We thought it might be nice if you knew more about the phenomenally talented bloggers who blog quality health-related content here at the Life Sciences blogs.

All of our bloggers are passionate about the health topics they write about related to cancer, diabetes and cardio heart health; compassionate in intent; and dedicated to bringing news, information, resources and a personal perspective meant to educate, enlighten and inspire in prevention, health management and survivorship.

Without further ado, we would like to introduce you to Diane Rixon, who blogs the Diabetes Blog.

When did you become a Life Sciences blogger? February 2006

How did you become interested in writing about health?

My friend and fellow-blogger Jen Creer raved about blogging as a cool gig and a great learning opportunity. I have done a lot of freelance writing in the past and thought "why not?"

When it comes to health, what is your best advice to maintaining good health?

Stay active. I know, that's very run-of-the-mill advice, huh? Well, sorry, but this is what works for me. If you stay active, you maintain your overall health – both physical and mental. However, I don't mean running a marathon. I am not a sporty gal and have only set foot inside a gym a half-dozen times at most, I swear! What I have learned is to be myself and do what I know I'll enjoy. For me, that's as simple as long walks with my dogs, stretching, a little yoga, staying relaxed.

Name three favorite quotes:

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!" -- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

"Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards." -- Benjamin Franklin. This applies to many contexts, not just marriage!

"Make adoption your first option." -- I don't know who came up with this one, but it's the mantra of animal rescue folks.

Name three health-related books you would recommend:

Okay, I'm pregnant, which explains my first choice: A Child is Born by Lennart Nilsson and Lars Hamburger. This classic explains the process of how a baby is created, from egg to birth. It's famous, however, for its incredible photos of life in the womb. I can't emphasize this enough: the photos really are incredible. You must see them! You must! This book is not just for those expecting a baby. Promise.

I hereby nominate Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser as my second choice. This guy has done an amazing job of revealing what junk many (dare I say most?) Americans consume on a daily basis. Everything from the appalling state of the country's public school lunches to the fast food restaurant meals that are the dirty little food secret of millions. This book covers it all, pretty much, from the poor nutritional value of the foods themselves, the frequently disturbing conditions under which they are produced, and the negative impact the mega-industrial food industry has on society at large -- from national health to the economy. You may not agree with everything he says, but it's an awesome read.

Third has to be Listening to Prozac by Peter D. Kramer. Wow, reading this book for the first-time was such an eye-opener. It's incredible what scientists have learned about the brain over the past few decades, and so enlightening to discover the role of brain chemistry in explaining human behavior. What makes it even more tantalizing is that we still have so much yet to discover about the brain. Love this book! Also love Dr. Kramer, who now hosts the fantastic NPR show The Infinite Mind, which I can't recommend highly enough.

Who inspires you?

My husband. He's so darn positive. "Relentlessly upbeat" is how I describe him. I can't deny it - it's infectious.

What inspires you?

Being outdoors. The beauty of nature. Trees and wide open spaces. The ocean.

When you are not writing for the Life Science blogs, what do you do?

I'm currently preparing for the arrival of my very first baby! A girl, due in October. So, being a mother will taking up much of my time between now and...who knows?!

Also, I'm one of those big-soft-hearted animal lover-types. I'm involved in animal rescue in my community. The group I'm affiliated with is Tallahassee Big Dog Rescue. Check out our website! My revolving crew of foster pets keeps me busy between giving them everyday care and love, cleaning up the mess they make (uh, lots of shedding!), taking phone calls, shuttling animals to and from the vet for medical stuff, updating their web entries, and attending adoption booths. We don't just adopt out pets. We also try to educate people about the pet overpopulation crisis.

It's estimated that around three or four million cats and dogs are euthanized each year in this country, simply because of unchecked breeding. Please spay and neuter your pets. Please don't buy pets from pet stores or backyard breeders – make adoption your first option!

Whenever I'm not running around or online, I'm reading.