Yet very specific changes in lifestyle and diet can significantly reduce insulin levels in days to weeks, immediately reducing those disease risks.  The disembodied threat of disease is sometimes hard for people to get their arms around, but when patients can look at their lab results and see how their behavioral changes directly affect their blood chemistry, it hits home.

What happens to patients’ bodies on the inside as they lose weight is more important than the changes they get on the outside, but even at the best health clubs or peer support groups, they won’t have an opportunity to see that.

It’s inspiring to see how people embrace a fitness and weight-loss program when they have more than just a bathroom scale to tell them that it’s working.  Consistent and reliable guidance is essential because nobody goes from obese to healthy overnight.  It takes time.

But cancer takes time, too, so the race is on.  With the proper help, this is a race both men and women have great odds of winning.