Foreword: Why I Had to Write This Book (And Why You Need to Read It)

This is my most personal book yet.

Over the years, I've written about diabetes management strategies that have helped others achieve better glucose control. I've shared insights about healthy low-carb approaches to weight management that work in the real world. I've even written business books about mergers and acquisitions that somehow manage to make corporate finance enjoyable (which is not easy).

But this book? This one had to be written because I almost made the most significant health mistake of my life—and I was convinced I was doing everything right.

Picture this: a guy who has successfully managed Type 1 diabetes for over four decades, who can calculate insulin-to-carb ratios in his sleep, who has turned blood sugar management into an art form using the latest technology. A guy whose endocrinologist regularly calls him a "model patient" and whose A1C consistently hovers in the coveted low 6s. A guy who thought he had this whole health thing figured out.

That guy was standing in his kitchen one morning, holding a Repatha injection pen, feeling nauseous at the thought of adding yet another medication to his growing pharmaceutical collection. Despite all his diabetes management success, his cholesterol was climbing, and his blood pressure medication was increasing.

That guy was me. And that morning became the wake-up call that changed my whole approach to health management.

The Tunnel Vision That I Didn’t Notice

Here's the truth: I had become so laser-focused on managing my diabetes that I'd developed health tunnel vision. I was like a master chef who had perfected one incredible dish, but accidentally burned down the rest of the kitchen. My glucose control was exemplary, but my overall metabolic health was quietly getting worse.

The irony was painful. I had spent decades becoming an expert in one aspect of metabolic health while missing the bigger picture. I was managing diabetes while my cardiovascular system was crying out for help. I was celebrating excellent A1C results while my cholesterol and blood pressure told a very different story about my future health prospects.

You'll read the full details of my personal health crisis in Chapter 1, but here's the spoiler alert: it gets much better. What followed that morning in my kitchen was a journey that would teach me that optimal health isn't about managing individual problems in isolation; it's about understanding how everything connects and optimizing the whole system together.

The Holistic Revolution That Changed My Life

The breakthrough came when I stopped thinking about blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure as separate health challenges requiring separate solutions. Instead, I began to understand them as interconnected expressions of my underlying metabolic function. When I began addressing the root causes rather than just managing individual symptoms, something remarkable happened: everything improved simultaneously. Initially, this was a surprise, but I now understand how they are all interconnected.

This holistic approach to metabolic health became the foundation for sustainable, long-term transformation that went far beyond what any single intervention could achieve. Instead of fixing one problem only to have another emerge, I learned to manage my entire metabolic system at the same time.

The results spoke louder than any medical textbook. Within three months,

• My LDL cholesterol had dropped from 140 mg/dL to 59 mg/dL while lowering the medication by 75%.

• My blood pressure normalized, dropping from consistently above 140/90 to an average of 118/75. And that came while reducing my blood pressure medication by 90%.

• My A1C level improved to 5.8%, the best it had been in over a decade.

This wasn't about finding the perfect diet or exercise program. This was about understanding that my body is an integrated system that responds to optimization when you address the foundation rather than just the symptoms.

The Unexpected Demand That Surprised Me

When friends, family, and fellow diabetes community members started noticing my transformation, the questions began. "What exactly did you do?" "How did you improve everything at once?" "Can you teach me this approach?" What started as casual conversations evolved into detailed explanations, which grew into blog posts on my website, www.healthy-diabetes.com.

The response was overwhelming. Despite the diabetes-focused name of my website, people dealing with high cholesterol, blood pressure issues, weight management challenges, and general metabolic dysfunction found value in the integrated approach I was sharing. The principles that had transformed my diabetes management while optimizing my cardiovascular health seemed to resonate with anyone seeking comprehensive metabolic wellness.

My podcast episodes about health consistently became the most downloaded content. Blog posts about the interconnected nature of metabolic health generated more engagement than anything I'd previously written. People weren't just interested in my diabetes management strategies; they wanted to understand how to optimize their entire metabolic system for long-term health and vitality.

The Book That Had to Be Written

While the blog posts and podcast episodes were helpful, I realized that comprehensive metabolic health management deserved more than fragmented content scattered across various platforms. The approach that had transformed my health—and was helping others achieve similar results—needed to be presented as the integrated system it truly was.

Writing this book also allowed me to delve deeper into the research that validates what I'd personally experienced. I spent months exploring studies on traditional populations, such as the Yanomami of the Amazon, whose lifestyle naturally optimized the same metabolic pathways I was learning to support through conscious choice. I researched landmark studies, such as PREDIMED and DASH, which provided scientific validation for approaches that indigenous populations had practiced for thousands of years.

This book represents not just my personal transformation story but a comprehensive integration of ancient wisdom, modern science, and practical implementation strategies that work in the real world of busy schedules, family obligations, and imperfect circumstances.

The Promise That Keeps Me Writing

Here's what I want you to understand more than anything else: if I can achieve these results, so can you.

I'm not especially gifted. I don't have unlimited time or resources. I live in suburban America, work as an executive in a demanding job, deal with family responsibilities, and navigate the same food environment and lifestyle challenges that everyone faces. I'm not a fitness model, a nutritional biochemist, or someone who has dedicated their entire life to medical research.

I'm just someone who got tired of accepting increasing medication as inevitable and decided to figure out what optimal metabolic function requires. What I discovered is that the human body is remarkably responsive to the right support, incredibly forgiving of past neglect, and designed to thrive when given what it truly needs.

The strategies in this book aren't theoretical concepts or abstract ideals. They're practical approaches that work in real-world situations for ordinary people facing health challenges.

The Journey We're About to Take Together

This book will guide you through the same transformation that changed my life, but adapted for your unique circumstances and goals. You'll discover why your health challenges might be more interconnected than you realize and how addressing the foundation can create improvements across multiple areas simultaneously.

We'll explore which foods to embrace because they actively promote optimal metabolic function, and which to avoid because they work against your health goals. You'll learn how movement becomes medicine when applied strategically, how stress management affects every aspect of metabolic health, and how modern technology can accelerate and sustain improvements that might otherwise take much longer to achieve.

Most importantly, you'll discover that optimal health isn't about perfection, deprivation, or dramatic lifestyle overhauls. It's about understanding what your body needs to function optimally and making choices that honor those needs consistently over time.

I’m Not a Medical Doctor

I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV (or in books). While I've spent decades managing my health and researching metabolic optimization, I'm sharing my personal experience and the strategies that worked for me, not providing medical advice.

Before making any changes to your diet, exercise routine, medications, or health management approach, consult with your doctor, endocrinologist, cardiologist, or other healthcare professionals who are familiar with your individual medical history and circumstances.

Your healthcare team should be your partners in any health transformation journey, and they can help you safely implement changes while monitoring your progress and adjusting medications as needed. Think of this book as a detailed conversation with someone who has been through the journey, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

The Health You Deserve

Whether you picked up this book because you're facing a health situation like I was, or because you want to feel better than you do right now, you're in the right place. The health you're dreaming of—the energy, vitality, and confidence that comes from knowing you're taking the best possible care of your body—isn't just achievable. It's waiting for you.

If you'd like to learn more about health optimization, visit my website at www.healthy-diabetes.com, where you can find blog posts, my podcast, and additional resources about my approach to continually improving my health.

Your transformation story starts when you turn the page. Your body is ready. The question is: Are you?

Let's discover what optimal metabolic health feels like, together.

Michael