• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Diabetes and Ramadan

Major Buckmaster

Major Buckmaster

Well-Known Member
Messages
291
Location
UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Stuff
Anyone T2 and fasting?

I haven’t fasted on advice from my consultant due to long term UC flare ups but low carb diet has put me in remission so this year I can fast.

How do you find it with low carbing and during the long summer months? Is it advisable?
 
I would think very carefully about dry fasting during the summer months (at any time, actually). It is my understanding that those of the Islamic faith dry fast during Ramadan, would you consider a wet fast - water only?
 
Yes no food or water must pass the throat from sunrise to sunset. I think it’s around 19 hrs without food or drink.

If it’s not safe then I won’t but I’m not quite sure what to do as everything I’ve read says it’s okay for T2s not on insulin etc.
 
There’s quite a few of us that regularly fast. I’ve done up to ten days in the past, just on bone broth and coffee and I’m mostly an OMAD eater but I don’t think I’d be physically capable of not having fluids.
I’m confident that not eating would not be a problem but I’d question no fluids, especially if you were doing anything other than total inactivity.
 
I'd say it would depend greatly on
A: medication used (Skipping meals on sulfonylurea's or mixed insulin may end bad).
B: Being used to a life of eating pretty much the same things at the same times every day versus a more unpredictable lifestyle and coping with that in regards to diabetes, and
C: having or not having high bg. It's not advisable to not drink with high blood sugars.

In either case, I'd use my meter often and be prepared to allow for diabetes to make adjustments to the traditional fasting if needed. Which is, I believe, as most muslims think is right. As far as I know fasting has mainly to do with contemplation and it's impossible to contemplate when making yourself ill. Most (all?) branches of Islam allow for people who are ill (or very young, old or pregnant) to adjust their fasting, as fasting isn't meant to do harm.

So fasting might be perfectly good for some diabetics and completely miss the mark for others.
 
wiflib said:
There’s quite a few of us that regularly fast. I’ve done up to ten days in the past, just on bone broth and coffee and I’m mostly an OMAD eater but I don’t think I’d be physically capable of not having fluids.
I’m confident that not eating would not be a problem but I’d question no fluids, especially if you were doing anything other than total inactivity.
Click to expand...

Hi. Yes see what you’re saying
Islam does not place a burden on anyone greater than they can bear.
And yes many people are exempt as I was due to UC but I cannot seem to see anything stating T2s shouldn’t fast unless on insulin etc so will speak to the nurse at my appointment on Monday and see what they say.

I really wanted to know if any other low carb eaters fast Ramadan and what they eat in the morning before starting the fast but doesn’t seem to be any around.

Also most of the info is aimed at Asian Muslims which I am not and don’t eat the same diet that they talk about.

My husband is Asian and eats curry to start his fast at 3am and the very idea of eating that especially without the rice is enough to make me want to throw up.

I used to start mine with a bowl of cereal but of course I can’t do that now and eating at that time of the morning I cannot stomach the idea of tucking into meat or sauces.
 
Guzzler said:
I would think very carefully about dry fasting during the summer months (at any time, actually). It is my understanding that those of the Islamic faith dry fast during Ramadan, would you consider a wet fast - water only?
Click to expand...

Not possible to change the rules. If you’re exempt then you don’t have to fast and simply pay a certain amount in charity (if it’s chronic.) Or you make it up when you’re able.
 
Kind madam, this question gets asked so many times around the start of Ramadan every year. Having the appropriate background, I can only ask you to refrain from fasting all together (even some scholar argue that it is forbidden for us, diabetics, to fast during Ramadan for it does more harm than good!)
The reason we can't fast is that (as I was given the understanding) water is a very essential part of our life, and I cannot imagine for the love of me staying without water for an extended period of time while being diabetic. I was told that ketone levels soar high without water for diabetics. My advice is that you don't fast all together. Yes you are excused and allowed.
To be on the safe side, you can always check with your doctor and your religious authority. Remember! The medical authority has the final say!
Stay safe
 
alphabeta said:
Kind madam, this question gets asked so many times around the start of Ramadan every year. Having the appropriate background, I can only ask you to refrain from fasting all together (even some scholar argue that it is forbidden for us, diabetics, to fast during Ramadan for it does more harm than good!)
The reason we can't fast is that (as I was given the understanding) water is a very essential part of our life, and I cannot imagine for the love of me staying without water for an extended period of time while being diabetic. I was told that ketone levels soar high without water for diabetics. My advice is that you don't fast all together. Yes you are excused and allowed.
To be on the safe side, you can always check with your doctor and your religious authority. Remember! The medical authority has the final say!
Stay safe
Click to expand...

If you read scholarly opinions you will see that those who are T2 diet controlled and pills are usually fine to fast. (Obviously there we are individuals.)

I will speak with my surgery but I will probably fast. I’m not concerned about having no liquids. It’s really not that bad.
I don’t see why it’s unsafe to be fair.
I can monitor myself and see what’s what.

