My mother in law has type II diabetes. Should I be suggesting the 5:2 diet for her or would that be dangerous? She says the doctors say she needs to lose 15kg and she will get rid of the diabetes.
Thanks for any advice.
This topic contains 140 replies, has 39 voices, and was last updated by Alia 9 years, 3 months ago.
My 68 yr old husband also has type 2 Diabetes and was put onto diaformin twice daily about 6 mths ago. Didn’t seem to be making any difference but since starting the 2 days Fasting, has on most days, lowered his BSL to below 7. (Measurements may be different in UK, this is in Australia).
We have not yet consulted with his Dr. but will be having checks soon. Will let you know how we go.
He has also lost about 4 Kilograms in 6 wks, as have I !! Works for us !
Hi nearlyfifty
I’m 62 and started fasting because the (new) doctor said I was dangerously close to type 2 diabetes, and he would prefer me to lose weight rather than tablets (I agree)
I started on 22 January
90.8kg
Total cholesterol = 7.2
Tryglycerides = 3.2 (scary, don’t want type 2 diabetes
BMI = 34.18
After 12 weeks retested
81.5kg (9.3kg loss)
Total Cholesterol = 5.9
Triglycerides = 0.8
BMI = 30.67
I will get tested again in August but am now at 77.5 after 19 weeks. Total loss of 13.3 (29 lbs)
I think you do need to exercise as well (I swim at least 3km 5 days a week), but feel great and better than I have for a long time. I hope you persuade her to give it a try
Hi
was diagnosed with low level Diabetes 2 in 2009 was put on medication but now blood sugar levels are very unstable; Am going to GP next week to discuss the situation and will tell him about this diet. Have started to read Michael & Mimi’s book and am quite excited. Don’t know how GP will react though. Should perhaps mention we now live in Southern France and have found the attitude to diabetes here is not as good as in the UK; Any advice as to what to say about diet and points to emphasise?
Hi to the Boissitarian – I have no experience of Type 2 diabetes so I don’t fully understand which figures are medically most significant but I wonder if the following article contains any helpful information to use during your discussion with your GP:
http://dvd.sagepub.com/content/13/2/68.full.pdf
Article Title: ‘Intermittent fasting: a dietary intervention for prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease?’
Authors: James E Brown, Michael Mosley and Sarah Aldred
Published in: British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease 2013 13: 68 DOI: 10.1177/1474651413486496
I don’t know whether you are overweight but I noticed in the article that, for Type 2 diabetics, successful weight-loss is considered a very important positive result – and many people can testify to the effectiveness of the 5:2 system in this respect.
Two particular extracts from the text, specifically relating to diabetes, caught my eye:
1) ‘…..a recent study confirmed earlier reports of a reversal of type 2 diabetes through daily calorie restriction, with improvement of pancreatic function and a reduction of occult triglyceride deposition. The particular diet employed a maximum of 600 calories every day, which may prove too severe for many type 2 diabetes patients, but an intermittent fasting strategy may be more acceptable and still improve metabolic parameters, insulin levels and insulin sensitivity and prevent the development of diabetic complications. Indeed, intermittent fasting might achieve much of the benefit seen with bariatric surgery, but without the costs, restriction on numbers and risks associated with surgery.’
2) ‘Conclusion – The use of intermittent fasting offers the potential to improve weight loss and enhance the cardiovascular health of overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes and reduces cardiovascular risk. This type of intervention is cost-effective and associated with a low risk of adverse events.’
I hope you will receive more comments, from people with better knowledge than mine and with first-hand experience of the issues involved. In any event, I certainly wish you a good outcome from your discussions with your doctor.
Thanks Jeanius for that info – have downloaded PDF and will read over weekend – the comments you highlighted are very relevant
I take a bi-daily blood sugar reading first thing in the morning before breakfast or my 1st cup of tea – normal levels should be between 70 to 130 mg/dl – currently mine are reading 160 to 175 mg/dl even on medication!!! Not good so I NEED to do something.
I research on the internet every medication I am given to see mode of taking; side effects etc and if I am not happy I tell the GP. The last time he said I should not read things on the internet as there is so much info out there one cannot be sure what is correct and what is not! Think he is not too happy that the info I found about a product to control water retention was correct, when I stopped taking it the symptoms disappeared! He grudgingly said it was “perhaps possible” that the tablets were to blame!
