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

A diabetes diagnosis can make life seem smaller, governed by numbers, restrictions and fear of complications. In Diabetes Doesn’t Own Me: My Journey with Type 2 Diabetes, technologist and entrepreneur Vihang Rahul Vasa makes a case for a different response: understanding the condition, working with doctors and making sustainable changes without surrendering everyday pleasures.

Drawing on 15 years of living with Type 2 diabetes, Vasa structures this 61-chapter book in four parts: understanding diabetes, diagnosis and daily management, living well with the condition, and its wider impact. The personal narrative gives the book its strongest voice. Vasa recalls how a gall-bladder operation led a surgeon to flag the appearance of his liver, prompting further investigation. That moment, alongside the support of his physician wife, family and doctors, became a turning point. His account of moving from denial and an unhealthy routine to mindful eating, regular movement and consistent medical care offers an encouraging, personal perspective.

The book ranges widely, from insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) to monitoring, medicines, heart and kidney health, foot care, food labels, festival fasting, mental wellbeing and travel. Its Indian context is valuable: it acknowledges food habits, family dynamics and religious practices, while reminding readers that diabetes management cannot be one-size-fits-all. The chapter on travel, for instance, treats preparation as a way to keep exploring the world, not a reason to stay home.

Vasa is particularly keen to address the everyday realities of living with diabetes, which often receive less attention than medication and blood sugar readings. "Living well with diabetes happens at home, at work, on holiday and at the dinner table, not only in the doctor's clinic," he says. From attending family functions where sweets are unavoidable to managing a long flight, a sick day or the emotional burden of the condition, he believes that support and understanding are essential to managing diabetes. The book also acknowledges the role played by family members, particularly his wife, in his journey.

Medical accuracy is another aspect the author says he took seriously. He shared drafts with doctors, including endocrinologists, diabetologists and physicians, incorporated their suggestions and had the book reviewed for medico-legal and compliance safety. Medical information is supported by published guidelines and research listed in the book. Vasa also emphasises that personal experiences cannot replace individual medical advice and encourages readers to consult their treating doctors.

Another interesting aspect is the use of artificial intelligence in putting the book together. Vasa used AI to organise his 15 years of notes, simplify the language and check facts against published sources. He is transparent about this collaboration and makes it clear that the experiences and observations are his own. He also has a word of caution about relying on AI for medical decisions. "Use it to understand, never to decide," he says, stressing that AI cannot know an individual's medical history, allergies, medicines or possible drug interactions.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the book is that Vasa has chosen to make it freely available on his website (https://www.beyondsugar.life/), with no commercial motive. He hopes doctors and clinics will share it with newly diagnosed patients. "If one person in a family reads it and changes one habit, or asks their doctor one better question, the book has done its job," he says.

Diabetes Doesn't Own Me is ultimately an attempt to turn a personal journey into a resource for others. It is a reminder that with awareness, medical guidance and consistent effort, there is much to look forward to beyond the diagnosis.

Book: Diabetes Doesn’t Own Me: My Journey with Type 2 Diabetes

Author: Vihang Rahul Vasa

Publisher: Self-published

Price: Free to download