Podcast Spotlight: The Diabetes Doctor

Little moments on the path to 50 take your health from being at the bottom of your priority list to the top.

One of those moments came with the death of Phife Dawg (born Malik Taylor), a founding member of a Tribe Called Quest.

It was April 2016 when complications from Type 2 diabetes took a hip hop legend from Queens, New York, where I'm from, to an early death.

Phife was 45.

Around five years later, in June 2021, the legendary Biz Markie (born Marcel Theo Hall) died from complications related to Type 2 diabetes. This is after several years of fighting this chronic disease quietly outside the public's eye.

Biz Markie was 57.

My mother and brother are both living with Type 2 diabetes. They have taken insulin for years.

When it comes to stories, podcasts, and news related to diabetes, I listen and pay close attention. You need to pay close attention too.

A recent episode (September 8, 2025) of The Diary of A CEO with Steven Bartlett featuring Dr. Andrew Koutnik (andrewkoutnik.com), known as "The Diabetes Doctor" seized my attention.

Koutnik has spent over 15 years studying Type 1 diabetes and metabolic health. His inspiration and passion arise from living with Type 1 diabetes.

The first 30 minutes of the episode were spent sharing his personal journey and the hard facts, such as:

• 68% of Americans are obese based on a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.
• High and poorly controlled blood sugar levels afflict tens of millions.
• Limited control over constant food cravings and hunger.

What Happens Inside Your Body After Just One Orange

Koutnik wears a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) device. He used his device to show us in real-time what happens to his glucose levels beginning less than 10 minutes after eating one orange.

Steadily, as we watch his glucose level climbs from ~105 to a high of 280. This rise is visible to us and takes place in a span of 20 minutes.

Just as quickly, a little more than 30 minutes after eating an orange, his glucose levels reverse completely and drop from 280 to 58. It's that massive reversal and drop that explains the overwhelming sleepiness you feel soon after lunch.

The sluggishness that sends you running to the nearest coffee machine for the caffeine kick needed to keep going. The visual alone makes something you have experienced again and again, more understandable.

How an Epilepsy Treatment Became Today's Primary Diet

During the period when his glucose levels rose and fell, Koutnik delivers the entire history of the keto diet.

The origins of the ketogenic diet date back to the 1920s. Initially, doctors were looking at fasting, which was commonly used back then as part of the treatment for epilepsy, and locked in on the "ketosis state" caused by fasting.

In time, they discovered that a similar state of ketosis could result from the tight restriction of carbs in the diet without complete fasting.

Given the constant talk around diets in the world we live in today, many of you will have heard plenty about the benefits of fasting and the keto diet.

What's new?

A study debunking the myth that athletes cannot reach peak performance if they remove carbs from their diet close to an event.

Koutnik goes deep on explaining how they benchmarked an athlete's performance on their regular regimen, then spent four weeks converting the same athlete to a keto diet before having them measured on the same athletic tests.

The result was no drop off in performance when their bodies were allowed the four week period of adjustment. Obviously, peak athletic performance isn't a genuine concern for 98 percent of those over age 50.

Keto vs Convenience: The Reason Most Diets Fail With Men

Koutnik excels at highlighting the benefits of the keto diet. But it still remains an extremely tough sell.

Most men have flirted with fasting, especially intermittent fasting, at various times. We're far and away more likely to attempt periods of fasting over any diet.

Why fasting over dieting?

All diets require the same combination to succeed.

• Planning
• Shopping (constantly)
• Preparing
• Cooking

Married, single or divorced, any man with a job and kids doesn't have the time needed for all that regularly.

The result is you fail at your diet.

The episode wrapped with him offering several practical tips for staying healthy.

• Think of food as medicine. Obsess over what you eat and drink.
• Exercise consistently. He suggested aiming for five times a week.
• Make sure that you get adequate sleep regularly.
• Adopt the keto diet. It helps you gain control over constant hunger.

What Two 91-Year-Olds Can Teach Us About Healthy Living

Exercise is a crucial part of staying fit, lean, and strong. Its role in avoiding chronic disease is less clear. The two oldest individuals I know are both 91 years old.

One is my aunt, and the other is my brother's godmother.

Neither of them ever held a gym membership, and possibly never saw the inside of a gym once in their lives. They never surrendered to the exercise craze.

They never dieted. Both have been steadfast Christians their entire lives and have had times when they fasted during the season of Lent. Still you should consider that something they did sporadically at best.

What did they do?

• They ate well and seldom consumed fast food.
• They resisted overeating and excessive snacking.
• They stayed away from soda and sugary drinks.
• They avoided drinking alcohol.
• They remained lean without exercise and maintained a healthy weight.
• They consistently went for their annual physical exams.
• They rested and slept well over their lifetimes.

For those over 50 who aren't currently diabetic or prediabetic – start there.

Master the essentials before you explore intermittent fasting and 24- and 48-hour fasting regimens.

Master the building blocks before you try your hand at the ketogenic diet, or any other diet for that matter.

Lastly, before committing to a gym membership and beating yourself up for not making it to the gym four times a week, buy a good pair of walking shoes and walk 30 minutes per day.

It will do wonders. ■