Can Fasting Cure Type 2 Diabetes?

Diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes can be extremely challenging for people, as diabetic people have to make drastic changes in their lifestyle. A great number of measures are taken by the patients to maintain their blood sugar levels and avoid any irregularities. Recently, many kinds of research have proven fasting to be highly effective against many diseases, so it is not unusual for people to ask whether fasting can cure Type 2 diabetes. This article deals with this important question in detail.

First of all, it is important to state clearly that there is no cure for type 2 diabetes. However, a healthy lifestyle and intermittent fasting can help you in reversing the condition and enjoy a normal life without needing diabetes medicines.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

In type 2 diabetes, the patients have enough insulin in their body, but it causes terrible reactions. As a result, insulin production can dramatically slow down. Without the proper quantity of insulin in your body, the blood glucose levels cannot be regulated correctly.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes include blurry vision, fatigue, weight loss, difficulty in wounds healing, skin darkening, abnormal hunger, and excessive urination.

In a normal functioning body, insulin is released into your blood, and as it travels in the bloodstream, the cells keep obtaining glucose. The glucose is converted into glycogen to provide energy for your muscles. The remaining sugar is also stored by the liver to be used later, for example, while fasting. When glucose levels get very low, the liver starts utilizing the glycogen to prevent a drop in sugar levels, and the pancreas stops releasing insulin as well.

People with type 2 diabetes have the difficulty of getting glucose absorbed into their cells. Instead, glucose is stuck in the bloodstream, and the blood sugar levels keep increasing without any check and balance. A large amount of insulin is produced by the pancreatic glands to control the glucose quantity, but instead, the cells get overloaded with sugar, and eventually, insulin production is restricted.

Fasting and Type 2 Diabetes

As stated, there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but it can be managed efficiently via smart choices, which includes fasting. Managing the condition means controlling the blood sugar and keeping it balanced. Exercising and fasting both are effective in managing the condition.

A detailed study was included in the BMJ Case Reports, which included a group of diabetic people who adopted intermittent fasting for some time. The whole research was extensive research that went on for a period of about ten months. No strict diet plans were imposed on the participants as they were allowed to drink beverages and enjoy a single evening meal. The diabetic participants did different types of fasting, like dry fast, water fast, and alternate-day fasting.

At the end of the study, the three participants were able to completely overcome the type 2 diabetes and did not need insulin medication anymore. It was concluded that 24-hour fasting methods could mitigate or even eliminate the need for diabetic medicines.

Other studies by renowned medical experts like Dr. Fung and John Hopkins Hospital have also shown that fasting is extremely useful in managing type 2 diabetes. Hence, if you are suffering from this condition and wish to make an intelligent lifestyle change, fasting can be just the thing that you are looking for.