People fast for many reasons. Some people like to take a day off from eating after the holidays to give their digestive system a break. Some people fast to lose weight. Many people fast for religious reasons.

Any fast that lasts for a long period of time is dangerous, whether you have diabetes or not. If a fast lasts more than a week, you run the risk of your body breaking down muscle to get the amino acids it so desperately needs. Long term fasting can also damage your heart, liver, and kidneys.

When you have diabetes, one of the best ways to control your blood sugar is to eat carefully planned meals at carefully planned times. If you eat too much at one meal or skip eating, it can send your blood sugar levels out of control and cause you many problems. Fasting is not good for the diabetic because it means going for long periods of time without any food in your stomach. Even taking medication won’t help you to completely combat the havoc this plays with your blood sugar.

Whatever reason a healthy person chooses to fast for a short period of time, it usually isn’t harmful, but when someone with diabetes goes on a fast, they can damage their health. For many people with diabetes, practicing their faith is very hard, when their faith includes fasting.

Many religions do exclude those with health conditions, such as diabetes from fasting. Some religions have even modified the way a fast is practiced so that diabetics can participate. If you want to fast and your faith allows for you to practice a modified fast, under a doctor’s supervision you can partake in your religious fast.

Perhaps the best known fast of any religion is the fasting that Muslims do during Ramadan. During this holy month all Muslims practice a fast which consists of abstaining from food during daylight hours. Many Muslims that have diabetes, choose to fast during Ramadan and under the supervision of a doctor, it can be safely done.

There are a few things that a diabetic should remember if they choose to fast during Ramadan. When the sun goes down and you are allowed to eat, you should limit the number of sweet foods that you consume. Avoid sugary foods that will send your blood sugar skyrocketing. You have already taxed your system by fasting, so don’t increase your blood sugar problems by eating sweet foods.

If possible, consume your meal or part of your meal just before sunrise, helping to spread out the time it takes to metabolize your food. Make sure that you eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, and yogurt. Make sure that any drinks you consume are low calorie and sugar free.

If you put some thought into how you plan to break your fast, and if your doctor says that it is ok, you should be able to safely fast during Ramadan.