Fasting is good for diabetics patient.. experts says.

A senior official from the Ministry of Health said
on Sunday that fasting would help diabetics type
2 to regulate their glucose levels.
Speaking in the ‘Hello Ramadan’ program on
Sunday, Dr. Eman Shasha, an endocrinologist,
said fasting is beneficial for diabetics type 2
patients. She added that it is not advisable for
insulin-dependent patients to fast during the holy
month since they are likely to be suffering from
other chronic ailments related to diabetes.
The phone-in program, ‘Hello Ramadan’ was
launched last week with its first program entitled
‘Your Health in Ramadan’ to receive people’s
inquiries regarding various health problems they
encounter during the holy month of Ramadan.
The year, the program is focused on ensuring
Muslims maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle
and will stress on the importance of taking
prescribed doses of medication in a timely manner
during the holy month. The service is available on
the toll free number 800 249 4444. It will be
operated in Arabic and is open to the public from
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.
A panel of specialist doctors in various fields will
take questions from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on
weekdays throughout the month. The physicians
will also interact with the public through social
networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
“Diabetics in general should follow medical advice
strictly when they fast during this month,” Shasha
said, adding that doctors prescribe the dose of
insulin they should take during the non-fasting
period. She also explained that diabetics could
experience low blood sugar or hypoglycemia
during the period of fasting with symptoms
including shivering, excessive perspiration,
dizziness, and sugar levels dropping to 60 or 70
mg at the beginning of the day.
“In such instances, the person should break their
fast immediately. “Diabetics should have small
meals frequently between the iftar and suhoor
period,” she added.
Meanwhile, Mukhtar Khan, who has done
extensive research on diabetes and is currently
working as a Research Coordinator at the Medical
and Rehabilitation Consultancy House, Riyadh,
ridiculed the idea that fasting during Ramadan
carries health risks for diabetics.
He was referring to an article, “Fasting during
Ramadan: The health risks for diabetics”
published in the Independent, UK dated July 4,
2014 with questions and answers by Dr. Neesha
Patel, a psychologist at Manchester University.
“Fasting is actually beneficial for diabetics, if
properly planned with patients being advised by
their doctors on dietary management,” Dr. Khan
said.
He further said, “There are several scientific
research works published in journals of
international repute, which prove the health
benefits of fasting for diabetic patients.”
He added that some diabetics who are prone to
hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and
dehydration need close supervision by doctors to
avoid any health risks.
Reacting to the article, Akhtar Ul-Islam Nadwi, a
Riyadh-based Indian businessman who is also a
diabetic, said: “This health risk study by Patel is
just scare mongering as I feel more energetic
during Ramadan.”
Commenting on the part of the article that says a
tension often exists among Muslims with diabetes
who wish to observe Ramadan in accordance
with their faith and the competing need to
manage their health he observed that diabetics
are well aware of the risks and precautions.
“With my experience, I can say that fasting
actually controls diabetes during Ramadan,” he
said.
In a reply to the long-term risks counted in the
article which include mortality, morbidity and
reduced quality of life, he said that millions of
people have observed fasting safely for more than
a thousand years since the advent of Islam. He
added that fasting is not meant to create
excessive hardships on Muslims.