tavis: first up tonight, a look at one of the most talked-about new books on nutrition and health. it is called "the blood sugar solution. beenark hyman's ideas have impressed by millions of americans, including bill clinton. also tonight, grammy-winning singer macy gray is here. her new album features cover songs from radiohead to nina simone. glad you could join us. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it is the cornerstone we all know. it is not just a street or a boulevard, but the place where

walmart stands together with your community to make every day better. >> the california endowment. help happens in neighborhoods. learn more. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> dr. mark hyman is a family physician and best-selling author, whose latest text is one of the most talked-about books on the subject of health and weight loss. it is called "the blood sugar solution -- the alta health the program for losing weight and

feeling great now." the book sits atop "the new york times" best-selling lists at number 1. what you make of the fact that this country is so obsessed with weight loss? i say weight loss as opposed to dieting. obsessed with weight loss, as evidenced by the fact these books continue to sell. what you make of that fascination? >> we are in trouble. one in two americans has diabetes or pre diabetes. one in 2 you will medicare dollars are spent on diabetes. i think people are interested in finding a solution, but the government is not providing it. that is why i try to create a coherent solution. tavis: howdy juxtaposed our fascination with the subject matter, but the level of obesity and diabetes.

how can we be so obsessed with the -- >> and not be successful? we are not getting the right information. we are told we should keep this way or that way. everybody gives up and is confused. there is an emerging science of nutrition that shows you how to turn on the right genes that make you los weight and prevent diabetes, and the work better than any medication out there. we have to learn to apply it consistently. it is about creating a system that works based on emerging science. tavis: there are two things i am hearing -- that this is science and that this is individualistic. one size does not fit all. your genes are not my genes. >> everybody is different. the future of medicine is personalized medicine. it allows us to customize prescriptions based on individual genetics. the reality is that 95% of

chronic disease is caused by the environment interacting with our genes, creating a we are. that is something we have control over. we ate ourselves into this program. we have to eat ourselves out. we are finding food is one of the biggest regulators of our genes. if we put in the right food, we can create health. if we put in the wrong food, we will get wrong information. we can upgrade our biological software and turn off the obesity genes, turn off the heart disease and cancer. tavis: it is as simple as what you eat? >> it is environmental toxins, stress, and exercise. but the biggest driver is our diet. 150 pounds of sugar per person every year. we cannot live on that. we would not feed our dogs we feed our kids -- french fries and soda and burgers. yet we expect to create a healthy generation. tavis: 150 pounds per year per

person? >> liquid calories. the average 20 ounce soda has 17 teaspoons of sugar. ketchup is the number one vegetable. you think your dipping it in tomatoes. you are actually dipping in sugar. tavis: tell me about the premise behind "the blood sugar solution." >> the science of functional medicine. that is the opposite of dysfunctional medicine, which is what a lot of us get. it is dealing with root causes of illness, not just symptoms. we give medications like statins. you cannot just take a pill and eat hamburgers and expected to work. diets unchanged with medications do not work well. staunton's increase diabetes risks by 45% in women. avandia was responsible for almost 200,000 deaths from heart disease, the very disease we are trying to stop.

we have to treat the cause, not just put hills on different bills and hope for the best. -- pills on different ills and hope for the best. tavis: suggesting this prevents disease is not hyperbole? >> the dives -- diabetes prevention trial fund you could reduce progression by 58% by this intervention. not even as good as intervention as this. it worked better than any medication. in europe, the found that in one week, using aggressive diet changes, you can reduce blood sugar numbers in advance diabetics. in 12 weeks, they could get their pancreas to wake up, the liver to heal, and the numbers to go to normal. we know this. people who have gastric bypass -- they are morbidly obese. two weeks later, they do not have diabetes. what happened?

they are still fat. food is information. it is not just diabetes. you put the wrong information in, you are going to turn on the wrong genes. in as little as two weeks, you can see dramatic changes in the numbers. you can get a gastric bypass without the pain of surgery, vomiting, and malnutrition. tavis: a person picks up the new book, "the blood sugar solution." what do they go in the text to find what the program is? this is a nice-sized book. we all want to find the sweet spot, no pun intended. >> the very clear action plan -- it is two weeks of preparation and six weeks of the plan. essentially, you prepare yourself. you get your numbers. you have to know your weight, your waist size, your blood pressure, your blood sugar numbers. a special test doctors are not doing -- 90% of people with

diabetes andnot know they have it. it affects one out of every two americans. you have to get tested. then you have to get ready. there is a six week action plan that includes exercise tips, supplement tips, what you need to support your metabolism, how to deal with environmental toxins. there are specific clauses that allow it to figure out your imbalances and how to fix those. together, it is foolproof health. it is easy to follow. we implemented this in march. we used 15,000 people in subtle but church. they lost a quarter of a million pounds. it was by implementing these ideas in a large community, working together. tavis: red warren, the pastor of the church -- i know him. not a bad place to go. bill clinton is on the cover, saying, "i hope the book will inspire you as he has inspired

