It seems paradoxical, but while type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the body has virtually no insulin, type 2 diabetes is actually a disease of too much insulin. How is this possible? The key is insulin resistance.
How Insulin Normally Works
The job of insulin is to work like a key that opens the door for sugar and amino acids to move out of the bloodstream and into the body’s cells, where they can be used for energy and metabolism.
What Happens With Insulin Resistance
When insulin resistance develops, insulin no longer works properly. Sugar and amino acids remain stuck in the bloodstream instead of entering cells. This signals the pancreas to put out more and more insulin, trying to overcome the resistance — and the result is chronically high insulin levels.
Why This Matters
The problem with high insulin is that insulin is lipogenic — meaning it promotes the production of body fat. Chronically elevated insulin contributes to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and even cancer risk.
The Key Takeaway
Because both carbohydrates and protein raise insulin levels, the key to controlling this cycle lies in modifying both dietary carbs and protein — not just cutting carbs alone, as many popular diets suggest.
For more tips on natural health, download the free eBook Health Secrets at peacediet.org.
About Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH
Dr. Terry Shintani is a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, named a Living Treasure of Hawai’i and recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence. He is the creator of the Peace Diet and the landmark Waianae Diet — published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and cited over 137 times — and the author of 16 books on natural health and nutrition, drawing on more than 35 years of clinical practice in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Learn more about Dr. Shintani’s work and recognition: NLM Native Voices
- Insulin Resistance and Hyperinsulinemia in Type 2 Diabetes → Insulin Resistance — StatPearls/PubMed
- Insulin’s Role in Lipogenesis and Fat Storage → Insulin Signalling Mechanisms for Triacylglycerol Storage — PubMed
- Dietary Protein, Carbohydrate, and Insulin Secretion → Effects of Dietary Protein on Glucose Homeostasis — PubMed