In this issue, we are going to take a closer look at a question we hear fairly frequently…can intermittent fasting help with my Type 2 diabetes? Even if you are not a diabetic, you likely know someone who is or you might have been told you are a pre-diabetic. We’ll dive into this in more depth so you have the information you need.
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Can Intermittent Fasting Really Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?
NOTE - Before we get into this topic, we want to underscore that this is NOT medical advice. If you are a Type 2 diabetic and want to begin intermittent fasting, you need to see your licensed and qualified health care provider to make sure this is right for you. This is even more important if you are on medications for your diabetes. Type 1 diabetics should not practice intermittent fasting.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which the cells of the body become resistant to the effects of insulin, which is a hormone produced by your pancreas. Insulin is the key to allowing glucose (blood sugar) into your cells, where it is burned for energy. In an effort to correct this, your pancreas keeps increasing the amount of insulin it produces to try to get the glucose into the cells.
But it’s usually a losing battle, and barring any intervention, your blood sugar will continue to rise, putting you into a pre-diabetic state and then eventually catapulting you into full-blown diabetes. This is a serious condition and has horrible implications for your future health including putting you at risk for heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease, among other things.
Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes develop slowly and people may live with elevated blood sugar for years until they are finally diagnosed. This is one reason regular medical checkups are so important, as a simple blood test can tell you if you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic.
Why do people develop Type 2 diabetes? There are a couple of main risk factors. The most important one is being overweight or obese, as this greatly increases your risk. The other big risk factor is inactivity. When you combine the two, the risk is even greater.
There are other factors, such as race, age, a family history of diabetes, and so forth, but the main risk factors are being overweight (especially having a lot of abdominal fat) and having a low activity level. That’s actually good news because while you can’t choose your parents or race, and there’s not much we can do about getting older, you can do something about your weight and your activity level.
Until recently, the standard medical advice for someone who developed Type 2 diabetes was that it had no “cure” and could only be controlled. But lately, more and more people are having great results actually reversing their Type 2 diabetes with intermittent fasting. A 2019 review study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that intermittent fasting was associated with a significant decline in body mass index, lowered fasting glucose levels, and a decrease in insulin resistance.
People are extremely variable in their responses to intermittent fasting and most people also find it necessary to change their diet, including the reduction or elimination of highly processed foods and sugary drinks. In our ten-day fasting challenges which we have been running quarterly, there are invariably one or two participants who have Type 2 diabetes who participate.
We have been delighted to see that one of our participants reduce his peripheral neuropathy symptoms (a deterioration of the nerves of the legs and feet which can affect diabetics), one person who reversed her pre-diabetic condition and also lost over a hundred pounds, and another person who is a Type 2 diabetic who had a substantial weight loss and is on the verge of having her Type 2 diabetes reversed.
So the answer seems clear. Intermittent fasting, when combined with a diet change and an increase in activity, seems capable of reversing Type 2 diabetes in some people. This is extremely hopeful news, as Type 2 diabetes results in significant illness, disability, and death for millions of people in the United States, and many more globally.
So if you have Type 2 diabetes, are pre-diabetic, or have a family member or friend who has either of these conditions, don’t hesitate to see your physician to discuss the idea of intermittent fasting as a way to lose weight, increase your insulin sensitivity and perhaps even reverse your disease!
Reference -
Cho Y, Hong N, Kim KW, et al. The Effectiveness of Intermittent Fasting to Reduce Body Mass Index and Glucose Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med. 2019;8(10):1645. Published 2019 Oct 9. doi:10.3390/jcm8101645
Why It Matters
Unlike Type 2 diabetics, Type 1 diabetics suffer from a failure of the pancreas to produce insulin and they must take insulin for the rest of their lives to control their blood sugar. Hopefully, advances in genetically based therapies may one day be able to reverse this disease for Type 1’s.
“I know there’s beauty in the burden, and even on my darkest day, that sun will shine!”
~ Crystal Bowersox - (b. 1985) - American singer, songwriter, and actress who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 6, and has since gone on to become a powerful advocate as well as an inspiration for people living with Type 1 diabetes.
What We Are Reading 📚
With each issue, we bring you a short blurb on what we are currently reading or watching, including books, articles, podcasts, videos, movies, and research papers of value.
Denise - Thanks to a member of our Fast Factor Circle, my attention was brought to one of Dr. Andrew Huberman’s podcast episodes on fasting: EFFECTS OF FASTING & TIME RESTRICTED EATING ON FAT LOSS & HEALTH. At over 2.5 hours this is a masterclass in how fasting works and how the scientific data that supports it. It’s definitely worth your time to listen or watch on YouTube. Excellent time-stamping on YouTube makes it easy to find sections you’re most interested in hearing.
Ellen - I am a big fan of tai chi and qigong and currently study both via an online “virtual” classroom located in Colorado. Although I generally think one should stick to one teacher in terms of instruction, I am always attracted to books about the art. One of the simplest, yet most profound tai chi postures is standing meditation. So when I saw an entire book devoted to this practice, I couldn’t help but dive in.
The Standing Meditation: Excel In The Modern World Using An Ancient Practice by Nate Rifkin does not disappoint. Nate does not claim to be a martial arts master and yet in some ways, this makes his book all the more accessible. His story is partly inspirational and partly a how-to manual. Nate’s story is raw in places as he relives his painful childhood and young adult years, yet filled with hope.
And yes, he also delivers clear instructions on how you can begin your own standing meditation practice and tap into its immense power.
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