Diabetics need advice while opting for fasting in Ramazan

By Muhammad Qasim
March 25, 2023

Rawalpindi:Most of the patients suffering from diabetes develop complications while fasting during the holy month of Ramazan mainly because of the wrong selection of diet at the time of ‘Sehar’ and ‘Iftar’ and carelessness.

Advertisement

According to health experts, diabetics should be well aware of their condition before opting for month-long fasting and they must be aware of the fact that generally, fasting in diabetics falling in the third category of the disease is not recommended. The patients falling in the third category are those who take insulin for controlling blood sugar.

Medically, it is proven that because of being more diabetic, these patients may suffer complications due to a little carelessness while fasting. Experts say that it is a wrong assumption among the public that every diabetic can benefit from fasting. Diabetics should fast only after consultation with their physicians.

Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at Rawalpindi Medical University Professor Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan who is a diabetologist is of the view that before going for fasting, diabetics should take proper advice from a qualified physician regarding the schedule of medicines and selection of food to be taken during Ramazan.

He said that life-threatening complications may appear in severe diabetic patients who opt for fasting without following a proper diet plan. Patients with higher levels of sugar in their blood should not fast without informing his or her family doctor, he said.

He explained that at times, a physician wants a change in the schedule of medicines of a patient to avoid complications during fasting in Ramazan and it can be possible only when the patient informs the physician well in time of his intentions of going for fasting.

He further explained that diabetics can be divided into three categories on the basis of ways and means they are advised to follow for controlling blood sugar. Patients who control their sugar levels by adopting life interventions like exercise and walking may not have any complications while fasting; however, they should follow the doctor’s advice regarding diet.

Diabetics who use oral hypoglycaemic medicines (tablets) to control sugar levels in their blood can fast only if they have no complications of the disease. Such patients must consult their physicians before going fasting enabling doctors to change the schedule of medicines if needed.

He added the patients who take insulin for controlling blood sugar, the third category patients being more diabetic may develop complications due to a little carelessness and medically they are not advised to fast.

On the diet plan for diabetics during Ramazan, he said diabetics should avoid ‘Sharbats’ and sweet substances like ‘Jalebis’ at the time of ‘Iftar’, as the sweet substances may cause hyperglycaemic peaks (sudden shooting up of sugar level) which is dangerous for patients. A diabetic may take a little number of sweet substances and that too in case his or her blood sugar level is well under control.

At the time of ‘Sehar’, a diabetic should take a plain leaf of bread (chapati not paratha) preferably with yogurt, milk, vegetable curry, pulses, or egg however he should avoid jams and marmalade. He added a diabetic going for fasting may add food with high protein including fish, meat, chicken, pulses, and eggs to his diet plan but after taking advice from a physician.

Professor Mujeeb suggested that a diabetic while fasting should take plenty of fluids at the time of ‘Sehar’ and ‘Iftar’ and should give much attention to regular check-ups.

Advertisement