn't the same without exercise and that eating a healthy diet will be as natural as brushing your teeth."