Advising fasting patients with diabetes during Ramadan - Independent Nurse (2024)

FAQs

How to manage diabetes during Ramadan fasting? ›

If you have diabetes and are fasting, it is a good idea to include more slowly absorbed foods (that have a lower glycaemic index) just before you begin the fast. Choosing these types of foods will help to fill you up and keep your blood glucose levels more even during the course of the fast.

Muslims with type 1 diabetes are exempt from fasting.

There is also some new research that shows that fasting 16 hours of the day and eating within an 8-hour window might help you lower blood sugar levels and lose weight in the short-term. People have put their type 2 diabetes into remission following an intermittent fasting diet.

Fasting involves abstaining from any food, drink, smoking and oral medications from dawn to sunset. Insulin injections, blood taking, using inhalers for asthma and vaccinations do not invalidate the fast.

But not eating for more than 24 hours when you have diabetes can be dangerous.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) clinical practice recommendations, updated annually, a healthy fasting and before eating a meal blood glucose level should be in the range of 80 – 130 mg/dL.

Fasting can be a practical way to lose weight because it's fairly straightforward, but it's not a mainstream treatment for type 2 diabetes. A very small study found therapeutic fasting -- going without food and drink with calories for a set amount of time -- can help reverse type 2 diabetes.

Fasting generally entails abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations from before the first light of dawn until the setting of the sun. Muslims are required to fast on each of the 29 to 30 days of Ramadan. If unable to fast, charity or fasting days outside Ramadan may suffice.

What is the best advice for fasting? ›

To keep yourself safe, especially if you are new to fasting, consider limiting your fast periods to 24 hours or fewer and keeping a snack on hand in case you start to feel faint or ill. If you do become ill or are concerned about your health, make sure you stop fasting straight away.

Consuming alcohol/smoking or forcefully vomiting invalidates the fast. Ramadan emphasises self-improvement, so avoid arguing, fighting or negativity and focus on fostering peace and positive interactions. If you are fasting during Ramadan, listening to music is not acceptable.

It's a good idea to carry hypo treatments with you and a bottle of water during the fasting period. You may develop high blood sugar levels during a fast if you miss your usual prescribed medication, if you have larger portions of starchy or sugary foods or if you are less physically active than normal.

Ramadan and Medication

It is recommended that two thirds of the dose of metformin should be taken at the sunset meal and one third of the dose should be taken at the predawn meal. 17 The lunchtime dose should be omitted. Generally speaking metformin is safe to take whilst fasting.

A: People with type 1 diabetes are at greater risk when fasting compared to people with type 2 diabetes, because they are on insulin. The amount of insulin they take when fasting needs to be adjusted. If they don't cut back enough, they risk hypoglycemia, but if it is cut back too much, they can develop hyperglycemia.

Hepatic glucose output and disposal in the fasting state may be controlled via bedtime administration of either an intermediate-acting insulin such as NPH or a long-acting true basal insulin such as insulin glargine.

Checking Blood Glucose. Checking your blood glucose through finger prick does not invalidate fasting state. So encourage patients to check blood glucose periodically. If blood sugar levels are low and patient experiencing signs/symptoms of hypoglycemia, it is advisable that fast is broken immediately.