So am not certain he will accept this report, but does not matter anyway, I will still go ahead but I need to give him the courtesy of telling him first. Only polite.
Thanks again
Valerie
Jeanius- you really are a genius! A lot of my work as a practice nurse is with patients with type 2 diabetes and I spend a lot of time trying (mainly unsuccessfully) to help them lose weight. We are suppposed to follow the conventional line i.e you must eat breakfast/must eat regularly/cut fat etc but as we all know this message has not worked and the whole population is getting fatter.
Despite my conversion to the 5:2 way of life I have been reluctant to advise my patients to do this as it would seem unconventional in the mainstream medical world- I think I am now going to bite the bullet! This article is really useful and I shall use it if I am challenged for evidence… many thanks!
HI sara-gee – thanks for your post – it is encouraging – I know what you mean about those MUSTS – have tried them and they definitely do not work – for me at least. I do not really want breakfast and eat because of the medication I take, but neither did I fancy not eating on the fast days. Now have read book cover to cover I am very happy now I know it is not a no food fast – have appointment with GP this coming week and then I will start – can’t wait. Am already getting into habit of calorie counting and recording weight, BMI etc so I can chart my progress
Hi Boissiterian..
good luck with the 5:2 diet and with your GP appointment…
I would say that very few GPs know much about nutrition, in my experience..(obviously Dr M and wife excepted!). I would suggest trying the diet anyway and the proof of your weight loss and blood results should convince.
Also most medications that are advised to take with breakfast can safely be taken at other times of day when you do eat..
Look forward to hearing how you get on. best wishes.
Hi Sara-gee & Boissiterian, As a GP I agree that we are generally not very well informed about dietary advice and in fact the evidence suggests that our advice makes very little difference in terms of overall weight loss! If it’s anything to go by, I have spent the last 25 years advising patients never to skip meals, to cut right back on fats and to eat regular snacks so they don’t get too hungry!
Thank you Jeanius as always for your excellent advice and research. The article you quote does indicate significant potential benefit from intermittent fasting for type 2 diabetics. Boissiterian it is worth getting advice from your GP to manage your medication and monitor for hypos when fasting (depending on what tablets you are taking and assuming you are not also on insulin. However many of the newer tablets don’t have a significant risk of causing hypos. Good luck and I hope you get the benefit you are hoping for! Mrs M
Hi Bossiterian..
Ive found another paper you may be interested in showing your doctor..
its called “reversal of type 2 diabetes; normalisation of beta cell function…”
by Lim et al at Newcastle university; published in “diabetologia” oct 2011.
(if you google “diabetes low cal diet Newcastle” it comes up..) basically they did a trial where people with type 2 diabetes were put on a 600 cal a day diet for 8 weeks with amazing results..in fact a reversal of type 2 diabetes. However, they didn’t think there was a way for patients not on a trial to do this long term. Looks like the 5:2 diet may be the way these findings can be used long term…
best wishes, Sara
Thanks sara-gee and Clare – GP said go ahead, but did not seem convinced. I live in France and I don’t think anyone here has heard of the 5:2 diet or perhaps he thought it was just a “fad”. Anyway I started today
Not too bad a day – I had decided that I would eat the 500 calories in 3 smaller meals throughout the day. Did not think I could last all day without food, but also, and more importantly, the medication I take has to be taken either 15mins before food; with food; or after food. I take Stagid, Diamacron and Novonorm – don’t know if these brand names mean anything – maybe French brand names.
I also decided I would fast on days when I did not have to get up early. For various reasons I do not get a whole night’s undesturbed sleep, so if not having to go out I let myself “sleep in” sometimes until after 10am. Which I did this morning, and ate breakfast about 11am; had lunch about 2.30pm – just a yoghourt; had a biscuit with cup of green tea about 5pm; and ate evening meal at 8pm; total 524 calories and I felt full.
