Am I Dreaming? WebMD Lists Fasting as a Method for Type2 Diabetes Reversal

(Windmill Tilter) #1

When I go to this webpage, it lists fasting as a possible way to reverse type2 diabetes. That’s kind of amazing to me. They mention a “small study” but they don’t cite it which is too bad. I bet it’s the one Dr. Fung published this past fall.

I think this is really kind of amazing! WebMD is a pretty mainstream publication, and the last place I thought I’d see this. It’s awesome that they even concede that Type2 diabetes is reversible, the fact that they list fasting as a possible treatment is astonishing! Am I dreaming?

Fasting

Fasting can be a practical way to lose weight because it’s fairly straightforward, but it’s not a mainstream treatment for type 2 diabetes.

A very small study found therapeutic fasting – going without food and drink with calories for a set amount of time – can help reverse type 2 diabetes. Three people with diabetes followed a diet program of three 24-hour fasts each week for several months. They would eat only dinner on days they fasted, and lunch and dinner on days they didn’t fast, focusing on low-carbohydrate meals.

Two of the people in the study were able to stop taking all diabetes medication, and the third stopped three of his four medications. Within 1-3 weeks, all three of them could stop taking insulin. They lost between 10% and 18% of their body weight, or 20-23 pounds.

Another study showed that eating very few calories (500-600) 2 days a week and a normal diet the other days helped people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and lower their blood sugar levels just as much as limiting calories to 1,200-1,500 every day.

If you want to try fasting, you should work with your doctor so you get the right information and support to do it safely.

(Omar) #2

Amazing

Eventualy everyone will get there

(Windmill Tilter) #3

I hope so. In the US we’re spending $327 billion annually on diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes is so profitable, I kind of figured it was a lost cause.

I was looking for mainstream resources to give to my Mom to help nudge her towards giving Dr. Fungs treatment for her type 2 diabetes. It doesn’t get much more mainstream than WebMd. Strangely enough, I think she probably trusts WebMd more than her own Dr.

(Jody) #4

That is awesome!

I bought an extra copy of Diabetes Code to give to my doctor for my next appt. I told her what I was doing, but I haven’t seen her since I stopped taking my Metformin. I can’t wait to see her reaction.

(Omar) #5

I think people in the US are health aware. They will follow healthy diet gradually.

people in developing countries they are more royal than the king. I mean they adopted SAD more than the West.

economy plays the most important role in what the low income people eat. processed food is the cheapest due to the economy of scale. So I think it will take developing countries much longer to switch away from the SAD than what it will take people in the West.

I have seen the same in my life span since the seventies of last century in regards to reduction in the number of cigarettes smokers both in the West and in the developing countries as I worked all around the world.

(Scott) #6

I am afraid people will need more time to pivot away from low fat and believing vegetable oil is heart healthy. When I say animal fats are better I often get a puzzled look. I don’t even think they even bother to research and even if they did there is so much misinformation.

(Windmill Tilter) #7

I hear this a lot, but it doesn’t look that way at my grocery store. I can buy 20lbs of brown rice, and 10lbs of dried pinto beans for a total of $20. Alternatively I could buy 8 bags of Doritos for $20. I’m not saying beans and rice would be my top choice, but a billions folks have been eating this combo daily for centuries without a diabetes problem. The diabetes comes when they can afford expensive processed food and high fructose Coca Cola.

I think the reality is that processed foods are more convenient. People are lazy. So they eat expensive, highly processed garbage that takes minimal work to prepare. That’s my two cents anyway.

(Omar) #8

I will think about that

#9

Starvation was the treatment for diabetes before insulin

(Failed) #10

Good article, and it’s a step in the right direction. However, the links in that article for Fasting and low-carbohydrate explanations are several steps back.:worried: