LIVE with The Famous Dr AL and Jodi Velazquez

Jodi Velazquez: Managing Diabetes with Vintage Nutrition

Guest:

Jodi Martini Velazquez, author of Know the Enemy: Preventing Weight Gain, Diabetes, and Disease

Overview:

In this enlightening episode, Dr. Allen Lycka welcomes nonfiction author Jodi Velazquez, who shares her remarkable journey navigating her daughter’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis at just 19 months old. Jodi draws on personal experience, decades of observation, and a return to classic, health-conscious habits she calls “vintage nutrition.” Through mindful eating, consistent routines, and a return to movement, Jodi helped stabilize her daughter’s health—and now teaches others to do the same.

The Diagnosis That Changed Everything

Jodi recounts the fear and confusion following her toddler's diagnosis. Unable to communicate symptoms, her daughter relied on Jodi's constant monitoring of food, activity, and glucose levels. This trial-and-error process eventually led Jodi to key discoveries about the modern diet—and the value of going back to basics.

Vintage Nutrition: A Return to Sanity

Inspired by her own childhood in the 70s and 80s, Jodi embraced whole foods, structured meals, and physical activity as pillars of her daughter’s diabetes management. She contrasts this with today’s fast food culture and sedentary habits, stressing the importance of consistency, portion control, and natural movement.

The Four Key Acts

Jodi outlines her easy-to-remember formula for managing health:

• A: Avoid high sugar and bad fats
• B: Be active
• C: Consistency in food and lifestyle
• T: Timing of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

These pillars helped stabilize her daughter's glucose levels and provide a roadmap for others seeking balance.

Overcoming Fear, Embracing Faith

A near-death car accident in her youth gave Jodi an early sense of purpose. That perspective helped her face the fear and responsibility of parenting a diabetic child. Through it all, she found strength in faith, determination, and the belief that joy and healing go hand-in-hand.

Finding Fun in the Everyday

Whether turning post-doctor visits into lunch dates or compiling 45 non-tech activities in her book’s final chapter, Jodi emphasizes the power of fun and joy in healing. Her daughter, now a thriving 26-year-old filmmaker, is a testament to this holistic, loving approach.

Home Cooking, Gardens, and Gnocchi

A self-proclaimed vegetable junkie, Jodi hosts cooking parties and teaches friends to make healthy, homemade dishes. Her influence even inspired neighbors to start gardens—proof that good health can be contagious in the best way.

Closing Wisdom

Jodi shares a simple philosophy: Keep moving forward and find the fun along the way. She urges listeners not to forget themselves in caregiving and stresses the value of self-care, even if it’s just a quiet glass of wine at the end of a tough day.

Get the Book

Know the Enemy: Preventing Weight Gain, Diabetes, and Disease is available at Amazon and Ingram. Learn more at www.jodivelazquez.com

Connect with Dr. Lycka

Visit www.drallenlycka.com and sign up for weekly Golden Pearls of wisdom to help you live a fantastic life.

Short Bio: Jodi Martini Velazquez is a non-fiction author from Pittsburgh, PA, who graduated from Robert Morris University with a bachelor’s degree in communications management. She is a wife and mom of two daughters and a dog named Scooby. Jodi has written a memoir/self-help book on how she successfully helped her young daughter with diabetes management by incorporating vintage nutrition and lifestyle habits.

Social Media:

Twitter (X): @Jodi_Velazquez

LinkedIn : Jodi Velazquez

FaceBook : https://www.facebook.com/jodi.velazquez.5

Instagram: @JodiVelazquez