The famous 64-year-old Food Network cook, Paula Deen, announced that she has type 2-diabetes on Tuesday.

As reported in USA Today, Deen has had the disease for the past three years and treats it with the Novo Nordisk drug Victoza.

"I made the choice at the time to keep it close to me, to keep it close to my chest," she told USATODAY in her interview announcing the disease for the first time.

"I felt like I had nothing to offer anybody other than the announcement. I wasn't armed with enough knowledge. I knew when it was time, it would be in God's time."

Deen has now come together with Novo Nordisk to promote a new program called "Diabetes in a New Light" which will offer recipes and advice for people suffering with diabetes.

The Southern-style cook is best known for meals such as her fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and favorable deserts which are believed to heighten the risk of diabetes.

Deen told USATODAY that she didn’t delay discussing her disease because of her fear of ruining her reputation but rather because she wanted to provide good information for others suffering with the disease.

"That was not why. My knowledge about the disease was very limited. But now I'm coming with good information, something that can help and bring hope to other people. It may sound cliché, but it's the God-honest truth."

Deen also said she doesn’t care about the criticism she may face.

"I don't care what the haters and naysayers say. If they make jokes about me, I'll laugh because they'll probably be funny."

She said she has no regrets and that her and her sons have made recipes that mimic those of her classic recipes for people with diabetes, except these recipes are lighter and not so rich in calories.