Why "Manage" Your Diabetes When You Can Cure It?

I'm sure by now we all know have that Jardiance jingle stuck in our head: "I've got Type 2 Diabetes and I manage it well..." In today’s world, diabetes management has become almost synonymous with a lifelong dependence on medication. Expensive drugs like Jardiance and Ozempic are commonly prescribed to help regulate blood sugar, but they also bring their own set of side effects, from nausea and fatigue to more severe issues like pancreatitis and kidney damage. When you consider the toll these drugs take on your body, it begs the question: why simply manage diabetes when there’s a real possibility to reverse it?

Here, we’ll explore the downsides of relying on medication alone, the flawed dietary advice that’s all too common, and why lifestyle adjustments—like strength training and a low-carb diet—offer a pathway to genuine improvement and, in many cases, remission.

The Side Effects of Relying on Drugs Like Ozempic

Ozempic and similar drugs (GLP-1 receptor agonists) are often the first line of treatment for type 2 diabetes. While they can be effective in controlling blood sugar levels, they can also have serious and uncomfortable side effects:

• Muscle Loss: GLP-1 medications reduce appetite, so you end up eating less- including protein, which is key for maintaining muscle mass. Most people already do not get nearly enough protein in their diet, so reducing caloric intake worsens this deficiency. Further, the rapid weight loss experienced while on these drugs typically indicates loss of muscle, not bodyfat.

• Gastrointestinal Distress: Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common, especially when doses are increased. These issues not only disrupt daily life but can also lead to dehydration and nutrient deficiencies.

• Risk of Pancreatitis and Gallbladder Issues: Ozempic has been linked to inflammation in the pancreas and gallstones, which can be dangerous and require medical intervention.

• Kidney Problems: Chronic dehydration due to side effects can lead to kidney damage, particularly concerning for people with diabetes, who are already at risk for kidney disease.

• A False Sense of Security: Reliance on medication can give you the impression that your problem has been solved, and that you can continue to eat junk food (see the ADA recommendations below) and not exercise. But of course, the root cause of the disorder- inability to metabolize carbohydrate- has not been addressed.

Medication dependence means your diabetes is controlled but never cured. Over time, you might find yourself facing increased dosages, compounded side effects, and additional health complications. But what if managing diabetes was only half the story?

The Misguided Advice to Continue Consuming Carbohydrates

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that people with diabetes consume a “balanced” diet, often including 45-65% of calories from carbohydrates. But here’s the problem: carbohydrates are the one macronutrient that people with diabetes can no longer metabolize. Recommending carbs to someone whose body can’t process them efficiently is like telling someone with a peanut allergy to keep peanuts in their diet.

When you eat carbohydrates, they convert into glucose, which spikes blood sugar. For diabetics, this means an endless cycle of blood sugar highs and lows, requiring constant medication adjustments to balance. A high-carb diet creates an avoidable burden on the body and masks the potential benefits of adopting a low-carb diet.

Strength Training and Low-Carb: A Cure, Not Just Management

For many, strength training and a low-carb diet offer a sustainable, effective alternative that addresses the root cause of diabetes—insulin resistance.

• Strength Training Improves Insulin Sensitivity: Resistance training increases muscle mass, which is metabolically active tissue that helps regulate blood sugar. With regular strength training, muscles become more effective at taking up glucose, reducing the need for high insulin levels and enhancing insulin sensitivity. And of course, our body's largest storage depot of glucose is skeletal muscle, so emptying it out once or twice per week with proper exercise like the TimeSaver Strength program is key to glucose management.

• Low-Carb Diet Reduces Blood Sugar Spikes: By cutting down on carbs, you avoid the rapid blood sugar fluctuations that drive the need for medication. In a low-carb diet, your body shifts to using fats as its primary energy source, stabilizing blood sugar and reducing dependency on insulin.

• Hormone Health and Muscle Preservation: A low-carb diet coupled with strength training helps preserve lean muscle mass, which is crucial for hormone health, especially in those over 40. Maintaining muscle not only aids in metabolic health but also reduces inflammation, a factor associated with both diabetes and its complications.

Breaking Free from the "Manage It" Mindset

The goal shouldn't be lifelong management. By addressing insulin resistance directly, strength training and a low-carb diet empower people to reduce or even eliminate their dependence on medications. Although medication can play a role in diabetes management, it’s not the only option—and, in many cases, it’s not the best one. And the sensible, sustainable lifestyle changes I discuss here don't just reverse diabetes- they improve all other aspects of health: better sleep, improved body composition, disease resistance, reduced joint and lower back pain, lower blood pressure, relief from depression and anxiety, and the list goes on. GLP-1 drugs cost thousands of dollars per month and offer none of these benefits, yet threaten the adverse side effects listed above.

Final Thoughts

If you’re ready to consider a different approach, begin with small changes: lower your carb intake and integrate strength training into your weekly routine. Real change starts with the realization that managing diabetes is just one path. The other path—one that includes lifestyle shifts—offers a route to possibly curing it, reclaiming health, and leaving medication reliance in the past.

A Relevant Testimonial

One of my clients from Lowell- Lily- was struggling with weight loss and had been on a couple of GLP-1 meds without success. I suggested she try my program, and we started working together over zoom. She sent me the following message a few months ago: "Just go back from my 6-month checkup with my Endocrinologist and she told me that I have officially reversed my diabetes. She also said I have been her only patient to reverse diabetes with diet and exercise! Thank you, Steve, for helping me reach this milestone!!!

Most people are confused about how to get in shape. At TimeSaver Strength, I've created a simple, super-efficient program that condenses an entire week of workouts into just a few minutes so you won't waste time doing things that don't work. Schedule a free consult with me now!