Ep. 11: The Truth About "Reversing" Type 2 Diabetes

You've probably heard that type 2 diabetes is "reversible."

Maybe you've even been promised that if you lose weight, cut carbs, exercise enough, or follow the right diet, you can make your diabetes disappear.

But what if we've been using the wrong word?

In this episode of Simplifying Diabetes, I'm breaking down the truth about diabetes, remission, and what actually happens inside your body long before you're diagnosed.

I'll explain how insulin resistance can develop for years—or even decades—before a diabetes diagnosis, what happens to insulin-producing beta cells over time, and why having normal blood sugars doesn't necessarily mean your diabetes has been "cured."

We'll also talk about diabetes remission: what it actually means, how it's defined, why remission is possible for some people but isn't guaranteed, and why achieving remission can be much harder than social media makes it look.

I'll also share why I want to normalize something we don't talk about enough: sometimes lifestyle changes aren't enough, and medication is an important—and completely valid—part of diabetes management.

In this episode, we'll cover:

Why your diabetes didn't suddenly begin the day you were diagnosed

What insulin resistance has to do with the development of type 2 diabetes

What happens to your pancreas and insulin-producing beta cells over time

The difference between improving your blood sugar, remission, and "reversal"