Fasting/feasting

[paulus65]

Read a report in todays Times(UK) about some research that suggests fasting on alternate days may have a beneficial effect on auto-immune diseases.

Anybody tried it? - would it work on PMR??

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi

couldn’t read full article as not a subscriber - but found this in relation to the professor who apparently is leading research into the “Fasting Mimicking Diet” - and selling books on the back of it!

valterlongo.com/autoimmune-...

Excerpt from spiel -

People affected by pathologies may not do the FMD, unless they have the prior approval of their specialized doctor. In the case of serious or relatively serious illnesses (cancer, diabetes, or cardiovascular, autoimmune, or neurodegenerative diseases), it is important to seek permission and approval from a disease specialist as well as from a dietitian with expertise in the FMD or in therapeutic fasting. The use of the FMD for disease treatment should for the moment be limited to clinical trials unless the doctor determines that there are no viable options and the patient cannot wait until the conclusion of appropriate clinical trials and FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), and similar agencies in other countries, approval.

So personally I wouldn’t get too excited about it! But that’s just old cynical me!

[HeronNS in reply to DorsetLady]

I would be one crabby, headachy bunny. Would only try it if definitely proven to work!

[piglette in reply to DorsetLady]

This was also said: ( I am not sure I am designed to be a hunter gatherer more a pampered bunny.)

<Scientists at the University of Graz in Austria believe the strength of alternate-day fasting (ADF) may lie in its adherence to hunter-gatherers’ patterns of eating thousands of years ago, when food was not available every day.

However, they warn that it may not be suitable for everyone and that ­further studies are needed.>

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to piglette]

Yes definitely more studies required.

[Hidden]

I heard this or saw it on TV. Overnight is a big enough fast for me. I am sticking with the advice in DL"s reply. As someone with diabetes, PMR, fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, a potential diverticular condition and veggie, my diet is getting more and more limited and consists of mainly veg now. The enforced couple of months of fasting every few days left me wan. 🤢

[Dontwannabesick]

Daft as it may seem, a couple of times that events have caused me to miss my eagerly awaited feeding times I have found the hunger diminished and no longer desperate for food. Unfortunately sometimes it's been at breakfast times, so I have had to eat because of the pred that follows.

[jinasc]

You need food with your pred..........................never on an empty stomach. even if it is just yogurt.............

[SheffieldJane]

It’s an interesting concept. If I inadvertently fast, I feel better. I wondered if it was food sensitivities.

[LWNE]

I have been doing the 16:8 fasting/eating plan for about 10 months, and it seems to be working well for me. You simply eat all your meals within an 8 hr period, so I choose not to eat after my evening meal for 16 hrs (8 hrs of which you are in bed for). it means no breakfast (I take my Pred with a glass of Kefir), but this suits me, as working full time and busy, and I dont even feel particularly hungry at lunchtime. When I first started (month before DX of Pmr, I lost a stone in a month. Since starting Pred some of that has crept back on, but not too much! Im currently on 7.5mg, and doing well, (age 62), still hiking 10 miles at least once a week, and swimming. I have not tried the alternative day fasting bit, but I have heard its working well for some people.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Will it work? Only one way to find out! I do intermittent fasting as well as low carb - I normally eat dinner about 7.45pm and lunch the following day at 1.30pm having just had multiple cups of tea for breakfast. Over the years I do seem to have fewer problems than many others. I do notice if I eat more carbs my hands hurt more - and rainy weather is hell! Yesterday in middle England was not good

Like LWNE I rarely am hungry before lunch - if I am it was because I had eaten more carbs the previous day.

[scrambledegg]

I have been doing the 5:2 diet for 5 years now. Have have PMR for 4 years. I do seem to have fewer adverse effects than most people on this forum e.g. I don't get fatigued but I'm guessing those with fewer problems have less incentive to contribute here? I was doing it for general health benefits rather than weight loss but I lost a stone in the first 3 months so it could be worth trying for those with weight gain problems with the prednisolone. Those hunger pangs really do go if you can ignore them for 10 minutes. It's mind over matter for 2 days 500 calories a day, then eat what you like for the other 5 days. I feel good on it and I like that it's trying to reflect how we would eat if we had to find food on a daily basis rather that go to the shops!