According to the CDC, “More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes.” It’s a health issue that’s increasing by the year and affecting younger people at a higher rate. While any person diagnosed with diabetes needs to work closely with their doctor to ensure their insulin levels remain correct, there are things they can do on their end to keep their blood sugar levels in check and keep themselves as healthy as possible.
Over the years, there have been numerous diets available, but there is one eating plan in particular that is working to help diabetics on their health journey. We’ll take a look at the study that followed participants with type 2 diabetes using a 5-day fast mimicking diet and see how it affected key clinical markers for the disease.
Type 2 Diabetes 101
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, and it means that the body doesn’t use insulin correctly or it becomes resistant to insulin. This causes cells to be unable to absorb glucose and convert it to energy, which in turn causes a variety of symptoms and conditions.
Type 2 diabetes has a number of causes, including genetics, lifestyle, and abdominal fat (which we know is unhealthy for a number of reasons). Other risk factors include obesity, age, family history, or a sedentary lifestyle. There are other issues associated with diabetes, including an increased risk of stroke, kidney failure, heart disease, blindness, or blood vessel blockages due to cholesterol plaques.
According to diabetes.org, common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- Urinating often
- Feeling very thirsty
- Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet
Keep in mind that these symptoms often develop slowly, and a person can even be asymptomatic. However, early detection is key to preventing developing complications, so it’s imperative that you talk to your doctor if you or a loved one is showing concerning symptoms.
Fasting and Health Management
The use of fasting for health management dates back thousands of years. Recently, it’s been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels, have anti-inflammatory benefits, and even trigger stem cell regeneration. It’s even been shown to boost brain function and improve heart health. Intermittent fasting might even have anti-aging properties to keep us looking and feeling younger, caused by a process known as autophagy.
Fasting for weight management has become increasingly popular over the years. There are many types, including the 12:12 (12 hours fasting, 12-hour eating window), the 5:2 (five days normal eating, 2 days reduced intake), and the most popular, the 16:8 (16 hours fasting, 8-hour eating window), among others.
Controlling Type 2 Diabetes
While some people can use healthy eating and exercise to control their blood glucose (blood sugar) levels, that’s not the case for everyone. If it’s not enough, sometimes medication or insulin is required. The study we’re looking at focuses on the impact of a fast-mimicking nutrition program and its effect on some of the key figures for type 2 diabetics.
In the study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, participants who used a 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) for 6 consecutive months saw real results. They experienced an improvement in several important clinical markers for disease, including:
- 4% improvement of HbA1C
- 59% improvement in HOMA-IR, a marker for insulin resistance
- 22 lbs of weight loss
- 67% reduced their diabetes-specific medications
The study also demonstrated that FMD was both safe and well-tolerated in this group, and the results lend further support to the role of FMD in the management of patients with certain metabolic conditions.
The 5-Day Fast-Mimicking Diet from ProLon
Though fasting has a number of purported benefits, it can be difficult for people to follow such a restricted diet, and the fasting time can lead to feelings of hunger or deprivation. That’s why Prime Women has teamed up with ProLon to offer fasting options that make the process easier to work with and less overwhelming. We were pleased to read the study about the use of their 5-day Fast-Mimicking Program and its success with people with type 2 diabetes.
If you want to try out intermittent fasting but you’re worried about being hungry, try their program for 5-day ProLon fasting with food, or you can use FastBar to avoid temptation and help you find success (as a bonus, you can use code PRIME for either product to save money when making a purchase).
In addition, Prime Women’s PLATE is a weight management program for women over 50 that focuses on portion control. The other focus is getting support from women who understand what you’re going through because they are too, as well as guided coaching to help you find success. PLATE can help you eat healthy portions and give you a support group to encourage you on your health journey. Learn more or join PLATE today on Apple or Android.
This article is for informational purposes only. If you have concerns about your weight or Type 2 Diabetes, you should consult with your doctor.
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