A McAllen mother says she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at 19 years old.

Lindsay Miller says the warning signs showed up years earlier while she was in middle school.

"After I would eat, I would feel so sick by the end of the day. My head would be hurting like I just wanted to fall asleep," Miller said.

As she got older, her symptoms got worse. When she finally saw a doctor, she says her type 2 diagnosis caught her off guard.

Miller's family has a history of type 2 diabetes. Doctors say that can play a major role.

"We can't control family history, so if your parents are diabetic, or you have siblings that are diabetic, that will also be a risk factor for diabetes," UT Health RGV Family Medicine Physician Dr. Maria de Jesus Munoz said.

Munoz says anyone with a family history of diabetes who is experiencing symptoms of the disease should get screened.

"We can't control our genes, and so awareness is important to get that screening. If you have a family history, or if you are obese or overweight, or have a sedentary lifestyle," Munoz said.

Nineteen years after her diagnosis, Miller says she's focused on staying healthy. That means eating healthy and exercising.

"I think being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is more of a motivation for people to get outdoors, move their bodies, and look at the food that they are eating more, and to pass these healthy habits to their kids," Miller said.

Miller says she hopes this lifestyle will help shape her family's future for generations to come.

Watch the video above for the full story. 

This April, CHANNEL 5 NEWS will educate viewers about diabetes prevention and treatment. KRGV will provide a 360-degree look into the diabetes epidemic in the RGV.

H-E-B and South Texas Health System are offering free diabetes screenings in the month of April. Check out the calendar at this link for times and dates when the screenings will be available.

Heart of the Valley: Diabetes is sponsored by Prime Health and South Texas Health System.