The holy month of Ramadan is around the corner and it is an auspicious month for all the Muslims around the world. The Muslims all across the world wait for the sighting of the crescent moon. This year Ramadan is expected to begin from 22 or 23 March depending on the sighting of the moon in Mecca.
During Ramadan fasting, Muslims who observe the fast abstain from eating and drinking during the day and they only have two meals- sehri and iftar. They break their fast with dates. But there might be people with various health conditions that makes it challenging for them to fast during these days- one such condition is diabetes.
Let's have a look at the tips you need to keep in mind if you are diabetic and are planning to fast this Ramadan.
People with diabetes face challenges while fasting for long hours thus they must seek advice from their healthcare expert to make changes in their insulin dosage or changes in the diabetes medication. Other important thing is to keep monitoring your blood sugar levels regularly to prevent hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia.
Make sure to plan your meals properly for sehri or iftar. You must avoid big meals and eat small quantities. Avoid eating sweets, fried snacks and foods with high sugar and salt content in sehri.
You can also plan a balanced meal with 20 percent to 30 percent of protein in it by including fruits, vegetables and salads in your meals. Proper protein consumption can help improve blood sugar levels, promote satiety thus preserving lean body mass.
You must avoid eating fried foods thus you can use healthier cooking options like baking and grilling. Fried foods can lead to weight gain which can worsen type 2 diabetes. Weight gain also increases your risk of heart disease.
Make sure to sleep for enough hours during the Ramadan days since your body doesn't have enough energy like normal days. Try to wake up at least an hour earlier, freshen up, prepare, and have a meal properly. A slow start to the day will help your body digest the food properly and prevent any digestive issues.
Dehydration is a major risk during the fast and make sure to listen to your body. Dark urine, a headache, nausea and vomiting are common signs of serious dehydration and you must stop fasting if you experience these. Dehydration can be harmful for people with type 2 diabetes since it causes blood pressure to fall and the body to secrete stress hormones, like norepinephrine and epinephrine, which may raise blood sugar.
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