#RamadanKareem. The spirit of Ramadan has taken over the city and along with the surge of spirituality, the air filled with the sweet aroma of Ramadan special foods. Even as the harsh summer has come to an end with breezy evenings, people are lining up to enjoy the treats of Ramadan food. However, for those diabetics who are fasting, there is still a bit of apprehension.
Though many diabetics are aware of their condition, most of them approach Ramadan fasting without a proper Ramadan meal plan. The fear of hypoglycemia haunts them, but their fervor to fast in this holy month has renewed.
Be it due to lack of awareness or misinformation, fasting in diabetes can cause serious complications. Many people tend to have some dangerous preconceived notions regarding their disease condition and often have to stop midway to end their fasting.
After having witnessed scores of patients walk in to Apollo Sugar Clinics with complications, we found that people have these three common myths on fasting in the month of Ramadan.
Can a type-II diabetes fast?
This is another question that constantly crops up. It all depends upon the blood glucose control a patient has along with other factors including the prevalence of complications including retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy. However, patients who have been admitted to the hospital for hypoglycemia in the past six months should not fast.
Here are three major Ramadan fasting myths busted!
Quick tips:
• Fasting in diabetes can be a real challenge. Ramadan fasting can be a daunting task for diabetics if they do not make proper preparations before starting off. It is very important to have a preliminary evaluation by a qualified diabetologist or an endocrinologist.
• Also, blood sugar levels have to be monitored regularly during this month.
Myth
1: It is okay for diabetics to skip taking their insulin injections during the Ramadan month.
Fact: It is dangerous to stop taking your insulin injections as noncompliance can lead to serious complications. One should consult a doctor to create an altered plan along with dosages, and timings of the injections. It can be worthwhile to consult a dietician for a Ramadan diet plan.
Myth 2: Diabetics need not wake up for Suhoor.
Fact: Instead of having all the meals at midnight, it is better for the diabetic to have a meal with low glycemic index (find Ramadan meal plans here) early in the morning before sunrise. This is very important as diabetics have to go without meals for long hours and this increases the risk of hypoglycemia.
Myth 3: There is no need to change the current diabetic medications during the Ramadan fasting month.
Fact: This can go seriously wrong for some diabetics. It is advised that one should have an assessment before the Ramadan month and then start fasting. The timings and dosages of medications might be altered with respect to the blood glucose control of the patient as the meal timings change and there is both fasting and feasting.
It is very important for you to maintain a good blood glucose control in order to successfully complete the fasting during this month.
