Man, 56, Is Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. 6 Months Later, His Blood Work Comes Back ‘Normal’ After Picking Up 1 Habit (Exclusive)

YOU NEED TO KNOW

• NYC teacher Pedro Soto was feeling sick when he decided to go to the doctor

• After some tests, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

• He does not want to take medication and explains the habit he adopted to significantly improve his diagnosis

Pedro Soto had a sore throat and went to the doctor, thinking he had a viral infection.

But when his doctor did a blood test, he found something else. In April 2024, the 56-year-old Manhattan school teacher said she had been “officially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.”

His doctor recommended medication to control the condition, but Soto was determined to make a lifestyle change first.

“I chose not to start medication immediately after receiving the news,” she told PEOPLE. “Instead, I decided to exercise, run twice a week, and improve my nutrition.”

It turned out that running would change his life.

Inspired by a colleague whose wife runs a marathon, Soto applied to the TCS NYC Marathon with an application designed specifically for teachers. He had to share an article in which he talked about his diagnosis and was eventually selected for the team.

While she was establishing and improving her running habit, she continued to undergo blood test screenings and measure her results.

“I check my blood test every three months and [it] It made a huge difference,” he says. “After three months, it was like I was back to normal. “My blood sugar level was normal, close to the prediabetic level, but normal.”

Although type 2 diabetes (a chronic condition in which the body does not respond properly to insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels) cannot be cured, to be reversible per head Yale School of Medicine.

The marathon took place in New York on November 2, 2025. Soto wasn’t able to start training regularly until early August because he was diagnosed with Lyme disease in June. Soto’s father also passed away around this time.

Still, he used his runs as opportunities to work on his feelings and emotions and regain his strength after the illness.

“I was mourning and the way I mourned [is] “By running and taking quality time to think about it,” he shares. “I was running to confront my feelings, my thoughts, and to make peace with myself and my father. It was no coincidence that I had to run and train at that time. “It was something that helped me a lot to process my loss.”

Although she didn’t know exactly what to expect from the race, she did her research by watching YouTube videos and reading.

“It was amazing to me. It looks like a block party, but the block party covers the whole city,” he says. “You’re going to feel some pain during the race. You’re trying for hours, the same ligaments, the same joints, the same bones and muscles.”

“Something will start to feel painful, but the noise of people outside, the music, the chants, everything is louder than your pain,” he adds.

Another thing that moved him forward was the motivation of his students.

“The last six miles are when your mind starts sabotaging you: Why are you doing this? You can stop whenever you want,” he recalls. “I was thinking about my students.”

Soto notes that he works in the transfer program with a “very specific population of students” who do not succeed in rural school systems.

“We bring them back to school using alternative approaches, pedagogy and engagement activities. They’ve been through a lot,” he continues. “Each of them is here for a reason, not just one reason, but multiple reasons. I’ve thought many times, if my students can feel the pain they feel when they come to school, I can do that too.”

“I think I feel pain all the time, I feel tired. I’m hit by fatigue right now, but they can do it. They do it every day. I can do it for another hour or two,” he says. “These students were my inspiration to keep going. I know how hard it is for them… and yet they come to school and do their best. I can do this.”

The average age of its students is 17, with a few as young as 19 or 20. In addition to her motivation to run the race, Soto shares that her students were also a motivating factor for her to take control of her health.

“If I’m in a better place, that’s going to affect my students for the better. If I’m sick and I’m missing classes, if I’m not feeling well, I’m tired; that’s going to affect my teaching in the classroom, my relationship with the students, and ultimately my quality as a teacher,” she tells PEOPLE.

“Teachers sometimes burn out because they cannot balance their lives. This TCS marathon was a great opportunity for me to balance my life,” he continues. “Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself or put yourself first. This was a great opportunity to do that.”

Read the original article People