Abu Dhabi Medical Department Advises Diabetics to Follow a Balanced Nutrition Regime

Extending services from 8 a.m. until midnight during Ramadan

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Sunday, July 14th 2013 [ME NewsWire]: The Medical Services Department of the Abu Dhabi Police advised diabetics to visit diabetes clinics to be educated about directives that they should follow during the month of Ramadan. These directives are related to the amount of medication doses they should have, and how to manage this disease while fasting. This is in line with the Salamatak (Your Safety) campaign implemented by Security Media Department of the General Secretariat of His Highness Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior.

The Medical Services Department will provide its medical and treatment services to the Ministry of Interior staff and their families during the month of Ramadan from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. (midnight).

Dr. Mustafa Al Badawi, Internal Medicine Specialist in the Specialized Clinics Complex at Abu Dhabi Police, said that visiting specialists who treat diabetes patients and adhering to directives on how to manage this disease during fasting, can prevent patients from facing extreme increases or decreases of sugar levels in the blood. He added that some medications may increase the risks of decrease of glucose levels during fasting, and patients would need to alter their treatment regime to ensure control of their blood sugar levels during Ramadan.

In relation to the nutrition regime of diabetics, Dr. Al Badawi said: “A dietary regime should be healthy and balanced; it should be characterized by having foods such as wheat, semolina and pulses in the Suhoor meal prior to starting the fast, because such foods release sugar slowly leading to the blood sugar stability, thus reducing appetite for food during the fast.”

He advised people to eat foods that release sugar quickly at Iftar such as fruits that increase the levels of blood sugar quickly, followed by slow-acting carbohydrates and starches. He said that it is advised to avoid foods with high concentrations of fat, and to have larger amounts of liquids between Iftar and Suhoor.

He urged people to maintain normal physical activity during fasting as much as possible, and to avoid rigorous exercises especially prior to Iftar when the levels of sugar in the blood are low.

He stressed the importance of delaying the Suhoor meal for diabetics, and to measure blood sugar levels half an hour prior to beginning the fast in order to have foods rich in sugar in case the blood sugar level is low, and to avoid having such foods in case it is high.