Book Review: Vihang Rahul Vasa’s ‘Diabetes Doesn’t Own Me’ Is An Engaging Guide To Navigating Type 2 Diabetes

Living with Type 2 diabetes can feel like the world is narrowing, with a focus on numbers, restrictions, and the fear of potential complications. In his book, Diabetes Doesn’t Own Me: My Journey with Type 2 Diabetes, technologist and entrepreneur Vihang Rahul Vasa advocates for a different approach. Drawing on his personal experience over 15 years living with Type 2 diabetes, Vasa presents a comprehensive guide that helps readers navigate the condition without giving in to its limitations.

The book is organized into four main sections: understanding diabetes, diagnosis and daily management, living well with the condition, and its broader impact. Vasa’s personal story is the book’s strongest asset, providing authenticity and relatability. He describes the moment when a gall-bladder operation revealed signs of liver issues, which led to a more thorough investigation and ultimately, a turning point in his journey.

With the support of his physician wife, family, and doctors, Vasa shifted from denial and unhealthy habits to mindful eating, regular exercise, and consistent medical care. The book covers a wide range of topics, from insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) to monitoring, medications, heart and kidney health, foot care, food labels, festival fasting, mental well-being, and travel.

Vasa acknowledges the Indian context, recognizing the influence of food habits, family dynamics, and religious practices on diabetes management. He emphasizes that management strategies should be tailored to individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The chapter on travel, for example, encourages readers to view preparation as a means to continue exploring the world rather than a reason to avoid it.

Vasa also focuses on the everyday aspects of living with diabetes, which are often overlooked. He encourages readers to manage diabetes at home, work, on holidays, and at the dinner table, not just during doctor’s visits. He believes that support and understanding from family members are crucial in managing the condition. Vasa’s medical accuracy is another strength of the book.

He consulted with medical professionals, including endocrinologists and diabetologists, incorporated their feedback, and ensured the medical information was accurate, safe, and in compliance with standards. The book cites published guidelines and research to support the medical content. Vasa also emphasizes that personal experiences should not replace individual medical advice and encourages readers to consult their treating doctors.

Another noteworthy aspect of the book is its use of artificial intelligence in the writing process. Vasa employed AI to organize his 15 years of notes, simplify the language, and verify facts against reliable sources. He is open about this collaboration and stresses that the experiences and observations are his own. However, he cautions readers against relying on AI for medical decisions, as it lacks knowledge of an individual’s medical history, allergies, medications, and potential drug interactions.

One of the most significant aspects of the book is Vasa’s decision to make it freely available online (https://www.beyondsugar.life/) without any commercial intent. He hopes that doctors and clinics will share the book with newly diagnosed patients. Vasa hopes that if one person in a family reads the book and changes one habit or asks a better question of their doctor, the book has fulfilled its purpose.

Ultimately, Diabetes Doesn’t Own Me is an attempt to transform a personal journey into a valuable resource for others, reminding readers that with awareness, medical guidance, and consistent effort, there is much to look forward to beyond the diagnosis.