More than half of Americans are currently living with one or more serious, preventable, chronic diseases. These rates are expected to increase significantly over the next two decades. In this episode of Life Effects, host Sara Ivry talks to Gabriel Cortez, a San Francisco-based educator and poet who is one of many young people actively working against the rise of Type 2 diabetes in his community. Dr. Mercedes Carnathon, Vice Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University, also joins the conversation. Together, they look at Type 2 diabetes from multiple angles, including Gabriel’s first-hand experience watching the chronic disease infiltrate his family and the broader role that social determinants (culture, socio-economic status, stress, stigmas, etc.) play in who develops the disease and how it’s managed. The individual(s) who have written and created the content in and whose images appear in the articles, profiles, podcasts and videos from the Life Effects program may have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions.  This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. All content on the Life Effects website is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen. NPS-US-NP-00369 NOVEMBER 2018 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices