[BPQuestions]

Has anyone had any experience with intermittent fasting as well as taking medication to help with mood stabilization?

[99fairies]

I have done this a lot, but haven't really noticed a difference in my mood. I did notice an improvement in my energy levels though.

[UpDownAround]

Which kind of IF? There is daily (I did 5:2, where you eat normally 5 days and have 2 "fast" days of under 600 calories that aren't back to back) and there is hourly (like 16:8, where you only eat during an 8 hour window each day).

5:2 daily IF didn't have any impact on my mood.

[BPQuestions]

16:8 IF.

Originally Posted by UpDownAround

Which kind of IF? There is daily (I did 5:2, where you eat normally 5 days and have 2 "fast" days of under 600 calories that aren't back to back) and there is hourly (like 16:8, where you only eat during an 8 hour window each day).

5:2 daily IF didn't have any impact on my mood.

[Carmina]

I do 16:8 daily and an occasional 1-2 day fast to top up, feels great, brilliant for type II diabetes

[Pookyl]

Yes I do intermittent fasting. My pdoc, endo and GP encouraged me to do it.

IF impacted on my mood indirectly. My blood work improved and my cognition improved like 100%.

It was the fact that my cognition improved that made me compliant with meds thereby causing a positive effect on my bipolar.

[bizi]

I eat at 1130am and 6pm.
I could do the skip breakfast but can't give up my popcorn at 9pm.
sigh
bizi

[UpDownAround]

Originally Posted by Carmina

I do 16:8 daily and an occasional 1-2 day fast to top up, feels great, brilliant for type II diabetes

Interesting. I thought to was better for diabetes to spread out eating so you wouldn't get the big spike. I read an article about diabetic farmers having trouble when they only ate a big breakfast at day break and a big dinner at sundown.

Originally Posted by Carmina

I do 16:8 daily and an occasional 1-2 day fast to top up, feels great, brilliant for type II diabetes

Originally Posted by UpDownAround

Interesting. I thought to was better for diabetes to spread out eating so you wouldn't get the big spike. I read an article about diabetic farmers having trouble when they only ate a big breakfast at day break and a big dinner at sundown.

There are many fallacies about how to best treat Type II Diabetes. When someone I know with it followed ADA diet guidelines, his diabetes worsened. Perhaps fasting is good for diabetics. This person started eating as this doctor is suggesting and his blood sugars dropped significantly, he lost weight, feels better, etc:

Reversing Type 2 diabetes starts with ignoring the guidelines | Sarah Hallberg

[Carmina]

Originally Posted by UpDownAround

Interesting. I thought to was better for diabetes to spread out eating so you wouldn't get the big spike. I read an article about diabetic farmers having trouble when they only ate a big breakfast at day break and a big dinner at sundown.

There's a big difference between type I and type II - they are really different diseases in many ways and you could get those problems with type I but the 'little and often' myth for Type II is just that. IF helps break a pattern of carbs intake that feeds Type II diabetes and in particular promotes insulin resistance.

[Tucson]

Originally Posted by Carmina

There's a big difference between type I and type II - they are really different diseases in many ways and you could get those problems with type I but the 'little and often' myth for Type II is just that. IF helps break a pattern of carbs intake that feeds Type II diabetes and in particular promotes insulin resistance.

This is very interesting indeed. If I ever become pre-diabetic, like the possibility due to extended use of Olanzapine, I will keep this in mind.

My doc treated me for type II diabetes with a low carb Paleo diet in 2004 before anyone heard of Paleo. He also advocates fasting. I reversed it by losing @75 pounds.

I follow Dr Jason Fung now for my fasting protocol. He has great podcasts with Jimmy Moore and YouTube videos too. He is a nephrologist (kidney doc) and has reversed diabetes by fasting his patients. He is interesting because he has placed hundreds of patients on fasts.

I do it for weight management. I have heard Dr Fung talk about brain benefits, but more along the lines of preventing dementia. I’ll listen again and report back if I have it wrong.

The most important thing I’ve heard is a ketogenic diet has benefits for bipolar, just like it does for epilepsy. I found this fascinating because anticonvulsants treat both disorders.

Ketogenic or even just plain old Atkins diet is known for resolving seizures in children.

Fasting would operate on the same principle if you fast long enough to burn fat stores, and even better-go low carb between the fasts.

[Carmina]

Yeah I lost 3 stone since I was diagnosed with Type II and have also reversed it using a combination of IF, more exercise (including HIIT) and overall a healthier, more veg rich, diet (and looking after my gut biota). Managing to keep a stable weight too now for months.

[Pookyl]

Originally Posted by key tones

My doc treated me for type II diabetes with a low carb Paleo diet in 2004 before anyone heard of Paleo. He also advocates fasting. I reversed it by losing @75 pounds.

I follow Dr Jason Fung now for my fasting protocol. He has great podcasts with Jimmy Moore and YouTube videos too. He is a nephrologist (kidney doc) and has reversed diabetes by fasting his patients. He is interesting because he has placed hundreds of patients on fasts.

I do it for weight management. I have heard Dr Fung talk about brain benefits, but more along the lines of preventing dementia. I’ll listen again and report back if I have it wrong.

The most important thing I’ve heard is a ketogenic diet has benefits for bipolar, just like it does for epilepsy. I found this fascinating because anticonvulsants treat both disorders.

Ketogenic or even just plain old Atkins diet is known for resolving seizures in children.

Fasting would operate on the same principle if you fast long enough to burn fat stores, and even better-go low carb between the fasts.

How do you find following the Keto diet when you’re unwell? Any tips?
I’m ok when I’m well but I’m constantly having an episode and I forget the principles and then forget how to actually do the diet. Takeaway then becomes the go to for dinner.

To clarify I do IF but on my eating days my Keto diet goes out the window when I’m unwell.

[bizi]

There are two different modes of IF.
How should we differenciate the 2?
One type talks about reducing calories to fast for a few days.
The other is 16 hour fast(no food or calories then 8 hour window of eating).
So When you say IF. which one are you talking about?
bizi

[Zigy]

I often eat only breakfast around 7:30am and lunch at 1:00pm and then nothing for the rest of the day. I don't think it makes any difference in the way I feel. It helps keep the weight down though which makes me feel better.

[BPQuestions]

I do the 16:8 IF.

Originally Posted by bizi

There are two different modes of IF.
How should we differenciate the 2?
One type talks about reducing calories to fast for a few days.
The other is 16 hour fast(no food or calories then 8 hour window of eating).
So When you say IF. which one are you talking about?
bizi

I do various versions - Dr. Jason Fung says to do what works for you.

Dr. Fung does the one meal a day version (aka OMAD, if you've ever seen that acronym).

I USED to be able to fast for days at a time; I've done several days in a row. However, since I've started the lithium, I am having a really hard time with it.

Now I'm lucky if I can get it down to a four-hour eating window.

[~Christina]

I have anorexia so I can’t do any fasting as it can trigger me to fall into that hell again.

I do only eat twice a day , toast in the morning and a average dinner.

Some people need to be careful as certain meds need 300 calories with it to get the full benefit of it.

[bizi]

I am sorry christina, I did not know.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

[Pookyl]

Originally Posted by bizi

There are two different modes of IF.
How should we differenciate the 2?
One type talks about reducing calories to fast for a few days.
The other is 16 hour fast(no food or calories then 8 hour window of eating).
So When you say IF. which one are you talking about?
bizi

All going well I do the 16hr. Otherwise I eat every 12hrs.
I’ve got a number of medical conditions and can’t do a total fast as such.