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Taking charge of his well-being. Randy Jackson<\/strong><\/a> made a pledge to live a healthier lifestyle after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2002.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a curse to be saddled with a disease that\u2019s life-threatening and that you can\u2019t completely get rid of, though you can certainly manage it,\u201d the former American Idol<\/em> judge<\/a> wrote in his 2008 book, Body With Soul<\/em>. \u201cBut it\u2019s a blessing to get that huge wake-up call. After that day in the ER, when my doctor burst the bubble I\u2019d been living in, I couldn\u2019t lie to myself anymore. Right then and there, I began my journey toward better health.\u201d<\/p>\n Jackson, who weighed 350 pounds at the time of his diagnosis, underwent gastric bypass surgery<\/a> in 2003, a procedure that reduces the size of the stomach and reroutes part of the digestive system so less food is absorbed. Since having surgery, the bass player has maintained a 100-pound weight loss, but it wasn\u2019t always easy.<\/p>\n In 2008, he told WebMD<\/em> about the temptations he faced returning to American Idol<\/em> <\/a>after the procedure. \u201cAfter the show, everybody hangs out and eats and drinks. There are all kinds of sandwiches plus chips, cheeses, cookies, cakes, candy, beer, wine,\u201d he said. Despite the abundance of junk food on set, Jackson shared that the other Idol judges were a source of positive encouragement. \u201cSimon [Cowell]<\/strong><\/a> is always saying, \u2018We are ordering lunch, bring Randy a Dunkin\u2019 Donut and 12 milkshakes.\u2019 We joke about it, but they are also very supportive.\u201d<\/p>\n The record producer isn\u2019t one to completely cut out certain foods \u2014 he opts for moderation instead. \u201cNever say, \u2018I will never have another piece of chocolate\u2019 because it won\u2019t happen. And as soon as you say never, there is a binge coming,\u201d he told WebMD<\/em>, adding that he sates his sweet tooth with the occasional chocolate with frozen yogurt.<\/p>\n After getting his health on track<\/a>, the Journey bassist wanted to help others do the same. He founded Unify Health Labs in 2019 to do just that. In a blog post on the Unify Health Labs website, Jackson said his celebrity status gave him access to health specialists that others might not get to meet.<\/p>\n \u201cI was able to talk with top health experts: physicians, nutritionists, fitness experts<\/a>, biologists, and more,\u201d the session musician wrote. \u201cThey helped me a lot on my journey. And I wanted to share this expertise and information with as many people as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Jackson added, \u201cIve truly been blessed by life, but, next to my children, getting healthy was the best thing that ever happened to me.\u201d<\/p>\n