Reversing Insulin Resistance & Type 2 Diabetes with Ancestral Eating | Back to Human Health
Reversing Insulin Resistance & Type 2 Diabetes with Ancestral Eating | Back to Human Health
The Metabolic Crisis We Can’t Ignore
Learn how ancestral eating and lifestyle can reverse insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes naturally. Discover expert insights from Jordan Peterson, Dr. Benjamin Bikman, and clinical research proving diet is more powerful than medication.
Insulin resistance is now recognized as one of the most widespread and dangerous metabolic disorders of our time. Dr. Benjamin Bikman calls it “the most common metabolic defect in the developed world and the root soil from which heart disease, Alzheimer’s, infertility, and cancer grow”.
Jordan Peterson summed it up bluntly:
“The fundamental problem with America’s health is an abundance of carbohydrates… Insulin resistance arises as a consequence of too much carbohydrate intake, and then we see a cascade of catastrophic health effects—type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, depression, and anxiety.”
This isn’t just about one disease. Insulin resistance is upstream of almost everything we fear as we age.
Type 2 Diabetes: The Cost of Doing Nothing
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a late-stage manifestation of insulin resistance, and its toll is staggering:
282,000+ deaths annually involve diabetes as a primary or contributing factor.
154,000 amputations per year—a limb is lost every 1.5 minutes in the U.S.
24,000 people go blind annually due to diabetic retinopathy.
50% of all kidney failure patients are diabetic.
Heart attack and stroke risk doubles to quadruples in diabetics.
The financial toll? Over $413 billion annually, with diabetic patients paying 2.3x higher medical costs than those without the disease.
And the trajectory is grim. <5% of metformin users ever achieve full remission, while 70–80% progressively worsen, eventually requiring insulin injections or newer drugs like GLP-1 agonists. As Bikman notes:
“We have a glucose-centric paradigm… Physicians may never even measure insulin. They push glucose down with drugs—even drugs that raise insulin further—and the result? Patients get fatter and die faster.”
The Good News: T2D Is Reversible
Peterson called out the failure of our “management-first” system:
“Medications treat branches of the problem… but the root is diet and lifestyle. No medication can solve that—it only masks symptoms.”
Dr. Bikman adds:
“Something as easily reversible as type 2 diabetes is treated as irreversible… because conventional means don’t solve the problem. Type 2 diabetes is absolutely reversible—if you lower insulin by eating fewer carbs.”
The science backs this up:
Virta Health (2022): 60% of patients reversed T2D in one year using a low-carb, whole-food approach.
DiRECT Trial (UK, 2018): 46% reversal within six months on a <30g carb/day diet.
Fasting (Dr. Jason Fung): >90% reversal in compliant patients within 3–6 months.
Why Ancestral Eating Works Where Modern Diets Fail
Modern eating habits—three high-carb meals plus snacks, loaded with refined grains, seed oils, and sugars—keep insulin elevated around the clock. This constant exposure eventually makes cells resistant to insulin’s signal, forcing the pancreas to work harder until it can’t keep up.
In contrast, ancestral eating patterns naturally lower insulin levels and restore metabolic flexibility—our ability to burn both carbs and fat efficiently.
Key Features of Ancestral Living That Reverse Insulin Resistance
Prioritizing Animal Protein
Grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, pastured eggs, and organ meats provide all essential amino acids in optimal ratios, supporting muscle mass (critical for longevity and glucose regulation). As covered in our previous blog Animal vs. Plant Protein: Why Animal Protein Wins for Longevity, protein-rich meals increase satiety and stabilize blood sugar.Choosing Natural Fats Over Industrial Seed Oils
Healthy fats like ghee, tallow, and butter don’t spike insulin and provide essential fat-soluble nutrients. For a full breakdown of why these fats beat seed oils, see The Ancestral Advantage: Eating the Way Nature Intended.Eliminating Refined Carbs & Ultra-Processed Foods
By removing processed grains, sugars, and seed oils, ancestral eating halts the constant insulin spikes driving metabolic damage.Embracing Natural Eating Rhythms (Fasting & Feasting)
Our ancestors didn’t eat six times a day. Incorporating periods of fasting or simply avoiding late-night snacking reduces insulin exposure and triggers beneficial processes like autophagy (cell repair).Including Seasonal, Low-Toxin Plant Foods
Properly prepared vegetables and seasonal fruit (in moderation) add fiber and micronutrients without overwhelming the system with anti-nutrients or excessive sugar.
