Introduction:
When you think about diabetes, what feelings come up? Fear? Frustration? Maybe it’s the heartbreak of watching someone you love struggle or the overwhelming weight of trying to manage it yourself. I understand those feelings deeply. Diabetes has shaped my life in ways I never expected, but it’s also given me a profound purpose: to help rewrite the story of diabetes in our communities.
This story doesn’t have to end with hopelessness. You can take charge of your health. You can break the cycle. And you don’t have to do it alone.
My Journey:
Diabetes has been a constant thread in my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, I knew it as something that happened to older people. I didn’t fully understand it, but I saw its impact all around me.
When I was in elementary school, my stepdad’s father came to our house every morning for insulin injections. My mom trained me—on a potato—to give his shots, and by the time I was 12, I was the one handling it. At church, a friend’s father, a talented photographer, lost his sight to diabetes and could no longer pursue his passion. My great-grandmother, who lived next door, developed diabetes late in life, and I watched her health decline. Even my father, though not actively in my life, struggled with the disease.
Then it got closer. My ex-husband was diagnosed, and eventually, so was I. Alongside diabetes, I carried the weight of obesity, kidney stones, and hypertension. These weren’t conditions I remembered seeing in my childhood, but by the time my children were diagnosed with prediabetes, it was clear to me: something had changed. Diabetes was no longer something rare—it had become one of the greatest health crises of our time.
That realization lit a fire in me. Watching this disease ripple through generations of my family and community, I knew I couldn’t accept it as inevitable. But even as I started making changes, I didn’t yet understand the full power of what I was doing.
Healing Through Connection:
At first, I thought my journey was about food—and it was, in part. Shifting to nutrient-dense, immune-boosting foods helped me heal my body in ways I never thought possible. But as I look back, I see that nutrition was just one piece of the puzzle.
What truly changed my life was addressing the stress that had been weighing me down for years. Through advocacy for justice and standing up for myself in depleting personal and familial relationships, I began to reclaim my energy and focus. I found strength in connection—surrounding myself with people who supported and uplifted me. Those relationships gave me the motivation to care for myself in ways I hadn’t before, starting with what I put on my plate.
I didn’t know it at the time, but I was living the principles of lifestyle medicine. Nutrition, stress management, and healthy relationships were working together to help me heal—not just my body, but my mind and spirit. It wasn’t perfect, and it didn’t happen overnight, but every small change built on the last.
Why Lifestyle Medicine Matters:
Lifestyle medicine taught me something I wish I’d known sooner: healing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You don’t have to change everything all at once. You can start with one step.
For me, that step was nutrition therapy. For you, it might be addressing stress, finding support, or getting more rest. The beauty of lifestyle medicine is that it’s flexible. It meets you where you are and helps you build momentum toward where you want to be.
The evidence is clear: Type 2 diabetes doesn’t have to be a life sentence. Through lifestyle medicine, you can manage it, stop its progression, and—yes—sometimes even put it into remission.
Why This Program Exists:
I created the Pathways to Diabetes Prevention & Remission program because I’ve lived this journey. I know how it feels to be scared, overwhelmed, and unsure of where to start. And I also know the incredible transformation that’s possible when you take that first step.
This program is more than education—it’s a community. It’s a space where you can share your struggles and victories, learn practical strategies, and discover the power of collective wisdom.
Together, we’ll focus on nutrition therapy as the foundation while exploring how the other pillars—stress management, healthy relationships, and more—support lasting change.
To Clinicians and Loved Ones:
If you’re reading this as someone who cares for others—whether you’re a healthcare provider or a family member—I want you to know this: you can be part of the solution. Sharing this program might be the first step toward helping someone take back their health. Encourage them. Show them it’s possible. Because it is.
Closing Reflection:
What step will you take to rewrite your narrative of diabetes? Whether it’s joining this program, sharing it with someone you love, or simply believing that change is possible, the journey starts with one decision.
Together, we can rewrite this story. And it starts with you.
Comments