Ramadan 2023 With Diabetes: 5 Effective Ways To Keep Your Sugar in Control After Long Fasts

During this long fast from Sehri to Iftar, people must follow certain steps to ensure that there blood sugar levels is in check.

Ramadan 2023: One of the most important festival for Muslims, Ramadan is a time when they keep a month long fast. They eat only at the break of dawn and after sunsets. The meal is prepared for suhhor or sehri and then they also have a lavish meal called iftar. After a long full day fast, drooling over the sumptious delicacies is worth the wait. With the aroma of baked breads, sizzle of the meat garnished with psices is just too much. However, while enjoying these meals, it is also important for diabeteic people to keep a chekc on their blood sugar levels. such long fast can take a tool on health, if diabetes is not in proper check beacuse festivals is always when the time when people need to be more careful about their food choices. Navigating a fast can be challenging because it requires a significant shift in routine and way of life, which can make it challenging for people to maintain normal blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Dr Shehla Shaikh, Consultant Endocrinologist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai said: “For people with controlled diabetes, there are steps they can take to manage their sugar levels, especially while fasting for long periods during Ramadan. There are several healthy eating habits people should follow for the periods between ‘sehri’ and ‘iftar’.

Here are a few tips to manage your diabetes during long Ramadan fasts: 

1. Energy Packed Sehri: Include more fibre-rich starchy foods that release energy slowly, from oats and multigrain breads to brown or basmati rice, along with vegetables, lentils (dal), and more. You can also have proteins like fish, tofu, and nuts for energy. Drink plenty of fluids, but avoid sugary or highly caffeinated drinks like coffee, soft drinks, and more.
2. Regularly monitor blood sugar levels: Checking your glucose levels more frequently is a must, and there are more ways to do this in the comfort of your own homes. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) wearable devices, like FreeStyle Libre, provide a simple option for people with diabetes to access real-time glucose readings and trends, such as while you were fasting or at the time of Iftar. This is all while avoiding the pain of pinpricks that come with traditional glucose testing options.
3. Eat Properly : The fast is traditionally broken with dates and milk, which you can follow with complex carbohydrates. Make sure to hydrate yourself as well. Consume sweet and fried or oily foods in moderation, as these can affect your health. Fruit before bedtime can also help maintain sugar levels until early morning.
4. Exercise routine: Keep up physical activity but reduce the intensity to avoid extra exertion. You can try simple workouts, walking, or yoga. Resistance training can also help you avoid muscle loss and build strength at this time.
5. Sleep well: Adequate hours of sleep – of good quality – are key to good health and wellness. Especially during Ramadan when your pre-dawn meal is key to sustain your energy, getting enough sleep is key. This also helps avoid sleep deprivation, which can impact your hunger. This can also support metabolism and help regulate blood glucose levels, which is critical when managing diabetes.

In order to comprehend any risks and have a strategy in place to manage your diabetes as effectively as possible, it can be very helpful to consult your doctor before fasting.

(With IANS Inputs)