In 2021, the American Diabetes Association ADA reported that 11.6% of Americans were living with diabetes, and 29.2% of Americans over the age of 65 were living with diabetes. Statistics like these continue to rise, and one local resident has dedicated her life to helping others seek treatment.
“My goal is to develop treatment plans that are guideline-directed but truly individualized,” says Dr. Ali Johns of Precision Diabetes & Endocrinology, “so each patient receives care that fits their body, their goals and their life.”
Dr. Johns provides a wide range of general endocrinology services: diabetes management, thyroid and thyroid cancer disease management, bone health care, menopause and perimenopause care, weight management and pituitary and adrenal condition management.
Dr. Johns attended college at Miami University before beginning medical school at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine. That’s where the native of Buffalo, New York, met her future husband, who was born and raised in Cincinnati.
“We ‘couples matched’ to University of Alabama at Birmingham for our residencies,” she points out. Then, the couple moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for fellowship at Wake Forest Baptist Health. Dr. Johns completed her fellowship in Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2022. Then, they settled in Cincinnati.
“I was drawn to medicine because it’s a field where you can use evidence-based knowledge, compassion, and problem solving…while helping patients navigate vulnerable moments,” she says. “Seeing patients’ progress and being with them along the way is extremely rewarding. Each patient brings a unique story, and understanding the underlying physiology allows me to help them make sense of what they are experiencing.”
Dr. Johns explains that endocrine conditions often require ongoing care and partnership, and that she enjoys being able to walk alongside patients on their journeys, celebrating their wins, empowering them with knowledge and helping them troubleshoot challenges.
“Endocrine conditions are often invisible to others but deeply impactful to each individual patient on a day-to-day basis,” she says. “There’s something incredibly meaningful about seeing a patient regain stability, confidence and quality of life.”
One common misconception about diabetes, she says, is that simply “fixing your diet” alone will “fix your diabetes.”
“While nutrition is incredibly important—and often one of the most powerful tools we have—it’s only one part of a much larger metabolic picture. Diabetes, especially type 2, is not simply a ‘food problem,’” she says. “Similarly, obesity is not just a matter of willpower or eating less. Both conditions are complex endocrine and metabolic disorders influenced by genetics, hormones, sleep, stress, physical activity and natural changes in the body over time.”
Healthy nutrition is certainly a cornerstone of healthy living, Dr. Johns points out, but it works best when paired with other evidence-based strategies like regular movement, restorative sleep, stress reduction and, when appropriate, medication.
“Understanding that diabetes is multi-factorial helps remove guilt and empowers people to approach their care with a comprehensive, realistic plan,” she says, “one that supports long-term metabolic health.”
Dr. Allison Johns, Precision Diabetes & Endocrinology | 9050 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati | 513.960.5360 | MyPrecisionEndo.com