However after evening meal felt light-headed; unsteady and very hot; all signs I have learnt that indicate I have had a sudden sugar level drop. Took reading – blood sugars down to 80 mg/dl – French measurement – sorry do not know in mmols. Not a catastrophic level, but for me it was a big drop in a short space of time. Levels have been between 130-180 mg/dl over last few weeks. Ate a scoop of caramel ice cream and teaspoon of runny honey to boost sugars and so blew my 500cals sky high – not beating myelf up about this – these things happen. But on next fast day will monitor sugar levels more regularly. Am not going to stop this diet on just this one flip.
We have just ordered a running machine too, so will begin to get some exercise. Had full knee replacement in 2010 and have not been able to walk very much since and have not done any excercise – not just because of the knee but also have lower back problems which, coupled with a painful knee, have led to a sedentary life – another reason for the excessive weight.
Weighed myself today before start of diet 93.6kg – this is low for me – have been up to 96kg! Before GP changed medication I was between 90-93kg. I want to get back down to around 80kg. I have a big frame and height is 165cm, but have never been below size 16 all my adult life; am now size 22; so you can see why I have to lose weight and gain control of the blood sugars.
Will keep you posted. Next fast day will be next week and in the meantime I continue to count calories, am allowing myself around 1300 a day. Since starting to count a week ago have lost 1.6kg, so must have been well overting on what I thought was a “healthy” diet.
Hello again Boissiterian;
I am following your story and wish you the very best…
If anyone else wants to know the UK equivalents; a sugar of 80mg/dl is equivalent to 4.4 mmols that we use here; 130- 180 is equivalent to 7.2-10.
Your drugs are stagid=metformin; diamacron=gliclazide and novonorm = repaglinide. (we would use same or similar combinations here)
I think you will need to keep a close eye on your blood sugars and if they drop consistently will need to go back to your doctor and hopefully be able to reduce your tablets.
Weight loss should really improve your diabetic control.
Good luck! Sara
Hi Sara-gee -thanks for that info and yes those are the drugs I take in the following way
Stagid 700mg 1 tablet 3xday after food’ novonorm – was 1mg but GP upped it to 2mg because the 1 mg did not seem to do anything, but 2mg 3xday was too much, so I have adjusted the dose to 1mg 2xday 15mins before breakfast and lunch, and 2mg 15mins before supper as we eat our main meal then: I take Diamacron 60mg after breakfast and evening meal. This seems to work OK without getting reflux and chronic indigestion. Blood sugar was down to 119 this morning, lowest for a long time, but that is just one day! Will wait and see if it has continued low for a week, then I’ll know I’m winning.
Did not have any adverse effects after yesterday. Felt a bit tired and slept in, but once I got up and got going felt heeps better, more “alive”. Even did some gardening which I have not felt like doing for ages. No further weight reduction but it is just the first “fast” . Am trying to keep to 1300 calories on the non-fast days,bit of a struggle but now I have the MyFitnessPal app,on iPad it is easier to keep tabs,on what I eat. Did not realize I was eating so many calories!!!!
On the next fast day I will check blood sugars before each meal and before I take the novonorm. I think may be yesterday the sugars were a bit low before the evening meal and the novonorm just made them drop too quickly. I have suffered sharp,drops on occasions over the past year or tso and then the levels rise back to my average wich used to be between 100 & 130, before it started to reach 160-170 levels of late. Only time sugars were consistently low was when I had a complete knee replacement and was in hospital two weeks for op and three weeks for rehabilitation. Food was not good in either place so ate very little over the five weeks!! Levels were between 80 & 120 then.
If I have frequently sugar dips will discuss with GP ASAP , though I have to admit I usually adjust medicine levels myself to find the best mix and tell him what I have done. I keep a log of blood sugar levels, blood pressure and weight between visits, with comments about any adverse effects and/or adjustments to medication. I take the view that it is my body all these drugs are going into and am best qualified to know how they are working. I have found over the years that my body mechanisms sometimes react adversely to drugs, than other people.
I put this down to the fact that when I had chemo after breast cancer, I was given Cisplatine, which my oncologist said was the strongest chemo there was and this had a devastating effect. I was programmed to have 6 3-day sessions every 3 weeks, but only had 4 as the oncologist said my blood was full of the chemicals & I did not need anymore!
Next fast day probably Tiesday next week. Will keep you all posted.
