"We're wired to change the world," remarks Dr. Topher Fox as he discusses best practices for reversing and preventing type 2 diabetes. Like many doctors who work in endocrinology and diabetes care, considering his patients' daily routines and habits is significant to their outcomes. He includes more than just traditional medical frameworks, adding in research-based behavior-changing measures.

Listen and learn

• His thoughts on hypothyroidism medication, such as a T4 or a combined T3 and T4 approach;
• Why he thinks prediabetics and type 2 diabetic patients are underserved and what he's doing about it, and
• Examples of effective methods for coaching endocrinology diabetes patients through behaviors conducive to healthy results.

Christopher (Topher) R. Fox is an endocrinologist, diabetes and obesity specialist practicing in Superior, Colorado, at the Alpine Center. He spends the whole of his practice as a clinician with an extremely patient-focused approach, which is clear as he discusses traditional medicine's faults and successes as it addresses the human endocrine system. 

He mentions some of the toughest issues in thyroid treatments, especially the subset of patients who get their numbers in line yet still struggle with unexplained symptoms. He reviews his reasoning for trying medicinal combinations, such as a T3-T4 combination, or why he might turn to further tests to find an alternate cause.

He also directs the conversation where he's put a lot of his energy: it struck him how often patients answer that they "don't eat as well or exercise as much as they should." Instead of ignoring this, he's brought his full attention to motivational issues as an endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism impact factor. "In general, willpower always falls short," he says.

He's done something about this in his practice and developed coaching programs and a closely-monitored twelve-week approach for patients. These methods integrate activities like their "be a hero" framework and "intention setting," which are proven practices to increase certain behaviors. Listen in for more about these methods, researchers he suggests reviewing, and successful stories of past patients.

For more about his practice, see thealpinecenter.com and drtopherfox.com.

Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK