These dietary guidelines can help you control your diabetes during Ramadan:

Eat small quantities of fried snacks such as paratha, pakoras, bhajis, samosa, chevda

Eat small portions of sweet foods such as sweet rice, jelabi, mithi

Fill up on vegetables and salad

Include vegetables, dhal, fresh fruit and yougurt in your meals

Drink plenty of water and sugar free drinks. Do not add sugar to drinks, use a sweetener when needed

Avoid eating too much food

Have a breakfast with a long lasting effect, e.g. based on oats

At sunset have a small snack then main meal after prayers

Continue to measure the amount of oil used in cooking

Changes To Your Diabetes Treatment

If you do not take any medication for your diabetes you can safely fast without your blood sugar level falling too low (hypo).

Diet and tablets

If you take tablets for your diabetes you may fast but the time when you take your tablets may need to be altered

It is essential to continue to take your tablets regularly. It is helpful to discuss your diabetes and medication with your nurse or family doctor before fasting

If you usually take your tablets in a morning, take the same dose when you open your fast

If you usually take your tablets twice a day, take your morning dose when you break your fast and half your normal evening dose when the fast is closed

If you usually take your tablets three times per day, just keep taking them with each of the meals you eat, during Ramadan

Diet and Insulin

The Quran gives permission for people who need insulin to exempt from fasting. If you are treated with insulin and you want to fast then you need to be very careful

Ask your nurse or family doctor for advice

Your insulin doses will need to be changed

If hypos are a problem then you will need to stop fasting

If you are ill then you will need to stop fasting

Do Not Stop Taking Your Insulin During Ramadan

Low Blood Sugar Levels (Hypos)

The word 'hypo' is a technical name for a low blood sugar. You may experience a hypo during Ramadan if you take certain tablets or insulin for your diabetes.

Warning Signs

Most people have their own individual warning signs and will be a combination of the following:

Feeling hungry

Sweaty

Being pale

Fast pulse/palpitations

Vagueness and confusion

Trembling or feeling 'shaky'

Anxiety and irritability

Blurred vision

Tingling of the lips

Irrational behaviour

Treatment

You will need to break your fast if your blood sugar is too low.

It is important that you treat a hypo as soon as you realise that you have the symptoms

Take 3 glucose tablets or a sugary drink such as 'Lucozade'

Once you begin to feel better then it is important to have some other food to prevent your blood sugar level falling again: Things like a sandwich, Biscuits and milk, Currant teacake, a bowl of cereal, fruit, a scone.