Hi everyone – have a surprise fast day today!
Was going out this morning to a monhly meeting held at a local coffee shop/thé salon who have delicious home made cakes, so was not going to fast. But did not go – so fast day 2 here we come. Am going to monitor blood sugars before each meal and before I take novonorm to see what they are like. The one before breakfast was high 147mg/dl – but that was because I had a 500ml bottle of good English Real Ale last night!!!!
Will let you know how I get on today
coming to the end of surprise fast – am looking forward to a ham salad with some mayonnaise and beetroot – a particular favourite. Not feeling too bad, am happier with today’s fast; Felt a bit hungry this afternoon so had a cup of coffee;
For sara-gee – took blood sugar level at 8.15 – 147mg/dl, took all medication and ate 1 weetabix with skimmed milk & 2 cups of tea with skimmed milk
took blood sugar at 13.30 – 79mg/dl – felt a bit shaky so knew it was down; did not take novonorm; had a yoghourt and took stagid
checked blood sugar at 17.00 – 100mg/dl – felt OK
took blood sugar before meal at 19.30 – 81mg/dl so did not take novonorm, but took other medication; so far so good. Will take blood sugar again before go to bed;
Hi sara-gee – looked up Newcastle diet link you gave me – also found the following which you might be interested in
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/newcastle-study-600-calorie-diet.html
can either yourself or Clare tell me how metformin – glicalzide and repaglinide work to control blood sugar
had a forced low cal day yesterday – that’s 2 in a row – and I find the blood sugar levels interesting – but to better understand what is happening I would like to know how those drugs work.
this morning’s reading was 157mg/dl – back to pre-fast levels; But I did have icecream & choco sauce after my ham salade as well as 2 glasses of wine with. My husband made the comment that perhaps it had to do with not taking novonorm
So am going to “experiment” today with a 3rd fast day and follow the same pattern of eating as yesterday and this time take the novonorm – which I did not take yesterday as the sugar levels were low. I want to see if there is any difference in sugar levels during the day and tomorrow am and if it is the novonorm that causes the sudden sugar level dips. My husband is aware of what to do if I have a bad hypo!
I understand diabetes2 occurs when not enough insulin is produced by the pancreas or the body is insulin resistant. I do not know which I am.
will keep you informed and tell you sugar levels over 3 days
hello again Boissiterian- sorry have been away for a few days and off line..
well done on your fasts; sounds like your sugars are improving. Did you have an HbA1c measured before you started?..its the 3 monthly average of your blood sugars and we use it more than blood sugar readings when changing treatment.
The diabetes.co.uk website you found the low cal diet info on (thanks!) has lots of information about the drugs you may want to check out.(basically metformin makes the body use the insulin you do produce more effectively, while your other drugs work on the pancreas to produce more insulin).The novonorm would be the one to stop first, as you have done, then the diamocron. I notice diabetes.co.uk also has a forum so you may want to share with them..I couldn’t see a thread there about 5;2 diet.
Hi Bill…
you don’t say if you are overweight? As far as I understand it is the weightloss which will reduce your blood sugar..
levels of 108/109 (5.9/6mmols in UK)aren’t too bad.
However I would definitely continue for longer…I don’t think theres a specified time for any of these results-but I would usually do full bloods for a patient after 6 months of dietary change…
See if you can get an HbA1c done at your doctors as well..
Hi Bill and sara-gee, You are right sara-gee that weight loss is associated with improvements in blood sugar amongst other metabolic and physical benefits. Michele Harvie in her excellent book The 2 Day Diet comments that if you are someone who is normal weight but extra fat around your middle, accounting for 1 in 4 of this group (indicated by your waist measurement being more than half your height)then losing weight may be beneficial for your health, as abdominal fat tends to me associated with raised blood lipids, raised BP and raised blood sugar. Otherwise she is more cautious about the benefits. How frustrating that your fasting glucose has not dropped – Bill I wonder if you are eating a fairly high carbohydrate diet on your non fasting days? Are you already on medication for diabetes?
Hi sara-gee
I spoke to a nurse on Diabetes UK careline and asked her about medication – she was very helpful – apparently Diamacron-glicazide has a tendency to produce weight gain and the novonorm – repaglinide has a tendency to produce hypos
have heard about HbA1c test but have not had one. Not sure if they do it here.
