Our Story
Deedra Paulette, a Washington D.C. native, entered the health and wellness industry as a yoga and meditation instructor after learning she had degenerative arthritis in her spine. Because she had been an athlete from an early age, she was not surprised her sports injuries were becoming evident. In her high school years, she majored in dance at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in D.C., and had always loved to dance and exercise. She was unaware of her nutritional deficiencies and their impact on her health and resilience. Deedra's father instilled in their family the importance of a healthy eating lifestyle. But unfortunately, Deedra's mother became aware she had cancer at age 59, and died shortly afterward.
Sorrow plummeted Deedra into unrealized depression. Not long afterwards, Deedra experienced loss of sight in one eye during a stress episode. She thought to herself, "Isn't that a sign of a stroke?" While driving to work the next day, something told her to drive to the Washington Hospital Center Emergency Room. Within minutes, the emergency room staff went to work addressing her condition and she was omitted into the hospital immediately. After several days of medical tests, Deedra was diagnosed with schematic-like stroke. Deedra believed her grief and stress caused her health to decline. Deedra pondered, "If grief and stress can cause your health to decline, can joy and balance cause your health to improve?" A conscientious love for healing arts and modalities had awakened. Her brother reminded her, she tried to heal his knee with her hands after he suffered a kneel injury playing football at Anacostia High School as a teenager. Her sister and brother lovingly considered her eccentric and dramatic. What gave her the notion for healing?
In 2015, she began formal studies at the Heartmath Institute, earning a resilience coach certificate. She explored the links between breathing patterns, the autonomic nervous system, and managing chronic stress. These techniques proved insightful helping people manage stress episodes. As a public-school classroom instructor, Deedra infused these social emotional self-regulation techniques into her teaching style to help students learn.
In 2019, Deedra's friend of thirteen years revealed he was suffering from type 2 diabetes. He said he was "done fighting" the disease and he "was ready to die." Deedra wanted to help her dear friend but did not know how. She went into deep meditation and prayer and was led to a Ted Talk by Dr. Sarah Hallberg, internationally recognized leader in nutritional management of type 2 diabetes. Deedra Paulette developed a wellness program based on Dr. Hallberg's recommendations that lowered her friend’s glucose level below 4.9. That friend was nationally recognized sculpture and stained-glass artist extraordinaire, Rudolphus Thorpe, Jr. Rudolphus and Deedra Paulette fell in love and married in 2019. Deedra Paulette credits Rudolphus as the seed for My A1C is Great, Inc.
In 2024, Deedra developed a customized program that helped a kidney dialysis patient temporarily eliminate the need for type 2 diabetes medicines; ultimately, the patient became well enough to receive a kidney transplant in 2024. Later that year, Deedra established the non-profit company, My A1C is Great Inc., dedicated to helping individuals and communities achieve and maintain healthy glucose levels by forming new healthy habits and letting go of harmful ones. My A1C is Great uses principles of neuroscience and motivational coaching to custom design strategies to help clients achieve their A1C goals. My A1C is Great focuses on five domains of support - Health and Wellness, Continuous Learning, Community Connection, Time Management, and Money Management.
