Hi Inka,

You have received some very good answers. Intermittent fasting might reduce your blood sugar levels (but you have to discuss this with your MPN treating physician if it is necessary) and 16/8 (eating during only a 8 hours interval) is sometimes recommended in people who had breast cancer to reduce the recurrence of the cancer. But breast cancer is influenced by insulin ("Insulin is a potent hormone that activates many pathways that drive aggressive breast cancer biology."). The evolution of MPNs is not influenced by circulating insulin. Inflammation due to MPNs can make insulin resistance more likely to happen in people who have both Type 2 diabetes and MPNs.
I had some accidental intermittent fasting (I was too ill to eat 3 meals per day, so I would eat 1, maybe 2 meals), and other than maybe losing some weight, it did absolutely nothing to my blood counts.
Avoiding infections is a good way to avoid having increases in leukocytes and platelets, as both these cells are involved in the body's immune response (https://www.umassmed.edu/koupenovalab/our-resea... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25806786/) and might temporarily increase the risk for blood clots. And infections also come with inflammation and given that people with MPNs anyway have more inflammation than the rest, more inflammation will just add to the general issues we have.
My platelets and leukocytes jump up immediately after even a regular cold and it often takes 2-3 months, if not even more, for leukocytes to get back to normal values.
For platelets it can take up to 6 months to reduce after infection in my case.

If you also have neurological issues, intermittent fasting might not always be the best idea, so maybe check this before with the neurologist.

Many hugs of support,
Tatiana

I use the 16/8 window each day, so I only eat in an 8 hour window, generally starting at lunchtime and finishing by 8 pm. I use vitamin supplements, and generally have my meds (checking with my MP on this each visit) in the morning when I get up, so the benefit is I'm moving throughout the day. Fasting is good but I check that as well with my doctors. I recently had a colonoscopy and fasted for a few days before that. The key for me is to keep a good life balance.

The Mediterranean diet is the best as it is very balanced. I try to eat that way as I am Italian and grew up on that diet....still no guarantee....but certainly helps.
Stay active by walking, stretching and fresh air.

I recently read a book by Professor Longo, one of the top 50 most influential men in health field in the world. (Dr. Valter Longo is the Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences and Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California –Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, one of the leading centers for research on aging and age-related disease. Dr. Longo is also the Director of the Longevity and Cancer Program at the IFOM Institute of Molecular Oncology in Milan, Italy.)

Here is what he has on his website -
https://www.valterlongo.com/cancer/

He has lots of other information on his website. For people with cancer he said no more than 14hr fast daily and breakfast should be eaten. He explains things in more detail to suit the individual needs in his book. He highly recommends longer fasts be done if needed under the direction of your doctor.

My platelets were at 420 over a year ago. I am very active, fit, don't smoke, drink moderately. I only Aspirin and L-Thyroxin for my thyroid, no other drugs. I see my MPN Specials every three months for full blood work up( I see my GP for midpoint blood work every six weeks), each time I feel good and think my platelets will be down again, but sadly they kept creeping up currently at 700. Each time I had some kind of infection, urinary, COVID, Flu, gastrointestinal which I did not even realize I had at the time. I have been in hospital twice since ET JAK2. I don't want to take anything other than Aspirin as I am so sensitive to medication the thought of Chemo drugs makes me ill. Best of luck, but a balanced diet with healthy snacks but be better than blood sugars dropping mid day on you! xo