Does intermittent fasting help lower blood sugar.

[Steve711]

Hi
I am doing the 16 / 8 intermittent fasting for the last few months but i keep reading that diabetics should have the 3 meals a day to keep things balanced .
I also eat a low carb diet and have lowered my Hb1c in April from 99 to 48 now so have to be careful that it still goes down so a bit worried to be making changes.

 

[Docb]

My thought is very simple, do what works for you. By all means take an interest in what works for others but only change what you do if there is something specific in the alternative which fixes something you have a problem with and does not introduce problems that could do without.

For me, my simple lowish carb diet works well and I fit a suitable meal pattern into my day bearing in mind I have things other than when I eat to think about. Doing Intermittent fasting or any other clever diet would not fit into the way I organise my life and as such I would not do it, not because it would not be a way of controlling blood glucose, but because it would be inconvenient.

PS... well done on the HbA1c reduction. What you have been doing looks ideal for you. See what you get at your next review.

 

[ColinUK]

Steve if you’re T2 then yes it’s likely to be beneficial. It’s just a step up from what we do naturally anyway and comes down to the old adages of:
Eat when you’re hungry not according to the clock
AND
Do what works for you

 

[Felinia]

I don't consciously intermittent fast, but I have breakfast at 9.30am, lunch between 12pm and 2pm (depending when I get back from the pool, and tea around 5pm. I then have a soda water drink around 8pm to stave off any hunger pangs - the gas bloats me. So I have my 3 meals a day, and breakfast is the one I enjoy most.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well done on your HbA1c reduction so far @Steve711

A gradual reduction in HbA1c is easier on the body, so don’t worry if you level out for a while. 48 is a level associated with pretty low risks of long-term complications, so there’s no need to panic if it hovers there for a while as you continue to tweak your menu and lose any extra weight you may be carrying 🙂

 

[Drummer]

Hi
I am doing the 16 / 8 intermittent fasting for the last few months but i keep reading that diabetics should have the 3 meals a day to keep things balanced .
I also eat a low carb diet and have lowered my Hb1c in April from 99 to 48 now so have to be careful that it still goes down so a bit worried to be making changes.

To keep things balanced eh - so reassuring to have such informative advice.
My regime of eating 2 meals a day at 12 hour intervals knocks everything out of balance, my weight went down, my blood glucose and Hba1c dropped, my energy levels went up, along with activity and mood.