Fasting in a Module can Help Patients of Type II Diabetes Mellitus and CVD ~ From A Clinician's Bioscope

In India fasting is considered as a holy practice among different religions on various occasions or auspicious days. Hindus observe it intermittently on several occassions, Muslims in their month long fast during Ramdan and like that in Jain culture during Paryushan.

English: Prevalence of diabetes worldwide in 2000 (per 1000 inhabitants). World average was 28.23‰. no data less than 7.5 7.5-15 15-22.5 22.5-30 30-37.5 37.5-45 45-52.5 52.5-60 60-67.5 67.5-75 75-82.5 more than 82.5 Note: I interpreted France in the data as including the overseas departments of Reunion, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and French Guiana as they are integral parts of France. China includes the SARs of Hong Kong and Macao. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now-a-days, these traditions are in decline in Indian culture. Also, there has been a shift in lifestyle more in favor of a sedentary one.
The cause of diabetes popularly projected as insulin resistance, obesity and pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. The pancreatic beta cells are responsible for production of insulin in response to glucose.
In type I diabetics there is no beta cell function, where as in Type II diabetics are is some beta cell function.
In contrast to western population where obesity is very common in India lean diabetics are very common.
So, it is logical to think that something other than obesity and insulin resistance might be playing a role in T2DM in India. It is found that there is dysfunction of Beta cells as well as decline in Beta cell mass in these lean Indian.

English: The mechanism of glucose-dependent insulin release in pancreatic Beta cells. Türkçe: Pankreas Beta hücrelerinden glukoz aracılı insülin salgılanmasının mekanizması (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A British researcher says existing research indicates intermittent fasting may help those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, alongside with weight loss.
Fasting can be intermittent, on a given number of consecutive or alternate days. The basic format of intermittent fasting is to alternate days eating "normally" with days when calorie consumption is restricted. This can either be done on alternative days, or where two days each week are classed as "fasting days’.
The review, published in the British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease, found evidence from clinical trials showed fasting could limit inflammation, improve levels of sugars and fats in circulation, and reduce blood pressure.
In addition, the study found fasting bodies change how they select which fuel to burn, improving metabolism and reducing oxidative stress.
Previously, it has been claimed by UK doctors that T2DM can be reversed by severe calorie restriction i.e. just 600 calories per day. The role of calorie restriction was also published in the Diabetologia.
Fasting also appeared to aid those with ischemic heart disease by raising levels of adiponectin; a protein that has several important roles in carbohydrate, lipid metabolism and vascular biology.