Last week I got a newsletter from Dr. Jason Fung, whose book The Obesity Code introduced me to the benefits of fasting. It answered some lingering questions I’ve had. But there are others. I’ve been frustrated with not finding information on low heart-rate variability and constant (buried) stress. I also want to know why my body’s glucose shoots up when I eat a salad or a bit of protein. Now I have answers and I’d like to share these findings with my readers.
First, on the human side of intelligence, Fung’s post is called Failure of the glucotoxicity paradigm in type 2 diabetes, a long-winded way of talking about the body’s workings when it comes to high blood glucose. I was diagnosed with type 2, then type 1, diabetes. I have components of both — a compromised pancreas that doesn’t produce enough insulin at the right times and insulin resistance that prevents insulin from getting into my tissues.
Among the findings is that inflammation is a factor in hardening of the arteries, a predictor of heart attacks. Taking Metformin to lower blood glucose doesn’t significantly lower inflammation. In fact, there’s evidence Metformin increases inflammation and the risk of heart issues.
For people like me, who inject insulin, there’s more bad news — a tradeoff exists between excess glucose and excess insulin, and that’s weight gain. Fung says, “The effect of the increased insulin becomes clinically obvious as weight gain, as hyperinsulinemia is the main driver of obesity.”
In other words, people like me who inject insulin WILL gain weight. Tell me about it. I’ve lost 30 lbs so many times, I can’t even count them. Metformin and similar medications may lower glucose but they don’t lower insulin levels, and those insulin levels can make you fat.
“Medications that do not lower the elevated insulin do [not] have benefits,” Fung says. He highlights “the complete inability of the addition of diabetic medications to lower the risk of disease.”
He points to “the utter ineptitude” of standard diabetic medications. None of the common medications lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Insulin is the worst, he says.
“Why would you take medications that have no benefits and make you fat?” he asks.
Since July, I have reduced my daily insulin requirement from 60 units/day to 20 units/day. I did this by fasting. If you want to read more about Fung’s fasting methods, there are links in the newsletter.
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I recently purchased an Apple watch for the benefit of having my Dexcom glucose sensor numbers available on my wrist, instead of having to dig out my iPhone. I downloaded a health-related app called Welltory, and saw red — the app reviews a key indicator of health, the heart-rate variability (HRV). My HRV raises red flags because my fight-or-flight part of my nervous system is working overtime. My rest-and-relax component is exhausted from the fight. My body is under constant stress.
As I’ve said in earlier posts, this isn’t a shocking revelation. I’ve heard from various therapists over the years that my adrenal system is kaput after too much childhood stress. That early introduction to anxiety carried on through adulthood. My body really doesn’t know how to relax.
For lack of known resources, I posed questions to ChatGPT
Question: Is 2.78 a low number for HRV?
Answer: HRV is usually reported in milliseconds, and values typically range between 20 to 200 milliseconds. A very low HRV, like 2.78, could indicate stress, fatigue, poor sleep or underlying health conditions.
Question: What kind of health issues can occur? (Bold text relates to my experience.)
Answer: Some common health issues include cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and hypertension. Mental health conditions include chronic stress, anxiety and depression. Metabolic disorders include diabetes and obesity. Sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea. Inflammation and autoimmune disorders such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Respiratory issues such as COPD or asthma. Neurogenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.
The chat bot suggested I discuss the issue with my doctor, which I’d do if I had one.
I also asked ChatGBT about why my body is having a glucose response to all foods, including protein and low-carb choices, when I end a fast. The response? “After an extended fast, your body may become more sensitive to any form of flood intake, including low-carb foods and proteins, due to a variety of metabolic factors [such as] insulin sensitivity.”
The bot said that after a fast, my body may convert proteins and low-carb foods that contain amino acids into glucose via a process called gluconeogenesis. “This can increase your blood glucose levels even if the foods you eat are not high in carbs.”
Other reasons for the surge in glucose may be due to hormonal shifts. “After breaking the fast, these hormones may still be elevated, influencing how your body processes food and leading to unexpected glucose reactions.”
Finally, ending a fast will end a state of ketosis where the body burns fat for energy. Consuming even small amounts of gluconeogenic proteins can pull you out of ketosis, leading to fluctuations in your blood sugar levels.”
All this information leaves me better informed but frustrated. I need to eat something, and even choices once considered safe will mean I have to inject insulin. The insulin will lead to weight gain. I’ve lost 25 lbs over the last few months and my insulin dosage has plummeted. I don’t want to have to do it all over again.
The only course of action I can see is slowly returning food to my system and dealing with the insulin induced weight gain as best I can. Hopefully, my body will get back on track and will stop the glucose surges with foods that were once safe.
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