Hi All,

Unfortunately, no matter HOW low we keep our BG level, exercise, and take our medication, Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic, progressive disease-- right? If that is what our doctors, ends, registered dieticians tell us, then why, when there is plentiful scientific evidence, do we NOT investigate and try-out Intermittent Fasting? It is heartbreaking for me to see, in this forum, various members describe their sincere efforts to change their lifestyle significantly, and only slow the rate of progression, and not really improve their health. A few are so very diligent that they DO succeed, but only slow the decline for years, but eventually have to take more and more medication until they eventually, must take insulin. I do NOT see that happening to people in the very low carb forums amongst people who also have adopted Intermittent Fasting as part of their lifestyle changes. Why not go there, follow the topics that come up for discussion, see what people have to say about what they are doing, and look at their impressive results?

The medications that are proscribed to us do NOTHING to help us battle back against Type 2 Diabetes. Getting one's BG level lower means that we are fighting back the SYMPTOM, not the disease, itself. One analogy used is that its like giving a patient medication to help lower his fever, but doing nothing to fight the infection causing the disease, which will eventually cause him tremendous damage-- even death.

Intermittent Fasting actually battles the disease. It has, of course, the side effect of lowering one's BG level. However, the real goal needs to be, for those of us who are still producing insulin, shedding the insulin in our bodies that is produced too abundantly because we don't use the insulin effectively in order to open up the cells of our body so as to be able to use the glucose for energy. It is this overabundance of insulin that leads to weight gain and stubborn inability to lose weight, and for the fact that when we diet and exercise, the pounds return PLUS more, the minute we stop! Many of us fight a losing battle with our weight.

I have never been duped by fads-- not fashion fads, nor technology fads, nor DIET fads. I had always adhered to the practice of eating a balanced diet with lots of veggies, limiting red meat to almost zero, never eating dessert, never drinking sweetened drinks, rarely drinking alcohol (and ONE glass of wine when I did), and staying physically fit. Yet I gained weight and watched my BG levels rise with every yearly physical until I was diagnosed with Type 2 a year ago. I am 61years old and was in need of double hip replacement surgeries-- limiting my ability to exercise. That was last November-December.

At this point, after having gradually figured out how to eat low carb, plentiful healthy fat (avocado, olive oil, butter, salmon, nuts, unsweetened nut butter, ground flax seed), moderate protein (two small servings of lean protein per day), plenty of fiber, and hardly any fruit (1/2 of a small apple or pear, or 1/2 cup berries), and eliminating ALL GRAIN. I fast twice per week (which means that I have dinner one night, have coffee with full-fat cream in the morning, and nothing else until dinnertime the next day, and then eat normally). These are the results:
A 1 C is 5.5, my BG level is usually 85 in the morning and stays under 95 even after I eat a meal, I have lost 40 pounds, the aches and pains I used to have and attributed to aging are gone, I have lots more mental clarity (and didn't have ANY idea that my mind was NOT sharp and clear previously). I rebounded from both of the hip replacement surgeries quickly and thoroughly-- now I bike, hike in the mountains, swim, walk, play tennis. I feel great and look like a completely different person.

Myths abound that it is unhealthy or dangerous to skip breakfast for those of us who are not taking insulin. Myths abound that it is unhealthy or dangerous for one's BG level to be in the 80's or even the 70's. Myths abound that its HEALTHY to eat whole wheat, oatmeal, quinoa-- these are just LESS BAD. Myths abound that we should eat six small meals-- this just leads to eating more food! The biggest myth of all is that we get fat or have our arteries clog due to eating fat. Fat-- as long as it is healthy fat-- is delicious and nutritious. It is one of the major components our body needs to function, unlike carbohydrates which only break down into sugar. Eating the fat replaces eating the carbohydrates-- leading to weight loss when our body burns off the fat stored in the body, provides all the energy we need (every cell in the body can burn fat instead of glucose), and makes one feel GREAT!

By the way, after eating full-fat products instead of the low-fat ones that are found everywhere in our food stores, my good cholesterol numbers have gone way up, my "bad" cholesterol numbers and triglyceride levels have dropped to normal range. My blood pressure is normal-- really really normal, in fact.

So when people warn you that this is a FAD or unhealthy, go onto the Type 2 Diabetes low carb high fat forums, search for the topic of Intermittent Fasting, and read, read, read. THEN decide whether or not its worthwhile to try this out on oneself.

And by the way, I do see my doctor regularly. He, and the doctors I used in the hospital all admitted that they do NOT keep up with research and thus, ely on the American Diabetes Association guidelines. When I handed them current research, and used a yellow marker to highlight the relevant info-- knowing that they don't have the time to read whole studies, but WOULD read the most salient details and conclusions, they got on-board to support what I am doing. So I AM eating this way with my doctors' full, unbridled support.

I hope to see some of you asking questions in some of the LCHF Type 2 Diabetes forums.