Have you been wondering if in reality is fasting good for a diabetic ? Learn more about how this method could help manage diabetes.
You have heard about the many benefits of fasting, and how it can help someone lose weight, readjust their body’s composition and even enhance their way of life. But, is fasting good for a diabetic? Is it a safe practice for someone that needs to manage their disease?
Truth is, this popular method of dieting can be considered a positive change for those trying to control their glucose levels.
Wondering if indeed is fasting good for diabetes 2 does not have to cause too much controversy, as the explanation can be simple: fasting may actually help patients lose weight and control their sugar blood levels.
However, and as with many other things, fasting and diabetes dangers are still present and need to be considered before starting the diet.
As no two bodies react the same way to this methodology, and no two people are looking for the same result, it is imperative that before starting fasting as a way of managing your diabetes, you have a thorough consultation with your Doctor and Specialist.
This is why whether or not is fasting good for a diabetic, before engaging in any change of lifestyle that directly affects the way you eat, thus affecting your glucose levels, proper clearance must be obtained to make sure it will not have a negative impact on your health.
Fasting and diabetes dangers are important factors to identify and monitor because, although intermittent fasting has been proven to carry a wide number of benefits, it is still a practice where you skip whole meals for a long period of time.
This means that, if uncontrolled, it can actually result in poorer blood sugar management, and it could lead to multiple other problems such as extreme fatigue, low energy, and medication imbalance.
Asking your Doctor and Specialist if – in your particular case – is fasting good for diabetes 2 is the first step into what could be a positive change for your life.
Now, why is fasting good for a diabetic? A recent study shows that by practicing a short-term fasting, like skipping breakfast, with time insulin levels were significantly lowered and that it helped slow down the development of insulin resistance.
In addition, scientists believe that fasting could also help in the restoration of the pancreas functions, because it could trigger some sort of “reset” on the cells in this vital organ.
While these are just preliminary studies, it proves that there is an actual possibility that intermittent fasting could be a good option for those trying to manage their diabetes without having to add longer periods of exercise, changing their medication, etc.
Something that is important to keep in mind when a diabetic patient decides to engage in this methodology of fasting is that, when they return to their hours of eating, extra consideration and attention must be paid to what they eat.
This means that, because the body has been on what can be considered a “neutral” mode, the calories should be fewer and ingested over a longer period of time to avoid a state of shock.
Furthermore, while improving your insulin sensitivity may be the most appealing trait, it’ important to take into consideration that it may not be the best option for diabetic patients that take blood-sugar medication to lower their glucose levels.
A proper diet plan should be developed alongside your Doctor, in order to make sure which types of food you should eat during the resting hours of your fasting schedule, to avoid the state of shock mentioned above.
Finally, keep in mind that fasting – whether you are a diabetic or not – is only a temporary method and should not be adopted as a permanent lifestyle, but rather as a supplement whenever your body needs a reset or short detox.
Sources:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/diet/intermittent-fasting-safe-people-with-diabetes/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/living-with/fasting-safely-with-diabetes/
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/intermittent-fasting-not-so-fast/