Enjoy food

Religious fasting
A time
to purify
Fasting is an important part
of many religions. As well as
abstinence from food (and
sometimes drink), fasting is
also a time of reflection,
prayer and purification.
People with diabetes are usually
exempt from fasting, although
many still choose to do it. Your
religious leader can tell you more.
If you decide you want to fast, plan
ahead and speak to your diabetes
team to make sure your diabetes
control is not affected.
When you break your fast,
stick to your usual healthy,
balanced meals. Limit intake
of sugary and fatty foods, such
as sweets, cakes and fried snacks
to only small amounts.
TOP TIPS
1 Speak to your diabetes
team about adjusting your
medications, including insulin,
testing and avoiding highs
and lows.
2 Check your blood glucose levels
more often throughout your fast;
doing this doesn’t mean you’re
breaking the fast.
3 If you experience symptoms of
a low blood glucose level (hypo),
check your blood glucose level
immediately. If it’s low, or
you can’t check your blood
glucose, break the fast
immediately and treat it with
your usual hypo treatment.
4 At the end of fasting, drink
plenty of water or sugar-free
drinks to avoid dehydration.
If you like sweet drinks, use
an artificial sweetener instead
of sugar.
INFORMATION
For more information on
fasting with diabetes, call
the Diabetes UK Careline
on 0345 123 2399* or go to
www.diabetes.org.uk/fasting
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