Is it safe for a type 2 diabetic person to fast for spiritual purposes?
Good question! People fast for many reasons from religious holidays, health reasons, medical procedures, and even for weight loss. There are different types of fasting diets that people follow such as liquid, juice or water. Which brings up the question: Can I fast and which type of fasting is appropriate for me? Fasting safely requires communication with your primary care provider and an understanding of how the various components work. For example, the body’s response to fasting can be very different with diabetes. Some common risk factors associated with fasting for people with diabetes may include low or high blood glucose levels, dehydration (which can lead to low fluid volume and possible low blood pressure) and, with type 1 diabetes, can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. The type of diabetes you have should always be taken into account before considering a fast. Also, the level of your glucose control and your management plan such as diet, diabetes oral medications, injecting insulin, use of an insulin pump or any combination of these should be considered.
Your primary care provider may need to consider how to adjust your diabetes medication and how other health issues may be affected. In essence, a new treatment plan may need to be developed for the fasting period. This may include increasing the frequency of blood glucose testing, modifying your exercise, adjusting all your medications, asking necessary diabetes questions and even getting a support system. Deciding to fast means having to make some important decisions and will require some planning on your part. Not everyone will be a candidate for fasting. Talking with your healthcare provider and coming up with a plan of action could very well make the observance of a fasting period a safe choice for you.