Have joined Diabetes UK forums but, as you say, have not seen link to the 5:2
am very encouraged – weighed myself today and am down to 92.7kg from 95kg at start and a 2cm reduction in waste size! Blood sugar levels are well down too – yasterday started 115 and ended 105mg/dl – that was a normal eating day taking all medication. Today is another normal eating day, trying to keep to a similar diet, but not taking novonorm to see if there is any difference. Tomorrow is 5:2 diet with no novonorm. I have worked out a provisional plan for fast & normal eating days for a month from 12/6 – this is flexible but need something to aim for – and then will take results to GP.
Have now found a University Hospital in Nîmes – not far from us – with a department specialising in diabetes and depending on how GP reacts will probably ask for a referral, assuming they will have more up to date info. I would like to discuss what has happened since I diagnosed with someone who “knows” and is qualified to advise. Unfortunately the two “consultants” I have seen here – one private and one at our central hospital – have not inspired confidence.
Will keep you posted
Hello again -glad to hear your bulletin Boissiterian-
well done on the weight loss and the waist reduction! Sounds like you are really on track. Im glad you have found Diabetes UK helpful; I use their publications a lot for patients at work.
I would definitely push for a referral to the specialist- good idea. I find that patients who take a real interest in their condition and “take control” themselves do so much better …sounds like you will really surprise your GP!
look forward to hearing about your next triumph..
Boissiterian, I am a long time low carber and have read a lot of research that lowering your carb intake, especially the refined carbs like bread and pasta etc, will improve your diabetes. There used to be a website for new diabetics that advised giving up all carbs except green leafy veges for a week for two and seeing what happened to blood sugar levels. In 99% of cases they were, when carbs were very low, perfectly normal.
I can’t find this site now (lost my bookmarks in a HDD crash) but the advice stuck with me. So maybe as part of your 5:2 ‘attack’ you could look at eliminating or reducing those refined carbs from your diet and seeing how you do.
Good luck with getting a referral to the specialist clinic, I think that’s a very goods idea.
Hi everyone
Heigh Ho – went out last night and had meal with friends – non fast day fortunately – ate pizzas (not whole ones – we each took something savory or sweet to eat) – plenty of wine and home made apricot tart and tirramasu for deseert, plus coffee and chocs!!!!!!! LOVELY
Needless to say sugar levels were high before went to bed – 9.5mmol – have found a converter so can give mmol readings now. BUT this morning reading was down to 7.1mmols. Very happy
Today is 500 calorie day – it is now almost 3pm and have not eaten anything at all so far, have drank water and black coffee. Think I will treat myself to a light snack now – cup of tea & 2 digestives! Have been taking medication – stagid & diamacron – even though not eaten. Seems to be OK
have just taken reading – back down to 5.5mmol even Happier
re HbA1c readings – have been looking back at my blood test results and have found that this automatically included in each test result. When started in Feb 2011 it was 8.1%; in 2012 was down to 7.2%; but the last test on 27/3 this year was back up to 8.2% – which tells me something happened between 28-12-12 and then – the question is WHAT?
Have also used tdee calculator and found I am not eating enough on non fast days – myfitness pal calculated I needed 1330 a day but tdee says I need almost 1735 – any thoughts anyone
Hi everyone – nothing much has been happening. Have been on 5:2 regime now for 2weeks, so thought I would report in.
I started to calorie count on 6/6 in anticipation of starting regime – starting weight 95kg and high sugar levels and blood pressure. Started regime 12/6 at 93.6kg. My medication was metformin twice a day; glicalzide 3 x day and repaglinide 3 x day.
Since then I have been recording blood sugar, blood pressure levels and a diary of what I eat, using MyFitnessPal to monitor calories. On non-fasting days kept calorie intake around 1300-1400 calories, but have recently upped this to 1500cals. Once I saw what was happening to blood sugar levels I started to vary the medication on different days both fasting and non fasting to try and see what differences occurred. It has been an interesting experiment which I will continue for another two weeks and then go and see GP.
