The charity Diabetes UK is providing support and advice for people in the Muslim community who live with diabetes, to help them stay healthy during Ramadan. This year, Ramadan will run for 29 or 30 days from on or around 22 March, ending with Eid al-Fitr. The Qur'an requires Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset, but there are exceptions and people who are unwell or have medical conditions are not expected to fast. This includes people with diabetes. Diabetes UK are encouraging anyone living with diabetes and preparing for Ramadan to speak to their diabetes team and their Imam to help them to decide how best to observe the holy month and manage their diabetes safely.
Douglas Twenefour, Head of Care at Diabetes UK, said: “Choosing whether to fast is a personal choice. However, getting information and advice ahead of Ramadan can help you decide whether it is right and safe for you to do so.
“That is because if you have diabetes, fasting can risk aggravating complications associated with the condition, such as poor vision, heart or kidney disease and hypoglycaemia as well as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) – a condition that can require emergency hospital treatment.”
Some people with diabetes choose to fast and Diabetes UK offers the following advice for those who do:
If you are unwell or have any symptoms of Covid-19, do not fast and call 111 for further advice.
If you do choose to fast, before you start, include more slowly absorbed foods, such as basmati rice and dhal, in your meal along with fruit and vegetables.
During your fast, if you already check your blood sugar levels, do this more often than usual.
When you break the fast, have only small quantities of food, and avoid only eating sweet or fatty foods.
Mr Twenefour added: “If you are fasting and you feel unwell or that you are having a hypo, check your blood sugars and, if you are, break your fast and take your usual hypo treatment followed by starchy food. If you’re showing any symptoms of Covid-19 or feeling unwell, our advice would be to not fast.
“It’s also important to know that taking diabetes medication, testing your blood glucose levels or getting a coronavirus vaccination will not break your fast.”