me." pretty bold and supporting the work, in part because you help him. how important is it when there is somebody of his stature, we all see on tevision? one day, he is a little overweight. at chelsea's wedding, he is the picture of health. we know he had heart problems. >> he is critical to show the world that you can, at any age, changer biology and reverse disease. it is extraordinary to show that food is more powerful than any other intervention. angioplasties do not work for 95% of the people who have them. food is more powerful than any lever such as surgery or medication. president clinton showed how effective it is. he looks fabulous now. tavis: what would you say the balance is between food and exercise? >> i would say it is 80/20 third. tavis: i am glad you said that. >> chicken have cheeseburgers and a soda and it will take you

4 miles a day for a week to burn them off. you cannot exercise your way out of a bad diet. tavis: we live in a society where i think the market approach -- the approach that the market takes to people is the other way around. we promote exercise, exercise, exercise. >> nobody is against exercise. people sell more shoes. nobody loses. if people stop drinking soda, we know that liquid calories -- if you have a soda a day as a kid, your risk of being obese is increased 60%. your risk of diabetes is increased 70% if you are a woman who has a can of soda a day. you cannot say that because there is a large food industry. the health-care industry and food industry are 1/3 of our economy. the profit from people being sick and fat. we need to do something like occupy health care or create a wellness spring.

we need to take back health in our workplaces and faith communities. tavis: it is not just the food people who make the money. the health-care industry makes a lot of money. you have just could take the food industry. what is health care not doing? >> i was sitting on the plane with a guy who markets hospitals. he said if you could reduce hospital admissions and prescriptions in half, and angioplasties and procedures for diabetics in half -- would that be a good thing? he was like, "we are going to go bankrupt. we have small margins. we need to put heads in beds." we are marketing to patients through all these surreptitious techniques. that is perverse. we have to change the reimbursement system in our health care plan so you incentivize people to do the right thing. tavis: i started going through the book. you see my calves here. >> to actually read it. tavis: i went straight to the

program. with all due respect, this diet plan for six weeks -- isn't anybody in the hood who can do that. the most of these people in our country are black and brown. they are stuck in these food deserts' where they do not have access to anything healthy. you want them to eat, with all respect, polenta and tofu. i cannot even pronounced this. what is this? >> gogi berry. >> i have never heard of that. it is not in my neighborhood. how do we get people to find the resources? >> there are ways to make it called truly relevant. you are right african-americans have twice the diabetes rate of everybody else. tomorrow, i am going to meet with andrew young in atlanta about how we bring this to african-american churches in the south, programs that are culturally relevant. this program can be modified. we had poor latino women

modifying the recipes. it is hard to get food into desert. i am working with groups bringing food into neighborhoods. we are working at all different levels, and community levels, the ethical levels, and church levels. it has to be a complete, integrated solution, a society taking back health. tavis: i am glad to hear that. the book is called "the blood sugar solution," written by dr. mark hyman. up next, a grammy winner macy gray. stay with us. please welcome macy gray. the grammy winner is back with a disk of cover sides, titled "cove."

-- "covered." here is some of the recording session for the song "bubbly." now been a way for a while you got me feeling like a little child i see your face in a scary place wherever i go i always know please stay for a while ♪ tavis: what did not make the project? a little birdie told me that prince was on the list for a cover and it did not quite make it. what were you playing with experts -- with? >> "pop life." it did not work out right. i respect him so much, whatever i did could not live up. everybody else liked it.

tavis: but you did not. how'd you know when you pick something that might work? what is it about a song, for you, that makes you want to cover it? >> usually, the lyrics. because i still think people, you know, gravitate toward the lyrics first. usually it is the lyrics. if i feel like it is something i can translate properly, or something that is personal to me, then i feel like i can pull it off, because i will fill it while i am sending it. tavis: -- feel it while i am singing it. tavis: you have to be able to pull it off and give it your treatment. is there a song you have been dying to cover your whole career? what is on here that you really wanted to do? >> i wanted to do "signed, sealed, delivered" by stevie

wonder. but it is not on there. you cannot do that. tavis: is there something on here that did make it? [laughter] that you really wanted to do? >> the first song when there was "creep" by radiohead. we have been doing that on tour for a couple of years. that was easy. we did that in two hours. a metallic a cover on there, one of the best written songs i have ever heard. we made it a soul ballad. tavis: you said one of the best written songs you have ever heard. what makes it for you a great song? what makes it a great song for you? >> just, like, when you hear this song and you never forget it. you hear if the first time, and it makes you stop. it always has something original, something different to say. there are a million songs about i love you.

