Book Reveals How to Manage Pre-Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes Without Drugs, Weight Loss

After 16 years of research and clinical testing, a School of Medicine diabetes expert has authored a book detailing how people with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes can manage their condition without the need for weight loss, insulin, medication or supplements.

UVA’s Daniel J. Cox, PhD, not only created the GEM program, he has used it successfully to manage his own type 2 diabetes – putting the disease in remission for the past 15 years. The program, Glucose Everyday Matters (GEM), teaches users to listen to their bodies, understand the consequences of their food choices and use exercise strategically to regulate their blood sugar.

Cox says the goal is to provide people with a practical alternative to medication that does not require dieting or deprivation. “I wanted to give patients, and myself, a way to directly and immediately control blood sugar,” he said. “All other approaches indirectly control blood sugar by increasing insulin production, assisting sugar to exit the body through urine or reducing insulin resistance.”

Type 2 Diabetes Epidemic

More than 600 million people around the world have pre-diabetes, and 530 million have type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body becomes unable to regulate blood sugar. This can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, dementia and many other serious medical conditions. Type 2 diabetes typically affects people over age 45 but is increasingly striking children, teenagers and young adults. Many people must use medication or insulin injections to manage the disease.

In his new book, “A GEM for Your Pre- or Type 2 Diabetes,” Cox lays out his alternative. The program emphasizes how small choices, such as food selection, ultimately have a big impact on blood-sugar levels. But it also emphasizes flexibility: If someone craves a sugary treat, they can have a small piece, but they may need to take a walk after to keep it from spiking their blood sugar.

In addition to controlling blood sugar, the GEM program can have far-reaching health benefits, Cox says. It can help cut down on cravings, reduce fatigue and help prevent energy crashes. It can boost motivation, confidence and emotional well-being. And it can help build smart habits that support long-term wellness.

Many users find they lose weight without really trying. “People learn that they are in control of their blood sugar, not a victim of it, and learn that while focusing on controlling the blood sugar, they are getting healthier and more fit in the process,” said Cox, part of UVA Health’s Center for Diabetes Technology. “I’m always juiced after talking to people in the program, hearing how empowered they felt and [how they were] surprised to learn high blood sugar depends on what they choose to do.”

Clinically Tested

The approach has been tested in multiple clinical trials, and the vast majority of participants have benefited greatly, Cox noted. It does not work for everyone, but it can be life-changing for many.

“This book is for those people who want to take charge of their diabetes and feel empowered in the process. This book is also beneficial for significant others who live, eat and exercise with the person with diabetes,” Cox said. “My goal is to translate our years and millions of dollars of research findings into real-world benefits for those millions managing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.”

Cox’s book is now available at Amazon in an electronic format, for $2.99, and in print as well.

To keep up with the latest medical research news from UVA’s School of Medicine and UVA’s Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, bookmark the Making of Medicine blog.