Fasting Q&A with Dr Jason Fung: Loss of Smell, Reversing T2D Without Fasting, Carnivore Diets, Ketone Monitors vs CGMs, and More
Nov 26, 2024
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Dr. Jason Fung, an expert in intermittent fasting, dives into a wide array of health topics. He discusses how diet can combat insulin resistance in children, particularly those with a history of gestational diabetes. The podcast also addresses the intriguing possibility of using fasting to restore lost senses, and whether a one-meal-a-day strategy can reverse type 2 diabetes. Dr. Fung shares insights on the carnivore diet as an elimination strategy, and the importance of timing protein and fats before carbs for better metabolic responses.
Dietary vigilance is crucial for children at risk of insulin resistance, emphasizing unprocessed foods and overnight fasting for recovery.
Extended fasting can aid those with smell loss from COVID-19 by reducing inflammation and promoting the body's repair mechanisms.
Deep dives
Dietary Approaches for Children with Insulin Resistance
The rise of type 2 diabetes in children, especially those with a history of maternal gestational diabetes, highlights the need for dietary vigilance. A diet rich in unprocessed, natural foods is recommended, as it can help mitigate insulin resistance linked to unhealthy eating habits. Avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugar can prevent spikes in insulin and glucose levels, which contribute to weight gain and metabolic issues. Emphasis is placed on ensuring children have periods of fasting, approximately 12 hours overnight, to allow the body to recover and restore insulin sensitivity.
Effects of Fasting on Inflammatory Responses
Extended fasting, such as a five-day fast, may have beneficial effects on inflammation and overall health, particularly for individuals who have lost their sense of smell due to COVID-19. While the precise cause of smell loss isn't fully understood, fasting may help reduce inflammation caused by overactive immune cells, allowing the body to enter a repair mode. Anecdotal evidence suggests that fasting can lead to improvement in various health conditions, including thyroid function and inflammation levels. Listening to one's body and observing improvements can guide individuals to continue or adjust their fasting practices.
Reversing Diabetes Through Diet and Fasting
Individuals seeking to reverse type 2 diabetes can achieve significant results by adhering to strict dietary choices, such as a low carbohydrate or ketogenic eating pattern, without necessarily engaging in prolonged fasting. While extended fasting is beneficial for some, others may find success through frequent, mindful eating of unprocessed foods, focusing on quality rather than quantity. Personal experience shared an example of an individual who successfully came off diabetes medications after diligently following a low-carb diet over eight months. Ultimately, finding a personal approach that balances dietary restrictions and lifestyle preferences is vital for managing diabetes effectively.
The Importance of Food Quality Over Caloric Content
The distinction between processed and whole foods plays a crucial role in dietary health, as refined and ultra-processed foods can provoke hunger and overeating, regardless of their caloric content. The body responds differently to various food forms; for instance, whole foods typically lead to gradual insulin responses compared to their processed counterparts, which can spike glucose levels. Effective dietary strategies include preferentially consuming bulky, nutrient-dense foods that activate satiety signals, thus regulating appetite. In essence, individuals should focus on food quality, meal timing, and their unique physiological responses, rather than merely counting calories.
In this Fasting Q&A episode, hosted by Coach Lisa Chance, Dr. Jason Fung answers questions from the TFM Community:
We’re getting more questions about children and insulin resistance. Of course the parents should always check with their pediatrician, but could you speak on what type of diet a child could be on if they start showing signs of a metabolic issue, especially if the mother had gestational diabetes while carrying them? [01:47]
If someone lost their sense of smell during COVID, but could smell during a five-day fast, would it be a good idea to keep at it, hopefully, for a permanent restoration of their sense of smell? [04:56]
I can't quite make myself fast for more than 24 hrs. In the last three, months I've started eating once a day, mostly every day, with 17 to 24 hours fasting in between. Would I be able to completely reverse the type 2 diabetes if I stick to this way of eating? [08:10]
Dr. Fung, in one of your videos you suggested eating your protein and fat ten minutes before eating carbs. How many grams of fat or protein are required? [12:10]
Could Dr. Fung discuss Carnivore as an elimination diet, and what his thoughts are about adopting it as a long-term diet? [18:22]
I have a CGM and my BG goes up about after my first meal, plateaus at that higher level, goes up even higher after the second meal, and then slowly returns to the original level overnight. Does this mean that my meals are too close together? Should I wait to have the second meal only when my BG returns to the original value after one meal? [23:06]
Is it important to have a ketone monitor or CGM? Are blood ketone monitors more accurate? [25:25]
It seems to me that just getting one blood test (fasting glucose) to determine if you're pre-diabetic or not could be very misleading, given the variability? [27:39]
Why and how do non-caloric, sugar-free, natural sweeteners, such as Atevia and Truvia, raise insulin? [29:26]
Please note that you need to be a member of the TFM Community to submit questions to the Q&A webinars with Dr. Fung but you can submit questions to our regular Q&A episodes here: https://bit.ly/TFMPodcastQs
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before doing any fasting, changing your diet, taking or adjusting any medication or supplements, or adopting any treatment for a health problem. The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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