people are always tried to come up with ways to say i love you. you can have a great song where the lyrics are really stupid. i guess it is what hits you, really. tavis: i have never thought that nina simone has gotten the respect she deserves. >> me neither. tavis: why did you decide to do one of her pieces? >> we did eight matchup. we used the music for "buck" under kanye west. it is cool, though. tavis: i never know what is true and what is not true, so i will tell you what i heard. i read somewhere that you wanted to do a cover -- an album of covers earlier in your career, but i guess your management or record label did not want you to do it so soon. >> right. tavis: worry so interested even

earlier than now? >> it is just something, switching around other people's songs. it is fun. we had all these covers in the show. it was a natural thing for me to get them recorded. i guess cover records have kind of a stigma within the industry. i do not think people who are in the industry really put much into it. they felt like usually covers are for when you get much older, like tony bennett does covers, or rod stewart. anyway, they did not want me to have that in my life. leica was 80. tavis: like you were out of gas. but i love tommy bennett. he can cover anything. he does a lot of duets. >> he is awesome. i think he should do the covers you want to whenever your ready. tavis: you still enjoy doing the

live tour stuff? >> i love it. it is one of my favorite things. one of my very things. tavis: why is it one of your favorite things to be on the road so much? >> it is something i am attracted to. i love being on stage, making music. you know? it is great for narcissism to hear other people screaming out your name. and i have seen the whole world, you know? not the whole world, but we have been a lot of places i never thought i would go. it is a blast. i would recommend it to anybody. tavis: is music what you thought you would do? >> no. i was going to be -- when i was little in ohio, every kid was going to be a doctor. that is the biggest thing you can be in ohio. half of my childhood i was going

to be a doctor. that is what my mother told me. then i was going to be a fire woman. and i wanted to be a choreographer. then i wanted to be a cartoon -- have voice overs on cartoons. but this whole time i was taking piano lessons, so i was learning music the whole time. tavis: 90 to figure of that music was really your calling? -- when did you figure out that music was really your calling? >> after college, my late 20's. i was a late bloomer. my boyfriend had a band and i joined the band and started singing. i do not know what that was. tavis: kind of happenstance? >> yes. it was addictive for me. tavis: no artists succeeds, no musical artists succeeds, if they do not find a following of fans who love their voice.

i am not naive, but there are some artists whose voice is so essential to their success. they have this sound, and the minute you hear them you know exactly who it is. you have one of those voices. the minute you hear it, you know it is macy gray. how much has the raspy sound of your voice -- how much of that has influence your success, the sound of your voice? >> it is everything, you know? i have some great songs, but i think my voice kind of gets people's attention, you know? it sets me apart. i do not sound like a lot of other people. it has been everything. my voice is definitely a big presence for me. it is not like i can even take credit for it. it is my vocal chords.

it definitely seems like it was meant to be, you know? tavis: are you going to tour? are you already touring for this one? >> we are going out this summer, going all over the world, all over the states. tavis: you like performing in europe? >> i love europe. i have a lot of fans there. it is cool to see the world. you learn so much. every time we go, we see different things. i have friends i will see. i love traveling. tavis: is there a difference between how you are received in, say, europe, and here? i ask that because many of the jazz greats, you know, love traveling in europe. there were regarded in a certain way. are you received any differently there? >> massively. tavis: what ways? >> i have a lot more fans there. that is it, really. way more than i have here.

tavis: what you think accounts for that? i have had fascinating conversations with jazz artists about what they think accounts for their falling in europe. what you think for yours? >> i know that in europe they have -- they get more music. here, you turn on a station and you hear the same stuff. tavis: same songs all the time. >> in europe, if they go to the record store, they still have record stores. they have a french music section and an african section and a rock section. you know what i mean? and latin section. there is just more access, and every section is packed with people. i think they hear more. so i think if anything is a little different or not the usual thing, they are used to -- the kind of grow up listening to that already, so it means more to them, i think. tavis: before i let you go, are

you going to do any more acting? i was flipping channels yesterday and saw "training day" for the 18,000 time. >> 2000. tavis: you got any more acting projects on the docket? >> we just did a movie with lee daniels called "paperboy." that includes nicole kidman. it is cool. tavis: and macy gray. >> that is me. what did the just physicians say? -- jazz musicians say? tavis: >> i have heard from talking to many of them there is an openness to it, and respect for the music. the have the respect and regard for guess is a in a way that -- they have a respect and regard for jazz music in a way we do not. jazz is the one art form that we

gave the world. we, as an african americans and this country. jazz has been such a wonderful ambassador for us. you have this music. people fight about everything thousand world. put on a record -- >> everybody is cool. tavis: you make that happen, so i thank you. the new project is called "covered." it is a collection of wonderful covers, with great collaborators as well. kanye west and others. >> edris elbow. tavis: the actor. good to see you. thanks for watching, and keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, a visit tavissmiley@pbs.org.

tavis: join us for a conversation on poverty made visible. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it is the cornerstone we all know. it is not just a street, but a place where walmart stands together with your community to make everyday better. >> the california endowment. health happens in neighborhoods. learn more. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more