Food at Work: A Reflection on Diet and Health

Food is always a topic of conversation, and work is no exception. Recently, I found myself reflecting on this while a work with my patients, all of whom were diabetics. The youngest among them was a 46-year-old woman. That meant they were all living with type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes.  

We know that diabetes is directly linked to endocrine dysfunction, particularly when the pancreas struggles to produce enough insulin to meet the body's demands. In cases of type 2 diabetes, this dysfunction is often the result of dietary choices and lifestyle factors. In other words, what we eat or, perhaps more accurately, what we are fed, plays a major role in our health outcomes.  

Living in a consumer-driven society, many of us find comfort in food. Unfortunately, the cheapest and most accessible foods are often those with the lowest nutritional value and the highest potential for harm. Capitalism thrives on supply and demand, and the food industry is no exception. 

Producers ensure that there is always more than enough of what people crave. The problem? The body does not work the same way—it cannot endlessly produce insulin to keep up with excessive sugar intake.  

I am reminded of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly around March 18th, 2020, when stores were stripped bare, everything from groceries to toilet paper had vanished overnight. I remember telling a friend, "Just wait a week, and you'll see the shelves restocked beyond demand." Sure enough, I was right. The market is designed to ensure constant overproduction, whether it’s toilet paper or processed food.  

The food industry operates in a similar way. People are encouraged to eat and eat and eat, until they are sick. And that’s why I feel the need to talk about food today. Food can be medicine, but it can also be poison. 

It always bothers me to walk into a diabetic patient's room and see them feasting on pancakes drenched in syrup, bacon, coffee, and a banana—only to receive a tray of rice and other high-carb foods just a few hours later. It’s frustrating because I know how much diet affects their condition, yet the system continues to serve meals that worsen their health. To do my part, I just educate. 

My educated advice? Eat Mindfully.  

->Choose vegetables, lean proteins, and low-glycemic carbohydrates like quinoa over processed starches.  

->Avoid fruit juices—they are nothing but sugar water with chemicals that most people don’t even understand.  

->Remember this simple rule: If it doesn’t rot, it’s not real food.  

Not everything labeled as food is good for you. As always, I remain your favorite clinician and pal,  

God bless you 

Ronnie Law