I first of all stopped the repaglinide and then I stopped the glicalzide and up until today just took the diamacron (metformine) – twice a day. No adverse effects. The fasting sugar level starts around 8mmols (following on from my previous evening intake), drops mid-day to around 3.5mmols and peaks before I go to bed – after evening meal – to around 9.5mmols. The pattern of readings are similar on an eating day, although the evening is much higher, because I do not eat much breakfast or lunch, but eat more cals in the evening of course
The best result is that my blood sugar levels are a lot lower than they used to be – obviously because I have not been eating as much food but healthier food over the last 2 weeks. My blood pressure levels are not as high but are not steady so I think I am going to have to follow that one up with the cardiologist! My weight today is 93.1kg – not a significant loss, but my husband says he can see a difference.
The other best result is that I have seen an increase in energy levels. Today I vacuumed the whole house in one go. Might not seem significant to you guys, but for me it is a step in the right direction. We live in a bungalow with open plan living, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, toilet and kitchen – it is not a BIG space but I have found in the past that I have to hoover in sections, sitting down between. But not today – I literally whizzed through the house at full speed!
Today I am on 500cals and have not taken any medication. It is interesting, though obvious, that my sugar levels have not dropped so much as when I took the metformin. Will continue tomorrow – if I do not have any adverse readings – with an eating day and no medication – to see what difference, if any, that makes to the readings.
Have been reading up on Diabetes & Metabolism, in particular Insulin Resistence. Have found a couple of items that make interesting reading from USA diabetes mag – links as follows
http://forecast.diabetes.org/magazine/diabetes-101/understanding-insulin-resistance
http://forecast.diabetes.org/research-may2013
Hi Boissiterian
I’ve just joined in and preparing to start this régime tomorrow. I too am Type2 having been diagnosed in 2003. I saw the original Horizon programme last year but didn’t follow it up even though I intended to. However, GP has recommended this to me today and tomorrow I’m meeting a couple of friends who’ve had great success on this.
I thought I’d make myself known to you as I see that you’re in southern France. I’m in the SW, north of Toulouse in the Lot Valley. How far down are you?
I also use MyFitnessPal and find it the best tool I’ve ever had for monitoring my food intake and exercise output.
Following the recent introduction of insulin (Lantus) to my meds, my sugars have gradually been coming under control but they are erratic although much better than 3 months ago. Of course, insulin is a weight-loss inhibitor so more exercise needed (me and exercise do not co-exist in the same sentance). I also have 3000mg of metformin, 120mg diamicron as well as other ancilliary meds such a simvastatin, lyrica,varsatin, kardegic and something for fluid retention.
Hi
I have noticed in the past that going from a blood glucose level of 120 down to 80 would make me feel as if I had low blood sugar, simply because of the large drop. However, 80 is not low, and I don’t eat anything sugary as that will put me on a hi-low sugar roller coaster! Sometimes a small amount of protein will help. The more I research, the more I’m convinced that low carb is the way to go on all days, with the 500 calorie or 1500 calorie day.
Hi to all suffering and researching Diabetes. The Daily Mail ran an article on the 6th August 13 by a Richard Doughty and his battle with type 2 Diabetes which he reversed in 11 days.
The article refers to the strict low cal regime required for this to happen and also refers to the research carried out by Prof. Taylor at Newcastle University, visit http://www.ncl.ac.uk and search for type 2 diabetes. It should also lead you to programmes on Channel 4, one which follows several overweight women with type 2 diabetes. The article keeps Diabetes in the news to the present day.
I know that the article is based on research already known to many sufferers but I thought it worth bringing to your attention if only as a point of interest to show that fasting can and does have a positive impact in various ways for many of us.
Good luck to you all.
I’ve been on the 5:2 for 13 weeks now. Got my Hba1c back last week its gone from 69 or 8.6% to 56 or 7.3%. I was hoping for a little lower. My weight has dropped by stone and 3lbs and waist by 6 inches. To reverse my type 2 it looks like I would have to go down to 10 stone which is not an ideal weight for me. Just have to wait and see.
I’ve been Type2 since 2003 and 10 years later, this is the first time that I’ve had total control over my blood sugars and lost weight. My doctor is so pleased as she’s been fighting an up-hill battle with me. Instead of feeling I was becoming disabled, I now feel like that less and less. The 5:2 has been a revelation and I can’t recommend it enough.
