Fasting

[xMenace]

My wife and kids have fasted: gone a full day or more with no food. I have hardly missed a meal in over 30 years. The big D is a convenient reaon to eat. I've recently started skipping meals to profile my basal rates. While I'm very satisfied with those results, I also found this limited fasting a satisfying, almost spiritual experience. Maybe it's just a feeling of being in control of your body and mind.

Anyway, I'm curious whether anyone has ever fasted for longer periods, say 24hrs or more and how you coped. :bebored:

[duck]

My wife and kids have fasted: gone a full day or more with no food. I have hardly missed a meal in over 30 years. The big D is a convenient reaon to eat. I've recently started skipping meals to profile my basal rates. While I'm very satisfied with those results, I also found this limited fasting a satisfying, almost spiritual experience. Maybe it's just a feeling of being in control of your body and mind.

Anyway, I'm curious whether anyone has ever fasted for longer periods, say 24hrs or more and how you coped. :bebored:

Even when I was on MDI, I'd occasionally fast in observance of important days in my life. It wasn't a hardcore, no intake fast, but rather a no-solids fast. In other words, I allowed myself meal replacement powders.

Remarkably, since I have been on the pump, though, I have not fasted like that. Hmmmmmm...

Anyway, it can be done. To say you are fasting means you are giving something up, typically food. You could fast from solid foods, or meats, or some subset of your normal diet. But the spirit of the fast is that you are forcing yourself to take on a state of suffering for some cause or reason.

[kel4han]

I did some fasting to determine basal rates recently. Not past 25 hours, but I drank alot of that flavored instant green tea that comes in those convienant little "to go" packs for your 16oz water bottles. The fruity flavor made me think I was eating. And I loved that I HAD THE CONTROL of my body, like you metioned. Turned out I dont need basal at all, and wow. I felt non diabetic for a whole day! Felt great.

[BriOnH]

I fast 24 hrs when I need to fine tune my lantus. Not upto 24 hrs: I also fast every Sunday until dinner. It's not a requirement of my religion but I do it for religious reasons. I will do this during the week sometimes too. Just because I don't feel like eating sometimes. I know it's not the best for me to do this. The longest I have gone without eating, while not being sick is 3 days.

[BlueSky]

..... I know it's not the best for me to do this. .....

Intermittent fasting is apparently very healthy. Animal studies suggest that it is just as beneficial as caloric restriction, in terms of increased insulin sensitivity, amongst other things. It's a bit difficult for a T1, though. You have to get that basal absolutely spot on. I often skip a meal, though. :smile:

Here is a study on it Intermittent fasting dissociates beneficial effects of dietary restriction on glucose metabolism and neuronal resistance to injury from calorie intake -- Anson et al. 100 (10): 6216 -- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/100/10/6216?ijkey=74cd0df975f6b49cebafe968d1c66216db91e21 a)

[xMenace]

... It's a bit difficult for a T1, though. You have to get that basal absolutely spot on. I often skip a meal, though. :smile:
...

Which is why I fast ;) I am getting pretty close. I've certainly learned a lot about my body the last 6 weeks.

[mark-TN]

I skip meals all the time and it is never a big deal. I do an extended fast 2 or 3 times a year. The fast will last about 28-29 hours and I only drink water or diet soda. It is a bit tough to do, but it is really the only way to accurately test basal requirements.

Mark

[Tyler]

Intermittent fasting is apparently very healthy. Animal studies suggest that it is just as beneficial as caloric restriction, in terms of increased insulin sensitivity, amongst other things. It's a bit difficult for a T1, though. You have to get that basal absolutely spot on. I often skip a meal, though. :smile:

Here is a study on it Intermittent fasting dissociates beneficial effects of dietary restriction on glucose metabolism and neuronal resistance to injury from calorie intake -- Anson et al. 100 (10): 6216 -- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/100/10/6216?ijkey=74cd0df975f6b49cebafe968d1c66216db91e21 a)

I'll come back to this when I get a chance.

[poodlebone]

I enjoy food too much to fast! :eating: I'll skip breakfast if I have to be fasting for a blood test or if I decide to sleep late on the weekend but that's about it. I really have to fine tune my basal rates and I've been putting it off.

The only time I fasted longer than 16 hours or so was when I was diagnosed and in the hospital. Then I had no food or drink for 3 days, just IVs.

[HiImDan]

Why do they call it a fast when it goes so slow?http://bestsmileys.com/clueless/5.gif I used to fast twice a week, now not so often, but it's good to cleanse the system and the mind.

