How to Prevent (or Reverse) Diabetes

Did you know that more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults has pre-diabetes, and the prevalence of diabetes has increased 10-fold in the past century. The diagnosis of diabetes is determined by a blood test measuring hemoglobin A1c%. 

Diabetes is one of the disease of Western diet, virtually non-existent in traditional cultures. The causes of the worsening epidemic of prediabetes and diabetes come down to the food we eat, the stress in our lives, and how active we are. If your hemoglobin A1c is 5% or greater you are at increased risk of progression to prediabetes and diabetes, and at increased risk of premature death.

In this course, Dr. Cohen, a primary care physician in downtown San Francisco, shares with you an evidence based approach to making lifestyle changes to prevent and reverse diabetes. It starts with addressing anxiety, depression, loneliness, and social isolation. These factors contribute to chronic stress, and the chronic activation of our sympathetic nervous system which pumps out cortisol and adrenalin in what is called the fight or flight response.  Cortisol raises blood sugar levels so addressing factors that are contributing to stress is the first step.

Next, we turn to sleep. Insufficient sleep affects 1 in 3 Americans.