Newly Diagnosed: Information Overload

Dr Jedha, Host

Hello wonderful people, Dr Jedha here and welcome to today’s episode where we’re covering a topic that so many people struggle with: Information Overload.

If you’ve ever searched online for advice about managing your type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, you’ve probably been bombarded with all kinds of conflicting information—what to eat, what to avoid, what exercises to do, which supplements to take. It’s exhausting, right? And after a while, you can start to feel stuck, frustrated, and certainly very  confused, wondering which advice is actually worth following.

You’re not alone in this. Meagan said, My head is all over the place trying to figure out what I can and can’t eat and everything else. Jeanette, who shared her story recently in episode 88. When Jeanetter first joined us as a member she said: I’m tired of the information overload. I need one (hopefully the best) doable plan to stop my prediabetes from progressing to T2D as it did with my parents and sister. Well, we know Jeanette is now back to normal A1c levels and feeling better than ever.

Information overload is what brings many of our members to us, they are sick and tired of being overwhelmed, confused and lost and they just want advice and guidance they can trust, so they can focus on the things that really matter to get results, rather than chasing their tail for days, weeks, months or years on end. And this topic, Information Overload, it’s something that’s been coming up again and again lately, which is why I thought this would make a great topic of discussion, because maybe right now you’re facing information overload and feeling overwhelmed, confused and frustrated. 

Well, this episode will help you cut through the noise. By the end of today’s chat, you’ll have practical strategies to sort out the good advice from the bad and focus on what really matters to improve your blood sugar and health.

I want to start by talking about why information overload is such a big issue when it comes to type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. We live in a world where information is everywhere – blogs, the neverending stream of social media, podcasts, friends, and even health organizations. You go searching the wild west web, you read an article. Someone posts something in a Facebook group. A friend tells you something that’s working for them. You hear a podcast episode with a new magic trick to “fix” your diabetes overnight. It sounds exciting. Different. Promising. And just like that, you’re off on a wild goose chase. But here’s the catch: not all of it is good information, and much of it can be contradictory and even bad information.

Before you know it, your head is spinning in circles—because with so much advice coming from every direction, it’s hard to know what’s what. 

And this isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it can be emotionally draining and have real consequences for your health. With all the people I’ve worked with over the years who’ve told me they feel overwhelmed and defeated. They’ve tried following all sorts of “advice,” but when it doesn’t work and their health seems to have worsened, they blame themselves. 

Well, here’s the truth: It’s not your fault.

When you’re given conflicting advice, it’s like trying to follow a map with too many routes—you get lost. That’s what’s called decision fatigue—when you’re faced with too many options, your brain simply shuts down. Instead of moving forward with confidence, you feel stuck, and that’s where frustration and burnout come in.

But it can be hard because when it comes to managing type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, not all advice is created equal. Some of it is based on sound scientific evidence, while other advice is outdated or, frankly, just plain wrong. So, how do you know? 

Let’s chat about some things that can help you spot reliable information:

Step 1: Look for Evidence-Based Advice that comes from Reputable Sources

The first question to ask is, Where is this information coming from? Is it based on peer-reviewed studies, clinical research, or expert recommendations? Or is it just someone’s opinion or a personal anecdote?

That may sound like a simple enough question but it can be tricky out there on the wild west web. 

If you’re sourcing information from some of these big health sites that commonly come up in search, like Everyday Health, Healthline or similar, these are not reputable sources. These sites parade themselves like they are based on quality information and evidence, and they also often say ‘medically reviewed.’ But the reality is, these huge sites pay writers to write articles that may link to scientific research but the interpretation of that research isn’t good, it’s just a quick read of the abstract and a bunch of blanket statements, not quality research, not really sound advice that can truly help you And the medical reviewers don’t truly confirm the facts. 

One example I can think of right now is, you’ll often see articles online promoting “superfoods for diabetes” and there are often foods like whole grains in these lists. We know whole grains are not a good food to help people achieve good blood sugar control. These articles can be based on blanket statements and societal narratives for foods that people assume are healthy, and they may be for the general public, but for people with diabetes, many of these claims don’t actually link back to scientific evidence. Instead, they’re based on buzzwords and headlines designed to grab attention. 

Reliable advice comes from trusted sources but how can you tell it’s a trusted source? Well, here are some quality indicators you could think about. 

Peer-reviewed research is where we can get solid information to help us work out what works and what doesn’t, but the people translating that research to you and the public need to know diabetes, otherwise the outcome is often those stupid blanket articles we see everywhere. 

Then there’s programs that base their recommendations on real clinical outcomes, like the ones we provide at DMP. Be careful of the programs you choose because not that many are based on actual clinical evidence. Our program has been through a randomized controlled trial and is the only online nutrition program worldwide to do so, and it’s been proven to reduce A1c, weight and medications. 

Showing up consistently is a potential sign of a trusted source. We share this podcast every week, for example, now with 90 episodes, so that can be a signal of quality information – someone showing up consistently or someone sharing quality evidence and effective strategies. 

How long someone has been doing what they do. For example, we’ve been around for more than a decade – so the length of time and expertise someone has can be a quality signal. 

Results. Our members are experiencing real life results – we share real testimonials in every podcast and you can hear member stories, for example Jeanette’s story in episode 88, Lisa in episode 61, Paul in episode 72, along with others in earlier episodes, or visit our website to read or listen to the hundreds of testimonials – that’s a quality signal. 

