With a diverse background in nutrition and health, Franco’s journey is one of passion, dedication, and transformation.
Growing up in the border cities of El Paso and Juarez, Franco faced unique childhood struggles. These early challenges, while not defining his journey, instilled in him a profound empathy for others facing adversity.
Having worked as a clinical dietitian for different facilities and organizations in inpatient and outpatient settings, Franco’s commitment to health extends beyond his professional career. He actively engages in community health and wellness, facilitating group classes, offering tennis nutrition camps for the community youth, and sharing his expertise as a diabetes specialist with a wider audience.
I’m a Registered Dietitian and a Diabetes Specialist who helps people put their Type II diabetes into remission and restores their metabolic health…but I can’t help the “average” person because they don’t exist. I help real people, individually…one by one.
Being in the Army and exercising meant I was fit, and had excellent cardio fitness, consistently maintaining high scores on my Physical Fitness Tests.
But just below the surface, I was struggling.
Spending time in a combat zone resulted in exposure, stress, and injuries that took a toll on my body and my mental health.
I wasn’t sleeping well.
I’d injured my back during my service, so I was taking pain meds to get through the day. The pain pills made it feel like I was walking in a fog all day long.
And, when my doctors did blood tests, that’s exactly what they found, along with other metabolic-related conditions that included obstructive sleep apnea, hyperglycemia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, lower back and neck injuries, abnormal lipid levels, unresolved gastrointestinal issues, rapid weight gain, traumatic brain injuries, PTSD and other problems surfaced.
I was told that I needed to get my blood sugar under control, but they didn’t give me the tools to do it, so things kept getting worse.
My pain, poor sleep, stress, poor eating habits, and genetic factors caused my blood sugar to spike…then crash, leaving me exhausted.
It got so bad that one day, in the middle of the day, I couldn’t stay awake while I was driving. I had to pull over to the side of the road and go to sleep because I was unsafe behind the wheel.
So, I enrolled in classes leading to a Human Nutrition and Food Science degree with an emphasis on Sports Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. Then a dietetic internship, and eventually, I became a Registered Dietitian and then a Board Certified Diabetes Specialist.
Through all of that education and experience, here is the secret they don’t tell you.
But I wasn’t an average person, and neither are you.
Each of us processes food differently. Each of us has a unique metabolism. What spikes blood sugar in one person may not spike it in another.
When I was following the advice doctors give the average patient, I was only getting worse.
I started eating more high-quality protein with lots of high-fiber vegetables more often.
I cut out alcohol.
I started sleeping better.
And because I was controlling my blood sugar, I felt like working out again, and I started losing the extra pounds that had crept up on me that were mainly sitting around my waistline.
Since then, I’ve spent 28,000 hours over 12 years practicing as a registered dietitian. I’ve helped 100s of people get off their medications, restore their health, reclaim their lives, and put their prediabetes and diabetes into remission.
Now, I am offering my experience nationwide through my individualized, online Blood Glucose Optimization Mastery program.
You work directly with me to understand your own metabolism and blood sugars, find the foods that work for you, and get easy-to-follow meal plans. Within three months, my clients get their blood sugars under control, lower or get off their medications, stop suffering the side effects, and get their life back.
If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for one of our programs schedule an appointment or email me at Franco@vvleads.org for more information.
At Veterans’ Vanguard, our mission is to strengthen the health of individuals by optimizing blood sugar function for extended, high-quality, and functional lives. We offer a unique nutrition-focused approach, encompassing personalized transformation, whole-person well-being, and lifestyle integration with a special focus on veteran wellness.
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“This program has changed my life for the better. I not only learned how to eat to prevent diabetes, but the class helped me change my relationship with food. I learned a lot about keeping active and why it is necessary. Everything I do in regard to eating has changed. I feel like I have changed permanently.”
“This class had a great impact on my life, helping me change the way I eat to improve my
health and prevent diabetes.”
“This class has impacted my life by helping me be aware of what I put in my mouth , healthy
ways to cook, and identifying what foods make my blood sugar go up.1“
“I feel like all of our questions were satisfied. The supplement information on sleep, exercise, and food was great. I always felt like I was listened to and felt free to ask anything.“
“Great class! Great opportunity for those of us who fall through the insurance allowance gap.
Great knowledge from Dr. Lopez. The yearlong program helped with learning how to get back
on track when I fell back.”
“This is a great program. Franco is God Send! I was once told in the military if you can save
one life then you have success in your mission. I can tell you this class has saved 7 lives for a
prolonged life. Thank you very much! I cannot tell you how much this class has helped me.“