Hey everyone. Welcome to the Mastering Diabetes Audio Experience. Today, we're talking about one of the toughest real-life challenges, cravings, emotional eating, and staying consistent for the long haul. I'm joined by Dr. Matthew Letterman, a lifestyle medicine

physician of nearly 20 years and a trainer in nonviolent communication. We dig into why

willpower isn't the answer, how to identify the needs your late night snacking is trying to meet,

and simple ways to make this lifestyle doable for life. You'll hear a practical reframe for emotional eating that removes the

guilt and adds intention, how to design routines that make consistency almost automatic, why connection,

safety, and purpose can measurably improve metabolic markers. If you've ever meal prepped a week

of great food and still found yourself in the drive-through. This episode is for you.

Before we get started, I'd like to tell you a bit more about Dr. Matt Letterman. He's a board-certified

internal medicine physician and pioneering thought leader in whole person health, Renowned for his integration of plant-based

nutrition, nonviolent communication, trauma-informed care, and lifestyle medicine, Dr. Letterman's work

emphasizes the profound link between emotional regulation, safety physiology, and physical healing.

As a certified nonviolent communication trainer through the Center for Nonviolent Communication,

also known as CNVC, Dr. Letterman combines polyvagal theory, pain, reprocessing, and somatic awareness principles to help

patients and clients resolve chronic stress patterns, restore emotional resilience, and reconnect

with what matters most. His approach is rooted in the science of how the nervous system heals when it shifts

into states of connection and safety. Many of the clients Dr. Letterman works with are living

with health challenges that conventional medicine often struggles to resolve, including chronic

pain, tinnitus, fatigue, gut disorders, autoimmune

conditions, insomnia, and anxiety. He finds deep meaning in guiding these individuals beyond the

cycle of frustration and symptom chasing into a process where the nervous system feels safe enough to support repair

and resilience. Dr. Letterman is co-author of six books, including the New York Times bestseller

The Forks Over Knives Plan and was featured in the acclaimed documentary Forksover Knives.

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