Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible? Insulin Resistance, Root Causes, and Simple Metabolic Shifts (Ep. 249)

In episode 249 of the Healthy Real Food podcast, host Erin interviews functional medicine practitioner Dr. Jason Shumard, who specializes in type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic health, particularly for women who feel stuck despite “doing everything right.” Dr. Shumard shares how his mother’s worsening diabetes and eventual death in 2021 led him to functional medicine and to helping patients normalize A1C and get off medications. He explains insulin resistance as a cellular problem (not just high blood sugar) and describes how repeated sugar and insulin spikes can shut down insulin receptors, driving cravings through effects on GLP-1 and leptin. They discuss early testing (A1C, fasting glucose, insulin, triglyceride/HDL ratio), why extreme restriction raises cortisol and slows metabolism, the benefits of real-food, balanced eating, and the importance of resistance training and sustainable, structured plans—especially with GLP-1 use.

00:00 Is Diabetes Reversible

01:38 Meet Dr Jason Shumard

03:24 His Story and Mission

08:18 What Insulin Resistance Is

12:12 Root Causes and Testing

14:32 Functional Medicine Explained

17:44 Early Signs and Lab Markers

20:19 Cravings GLP1 and Hunger

21:42 Real Food to Heal Cells

25:03 Why Eat Less Fails Women

27:55 Sustainable Weight Loss Plan

32:52 Muscle Mass and Strength

36:04 Never Too Late to Heal

39:45 Start With Your Why

43:24 Where to Find Dr Shumard

To learn more from Dr. Shumard, visit his website at www.drshumard.com

Ready to lose weight for the last time? Ready to Stop Starting Over?

If you’re tired of the dieting rollercoaster and want a clear, customized plan that actually works... let’s talk.

I offer free 1 hour coaching calls to help you break through what’s keeping you stuck, create a plan that fits your life and start seeing results you can actually sustain.

Click here to book your free call now: www.healthyrealfood.com

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

This is your year. Let’s make it happen...together.

Episode summary: In today's episode, Erin shares her recent ADD diagnosis at forty-two and what it revealed about her 100-pound weight gain in her twenties and thirties. She breaks down the science behind ADD, dopamine, and emotional eating, explains why this connection goes undiagnosed in so many women, and shares what has actually helped her and the hundreds of women she coaches.

Key takeaways:

• ADD looks completely different in women than in men. It often shows up as anxiety, perfectionism, emotional intensity, and inattentiveness rather than hyperactivity — which is why so many women are never diagnosed.
• ADD is a dopamine regulation issue, and the ADD brain is constantly searching for ways to raise dopamine. Food, especially sugar and processed carbohydrates, is one of the fastest available sources.
• Research shows adults with ADHD have 2.7 times higher odds of obesity and are 4.1 times more likely to have binge eating disorder compared to those without ADHD.
• Emotional eating is not a willpower problem. It is your brain seeking relief, soothing, and pleasure — and understanding that is the beginning of real change.
• Structure, real food, inner work, accountability, and joyful movement are the most powerful tools for breaking the dopamine-food cycle.

Resources and links mentioned:

• CHADD (National Resource on ADHD): www.chadd.org
• ADDitude Magazine — ADHD and Dopamine: www.additudemag.com/slideshows/adhd-obesity-link
• PubMed: ADHD and Obesity Scoping Review (2025): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40077657
• PubMed: ADHD and Overweight in Children, Meta-Analysis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36952326
• Join the NutriHabit app waitlist: www.healthyrealfood.com/nutrihabit

Ready for support? If this episode resonated with you, I would love to connect. Book a free strategy session with me at www.healthyrealfood.com/schedule/free-consult — we will talk about where you are, what has gotten in your way, and whether the NutriHabit coaching program is the right fit for you. Find out more at www.healthyrealfood.com.

Ready to lose weight for the last time? Ready to Stop Starting Over?

If you’re tired of the dieting rollercoaster and want a clear, customized plan that actually works... let’s talk.

I offer free 1 hour coaching calls to help you break through what’s keeping you stuck, create a plan that fits your life and start seeing results you can actually sustain.

Click here to book your free call now: www.healthyrealfood.com

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

This is your year. Let’s make it happen...together.

Nervous System Regulation for Emotional Eating: JD Tremblay on Discipline, Resilience & the “Double Breath”

Erin shares a candid moment from her Healthy Real Food Podcast interview with JD Tremblay where she feels off her game due to family stress, and JD teaches a nervous system regulation tool called the “double breath” (inhale to perceived full capacity, inhale again, hold, then release slowly) that quickly calms the body and can be done discreetly. JD, an integrated engineer, certified naturopath practitioner, ultra triathlete, and director at Hungry Warrior Academy, explains that discipline comes from following structure and systems, not perfection. He outlines the DECA framework—Discipline, Energy regulation, Capacity, Action—encouraging listeners to start with small “non-negotiables,” build quick wins, and avoid unrealistic comparisons. They discuss resilience through recovery, sleep, naps, meditation (minimum 12 minutes), and pattern recognition around eating behaviors.

00:00 Podcast Intro and Guest Tease

01:07 Meet JD Tremblay

03:07 JD Origin Story and Military Lessons

04:36 Double Breath Reset Demo

08:51 Resilience Through Discipline

09:50 DECA System Explained

14:52 Quick Wins and Taking Action

19:04 Recovery and Meditation Tools

21:05 Emotional Eating and Regulation

22:21 Pattern Awareness and Wrap Up

Ready to lose weight for the last time? Ready to Stop Starting Over?

If you’re tired of the dieting rollercoaster and want a clear, customized plan that actually works... let’s talk.

I offer free 1 hour coaching calls to help you break through what’s keeping you stuck, create a plan that fits your life and start seeing results you can actually sustain.

Click here to book your free call now: www.healthyrealfood.com

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

This is your year. Let’s make it happen...together.