What really causes Type 2 Diabetes. It's not just sugar - it's how often you eat! Insights from The Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung

Type 2 Diabetes isn’t a life sentence. It's a reversible, dietary disease—this is the powerful message Dr. Jason Fung shares in his groundbreaking book, The Diabetes Code.

If you’re like many of the women I coach, navigating peri-menopause, struggling with stubborn weight, or dealing with blood sugar swings, this book can feel like a breath of fresh air. It validates what so many of us have felt in our bones: that healing doesn’t come from another pill. It comes from addressing the root cause.

Dr. Fung is a Canadian nephrologist (a kidney specialist) who became frustrated with how conventional medicine treats Type 2 Diabetes: with more and more medication, while the actual disease continues to get worse. In The Diabetes Code, he flips that model on its head. He explains that insulin resistance—the hallmark of Type 2 Diabetes—is not a chronic, progressive condition. It’s a dietary disease, driven by too much insulin and too frequent eating. And that means it’s also reversible, through lifestyle—not drugs.

🧬 What Really Causes Type 2 Diabetes: It’s Not Just Sugar—It’s How Often You Eat

One of the most powerful takeaways from Dr. Fung’s book is this: Type 2 Diabetes is a disease of too much insulin, not just too much sugar. And what keeps insulin high all day long? Eating too often.

Most people assume they developed diabetes because they "ate too much sugar" or gained weight. But here’s what’s really going on: every time we eat, especially meals and snacks that are high in carbs, insulin rises. When this happens multiple times a day, over years, our cells stop responding to insulin. That’s insulin resistance.

Eating too often keeps insulin high all day

Think about a typical day: breakfast, a snack, lunch, a granola bar, dinner, and something sweet after. That’s 6–7 insulin spikes a day. Over time, the body is constantly told to store fat, never to burn it. Insulin levels remain high, and blood sugar eventually rises too. This is how Type 2 Diabetes develops—not overnight, but slowly and silently over years of chronic overfeeding and carb-dependence.

The body becomes stuck in storage mode. Fatigue, brain fog, cravings, and stubborn weight follow. Not because you failed, but because you were unknowingly following a system designed to keep insulin high.

💊 Why Medications Without Diet Change Make Things Worse

Here’s the hard truth that most people never hear: medications manage blood sugar, but they do not fix the root cause of Type 2 Diabetes—insulin resistance.

When your doctor gives you insulin or drugs like metformin, they’re essentially pushing blood sugar back into the cells. But if your cells are already resistant to insulin, that sugar doesn't go anywhere useful—it just gets stored as more fat. You might see a short-term improvement in blood sugar levels, but the disease itself continues to progress.

Even worse? Insulin therapy often leads to weight gain, which makes insulin resistance worse. Many people end up needing more medications over time, with more side effects, while their energy, mood, and health continue to decline.

Dr. Fung is crystal clear about this in The Diabetes Code: Type 2 Diabetes is not a medication deficiency. It is a disease of too much insulin, caused by the way we eat—and how often we eat. Continuing to eat the same way and layering medication on top of it is like bailing water from a leaking boat without fixing the hole.

🥑 How Dr. Jason Fung Treats Type 2 Diabetes Differently

Dr. Fung takes a radically different approach—one that I know works because I incorporated his work into my healing and the work I do with clients.

He focuses on lowering insulin naturally through:

• Intermittent or extended fasting, which gives the body a break from insulin production

• A low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) or ketogenic diet, which keeps insulin levels low and stable

At his clinic and through his Intensive Dietary Management (IDM) program, he has helped thousands of people reduce or eliminate their need for diabetes medications—all under careful medical supervision.

The goal isn’t just to lower blood sugar, but to restore insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and allow the body to finally burn stored fat for fuel.

This isn’t about starvation. It’s about strategic rest for your metabolism, paired with nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods like healthy fats, fatty fish, avocado, olives, bone broth, leafy greens, and eggs. These support healing rather than triggering more insulin resistance.

🌿 Fasting + Anti-Inflammatory Keto: A Healing Duo

In my own journey—and in my coaching of women navigating perimenopause, metabolic issues, and insulin resistance—I’ve seen how powerful it can be to combine fasting with an anti-inflammatory keto approach. This means:

• Giving the body windows of time to not eat, so it can focus on healing instead of digesting

• Eating in a way that keeps insulin low, using real, whole foods and avoiding processed carbs and seed oils

  
  

It’s not just about weight loss—it’s about reversing the underlying drivers of chronic fatigue, cravings, hormonal chaos, and inflammation.

And here’s the good news: when you stop spiking insulin constantly, your body remembers how to burn fat again. Blood sugar stabilises. Energy improves. Mental clarity returns. The body is incredibly smart — it knows how to heal when we stop interfering.

⚠️ Please Read: A Word of Caution

I am not a medical doctor, and I do not diagnose or cure diabetes. The information shared here is based on Dr. Jason Fung’s published work, clinical experience, and my own coaching knowledge.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes or take medication for blood sugar, blood pressure, or cholesterol, you must speak with your healthcare provider before making any changes. Fasting and keto can affect your need for medication, and you should never adjust doses without medical supervision.

That said, with the right guidance and support, I truly believe you can begin to reverse insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, and take real steps toward healing.

💬 Final Thoughts

The Diabetes Code is more than a book—it’s a wake-up call. It shows us that Type 2 Diabetes is not inevitable, and it’s not something you have to “manage” forever. You can change the trajectory of your health, starting with how you eat and when you eat.

If you’ve been told that your condition is chronic, that it will only get worse, and that you just have to “manage it”, please know that there is another way. And it’s not your fault, but you need the right strategy to support your body’s natural ability to heal.

🔥 Ready to Take Action? Join My 4-Week Fasting & Healing Program

If this blog lit a fire in you and you’re ready to stop managing symptoms and start healing from the inside out — I invite you to join my 4-Week Fasting & Healing Program.

Get healthy with Fasting & Healing

It’s specifically designed for women aged 35+, navigating insulin resistance, perimenopause, inflammation, and stubborn weight. Inside, you'll learn how to:

✅ Use therapeutic fasting safely and effectively

✅ Eat an anti-inflammatory, fat-burning keto diet

✅ Support your metabolism and hormones without extremes

✅ Break through cravings and carb-dependence

✅ Feel confident, calm, and back in control of your body again

This isn’t a quick fix. It’s a lifestyle reset with real science, deep support, and a no-nonsense approach that works.

Let’s help your body remember how to heal. You deserve that!!!