New York, NY — As part of Diabetes Awareness Month,NYC Health + Hospitals shared the story of three patients who improved their diabetes through the Lifestyle Medicine Program. The interdisciplinary program provides patients with the tools to make healthy lifestyle changes, including one-on-one counseling, weekly group classes, and fresh produce deliveries. Adults living with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or health concerns related to excess weight are eligible to enroll.
Patient Samuel Rios first came to NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull in February feeling dizzy and faint and experiencing blurry vision. Doctors found that his blood sugar (A1C) levels were extremely high. After being discharged from the hospital, Rios enrolled in the Lifestyle Medicine Program at Woodhull Hospital, where he learned skills including healthy food substitutions, mindfulness, and chair exercises he could do with his limited mobility. After six months in the program, Rios improved his A1C levels from 11.3% to 5.7% and was able to discontinue insulin. He also lost 45 pounds. More information about Rios’ story is available here.
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“Joining the Lifestyle Medicine Program was the best decision I ever made,” said Samuel Rios, a patient of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. “Before this year, I knew I had diabetes and I had been hospitalized before for it. I tried changing my lifestyle habits on my own, and I almost didn’t make it. This program taught me so much about how to eat. I learned exercises I could do in my chair, and now I’m able to go for a walk every day. I sleep better, my stress levels are better, and I feel more confident.”
Patient Armando Perez Solis came to Woodhull Hospital to treat an infection and found out he had type 2 diabetes. His primary care doctor referred him to the Lifestyle Medicine Program, which he began in December. In the program, Solis learned how to prepare foods that are high in plant protein and low in saturated fats, like beans, lentils, and tofu. He began looking at nutrition labels on packaged foods, so he could choose products that are low in added sugar and sodium. He also learned the importance of a good night’s sleep for managing his stress, improving his energy, and making healthy choices, and he went from sleeping 4 hours a night to 6 hours a night. During his six months in the program, Solis was able to discontinue his diabetes medication and improve his A1C levels from 9.4% to 6.0%, putting his diabetes into remission. He also lost 30 pounds.
“The Lifestyle Medicine Program changed my life,” said Armando Perez Solis, a patient of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. “It’s difficult to change your habits, but they made it easier. At first, I didn’t think I could eat tofu. But I tried cooking it a few different ways, and now in the morning, instead of scrambled eggs, I make tofu with spinach. I used to be tired all the time, and now I feel happier, healthier, I have more energy, and I sleep better. This program gave me a second chance at living.”
Patient Davi Baez began the Lifestyle Medicine Program at Woodhull Hospital last November with multiple health issues including type 2 diabetes and severe asthma. She is also a cancer survivor. In the program, she learned skills including better sleep practices, new ways to prepare vegetables, and how to cook flavorful food without relying on high-sodium ingredients. After eight months in the program, she improved her A1C levels from 11.2% to 8.5% despite requiring several courses of prednisone, which can raise blood sugar, for her asthma. More information about Baez’s story is available here.
“The Lifestyle Medicine Program made it more reasonable to eat healthy. It even made it exciting,” said Davi Baez, a patient of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. “I love the program because of the camaraderie, the information, and all the questions we could ask. Now, I’m more active, and I’m able to breathe better. I wake up with more energy in the morning. This program gave me another chance at living again.”
Rios, Solis, and Baez are three of the over 3,000 patients who have participated in NYC Health + Hospitals’ Lifestyle Medicine Program since it first launched at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in 2019. Mayor Eric Adams championed the launch of the program in 2019 when he was the Brooklyn Borough President, and in the past year, his support expanded the program to six additional sites.
“At one point in my life, I was at risk of losing my vision, as well as my fingers and toes, because of diabetes, but a change to my lifestyle saved my life. So, this issue is not just professional to me, but deeply personal,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “The lifestyle changes I made — from changing my diet and starting to more regularly exercise — changed the course of my health, and in a few weeks, my nerve damage, vision loss, high blood pressure, and other symptoms all subsided. That’s when I realized it wasn’t my DNA, but my dinner that was the source of my ailments. I encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of our Lifestyle Medicine Program and the many other resources we offer to improve your health. With changes to our lifestyle, diabetes does not need to be a part of our destiny.”
“Food is an integral piece of an individual’s health. By centering fresh and nutritious food in its treatment of diabetes and other chronic and diet-related disease, the Lifestyle Medicine Program has demonstrated that improving nutrition can make tangible changes to people’s lives,” said Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Executive Director Kate MacKenzie. “We’re proud to see how the program has helped patients better access fruits and vegetables and develop healthier eating habits, enabling them to live long, happy lives.”
“Lifestyle medicine has remarkable potential to transform type 2 diabetes outcomes, including achieving remission in some cases,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Executive Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine Michelle McMacken, MD, FACP, DipABLM. “Our Lifestyle Medicine Programs empower patients to take charge of their health through evidence-based changes in nutrition, physical activity, sleep habits, and stress management, among others. We also address crucial social determinants of health, such as food insecurity. This approach not only improves blood sugar, but also reduces the risk of diabetes complications and may decrease medication burden. By treating key root causes of type 2 diabetes, we’re not just managing the disease—we’re giving our patients tools to reclaim their health and vitality.”
“Small changes make significant improvements in life,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull Medical Director of the Lifestyle Medicine
Program Gül Bahtiyar, MD, MPH, DipABOM. “We teamed up to support our patients to reach to their goals of having healthy lives, with those small changes.”
The six- to nine-month Lifestyle Medicine Program supports patients in making evidence-
based lifestyle changes, including a healthful plant-based diet, increased physical activity, improved sleep habits, stress reduction, avoidance of substance use, and stronger social
connections. Adults living with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or health concerns related to excess weight are eligible to enroll. The care team includes physicians, nurse practitioners, a certified nurse midwife (Woodhull location), a dietitian, a health coach, a program coordinator, a psychologist, community health workers, and an exercise trainer. The program is now available at seven sites and can serve approximately 4,000 patients each year. Current patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can get a referral to the program from their provider, and people who are not yet patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can see if they qualify to enroll in the program by contacting 347-507-3695.
