I’m aged 46, take no medicines, I’m active, my Height 5’7 weight 9 stone. I first started 5:2 in November of 2012, because I had aches and pains here and there and was getting a bit of a belly. A year into the 5:2 diet I felt great, my aches and pains were all gone, my belly was nicely flat and I had mind and body of a 21 year old.

On 21st July 2017 I had a small stroke, TIA (transient ischemic attack)

I was really shocked this happened because I felt great, mind and body. All the stroke nurses could not give a reason why I had the stroke because there’s no pointers to say why I had the TIA. My stroke doctor told me to stop the 5:2 diet. I am now on 20mg statins and clopidogrel blood thinner.

My cholesterol at the time of stroke was 5.1, now its 2.8.

After nearly 5 years I have now stopped the 5:2 diet and I now go for a diet that is low saturated fats and sugars, and all is home cooked food.

I can’t say if the 5:2 diet contributed to the stroke. The 5:2 diet in theory should prevent strokes. But the diet did make me feel wonderful in mind and body. I would start the 5:2 diet again only for short a short time, to loose weight or a short term detox.

My grandmother died of stroke aged 76 in 2001, and she is the only person in the family to have stroke.

The 5:2 diet is supposed to give the body a break from food, and to make the body go in ‘repair mode’ I assume ‘repair mode’ would clear up any fatty deposits in arteries reducing strokes and also heart attacks. So you can imagine I was surprised when confirmed I had a stroke, after nearly 5 years on 5:2 diet.

There are no pointers anyone can give to say why I had the TIA because I’m in good health, good weight and feel great.

Have I been neglecting importance nutrients that I should have taken on my fast days I thought. I’m just staying off the 5:2 diet for now.