Hi all – am type II on metformin, Levemir and Novorapid and am about to give 5:2 a try, in fact am on an ‘impromptu’ fast day to give it a try today.
Didn’t plan it, but had a light breakfast and it sort of just happened as I have a day off and haven’t felt hungry. Think I will probably end up atabout 550 cals today, but can live with that as an experiment.
Can I ask if people have found they need to cut their basal insulin on a fast day – I have always adjusted my bolus around whatever carbs are in a meal, but have never tried adjusting the basal and am not quite sure how to start.
any advise please?
Hi all,
just joined this forum and I am a type 11 diabetic.
I am very interested in all your posts in relation to fasting and diabetes.
I have just started doing the diet (2nd day today) so I will be interested to see how it works. first day got through most of the day before my levels dropped and had to eat 2 hours before planned. other than that it was ok.
glad I found this forum as I think it will help to keep me on track
I have type 2 diabetes and have been on the 5:2 since April 2013.
I have lost just over 2 stones since I started and have had outstanding results in my diabetic reviews. I have had no adverse effects and my GP is delighted with my weight loss. The 5:2 in my opinion is the single most beneficial thing any type 2 diabetic can do.
Hi
I have type II diabetes. I use Novarapid and Levemir. I started the 5:2 diet in early January. Over the last 7 weeks, i have lost 5kgs and about 1inch from my waist.
I have had to reduce my basal levemir dose to avoid getting low sugars overnight. I reduced it by steps of no more than one or two units at a time to find the dose that kept my overnight sugars flat (the morning blood test is the same as the bedtime test). I went from 36 units at night to 32.
I put this down to a reduction in fat around the waist improving my insulin resistance. I find that my overall sugar control is much easier.
I think that the real benefit to diabetes is the reduction in waist fat. Not quite got back to the waist measurement being half my height another inch to go.
One side effect – I no longer like milk in coffee
The main thing about diabetics is that, that there are from two ways of diabetics one from your urine and another from your blood. Its good to all diabetics patient that he knows about diabetics well. Diabetics is not such a big problem at all. And diabetics of type II is not much dangerous insist of type I. Suggest to inject for diabetics because it control the level of sugar in your body.
For diabetics patient the average weight is 50kg to 55kg. Don’t take soft drinks because it result in fat of your body and diabetics. Take doctor advise if your cholesterol level is high or low. And don’t take any medicine without prescription of doctors.
jasminartany, I am not sure I understood everything you wrote. However, I am pretty sure that your knowledge of diabetes is rusty, to say it mildly.
There is no “diabetics from your urine and another from your blood”. Glucose can be measured in the blood (the usual way to control blood sugar levels, hence the name “blood sugar”); it can also be measured in the urine ONCE the blood sugar levels are high enough for glucose to be passed into the urine or the kidneys are damaged. This urine test is not suitable for diabetic treatment because the blood sugar has to be extremely high, the exact opposite of the treatment goals.
Diabetes is a major problem, both for the public health and health funds and for the individual. It has nasty complications if not controlled early enough and well enough. Amongst them are poor circulation leading to gangrene and loss of limbs, heart attacks, strokes, peripheral neuropathy leading to numbness and pain in the limbs, kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy), eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) leading to blindness. This affects both type I and type II diabetics and is disabling for sufferers of both. The attitude that type II diabetes is not dangerous should have died long ago.
Injectable medication is THE treatment for type I, but not always necessary in type II. The treatment for type II is graded from diet control through tablets to eventually insulin injections. Which treatment is best depends on the individual patient and their response to it.
Weight of people depends much on their height, their build, their activities. A lot of people DO NOT weigh 50 to 55 kg yet are still in a normal weight range, regardless of whether they are diabetics or not. Or do you really expect Curt Fraser to weigh the same as Halle Berry? Yes, they are both diabetics.
The only points in your post that I can agree with are the two last sentences: take doctor’s advice regarding cholesterol and do not take medication without prescription (okay, occasional cough linctus or headache pill aside, watch for sugar in the cough medicine though).
I am a Type 2 diabetic, and have been on the Fast Diet for about a year now.