The Neurological & Hormonal Benefits
Insulin resistance doesn’t just affect blood sugar—it impacts brain health and hormones. Alzheimer’s is now often called “type 3 diabetes.” Bikman referenced research where ketogenic diets helped cognitive function:
“Switching Alzheimer’s patients to a ketogenic diet improved cognition within hours—they could tie their shoes again, draw a clock again.”
Ketones—the byproduct of fat metabolism—are a cleaner fuel for the brain and can bypass the glucose-blocking effects of insulin resistance.
Ancestral Living Is a Lifestyle, Not a Temporary Fix
Reversing T2D or insulin resistance isn’t about temporary dieting; it’s about returning to how humans evolved to eat and live:
Eat nutrient-dense, real food: animal protein, healthy fats, seasonal plants.
Move naturally: strength training and walking daily improve insulin sensitivity.
Prioritize recovery: sleep, stress management, and sun exposure are as crucial as diet.
Peterson and Bikman agree that these changes don’t just normalize lab results—they improve energy, mental clarity, and overall quality of life.
Bottom Line
Standard medications produce <5% remission, while ancestral-style diets reverse T2D in up to 90% of compliant patients.
Insulin resistance is not just about sugar—it’s a whole-body metabolic dysfunction, and ancestral living is the simplest, most effective way to fix it.
For deeper dives into how ancestral eating works, see our previous blogs:
As Dr. Bikman said:
“The food we eat is either the culprit or the cure.”
References & Resources
1. Gary Brecka
Focus: Methylation, longevity, detox (seed oils, toxins).
YouTube: @GaryBrecka
Website: The Ultimate Human
2. Dr. Eric Berg
Focus: Keto, fasting, seed oil dangers, holistic health.
YouTube: @DrEricBergDC
Website: DrBerg.com
3. Dr. Shawn Baker
Focus: Carnivore diet, athletic performance, ancestral health.
YouTube: @SBakerMD
Website: Shawn-Baker.com
4. Dr. Paul Saladino
Focus: Animal-based diet, plant toxins, regenerative health.
YouTube: @paulsaladinomd
Website: CarnivoreMD
5. Dr. Ken Berry
Focus: Real food, debunking dietary myths, seed oils.
YouTube: @KenDBerryMD
Website: KenDBerryMD.com
6. Dave Asprey
Focus: Biohacking, Bulletproof diet, seed oil elimination.
YouTube: @DaveAsprey
Website: DaveAsprey.com
7. Andrew Huberman
Focus: Neuroscience, diet-brain connection, longevity.
YouTube: @hubermanlab
Website: HubermanLab.com
8. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Focus: Muscle-centric medicine, protein, metabolic health.
YouTube: @DrGabrielleLyon
Website: DrGabrielleLyon.com
9. Dr. Mindy Pelz
Focus: Women’s health, fasting, detox from processed foods.
YouTube: @drmindypelz
Website: DrMindyPelz.com
10. Dr. Catherine Shanahan
Focus: Seed oils, deep nutrition, traditional fats.
YouTube: (Search for interviews)
Website: DrCate.com
11. Dr. Anthony Chaffee
Focus: Carnivore diet, plant toxins, evolutionary health.
YouTube: @anthonychaffeemd
Website: TheCarnivoreBar
12. Dr. Bill Schindler
Focus: Ancestral diets, fermentation, reducing antinutrients.
YouTube: @drbillschindler
Website: EatLikeAHuman.com