There are a lot of quality signals you can look out for, but you need to actually be on the lookout for these things and not just listen to anything you read or hear. 

Step 2: Watch Out for Extreme or Contradictory Claims 

A major red flag is any advice that sounds too good to be true. You know the type:  

– “This one food will reverse your diabetes!” 

– “Never eat carbs again if you want to be healthy!”  

-”If you eat just one meal a day it will cure your diabetes.”

-”Eating 2 cups of mangoes can prevent diabetes” – that was one of the crazy headlines we discussed in episode 80. 

Really, out there on the wild west web, this stuff never stops. 

The truth is, reversing type 2 diabetes or prediabetes doesn’t come down to one miracle food or one extreme approach. Sure, there are nutrition principles that are essential to follow, but you don’t need to eliminate everything or follow extreme diets to see remarkable improvements. And crazy headlines that just don’t logically make sense, like eating a high sugar fruit will prevent or solve your diabetes – that’s just stupid. 

So, if the advice you’re reading seems overly restrictive or doesn’t make sense, take a step back and question its validity.

Step 3: Does It Align with Your Goals and Progress?  

Ask yourself, Does this advice support the specific goals I have for my health, like lowering blood sugar, improving A1c, or reducing medications?

Sometimes, advice might be valid for general health or diabetes prevention, but it may not be effective for treating type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. We spoke about the difference between treatment versus prevention back in episode 2 and this is a very important distinction when reading or searching for info. Type 2 diabetes treatment is VERY different to diabetes prevention. Diet and nutrition recommendations for someone who is “healthy” versus someone who has an altered metabolism, someone living with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes is not going to be the same.

Also keep this in mind with health providers you might work with. Most dietitians don’t specialize so it’s not uncommon that people with diabetes receive generalized and outdated advice. Medical doctors are trained to diagnose and prescribe medications but they are not experts in nutrition and lifestyle, so if you want to treat your diabetes naturally, you can’t rely on your medical doctor alone. 

Always ask yourself, Does this advice support the specific goals I have for my health, like lowering blood sugar, improving A1c, or reducing medications?

If it does, that’s great. If not, move on. 

Step 4. Are the programs on offer reasonably priced and real?

Finally I wanted to mention all the different programs you might come across. When I was speaking to Jeanette she mentioned seeing some crazy programs on the wild west web. I’ve also heard of other members in similar situations. For instance, an unqualified person trying to sell the cure to reverse diabetes for $2000 and all that program includes is a couple of pdf downloads and access to a facebook group – that’s not a good program. A program charging $5000 as the solution to their diabetes with limited resources and support – that’s actually a real story, and then this member joined us and said we offered so much more value and support for the very small cost of $180 for a one year membership. 

And when looking for programs, again ask, are these recommendations based on real clinical outcomes, like the ones we provide at DMP. Our program has been through a randomized controlled trial and is the only online nutrition program worldwide to do so, and it’s been proven to reduce A1c, weight and medications. We’ve published multiple manuscripts in leading international journals across the world. 

Results – does the program have proven results from members. Sometimes this might be hard to determine because potentially people can lie about testimonials. But, if you see videos or hear podcasts, such as the many we’ve shared, then you know these come from real people. Of course, not everyone likes to share their stories in audio or video but it can be an additional indicator that the program is real. 

Real support – is there also support available? For instance, we have monthly member check ins so our members have the opportunity to ask questions or share challenges and get personal feedback, advice and support. They can also submit their quarterly health report and receive one-on-one help. Our members find this highly valuable because let’s face it, you might have questions or need help with something, so it’s good to know that’s available to you, right?

So I’ve shared lots of quality indicators you can think about to sort the good information from the bad, to choose reliable sources over fluff or hype. But there is one more thing that is very important – to simplify and stay consistent. 

You don’t need 17 different strategies. You don’t need to trial every new headline, new supplement, or trending food plan. What you need is a core foundation, just a few key things that you focus on and stick with consistently.

For example, that could be:

• Following a lower carb nutrition plan – listen to episode 22 on 3 Simple Steps to Lower Carbs For Better A1c Results, and get a copy of our recommended food list, go to type2diabetestalk.com/foodlist – this will help you focus on some core nutrition principles
  
• Monitoring your blood sugar after meals so you know how food is affecting you – listen to episode 11 on blood sugar levels
  
• Planning your meals ahead for the week so you’re not scrambling and reactive – using meal plans like we provide our members each week, or by keeping your eating plan simple, aligned with core nutrition principles from our food list, or various podcasts, such as the one we did on breakfasts in episode 19
  
• Checking in regularly with a trusted support program or community—like we do through our monthly check-ins is also highly beneficial.

These are simple, effective actions that keep you on track. When you focus on a small number of these core habits and do them consistently, that’s where the magic happens. That’s what leads to lower blood sugar, lower A1c, weight loss, and less reliance on medications.

It’s not about learning everything. It’s about applying the right things. Small, consistent actions deliver the best results, not perfection, not complexity.

One of the biggest risks of information overload is it pulls your attention away from what matters, and it tricks you into thinking the solution lies somewhere else. But the truth is, it usually doesn’t.

Keep it simple. Progress comes from staying consistent, not constantly changing direction. If you’ve found something that’s grounded in evidence, if it’s showing results, and it makes sense—stick with it. Keep going. There will always be another headline, another supplement, another diet trend. But more information doesn’t equal better results. More consistency does.

Dr Jedha, over and out.