It’s been staring me in the face all of my life. For centuries, Fasting has been practiced by major religions demonstrating sincerity, humility and gratitude for His grace.
THE PROBLEM: I’ve been suffering from TYPE 2 diabetes for over 20 years. With its related health problems; high blood pressure, diabetic neuropathy, hypoglycemic seizures and an overall lethargic outlook on life. As the symptoms and my weight increased, so did the meds, to treat those symptoms, but not the cause. Daily multiple injections of insulin and a handful of pills was my norm. OK, I had to do something about it, especially since I’m way past the 7th inning stretch. Historically, I could never really follow any strict diet based on deprivation and counting, it’s not in my Filipino DNA.
THE SOLUTION: Intermittent Fasting or IF. Starting in February, every day I would fast for 18 hours (to kick-start Autophagy) and only have an eating window of 6 hours. During that time, I follow the 2MAD (2 meals a day) protocol. My daily caloric intake is based on what’s recommended by my Basal Metabolic Rate, but no formal counting. My food is not restricted (life is too short not to have Chinese) but I try to eat, no sugar, very low carbs and high fat, but not adhering to any strict Keto macros. To enhance the IF, I also practice Tabata Training (high-intensity interval training), meditation and prayer every day making life less stressful.
THE RESULTS: So far, I have lost 45 pounds. My BP is in the normal range as are all of my levels on my Basic Metabolic Panel. I am close to a normal BMI (Body Mass Index) and my cholesterol level is 89. The normal range of Hemoglobin A1C is 4.0-6.0. Mine is 5.5, the lowest in 25 years. I have significantly reduced my diabetes meds (hopefully to eliminate altogether) and physically feel energized and mentally alert. I weigh less than when I moved to Seattle 42 years ago. Another great thing about IF, it’s free, doesn’t cost a cent (except for new smaller sized clothes) It just requires consistency, patience and compassion in your plan.
Needing a lot of slack in my life, Intermittent Fasting is easy and flexible. If it wasn’t, I couldn’t follow it every day for the rest of my life, and not just during Lent. It sets a great example of perseverance and health for my children. Do your own investigation and see if it appeals to you. If it works for you, great, but don’t thank me, thank the Creator of the Universe.