There are many ways we can manage type 2 diabetes if we dedicate our time and put a lot of effort into it. One of the ways is to restrict calorie intake and try fasting.
Fasting is said to be good for managing blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
Here’s more about it.
Fasting and Type 2 Diabetes
When fats start to accumulate in certain areas of the body where there shouldn’t be any fat, the chronic disease develops. It all starts with a huge amount of fat stored in the muscle tissue. This chronic disease is usually hereditary.
But, it can also be caused by a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet. That huge amount of fat is called intramuscular fat. It is located on the inside of the muscles. This fat forces the muscles to produce harmful toxic fat that metabolites as diacylglycerol and ceramide.
In the end, such toxins can affect insulin resistance and cause type 1 diabetes.
Fat Affects the Pancreatic Function
The more fat starts to accumulate in the pancreas, the more it will compromise its function. This is a huge problem because the pancreas is in charge of producing insulin. As a result, insulin production will reduce and affect blood sugar levels.
At this point, to help keep their disease in check, people will have to use insulin injections.
Treatment with Fasting
For more than 150 years, people have been using fasting as a way to obtain numerous health benefits. Back in the 1870s, an expert on diabetes, Dr. Forbes said that fasting could produce positive results for managing this chronic condition.
He even recommended it for his patients. More than 100 years ago, another expert in the same field, Dr. Eliot Joslin, published his study in which he suggested that fasting may even reverse it.
These 2 researchers were among the first ones to realize that fasting can detoxify the body, organs, and tissues from fatty deposits. If we cleanse the organs from the fat, we can help improve insulin sensitivity.
Possible Risks of Fasting
Fasting can come with some health consequences. That is why it is best to start fasting under the watchful eye of a doctor. Always consult with a professional before implementing any dietary changes.
Ideally, the doctor will help us with their experience and guide us through the entire process. It is also possible that blood sugar levels may drop. So, it is crucial that we constantly monitor our levels.
Bariatric Surgery vs. Fasting
Bariatric surgery works similar to fasting. This type of surgery can significantly reduce the size of the stomach. But, this surgery is incredibly dangerous. Both the surgery and the way we manage our nutrition afterward can prove incredibly problematic.
That’s why it may be good to try fasting. By reducing our calorie intake, we might stabilize our blood sugar levels.
We can eat about 500 to 600 calories per day. After a few months, the pancreas may start producing more insulin.
But, it is important to stop fasting once our blood glucose drops below 70 mg/dl or exceeds 300 mg/dl. If we want to start fasting, we suggest reducing the calorie intake and focusing on a plant-based diet. Consume a healthy diet.
Those who want to eat more foods other than plants can eat cheese, meat, and starches but in small amounts. Lastly, try to implement moderate changes. Do not starve. Carefully and slowly reduce the amount of food. Otherwise, we might damage our health.
