Skip to main content

Ramadan Poses Challenges for People With Diabetes

Ramadan Poses Challenges for People With Diabetes

ramadan.jpg
Ramadan, the lunar-based celebration in Muslim culture that started yesterday in the U.S., may pose unique challenges for people with diabetes, experts warn.
The 29- to 30-day period involves fasting during the day and unlimited food consumption between sunset and dawn.
For many people, fasting is safe - and even an effective way to cleanse, lose weight and deepen one's spiritual practice - but for diabetics, Ramadan may need to be approached with caution.
According to Dr. Kim A. Carmichael, associate professor of medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine, meals should be balanced and healthy during Ramadan. Maintaining one's body mass index should also be a goal, he said.
"Important factors to improve safety include a sensible diet, minimizing the use of simple carbohydrates and fats during the evening and early morning meals, maintaining good sleep hygiene, avoiding excessive exercise, maintaining adequate fluid intake and checking blood glucose levels frequently,” Dr. Carmichael told Endocrinology Advisor.

Medication and hydration

Another important factor to consider during Ramadan is medication adherence, Carmichael said.
“Metformin therapy is considered to be safe during Ramadan, as long as persons maintain good fluid intake," he stated.
Individuals should also take into account how their insulin therapy might need to be adjusted due to changes in meal times or sleeping.
According to Farhad Zangenah, assistant clinical professor of medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine in Sterling, Virginia, diabetic patients must be particularly aware of their fluid intake.
Hospitalizations have increased this month for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, Zangenah said, which can be due to any number of minor or major complications.
While religious practices and preferences remain an individual decision, doctors generally advise diabetic patients to avoid fasting and maintain a normal schedule during Ramadan.
“The Holy Koran specifically exempts the sick from the duty of fasting, especially if fasting leads to comorbidities for the individual," Zangenah said. "Patients with diabetes mellitus fall under this category because their chronic metabolic disorder may place them at high risk for various complications if the pattern and amount of their meal and fluid intake is markedly altered."
Source: Endocrinology Advisor
Image courtesy of winnond/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The theme for WEAAD is - Building Strong Support for Elders

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022: All you need to know about theme, history and significance World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is annually observed on 15 June. The day aims to draw attention to the impact of elder abuse.  It also highlights how the abuse is perpetuated and what can be done to combat it. For those who are unaware, elder abuse is defined by the United Nations as "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person”. It is often carried out by people close to the person, such as their family members or caretakers. Elder abuse can be physical, social, financial, psychological or sexual in nature . It also includes mistreatment and neglect . According to World Health Organization (WHO), nearly one in six people over the age of 60 suffer from abuse ; meaning nearly 141 million people globally are affected. Theme: The the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Type 2 Diabetes - Little Changes That Can Make a Big Difference to Your Blood Sugar and Body Weight

Type 2 Diabetes - Little Changes That Can Make a Big Difference to Your Blood Sugar and Body Weight By Beverleigh H Piepers In your quest for better health, you may need all of the help you can get. It's not a coincidence most adults struggle with their well-being. We live in a time where it's easy to become complacent with what matters the most. We give in to temptations. We submit to laziness. Ultimately, unless a cataclysmic event inspiring the necessary change occurs, we tend to resume our indiscretions. The above summarizes how many people develop Type 2 diabetes or become overweight. If you're overweight, it's not because your body is predisposed to storing more fat.  Nor is it because you have "fat genes." Rather, it's because you've made the wrong choices time and time again. But don't fret. If you played a role in your weight gain, then you can certainly take charge of your weight loss. The same principle applies to Type...
Post a Comment
Read more

संतुलित आहार का वृद्धावस्था में महत्व

पौष्टिक आहार और संतुलित भोजन क्या है ? पौष्टिक आहार वो आहार हैं जिसमे हर ज़रूरी तत्व (जैसे protein, fats, carbohydrates और minerals) उचित मात्रा में शरीर को मिलते हैं। एक संतुलित आहार में ये सब सही मात्रा में और सही अनुपात में मौजूद होते हैं। Proteins, fats और carbohydrates रोज़मर्रा के कार्यों के लिए ऊर्जा प्रदान करते हैं। Vitamins और Minerals ऊर्जा तो नहीं देते पर शरीर के विभिन्न कार्यों को नियंत्रित करने और क्रियांवित करने मर मदद करते हैं। भोजन पौष्टिक, सुपाच्य और आसानी से उपलब्ध होना चाहिए। बुज़ुर्ग द्वारा खाये गए भोजन की मात्रा महत्वपुर्ण होती है क्या? भोजन की मात्रा से गुणवत्ता का महत्व ज्यादा है। व्यक्ति की उम्र, लिंग, शारीरिक क्षमता, ऊंचाई और वजन के अनुरूप ही ज़रूरी पोषक तत्वों की मात्रा निर्धारित होती है । छोटा आहार भी पौष्टिक हो सकता है। उदहारण के लिए 100gm गेहूँ में 12gm प्रोटीन होता है जबकि उतने ही चावल में मात्र 6.4gm प्रोटीन है। इसी प्रकार 100gm रागी में 344 mg कैल्शियम है जब की उतने ही चावल में सिर्फ 9mg। जैसे जैसे व्यक्ति बुज़ुर्ग होता जाता है, क्या उसकी ख...
Post a Comment
Read more