How I Use AI to Manage My Pre-diabetes
Latest in my new series, "My Pre-diabetic Life" — forward this to someone in your life who needs it
🩺 My Pre-diabetic Life is a series chronicling my personal journey with pre-diabetes. This is possible thanks to our partnership with Arogya World, a global health nonprofit working to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—diabetes, heart disease, cancer and chronic lung diseases—through health education and lifestyle change. They have reached 30 million people, and are just getting started. Support them however you can!
Join my WhatsApp group, My Pre-diabetic Life (tips and things I learn on my journey and a chance to share yours. Low volume; lurkers welcome; leave anytime).
THAT PICTURE ISN’T AI! The image of me and the giant Nutella jar is a real photo, taken outside a duty-free shop in Dubai Airport. Before March of this year, I would have happily eaten right out of such a jar if I could. And I could eat, if I wanted to, an entire normal-sized jar in a sitting or two. That’s how much I love Nutella.
But something changed when I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic this spring. I resolved to do something about the only reversible diagnosis a 55-year-old man is likely to receive.
SREE’S NEW WORKSHOP, TAUGHT w/ Cristina DiGiacomo
This is a brand-new three-hour workshop (with two-hour follow-up) that I’m teaching with Cristina DiGiacomo, the AI philosopher you met in a Substack Live we did together. We are offering it via Zoom, in two identical sessions:
OPTION A: Thursday, June 18, 2026 (LIVE; recording-only version available)
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
OPTION B: Saturday, July 11, 2026 (LIVE; recording-only version available)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Followed by AI UPDATE/OFFICE HOURS (LIVE; recording-only version available)
Two months later, a chance to get updated on what’s new.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Noon-2 PM ET.
Options A and B are identical. Choose one. All attendees join the same Office Hours.
Learn more and reserve your spot. $20 off if you buy by June 13.
I am so grateful to everyone who responded to my first essay in this series, “My Pre-diabetic Life.” It’s been one of my most-read pieces of 2026 and the feedback has been amazing. So many of you wrote in to say you are worried about diabetes or have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic (someone joked that Indians are born pre-diabetic).
But it was Liz Kay’s comment that stood out the most. I thanked her for the comment, but really thanked her for getting her labs done:
In the weeks and months ahead, I am going send you what I learn about the world of diabetes and health. I will also share the knowledge, research and on-the-ground work of Arogya World and its dynamic founder, Nalini Saligram (including from an incredibly useful scientific symposium she hosted May 30 in the Bay Area; coming soon).
Today, I want to show you how I use AI to manage my pre-diabetes. Sure, I could have read a book or two on the topic (and I still might), but AI has turned out to be the most sure-fire way I can deal with the food I eat.
First, let me share the same disclaimer that Gemini does when you ask it medical advice:
Controlling your blood sugar is as much about when you eat something as what you eat. So in March, as I stared at a typical American conference breakfast in Chicago, I decided to enlist Gemini’s help. I shot a 12-second video of the scene before me, uploaded it to Gemini and asked it to tell me what I can eat.
Here’s the video:
Here’s the prompt I used:
I am pre-diabetic and want to control my sugar levels.
I need to know what I can eat from this.
Here’s the reply that came back:
A Quick Breakdown of Your Video
Since I can see the video right now, here is a quick, direct look at your options from those specific frames to save you some time:
🟢 Green Light (Go-To Choices)
Scrambled Eggs: Excellent. They are high in protein and healthy fats with virtually no carbs, making them the perfect anchor for your plate to keep your blood sugar stable.
Blackberries, Raspberries, and Blueberries: These are the MVP fruits for prediabetes. They are packed with fiber and antioxidants and have a much lower glycemic impact than other fruits.
Green Apple Slices: Higher in fiber and lower in sugar than red apples, making them a solid choice.
🟡 Yellow Light (Portion Control & Pairings)
Bacon: It won’t spike your blood sugar because it’s protein and fat, but keep an eye on it for heart-health reasons (sodium and saturated fat). *Note: Avoid the slices of bread underneath that are just there to soak up the grease!*
Watermelon, Pineapple, Papaya, and Cantaloupe: These are higher on the glycemic index. If you want them, keep the portions small and eat them *after* you eat your eggs so the protein slows down sugar absorption.