[Injecto]

I fast about once a week, to test my basals. Most of the time I try to go as long as I can without going low, or until I'm starving....:)

I find it both rewarding to test the willpower and to test the basals, it's like a two for one deal.

[cheryl]

Yea, everytime I have fasted whether sick or didn't have a choice I found myself dropping like a fish too, I was wanting to see how long I can technically go without insulin, stupid kind of but I have gone without insulin at all for 16 hrs before it went past 120, and then come to find out something is up with my c-peptide results which isn't balancing all this out for me I have been a little confused about my situation here lately, but I am too scared to fast without insulin now, cause I have too much stress that will alter anything I am trying to accomplish, but I was thinking of fasting one day next week with just basal to see If I am on target or not, oh well......or I might just wait for a pump to start starving lol

Cheryl

[Tyler]

Intermittent fasting is apparently very healthy. Animal studies suggest that it is just as beneficial as caloric restriction, in terms of increased insulin sensitivity, amongst other things. It's a bit difficult for a T1, though. You have to get that basal absolutely spot on. I often skip a meal, though. :smile:

Here is a study on it Intermittent fasting dissociates beneficial effects of dietary restriction on glucose metabolism and neuronal resistance to injury from calorie intake -- Anson et al. 100 (10): 6216 -- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/100/10/6216?ijkey=74cd0df975f6b49cebafe968d1c66216db91e21 a)

It's what I've been doing for some 5 months or more now. I love it. After you get used to it, the morning hunger is non-existent. It's very easy for me to just wait until noon to eat now.

Add this to the fact that most (if not all of us) have some major IS issues in the morning, I find it much easier to just skip the trouble time that was breakfast for me and begin my day with lunch.

A1C has been at an all time low, weight loss is easy this way when I desire, and it allows me to eat bigger meals.

The only problem that I've found is that sometimes I tend to eat late at night which second to morning eating is the absolute worst thing for me control wise. Of course, the binging that I do usually occurs at night.

So, in summary, eating between 1200 and 2000 is my sweet spot that allows the best control and minimal hunger issues.

[rwmetcalf]

Anybody have any experience on fasting for several days? I imagine it's not much of a problem for someone who controls with exercise and diet only, but that is not me. I take metformin ER (1000 in the morning, 500 at night) daily and use diet and exercise. I have been able to get my BS under control fairly well. My morning fasting numbers are usually between 92 and 104 (87 this morning!). My last A1c was 5.2 and my insulin levels have decreased to normal levels (indicating increased sensitivity). So, if anybody here has any advice about fasting (water fast) for a few days, I would like to hear it. I'm not sure if I should decrease or stop the metformin as it inhibits the liver from dumping glucose, but the glucose dump should be necessary if I'm not getting outside nutrition. Obviously it would be important to test test test.

I posted this topic on the Type 2 forum. So far I haven't had much response, other than to see my Dr. I would have thought that fasting for Type 1s would be a hard thing to do, but now I'm thinking that "all" you really have to do is take some compensating insulin (showing my ignorance here), though the amount would be tricky.

So, anybody have any thoughts on extended fasting (3 or more days) for a Type 2 just on Metformin ER?

Thanks,
Roger

[Tyler]

I posted this topic on the Type 2 forum. So far I haven't had much response, other than to see my Dr. I would have thought that fasting for Type 1s would be a hard thing to do, but now I'm thinking that "all" you really have to do is take some compensating insulin (showing my ignorance here), though the amount would be tricky.

So, anybody have any thoughts on extended fasting (3 or more days) for a Type 2 just on Metformin ER?

Thanks,
Roger

For what purpose?

[rwmetcalf]

There are a multitude of reasons why I want to fast. First, I used to fast before diagnosis for short terms while doing extended praying and I want to resume but I would prefer not to have to worry too much about the whole diabetes thing.

Second, as Bluesky pointed out in a previous post, studies have shown that fasting and calorie restrictions have shown benefits as far as regaining insulin sensitivity.

Three, I have read that fasting can help clear the body of toxins, give the internal organs a break and generally help provide a rejuvenation to the system.

I have been curious about fasting (never went for more than 2 days before) for quite a while. Wish I had been more curious before being diagnosed :smile: While I do not believe it to be a cure, I am wondering if it might not help with BS control. I am always looking for something to provide an extra edge with this **** disease and I thought this might be something I could do in addition to drugs, diet and exercise.

And four, I am stuck at a certain weight and diet and exercise are not helping. Maybe this can help me get started losing weight again.

Regards,
Roger