Why fasting needs planning if you have diabetes
Navratri fasts vary from family to family. Some people eat only farali (upvas) foods through the day, some eat one main meal, and some keep a nirjala fast without food or water. For people with diabetes, any sudden change in eating can push blood sugar too low (hypoglycaemia) or too high (hyperglycaemia). Many common farali foods, such as sabudana, potato and fried puris, also raise blood sugar quickly.
With some planning and a conversation with your doctor beforehand, many people with diabetes can take part in Navratri safely.
Key takeaways
- Talk to your doctor before Navratri, especially if you take insulin or tablets that can cause low sugar, such as sulfonylureas.
- Nirjala (no-water) fasts are generally not advisable for people with diabetes.
- Keep sabudana, potato and fried farali foods to small portions, and add curd, paneer, peanuts or makhana.
- Break the fast straight away if blood sugar falls below 70 mg/dL or you feel low-sugar symptoms, or if it rises above 300 mg/dL.
Who should not fast, or should fast only with close medical advice?
Fasting carries a higher risk for some people. Speak to your doctor before fasting if any of these apply to you:
- Type 1 diabetes.
- Frequent or severe low sugar episodes in recent months.
- Blood sugar that is poorly controlled at present.
- Pregnancy.
- Kidney disease, heart disease, or older age with other illnesses.
- Treatment with insulin or sulfonylureas (such as glimepiride or gliclazide).
For some people, the safest choice is a modified fast, such as eating farali meals at regular times instead of going without food for long periods. Your doctor may also suggest changes to the timing or dose of your medicines for the fasting days. Never change doses on your own.
Questions to ask your doctor before Navratri:
- Is it safe for me to fast, and which type of fast is suitable?
- Do any of my medicines need a change in dose or timing on fasting days?
- How often should I check my blood sugar, and what readings should make me break the fast?
How should I monitor my blood sugar while fasting?
Checking your sugar does not break a fast, and it is the best way to stay safe. If you take insulin or sulfonylureas, check more often on fasting days, for example in the morning, in the afternoon, before the main meal and about two hours after it, and any time you feel unwell. Ask your doctor how often is right for you.
- Know the signs of low sugar: shakiness, sweating, fast heartbeat, hunger, dizziness or confusion.
- Keep glucose handy: glucose tablets, a sugary drink or a few teaspoons of sugar in water, to take straight away if your sugar is low.
- Write it down: note your readings with the time and what you ate, and share the record with your doctor after the festival.
When to break the fast
Break the fast immediately and treat the problem if:
- Your blood sugar is below 70 mg/dL, or you have symptoms of low sugar. Take glucose or a sugary drink first, then eat a proper snack once you feel better.
- Your blood sugar is above 300 mg/dL.
- You feel faint, confused or very weak, or you have signs of dehydration such as a very dry mouth or passing very little urine.
Seek medical help urgently if low sugar does not improve after treatment, if high sugar comes with vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness or fast breathing, or if you have chest pain or breathlessness. Breaking a fast for your health is always the right decision.
Which farali foods are better choices?
What is allowed differs between families, so pick from these according to your own fasting rules.
Better choices
- Protein foods: plain curd, paneer, milk and buttermilk without sugar.
- Nuts and seeds: roasted peanuts, almonds, walnuts and makhana, in small handfuls.
- Vegetables allowed in your fast: for example lauki (bottle gourd), pumpkin, cucumber and tomato, cooked with little oil.
- Whole fruit in small portions: guava, apple, orange or papaya rather than juice. See our 5 best fruits for diabetics guide.
- Farali flours in small amounts: rajgira (amaranth), kuttu (buckwheat) or singhara (water chestnut) as thin rotis or thepla rather than fried puris, eaten with curd and a vegetable.
Foods to keep small or limit
- Sabudana (khichdi, vada or kheer): mostly starch, so it raises blood sugar quickly. If you have it, keep the portion small and add peanuts, curd and vegetables.
- Potato and sweet potato: keep portions small and prefer boiled or roasted over fried.
- Fried foods: puris, pakoras, chips and sabudana vadas add a lot of fat and calories.
- Sweets and sweet drinks: farali sweets, kheer, sweetened lassi and fruit juices. Jaggery, honey and dates raise blood sugar much like sugar does.
For a simple guide to which foods raise blood sugar faster, see our article on the glycemic index of Indian foods.
A sample farali day
This is an example for someone whose doctor has said fasting is safe for them and whose fast allows these foods. Portions depend on your needs and medicines.
- Morning: a glass of milk without sugar and a small handful of almonds or walnuts.
- Midday: a bowl of plain curd with cucumber, and a small apple or guava.
- Afternoon: roasted makhana or peanuts, and unsweetened buttermilk.
- Evening meal: one or two thin rajgira or kuttu rotis, a paneer or lauki sabzi, and curd.
Eating at regular times, rather than one large meal after a long gap, usually helps keep blood sugar steadier.
Staying hydrated and active
- Drink enough water through the day, unless your doctor has asked you to limit fluids. Unsweetened buttermilk and lemon water without sugar also count.
- Garba and dandiya are exercise. Long nights of dancing use up glucose, which can lead to low sugar, especially on insulin or sulfonylureas. Check your sugar before dancing, carry glucose with you and take breaks to drink water.
- Avoid heavy exercise during the long fasting hours. A gentle walk is fine.
When to see an endocrinologist
See an endocrinologist a few weeks before Navratri if you plan to fast and take insulin or sulfonylureas, if you had low or very high sugars during past fasts, or if your diabetes has been hard to control. At Vishuddha Endocrine Clinic, Dr. Moxit Shah can review your readings and medicines and help you make a fasting plan that suits you.
Bring your recent sugar readings or CGM report, your latest HbA1c, and a list of all your medicines.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fast all nine days of Navratri if I have diabetes?
It depends on your blood sugar control, your medicines and your overall health. Some people can fast safely with monitoring, while others are better off with a modified fast or fasting on fewer days. Decide with your doctor before the festival.
Is sabudana khichdi safe for diabetics?
Sabudana is mostly starch and raises blood sugar quickly. A small portion with peanuts, vegetables and a bowl of curd is better than a large plate on its own.
Does checking blood sugar break the fast?
No. A finger-prick test or a CGM reading does not break a fast, and it is the most important safety step while fasting.
Can I take my diabetes medicines while fasting?
Some medicines may need a change in dose or timing on fasting days, and some may need to be paused. Do not change them on your own; ask your doctor before Navratri starts.
Is a nirjala fast safe with diabetes?
Going without water raises the risk of dehydration, which can raise blood sugar and strain the kidneys. It is generally not advisable for people with diabetes. Discuss it with your doctor if it is important to you.
Need personalised advice? Book a consultation with Dr. Moxit Shah at Vishuddha Endocrine Clinic, Ahmedabad. Book an appointment or call +91 99799 92797.
This article is for general education and does not replace a consultation. Please speak to your doctor before making any change to your treatment.