🔴 Red Light (Skip or Strictly Limit)
Muffins, Danishes, and Cinnamon Rolls: These are made with refined white flour and loaded with added sugars. They will cause a rapid spike and subsequent crash in your blood sugar.
Just like that, I felt a jolt of optimism. I suddenly had hope that I may be able to deal with my pre-diabetes. Taking photos or videos and getting some AI help is doable, especially when you’re on the road. Of course, I did talk to multiple people with diabetes and they confirmed the advice above, based on their years of experience.
You don’t always need photos of food to get advice, especially as you are more likely to be looking at menus.
So here’s what I did at the famed Peninsula Hotel Istanbul’s breakfast. I took a photo, uploaded it to Gemini and asked what I could eat.
Here’s the photo:
Here’s the prompt:
I am pre-diabetic. Tell me what I can eat from this.
Here’s the reply:
That is a beautiful setting for breakfast. The Peninsula’s menu has several excellent options that allow you to enjoy a high-quality meal while keeping your blood sugar in mind.
To manage your glucose levels effectively, the goal is to prioritize high-protein and fiber-rich dishes while avoiding the refined sugars and heavy starches found in the “Sweets” section or the “Bakery Basket.”
Top Recommendations
Çilbir (Turkish Poached Eggs): This is a fantastic choice. It features poached eggs and garlic yogurt with spicy olive oil. It is very high in protein and healthy fats with almost no carbohydrates, making it ideal for stability.
Menemen: This traditional Turkish dish of eggs, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and green peppers is nutrient-dense and high in fiber. Just be mindful of how much bread you use for dipping; enjoying it on its own or with a very small portion of sourdough is best.
Omelette (with Egg Whites or Whole Eggs): Choose the vegetable-forward fillings like spinach, tomato, and peppers. Adding smoked salmon or turkey ham will further boost the protein content to help slow digestion.
Smoked Salmon: Served with pickles and sour cream on whole-grain toast. The healthy fats from the salmon and the fiber in the whole-grain bread are much better for your glycemic response than white flour options.
Chicken & Shrimp Shumai: If you are leaning toward the Chinese Breakfast options, these are great protein-heavy bites.
Options to Approach with Caution
Avocado Toast / Chia-Avocado: While avocado is excellent for healthy fats, these often come on large slices of sourdough. If you order this, consider eating the topping and only half of the bread.
Green Juice: While it sounds healthy, juices can still cause a quick spike because the fiber has been removed. Stick to water, black coffee, or tea instead.
A Note on the “Turkish Breakfast”
The full Turkish Breakfast spread is legendary, but it typically includes honey, jams, and various pastries (Börek). If you order this, focus your attention on the olives, cheeses, eggs, and sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, while skipping the sweet spreads and the bread basket.
Would you like me to suggest some specific tea or coffee pairings from their beverage list that won’t impact your blood sugar?
This is just one way in which I use AI for my health and I will have more tips and tricks ahead — along with lots of things to watch out for.
Thank you for being on this journey with me. I want to hear YOUR tips, ideas and stories. Let’s do this together!
Join my WhatsApp group, My Pre-diabetic Life (tips and things I learn on my journey and a chance to share yours. Low volume, lurkers welcome, leave anytime).
— Sree / Twitter | IG | LinkedIn | FB | YouTube | Spread | TikTok
44% of 2026 is already over. What will you do with the remaining 56%? LMK and I’ll see you made it all the way down here.
Did you know I wrote my first health and tech story for the NYT in 1996? Read about it in this brochure about Digimentors & Health/Medical/Science:
Dear Sree, it’s fantastic that you are taking charge of your health and being mindful about what you eat.
Everything that AI tells you is common sense and I think you are smart enough not to need AI to tell you not to eat refined breads and processed sugars
My concern is that using AI also uses a high amount of energy and a lot of drinking water. For that reason, I avoid using it wherever I can. A modern day dilemma.