Ramadan, the
ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, holds immense spiritual significance
for Muslims worldwide, marked by fasting from dawn till dusk as a pillar of
faith.

For individuals living with diabetes, however, the observance of Ramadan
presents unique challenges, requiring careful attention to manage blood sugar
levels effectively while upholding religious obligations.  

If you read this article until the end, there is a surprise waiting for you. 😍 

Should a diabetic fast or not?

The decision
that diabetics should fast or not depends upon their current health status,
control of blood sugar levels and the path of treatment being followed. Their
healthcare provider can take this decision keeping all such factors in view.

If the Dr.
allows the patient to fast then he may do it but with an appropriate
change in his diet, medications and proper care.

Possible complications during the fast:

1)
Hypoglycemia (decrease in the blood sugar levels)

The patient
may feel a fast heartbeat, sweating, shivering, or may even faint. At any fasting
hours, if his blood sugar levels drop below 70 mg/dl then he should break/open
his fast ASAP.

2)
Hyperglycemia (increase in blood sugar levels)

The patient
may face frequent urination, severe thirst, severe headaches etc. At any time of
the day if his sugar levels rise above 300mgdl then the Dr. should be
contacted immediately.

3)
Dehydration

If hydration levels are not taken care of then this can cause serious complications. 

Exercise
in Ramzan:

• Exercise
  plays an important role in managing diabetes but still try to avoid exercising
  in fasting hours.

• The patient
  can exercise after Iftar (opening their fast) after the recommendation of his
  healthcare provider.

• Namaz e
  Taraweeh is also a form of exercise and is really beneficial both in spiritual
  terms and physical terms.

• If someone
  prays while sitting and cannot pray Taraweeh then 10 to 15 minutes daily
  exercise is a must.

Ramazan,
Diabetes and our foods:

In this
sacred month, our eating patterns are quite different. Mostly, people take two
major meals: sehr and iftaar.

However, this
routine is not good for diabetics and may pose hurdles in managing their blood
sugar levels. That’s why they should have dinner too after iftaar.

Eating
order for diabetics:

1. Sehr
2. Iftaar
3. Dinner

1) Sehr:

It is a must
for diabetics to have some sehri before keeping a fast. The patient should add a little carbs and fats and a good amount of protein to this meal.

It’s good to
have a paratha with very little oil/ghee rather than a simple chapatti.

For
proteins, eggs and meat are good options. It’s best to make an omelette having
eggs and some vegetables of your choice. This also contains fibres and the use of
fibres in sehri is important because it actually helps maintain blood sugar
levels.

2) Iftaar: 

Usually, our
iftaars have a lot of carbs containing foods like fritters (pakoras), samosa,
sweet dishes and different drinks/sodas/colas etc. Intake of such things can
quickly spike up the blood sugar levels.

We also use
fried items in iftaar more often than on other days which can be really damaging.

So the crux of
the matter is that moderation and balance is the key.

The patient
may open his fast with a medium-sized date and may also take some unsweetened
drinks like lemonades, Lassi, detox water etc.

3) Dinner:

Dinner can
be as per your usual routine. You may have a small chapatti or some rice with
any kind of salan cooked in very less oil.

Also, take
salad if it suits you at night time.

(For other
options, you need to
have a proper diet plan and for that contact me here)

Important
Instructions :

• Don’t take
  sweet dishes or sweetened drinks in iftaar. Instead of that, you may use stevia
  in your drinks/tea/coffee/lemonade/lassi.

• It’s a must
  to include fruits, vegetables and yogurt in a diabetic’s diet.

• Try to
  minimize the intake of deep-fried items like fritters, samosa, rolls, kebabs
  etc.

• Drink a good
  amount of water during non-fasting hours and pay special attention to the hydration
  levels of the patient. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

 

I hope that
keeping in view all this information, all of the diabetics have a pleasant Ramazan.
Always remember that it’s really important to stay in touch with your healthcare
provider/dietitian.

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