A couple of things to be aware of if you are going to use this diet as a diabetic. First, what are your medications, and more importantly, what are their mechanisms.
I use metformin, januvia, and glipizide. Metformin blocks extra glucose secretion from the liver, januvia helps your cells use insulin (drops insulin resistance), and glipizide can increase insulin secretion from the pancreas.
If I am on a non-fasting day, I take all my medicine as prescribed. However, if I am on a fasting day, I don’t take the glipizide. The thought being that if I am not eating, then I don’t want my body secreting extra insulin and creating hypoglycemia effects. When I don’t take these sulfonyreas then I don’t have any blood sugar management issues on my fasting days.
Can anyone help please. I have just started this diet, my husband is 65 and type 2 diabetic. He is concerned that if he starts this diet as well as taking his medication his sugar levels will fall too low. This seems to happen when he does not eat regularly, so it’s a vicious circle in a way. Has anyone has experience of this? He is currently taking Glicazide and metformin. I think perhaps he should speak to his consultant but if you have suggestions I would be grateful. Thanks
Hello, just read your comments after I had posted my question. That is very interesting. Is the diet working for you? Have you been able to reduce your medication completely?
My husband is type 2 and is worried about the effects of this diet on a daily basis combined with his medication – which is Glycazide and metformin. I am keen for him to give it a try.
Hi Tracy,
I am a type 2 diabetic and have been doing the fast diet since January. I take insulin, so find it a lot easier to control as I adjust the level of insulin to what I eat. I strongly advise talking to your physician. If your partner is not testing his blood sugar regularly then I think this is would be pretty important for fast days. This gives you a good idea of what is actually going on with the blood sugar and gives a chance to correct if he starts to go low. (I take 100ml or orange juice to fix a low sugar which is only 48 Kcals).
Since being on the fast diet I need about half the amount of insulin I did before, which is due to improved insulin sensitivity brought about by 10Kg of weight loss. I find that my control is so much easier. Really worth doing.
Good luck
Hi:
This has been posted by many on other threads. He uses IF to cure type 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oZ4UqtbB_g
Hi all,
I’m new to the forum and appreciate all the information. I’m type 2 and have recently started Glicklazide 80mg which has really worked well for me with BS readings down to 4.9 taken early each morning. I was diagnosed a few years ago and like most was put on Metformin but it didn’t agree with me and affected both my smell and taste with some quite strange experiences when eating my usual diet. I stopped taking it and went over to diet and exercise which has worked well for the last few years until I recently hit the proverbial brick wall and my readings shot up. When I started Glicklazide, I also cut right back on carbs so now I’m in a quandary, are my readings due to low carbs or the new medication.
I also decided it was time to research diabetes a lot more and was recommended to read ‘Blood Sugar 101: What They Don’t Tell You about Diabetes’ …by Jenny Ruhl which has changed my whole perspective and I now feel so much more confident in the way I’m handling Diabetes. I have also watched MM’s diet programmes and am now keen to try the two day fasting and will be starting next week.
Hi Xrae, both here and on facebook you can find more and more type II diabetics who have improved their blood sugars dramatically through intermittent fasting.
Diabetes UK and the US counterpart are still sticking to their grain based dietary advice for diabetics and I suspect it will be several years and properly organised studies before these guidelines are changed.
Until then, we will muddle through. simcoeluv posted a link further up. Watch the video and go to this doctor’s blog, there is a lot of information and encouragement.
Good luck, you can do this!
Hi jerm:
Many type 2s have been successfully following 5:2 and other IF patterns. See my link above for more information on how one doctor is curing type 2 with IF.
Generally, you have to rethink your diet, especially if it has been high carb. Most people find that they have the most success if they eat only fat/protein on their diet days (and non diet days, too). They digest more slowly and provide a more constant supply of energy, as opposed to carbs that spike the blood sugar and quickly disappear. You have to experiment to see what works best for you.
Good Luck!
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We pay tribute to our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Michael Mosley. Michael was an integral part of our lives, […]
Michael is touring Australia this September! Here's a link to dates and tickets. Hope to see you there.
Michael Mosley gives an update for 2019, current research in the field and announces a tour starting in February.
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