Be your best self this Holy Month with OneTouch®
When you are caught up in Ramadan it can be difficult to balance your fast and your blood sugar levels.
Planning ahead is always good and when you plan to fast with diabetes it is essential. Your blood glucose level changes throughout the day, affected by food, exercise and medication, but mostly by food.
After a gradual decline during fasting hours, blood glucose levels rise rapidly after Iftar9.
We have put together some low carb recipes for you to try this Ramadan, which are so tasty the whole family will love them too!
Download the OneTouch® Ramadan recipe book here Download
Download your guide to fasting with diabetes
Planning ahead is always good and when you plan to fast with diabetes, it is essential. Your blood glucose level changes throughout the day, affected by food, exercise and medication, but mostly by food. The makers of the OneTouch® brand are here to help.
Check with your diabetes team several months before fasting and follow their recommendations to help you manage your diabetes. Self-monitoring of blood glucose can motivate people with diabetes to become active participants in their own care. Every OneTouch® meter is designed to make it easy to test your blood glucose and help you manage your diabetes.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions by people with diabetes
Can I draw blood and test my blood glucose during my fast?
YES, testing your blood glucose levels regularly, according to your healthcare professional’s recommendations is important. This will help you to manage your blood glucose level and recognize when your blood sugar levels are high or low.1
May I eat dates while I am breaking my fast?
YES, consumption of 100 g of dates provides 50–100% of the recommended dietary fiber Intake. Dates are high in fructose which is a more powerful sweetener than glucose and it is less rapidly absorbed than sugar, which results in a relatively low glycemic index.1
Can I pray Taraweeh or will this make me at a risk of low blood sugar?
YES, Taraweeh prayers should be considered as a part of the daily exercise program but, you should monitor your blood glucose period.
Choose to eat starchy foods with Iftar, which are digested slowly, and to drink plenty of water before prayers period.1
Do I need to wake up for Suhoor?
YES, you must eat a meal at Suhoor just before sunrise and not at midnight as this will help to keep your blood sugar levels more balanced through fasting.2
You are always advised to follow your healthcare professional’s advice. Here is some additional guidance to help you with monitoring your blood glucose during fasting period
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At the beginning of the fast and then regularly every 4 h throughout the day.
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Test immediately if you feel any symptoms of low/high blood sugar level or you become unwell.
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2–4 times daily before, during, and after the fasting period, if you are receiving insulin or insulin secretagogues.
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Once or twice daily if you are treated with diet or with antidiabetic agents associated with a low risk of hypoglycemia.
Fasting can put patients with diabetes at risk of dehydration. Here are some tips to help you stay hydrated during your fast
When it’s time to break your fast, consider these tips:
Your Iftar meal should be a healthy, well balanced meal that may consist of:
• Fat as olive oil or oily fat from tuna and sardines and salmon are recommended. (2 teaspoons only)
• When breaking the fast you are hungry and so tend to eat fast, which can lead to overeating as it takes time for your stomach to signal to your brain that it is full. Try to enjoy your meal slowly and stop as soon as you feel full.
• Take Suhoor as late as possible, especially when fasting for >10 hours to avoid low blood sugar during your fast.
• At Suhoor, it is advised to eat more dairy products or vegetables or beans than carbohydrate rich food like rice or bread or potatoes so it doesn’t affect the blood glucose level after meal.
To help avoid high blood sugar level after your Iftar, try to avoid the following
Maintaining a regular light exercise can help you manage your blood glucose levels
Normal levels of physical activity may be maintained. However, excessive physical activity may lead to higher risk of hypoglycemia and should be avoided, particularly during the few hours before the sunset meal.3
Remember
Taraweeh prayers, such as bowing, kneeling and rising, should be considered part of your daily exercise activities.4
When your fast is over, it is time to safely get back to your regular daily routine
Eid is a time of celebration and feasting. While we all deserve to enjoy this time, be aware of the risk of overindulgence that Eid presents
• Many celebratory foods can be high in fat and sugar. Be sensible and you can participate but try to moderate the amounts you eat like cookies, biscuits and Kahk.2
• A post-month of fasting follow-up meeting with your healthcare professional is advisable in order to assess how you handled your fasting, also to readjust your therapeutic regimen that may be changed back to its previous schedule, if your glycaemic control was satisfactory before month of fasting.4
OneTouch® is the only brand of meter to offer ColourSure™ technology, that instantly shows when your blood glucose numbers are in range or not.
Learn more about OneTouch® blood glucose meters


References
1. Ibrahim M, Abu Al Magd M, Annabi FA, et al. Recommendations for management of diabetes during Ramadan: update 2015. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care 2015;3: 1-10.
2. The Muslim Council of Britain. MCB. Ramadan and Diabetes: A guide for patients. June 2013. Available at: http://www.mcb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Ramadan-and-diabetes-A-guide-for-patients-2013.pdf. Last accessed on: 16/05/2018.
3. Ahmad J, Pathan MF, Jaleel MA, et al. Diabetic emergencies including hypoglycemia during Ramadan. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2012;16(4):512-515.doi:10.4103/2230-8210.97996.
4. International Diabetes Federation, IDF. Diabetes and Ramadan International Alliance, DAR. Diabetes and Ramadan: Practical Guidelines. April 2016. Available at: http://www.daralliance.org/daralliance/wp-content/uploads/IDF-DAR-Practical-Guidelines_15-April-2016_low.pdf. Last accessed on: 16/05/2018.
5. Ali S, Davies MJ, Brady EM, et al. Review Article Guidelines for managing diabetes in Ramadan. Diabet. Med. 2016; 33: 1315–1329.
6. Ibrahim M, Abu Al Magd M, Annabi FA, et al. Recommendations for management of diabetes during Ramadan: update 2015. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care 2015;3: 1-10
7. The Muslim Council of Britain. MCB. Ramadan and Diabetes: A guide for patients. June 2013. Available at: http://www.mcb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Ramadan-and-diabetes-A-guide-for-patients-2013.pdf. Last accessed on: 16/05/2018.
8. International Diabetes Federation, IDF. Diabetes and Ramadan International Alliance, DAR. Diabetes and Ramadan: Practical Guidelines. April 2016. available at: http://www.daralliance.org/daralliance/wp-content/uploads/IDF-DAR-Practical-Guidelines_15-April-2016_low.pdf. Last accessed on: 16/05/2018.
9. Diabetes and Ramadan: A Challenge and an Opportunity? Dr. Mohamed Hassanein.
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