Published on: Oct 23, 2020

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Diabetes & Navratri: How to Take Care of Your Blood Sugars During the Festive Season?

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During the nine-day long festival of Navratri, many people observe fasts as they offer prayers. For people living with diabetes, fasting can be a little trickier than it is for others.

To stay safe (and healthy), you must reconsider fasting. Or get help from a certified nutritionist who can put together a customised fasting meal plan to keep your blood sugars in check

Fasting and diabetes is a red zone in itself. Combining this with feasting during the festive season increases the chances of your blood sugars spiking. For people with diabetes, it is recommended to not give up food completely.

Instead, have small meals throughout the day made up of foods that are okay to have during fasts. You must also look out for symptoms that suggest that your blood sugars are fluctuating like tiredness, increased thirst, blurred vision, etc.

We spoke to our in-house Diabetes Educator & Nutritionist coach from Team Diabefly, Bijal Furia, for a few tips to help you have a happy and healthy Navratri fasting this year.

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1. Pre-fast and post-fast Doctor consultation

This is an extremely important tip for people with diabetes. Consult your doctor and ask them if it is fine for you to fast. Do talk to them about the number of days you plan to fast, number of hours a day, type of fasting, etc – discuss everything openly.

You must also discuss your medication (and insulin) dose changes – if applicable – given that your diet will be changing for a brief period.

2. Hydration is the key

Even while fasting, make sure you keep yourself hydrated. The heat and the fasting can cause discomfort in the body leading to unwanted complications. Make sure you drink at least 10-12 glasses of water every day.

A lot of us also tend to incline towards juices during the fasting period. Say goodbye to these sugar-loaded drinks this year and replace them with buttermilk (chaas) or lemon water.

3. Add dairy to plate

During the nine-day fasting, you should also add more dairy products. Adding low-fat dairy products like paneer, yoghurt (curd) which is made from skimmed or low-fat milk can help to prevent sudden fluctuations to make this fasting period a happy one for you. This will also help to meet your daily protein requirements even while you observe your fast.

4. Welcoming newer fasting options

Chuck out the carb-heavy sabudana khichdi this year and replace it with much healthier options made from sameo, buckwheat or even rajgira. You can prepare upma or khichdi out of these nutritious grains and consume during the fast.

However, if you still want to have that bowl of sabudana khichdi make sure you control your portion and top it off with some tomatoes, peanuts and pair it with a bowl of yoghurt (curd).You can also try replacing the traditional jeera aloo with sweet potato.

You can also try adding whole fruits like orange, sweet lime, guava, pear, apples, etc. which have a low glycaemic index and low glycaemic load along with nuts. This will ensure that you meet your daily dose of fibre, protein and other essential nutrients to keep you going worry-free.

5. Keep a track of your blood sugar levels

Even though you have talked to your doctor about your fasting plans, it is always best to still keep out an eye for fluctuations in blood sugar levels. You can use a glucometer to check your blood sugar levels.

Talk to your doctor about the number of times you should check your blood sugars and what values to watch out for. Now, you can fast during the nine days of Navratri with a less worried mind!

If you’re looking for one-on-one guidance on how to manage your diet during the upcoming festivities, you must consider getting help from the experts at Diabefly.

Our team will ensure that you stay on track with your diet, exercise and everyday routine while enjoying the festivities of the season.To know more about Diabefly and how it can help you stay in control, visit www.fitterfly.com/diabefly

- By Fitterfly Health-Team
Anand Singh | 56 Years
Reduced his diabetes medicines by half
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