Karachi: The President of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Prof. Peter Schwarz, has warned that Pakistan’s addiction to fried carbohydrates is fuelling the world’s fastest-growing diabetes explosion—but says the toxic damage to the liver can be undone if people turn to modern cooking methods or even two weeks of ‘continuous water fasting’.
“Whenever I come to Pakistan, I see parathas, biryani, vegetables and lentils submerged in oil on every dining table. These fried carbs are poisoning the liver. At just 130 degrees Celsius, frying carbs in fat creates a toxic bond between glucose and fat which the body cannot break. It stores in the liver and destroys it,” Prof. Schwarz told The News during his visit to Karachi.
With over 34.5 million people already living with diabetes, Pakistan now has the highest prevalence of the disease in the world, a crisis the IDF chief described as “alarming and fast-moving.”
He said lifestyle and diet changes were crucial, urging Pakistanis to switch to healthier cooking. “Air fryers are available everywhere. They create almost the same taste without the harmful impact of frying in oil,” he advised.
But he went further, claiming that even those who have already accumulated toxic compounds in their livers can cleanse their bodies through prolonged fasting.
“If a person takes no calories for two weeks—just four liters of water with a little salt daily and 10,000 steps a day—they can get rid of all the toxic compounds in their liver and fat around the waist. They literally become a new person,” he said.
The German professor revealed that he has personally practiced this form of “water fasting” every year for the past 15 years. “Humans can survive without food for up to seven weeks. Hindus historically fasted for five weeks living only on water. My patients who do this can cycle 150 kilometers a day. During fasting, your body transforms you into almost a superhuman,” he claimed.
Prof. Schwarz is currently in Pakistan under a program sponsored by local pharmaceutical company CCL, training diabetologists and medical professionals in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Earlier, he toured Indus Hospital Karachi, calling it “one of the best healthcare models anywhere in the world” for providing free, world-class diabetes care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
“This is a model with a big future worldwide. They are providing care free of charge, supported by donations and government backing. Such a system should be replicated across the globe,” he remarked, lauding the leadership of Pakistani diabetologist Prof. Abdul Basit for training hundreds of general practitioners in diabetes management and influencing thousands internationally.
The International Diabetes Federation, an umbrella of over 240 associations in more than 160 countries, works globally for the prevention, management and control of diabetes.
Its president’s warnings come at a time when Pakistan is struggling with a surge in diabetes-related complications, including kidney failure, heart disease, amputations and premature deaths, underscoring the urgent need for sweeping lifestyle changes and policy reforms.
Ends