That fasting is making diabetes seem a ‘fixable’ chronic disease

[Trishtrash]

All these ‘fast fixes’ ie. eat 800 calories a day for 8 weeks and you can ‘reverse’ Type 2 diabetes make it seem a more benign/controllable disease? I’m a classic yo-yo dieter - skinny till my 20s then ‘naturally’ a BMI of 25-30, pregnancy weight etc.

I am seduced by the fact I can reverse this disease (have had the ‘you are pre-diabetic’ talk from the Dr) and it sometimes makes me complacent. Anyone know what I mean?

I think it’s great you can starve yourself out of the danger zone and I’ve done 8 weeks and lost 2 stones at least 3 times but I always revert back again and never lose that appetite for all those foods that are bad for me (bread, potatoes, pasta etc...)

AIBU In feeling a bit cynical?

Our whole family do a 16 hour fast all the time now (not DC!). I eat between 8am and 6pm only. So much type 2 in my family so I see it as a preventative measure.

What jaxhag said. Not everyone with T2D is obese or overweight in the first place. With regards to t1D, carbohydrate intake is only one of about 50 factors which affect blood glucose. Less carbs can help iron out some of the highs and lows, but not all of them, and it may carry other risks. It sure as heck isn’t going to mend a broken pancreas though.

A lot of the replies indicate that the picture is far more complex and backs up my suspicion that it’s a case of ‘remission’ rather than cure in many cases. I absolutely agree with those that advocate fasting anyway for all it’s other health benefits. I fully intend to get my weight down again but I’m in a diet quandary because I’m now suffering with gallstones. Did fasting so often bring them on (bile sitting around unused for long periods causing it to crystallise into stones) Or did my low carb diet bring them on (too much fat consumed) I’m being told to eat low fat so have started eating more carbs and my weight is getting out of control again. I have a Type 1 diabetic brother (thin as a rake) and a Type 2 diabetic brother (thin as a rake but with a very sweet tooth) I think in my case, even with weight control, I might be headed that way.

After your post this morning I went on a bit of an google binge. I found this 42 factors that affect blood sugar

It’s written by a type 1 diabetic and reflects all the factors he takes into account to keep his blood glucose at a beneficial level.

It was an eye opener for me. Some of them I knew, some of them explained hunches, some were a complete surprise.

My son’s consultant congratulated him for his hba1c despite “exams, illness and snowy weather”. They genuinely all impact blood glucose, as well growing which is our big challenge (growth hormone blocks the action of insulin - it’s a f&cker)

Try the Dr. Michael Mosley blood sugar diet which is specifically designed for diabetics to control blood sugar levels.

thebloodsugardiet.com

A family member reversed his type 2 by going on a very strict, healthy diet, exercising 5 days a week, and giving up alcohol. He wasn't overweight to begin with so out right fasting probably wouldn't have been a great idea.

Have a look at Dr Jason Fung on YouTube. He is a Canadian nephrologist, dealing with diabetics who have kidney failure. He explains insulin resistance and precisely why fasting does reverse diabetes.

My view: for a lot of people (not saying everyone), type 2 diabetes is a condition caused by lifestyle choices, as in what people choose to eat and how much exercise they choose to do, rather than a "chronic disease" as you call it in your OP. Personally I don't see type 2 diabetes as a disease at all, I see it as (in the majority of cases) a consequence of lifestyle choices. I wouldn't call it a "benign condition" as if you don't take responsibility for your own health and control it properly then the results can be pretty bad - blindness, amputations, kidney failure etc etc.

My dad has type 2, he still continues to eat utter shit. I have no sympathy for him and tell him like it is, stop eating crap (and coming up with lame excuses) and you can cure yourself. Also exercise.
Instead he gets attention from having it from people who do not realise he can help himself get better.

no food is bad for you. Smoothies, cereal bars, sugar shakes, low-fat food, fizzy drinks etc are bad for you but they aren't food.

well done to the man losing a stone, slowly. Crash dieters pork up again.

well done to the man losing a stone, slowly. Crash dieters pork up again.

What is your evidence for this, specialsubject? Case controlled trials have not backed this widely held belief up.

I eat between 8am and 6pm only.
So does pretty much everyone in the North. I'm pretty sure they still have Diabetes up there.

It depends what you mean by reverse. Do you mean cure? Then no. If you go back to eating pizza and garlic bread and ice cream in one meal, your blood sugar will still be too high. But if you mean control, so as low carb as your body needs to be (mine seems to tolerate about 40g carbs per meal), then yep.

Problem is, control means forever. And anyone who’s been on a diet knows how hard that is!

Not everyone can "reverse" type 2. My pal was diagnosed 13 years ago, aged 48 and immediately lost a massive amount of weight, which she's kept off. She eats a perfect Type 2 diet, too.

She has not "reversed" her diabetes and although she avoided having to take medication for it for some years, eventually the doctor put her on it.

When I read up on the 800 calorie diets that might reverse diabetes & so on, these things strike me..

Small number of people in the study
Lots of exclusions, they don't put the awkward cases into this experiment, kind of selective who gets in the experiment
Most success with people who have recent T2DM diagnoses
High drop out rate, most people who try it can't stick the diet long enough to get benefits
The amazing results are reported for most of the minority who can stick the diet (and who were hand selected, etc)

So yeah.. .it sort of works. It sort of doesn't.

Gosh my two boys have type 1 diabetes and I wish they could just diet and it would be gone! You seriously don't want to become insulin dependant for the sake of cutting down your sugar intake, it's not easy at all and can come with all sorts of complications! Being mean to be kind but suck it up and get some willpower because at least you have the choice to change and stop it!!

Sorry I think I completely miss read that post! If you are dieting and struggling have they tested you for any of the other types..

I think there are about 8 in total - only saying as my sons were tested for MODY diabetes

www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-types.html

They literally just ran a blood test for this..

I reversed my T2 in less than 3 months by doing low carb high fat / Keto.

Afternoon everyone. We're just sticking our nose in to remind you all that while the support of your fellow posters is great, we always advise MNers to seek medical advice in real life from a qualified medical professional.

Thanks
MNHQ

I hear ya YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet I'm under the doctor (as they say in Wales!) just canvassing for opinions from the Mumsnet massive.

no way should you fast this strictly without medical supervision! especially with type 2 diabetes they even state that on this trial nb trial!!!! its dangerous you need to be closely monitored....

I am on the diet they did in that show, however, I am on their 600 calorie plan. I am not starving, and some days I really struggle to eat that 3 meal replacement because I am full. In 8 weeks I have lost 30 lbs. My DH has lost 32 lbs in the same time.

I don't have diabetes, neither does he but the diet plan has been very effective in weight loss which has encouraged us greatly to not revert to our old ways.

We also fast, kinda... We don't eat before 12:30pm or after 8:30pm and that has been very very easy.

Doctor is advising us

I Feel the media are putting a bit of a false spin on this. It’s not so much reversing but putting it in remission and unfortunately this doesn’t work for everyone.
It will come back once that said person reverts to their old routine. Not to mention that diabetes is a progressive disease and some people will have had it so long, they may have no pancreatic function left.
You cannot put type 1 diabetes into remission but if eating healthy and exercise may mean that they only require small amounts of insulin.