I want to know if there is anyone else who fasts and low carbs. But it doesn’t seem like there is so I’ll have to figure it out.
 
alphabeta said:
Kind madam, this question gets asked so many times around the start of Ramadan every year. Having the appropriate background, I can only ask you to refrain from fasting all together (even some scholar argue that it is forbidden for us, diabetics, to fast during Ramadan for it does more harm than good!)
The reason we can't fast is that (as I was given the understanding) water is a very essential part of our life, and I cannot imagine for the love of me staying without water for an extended period of time while being diabetic. I was told that ketone levels soar high without water for diabetics. My advice is that you don't fast all together. Yes you are excused and allowed.
To be on the safe side, you can always check with your doctor and your religious authority. Remember! The medical authority has the final say!
Stay safe
Click to expand...
Your answer is very friendly but not true for all diabetics.
Major Buckmaster said:
I really wanted to know if any other low carb eaters fast Ramadan and what they eat in the morning before starting the fast but doesn’t seem to be any around.
Click to expand...
I think there are many threads about intermittent fasting on the forum. They don't have anything to do with ramadan but this intermittent fasting looks a lot like ramadan fasting, apart from timing of food and abstinence of water.
Those threads might be helpful to you.
 
To be honest I’m not really looking for advise on whether fasting is safe or not. I have read up both medical and religious opinion and they both say it’s fine.

I will monitor my sugars and I will know what to do.

I want to know about the dawn meal and what I should eat from others who low carb and then go a further 18-21 hrs without food or drink.

What will keep me going and doesn’t make me feel sick. But as I have said there doesn’t seem to be anyone who does. So I’m going to have to come up with a plan sharpish as I have a week left!
 
I believe that the month of Ramadan moves through the seasons as the lunar calendar doesn't line up with the solar one - and I wonder what is done in the far North, where it barely gets dark - and the very far North where there is no diurnal rhythm for most of the year.
 
What do you eat now, @Major Buckmaster ? Just shift the timing of that perhaps to fit in with the fasting hours?

I sometimes fast for 18 hours or more, though admittedly much of that time is during the night. I do drink water, though I understand that is not how you would do it. I break the fast with egg, cheese or full fat yogurt. I think without taking water during fasting hours I would want to include plenty of liquid so broth or soup would be on my menu.
 
Major Buckmaster said:
I want to know about the dawn meal and what I should eat from others who low carb and then go a further 18-21 hrs without food or drink.

What will keep me going and doesn’t make me feel sick. But as I have said there doesn’t seem to be anyone who does.
Click to expand...
I still think that looks a lot like what people doing intermittent fasting or OMAD do. They just won't know they might be able to give you ideas by reading the title of your thread, which is about ramadan, so they won't have a reason to open your thread because they don't know much about ramadan.
 
Pipp said:
What do you eat now, @Major Buckmaster ? Just shift the timing of that perhaps to fit in with the fasting hours?

I sometimes fast for 18 hours or more, though admittedly much of that time is during the night. I do drink water, though I understand that is not how you would do it. I break the fast with egg, cheese or full fat yogurt. I think without taking water during fasting hours I would want to include plenty of liquid so broth or soup would be on my menu.
Click to expand...

Breaking the fast is easy. I have no issues with that.

Morning I am thinking maybe berries, coconut and yogurt and with a few nuts. Plenty of water. But it has to be enough for me to take my metformin otherwise I will be unwell. See how I fair.
 
Major Buckmaster said:
Breaking the fast is easy. I have no issues with that.

Morning I am thinking maybe berries, coconut and yogurt and with a few nuts. Plenty of water. But it has to be enough for me to take my metformin otherwise I will be unwell. See how I fair.
Click to expand...
I see, so before I start a fast I have my main meal, (which, if I have it right, will be for you just before dawn) that for me usually is some fish, meat or vegetables.
 
Antje77 said:
I still think that looks a lot like what people doing intermittent fasting or OMAD do. They just won't know they might be able to give you ideas by reading the title of your thread, which is about ramadan, so they won't have a reason to open your thread because they don't know much about ramadan.
Click to expand...

Yes it might be similar but it’s not the same as we don’t drink between those times and I assume intermittent fastest don’t eat at 3am.
Pipp said:
I see, so before I start a fast I have my main meal, (which, if I have it right, will be for you just before dawn) that usually is some fish, meat or vegetables.
Click to expand...

Correct:). But at 3am I cannot wake up and eat a meal like that so you may start to see the difficulties. But as I say I will give something gentle a go and see how that works.
 
Resurgam said:
I believe that the month of Ramadan moves through the seasons as the lunar calendar doesn't line up with the solar one - and I wonder what is done in the far North, where it barely gets dark - and the very far North where there is no diurnal rhythm for most of the year.
Click to expand...
Sweden for instance 21 hours fasting period... at dark, they barely eat anything and just before they start fasting they eat the huge meal (usually it is a main meal after fasting is over and usually about 8 or so hours later depending on region there is another meal just before dawn when fasting starts all again.)
 
Back
Top