How Ricky dropped his post-meal blood sugar by 160 points while stopping metformin and still enjoying carbs!
If you have type 2 diabetes and feel like the only options you are given are more Metformin, more medications, and fewer carbs, this story will give you a different picture of what is possible.
One of our clients dropped his fasting blood sugar by 73 points and lowered his post meal blood sugar by 160 points. He did this while stopping all four of his Metformin pills and still enjoying carbohydrates.
In this type 2 diabetes case study I will walk you through exactly what we did inside The Pohlman Method to help him lower blood sugar naturally, improve insulin resistance, and feel better in his body without living in fear of food.
Who We Are And Our Root Cause Blood Sugar Approach For Type 2 Diabetes
I’m Isaac Pohlman, a registered dietitian, fellow person with type one diabetes, and the CEO of The Pohlman Institute. Our team helps clients all over the world:
• Balance blood sugar
• Lower A1C
• Improve insulin resistance
• Restore their health
All while still eating carbs and without relying only on medication. Our framework has three main phases.
Finding your sweet spots for carbs, movement, circadian rhythm, and lifestyle so you can see fast blood sugar improvements without feeling restricted.
Reviving your metabolism with personalized nutrition and realistic routines so you feel better while fasting and post meal numbers come down.
Achieve Carb freedom by addressing deeper issues like mineral overload or deficiencies, inflammation, and stress, often using targeted lab testing and simple, sustainable changes.
Ricky’s story is a great example of how this works in real life for someone with type 2 diabetes who wanted to lower blood sugar and come off Metformin while still enjoying carbs.
If you are ready to bring your blood sugar into a healthier range, rely less on medications, and feel better day to day, apply here to get support, guidance, and accountability from a team that truly understands blood sugar!
Type 2 Diabetes Starting Point Blood Sugar In The Two Hundreds And Recovering From A Heart Attack
When he first came to us, he had:
A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes
Fasting blood sugar in the low two hundreds, often around 280
Post meal blood sugar also around 280
Recent recovery from a heart attack and cardiac rehabilitation
He was already trying to do “all the right things” for his diabetes and heart health. He was:
Taking 3-4 Metformin pills per day
Walking and lifting weights
Taking magnesium
Using supplements including medicinal mushrooms
Even with that effort his blood sugar was still spiking high, especially in the morning and after meals. He wanted to get his fasting and post meal numbers closer to normal without depending on more medication and without cutting out carbs completely.
That is when we started applying the principles of The Pohlman Method.
Step One: Resetting Circadian Rhythm To Improve Insulin Resistance
One of the most overlooked tools for lowering blood sugar and reversing insulin resistance is circadian rhythm.
Your circadian rhythm is your body clock. It is regulated by light exposure and it controls hormones that have a huge impact on blood sugar, including:
Cortisol
Melatonin
Leptin
These hormones influence:
How insulin sensitive you are
How your body handles blood sugar when you are not eating
Whether your fasting blood sugar trends up or down
For our client we focused on a simple but powerful circadian rhythm reset. We had him:
Get outside and get natural sunlight in his eyes first thing in the morning
Spend short periods outdoors throughout the day
Reduce and block bright artificial light in the evening so his body could make melatonin
By doing this consistently he improved his hormone rhythm, which improved insulin sensitivity even before changing the foods he was eating. This helped lower fasting blood sugar and set the foundation for better post meal numbers.
Step Two: Walking More To Lower Blood Sugar With Type 2 Diabetes
He was already walking, but the walks were short and sporadic. Because he was recovering from a heart attack, we moved slowly and safely. Over time we built to:
Two to three walks per day
Preferably outside to combine light exposure with movement
Gentle, non stressful walking he could maintain daily
Walking is one of the best ways to lower blood sugar naturally with type 2 diabetes. It helps:
Muscles use more glucose from the bloodstream
Improve insulin sensitivity
Flatten post meal blood sugar spikes
For this client, adding regular, non intense walks after meals made a big difference in how his body tolerated carbs and how high his numbers went after eating.
Step Three: Protein Dense Meals And Nutrient Testing For Iron Overload
The third major change was in his nutrition.
We saw from his feedback and blood sugar trends that his body did very well with protein dense meals. These meals helped him:
Feel full and satisfied
Keep calories balanced
Support metabolism and lean mass
Examples of the proteins we used included:
Chicken, turkey, and beef
Salmon, shrimp, tilapia, and other seafood
Organ meats for added nutrient density
Iron Overload with Copper and Vitamin A Deficiencies
We also ran nutrient tests and found that he had iron overload. Excess iron can increase inflammation and insulin resistance, which makes it harder to lower blood sugar.
He was also low in the nutrients that helps his body use iron better, including vitamin A and copper (ceruloplasmin):
Based on those nutrient lab results, we:
Focused on foods rich in copper and vitamin A to help his body use iron more effectively
Supported his ability to mobilize and utilize stored iron instead of letting it drive inflammation
Coordinated with his doctor about a small number of therapeutic blood donations to reduce iron, with careful monitoring due to his cardiac history
This combination lowered inflammation and helped his body respond better to insulin, which further reduced his blood sugar levels.
Results Lower Fasting Blood Sugar, Lower Post Meal Blood Sugar, Off Metformin, Still Eating Carbs
After putting these strategies into practice, his numbers changed dramatically. He:
Dropped his fasting blood sugar by 73 points
Dropped his post meal blood sugar by 160 points
Stopped all four of his Metformin pills with his doctor’s guidance
Continued to eat carbohydrates and feel satisfied after meals
Just as important, he did not have to live on an extremely restrictive diet. Instead of focusing only on food rules, we focused on:
Circadian rhythm and light exposure
Consistent, realistic walking
Protein dense meals and targeted nutrient work
Addressing iron overload and inflammation
By looking beyond food alone, he was able to improve blood sugar, support his heart health, and still enjoy the way he eats.
What This Type 2 Diabetes Case Study Means For You
If you have type 2 diabetes and you are:
Seeing fasting blood sugar in the two hundreds
Experiencing big post meal spikes
Taking Metformin or other blood sugar medications
Worried that the only answer is more pills and fewer carbs
this case study shows that there are other options.
Working with your medical team, you can:
Improve insulin sensitivity with circadian rhythm practices
Use walking and movement to lower blood sugar naturally
Build protein rich meals that keep you full and support your metabolism
Use nutrient testing to uncover issues like iron overload that drive insulin resistance
You do not have to choose between eating carbs and having better blood sugar. The key is addressing the root causes behind your insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalance.
Ready To Work On Your Own Blood Sugar Story
At The Pohlman Institute we help clients with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance:
Lower fasting and post meal blood sugar
Improve A1C and lab markers
Reduce medication burden when appropriate with their doctor
Feel better in their day to day lives while still eating carbs
If you are ready to bring your blood sugar into a healthier range, rely less on medications, and feel better day to day, apply here to get support, guidance, and accountability from a team that truly understands blood sugar!
