Hi every one,
Can any one share his/her experience or information re impact of fasting on CLL.
My personal experience is that on first day of our holy month (Ramadan - month of fasting), my WBC was 163, ALC 155, RBC 4.19, HG 12 and after complete month my WBC were 110, ALC 102, RBC 4 & HG 12.3.
Kindly share your information if it is really helpful then I would like to continue with intermittent fasting.
Best regards
I'm becoming increasingly persuaded towards the 'intermittent fasting' diet which is essentially the 5-2 diet which seems to yield very positive effects in terms of weight loss, stabilisation of glucose levels and reduction in cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
The 'Newcastle Diet' (UK) is certainly producing some remarkable success stories in terms of reversing high sugar levels in diabetics but it needs to be done under strict supervision and is far too severe for some to adhere to.
Many claims are being made that the 5-2 diet can have a positive impact on tumour levels and cancer progression. certainly your levels responded brilliantly AAli and I can see why you may wish to discuss continuing this nutritional regime with your doctor or dietician. I do this that it's advisable to discuss major changes like this with a physician before embarking on any drastic changes.
telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/w...
Any other members tried this diet...it's certainly something I'm interested to explore more fully.
Newdawn
Fasting can help us with our CLL, and exercise also seems to help many of us with our CLL.
Is there a link between the two, such as calorie burning or reduction.?
Is the modern lifestyle a large part of the problem.?
More research needed, but sadly there is no profit for a drug company in such research.
( It also sounds a bit like going back 3,000 years, living in caves and running to catch the next wild boar.! )
Dick
PS. There was a BBC program where Dr Mosley.? tried the 5-2 diet and it was successful.
The BBC program with Dr Michael Mosley is still available in the UK on the internet..
‘ Eat, Fast and Live Longer ‘
Dick
AAli,
That's an interesting experience. Can you describe your diet/fasting during Ramadan in more detail? Did you notice any changes in lymph nodes (assuming they are swollen)?
Thanks!
Hi, thanks for your interest. Fortunately no swollen lymph node yet. One swollen part at back of skull near neck was there but not sure it was lymph node or else. It also disappeared.
Normally as per our religion fasting duration during this season is almost 15-16 hours. Morning 0330 hrs till 1930 hrs. We don't even drink water during this time (just for info if you are not familiar). In my normal diet I included more liquid, fruits (specially dates) and tried best to avoid deep fried items. Now I am making experiment with 5:2 and definitely will share after a month. Pray for me
Best regards
Hi folks, sorry for ignorance but what is 5:2 fasting? I've gone sort of vegan in the last few months - with the odd bit of fish thrown in and very occasional bit of organic chicken. Completely cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol, caffeine. My ALC has reduced and I'm hoping the diet is having an effect - I believe it is. I also have lots of nutritional supplements - all done through a functional medicine doctor.
Is this anything like the 5:2 diet?
I wonder whether it's any particular diet that works, or fasting, or in both cases is it just because we're cutting out the bad stuff?
Firefly
In simple terms a 5:2 diet is eating normally for 5 days and then 2 days of fasting or very low calorific intake, such as 500 calories.
See:- telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/w...
See also this link which includes exercise :-
articles.mercola.com/sites/...
Also see :-
Dick
Oh brilliant I will check it out thank you!
Please...Discuss any diet changes with you CLL doctor and GP...
We, by definition are immunocompromised, so a special case...
~chris
If you do try the 5:2 diet, (5 days normal intake, 2 days 600 calories max for men, 500 for women) don't do the 2 days consecutively. It is much easier if you do one day at a time as you know that the next day you can eat normally.
luckyboy-2
Aali, as a Jewess I have similar questions, although we have only a few days in the year that we fast and they are not in one month.
The rule I was given is - check with your doctor each time. As far as I know, there is little harm in fasting unless you are taking medication which requires eating.
There is also a spiritual side to it. I think as a practicing Moslem, you will understand. When your family and friends are all fasting and you don't, you are in a way conceding to your physical state, and permitting your health (or lack of it) to take over your life. The fast of Ramadan, and in our case Yom Kipur (and others) are so ingrained in our psycho that to break them is in fact, to give up.
It may not be good for us CLLers to fast, but it is worse to label ourselves as invalids who can no longer participate in the religion we hold so dear.
About 3 years ago b4 I was diagnosed I was nearing 40 and had a gut and wasn't feeling great so I did some research and started intermittent fasting but I was basically fasting from dinner until a late lunch. I would eat anything I wanted (healthy foods tho only slow carbs like beans and quinoa no pasta or bread) and as much within reason between 3pm and 11 (I don't work 9-5 and keep a late schedule) then in the am I would drink bulletproof coffe which basically tricks your body into thinking it has food so your brain and body don't feel sluggish. I was also hitting the gym daily doing lots of hit training (sprints then cool down sprint then cool down) and I felt amazing and got on great shape. Life got in the way and I started to slack and be less strict and a few months later I started to feel unwell again and shortly after was diagnosed.
If you have no issues with cholesterol bulletproof coffee is a great way to stay close to a ketogenic state. I ate lots of greens and wild fish as well as wild game and grass fed beef and lamb. As I was treating this as a way to get in shape not due to health issues I would make Sunday's my cheat days and eat anything I wanted and drink soda and coffee with sugar instead of stevia. If I start it again I don't think I will have a cheat day as such but I will allow myself sole healthy treats. The more I think about it the year I followed this routine I felt physically amazing and when I stopped I was sick soon after.
Please can you explain 'Bulletproof' Coffee. Do we have in in the UK?
Here is a very interesting article from the University of So. CA on the subject, from 2014. Would be interested in hearing thoughts after a read. Best, Steve
Thanks for this very interesting info. Have your high numbers returned or are they still reduced?
Best wishes-
Bill
Thanks for sharing this, SBMACLL.
There is also usually a spiritual side to a lot of fasting (human fasting, that is - not the mice!)
I wonder whether AAli or Safta (or anyone else out there) use extra scripture readings, prayers, meditation or anything else, alongside abstaining from food (and drink)?
After all, the physical side is only part of us.
the abstention of the physical is just a small part of the whole procedure. I'm not going into a theological dissertation here, but the fasting and prayer and celebration are all a tremendous spiritual uplift. I am sure I am talking for my Moslem cousins too.
Hi safta/Peter
Spiritual uplift is great motivation infact. It really having very positice on will power. What we are doing to recite and listen SURAH RAHMAN (55th Surah f our Holy QURAN) daily. And important thing is when we listen it we imagine that we are absorbing it and our disease is going out of our body. And I feeal a new energy and power inside.
islamfactory.com/quran/mp3/...
regards
I have seen a steady increase in both WBC & ALC since Dec. 2009, in April 2015 I started experimenting with 4 day fasts, since that time both my WBC and ALC have dropped, has anyone else had positive results from this?
Thanks!
Fasting and Ibrutinib 
65 hours into my 72 hour fast. 
Dizziness when getting up too fast or bending over. 
Going down hill fast.
