During Holy Week, many people tend to follow a dietary practice that includes fasting, until Holy Saturday when they will “break” it and welcome Easter with traditional dietary choices. But what about diabetics, how can they participate in the climate of these days, without harming themselves and their treatment?

The above question is answered by Mr. Andreas Melidonis Director of the Diabetes Center and Karolos Papalazarou Clinical Nutritionist-Dietitian both at the Metropolitan Hospital.

Fasting

Fasting during the days of Holy Week from a nutritional point of view could be said to be a coin with two sides.

On the one hand, it is a good opportunity to detox from foods of animal origin, but on the other hand, it is a reason for consuming a larger amount of starchy foods (pasta, potatoes, bread, etc.).

That is why a person with diabetes needs to be more careful.

Specifically, during the fasting period, the diabetic person should:

• Continue to measure the amount of starchy foods in his meals, avoiding making them his main course. This practically means that he should avoid consuming a large plate of shrimp pasta but that he could eat grilled shrimp with a cup of potato salad or octopus with a cup of macaroni kofto. It would also be preferable to consume a serving of non-starchy vegetables such as artichokes rather than a serving of starchy vegetables such as peas
• To turn to alternative sources of protein such as legumes, vegetables such as mushrooms and some substitutes for dairy products such as milk and soy yogurt. Seafood such as squid, cuttlefish, shrimp, etc., are good sources of protein but should be avoided in large quantities, mainly due to their high cholesterol content.
• Do not skip sugar measurements. On these days, the daily routine in terms of meal times or physical exercise is likely to be disrupted, which could affect blood sugar levels and lead to episodes of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.
• Don’t forget the intermediate meals. Lunch and afternoon snacks help regulate blood sugar levels. A portion of fruit is the best choice for a snack.

Easter table

A person with diabetes, in order to achieve a better course of his disease, has learned to live with some small dietary restrictions and to follow a specific nutritional plan in the context of the Mediterranean diet.

A nutritionally more “free” Easter table, held once a year will not affect all this effort.

Therefore, if there are no comorbidities such as chronic renal failure or hyperuricemia, he can consume whatever is on the table and pleases him, but without excesses in the quantities of starchy foods (pies, potatoes, bread).

A good practice for diabetic people, especially on Easter day, is to accompany the meat they will eat with plenty of salad, because the vegetable fibers bind some of the cholesterol in the food while, at the same time, reducing the glycemic load of the meal leading to a smoother rise in blood sugar levels.

Regarding alcohol, 2 units of alcohol are allowed during the meal, which practically corresponds to about 2 glasses of wine or 2 cans of beer or 2 shots of tsipouro

In case of a desire for something sweet, it would be preferable to eat it in the afternoon with some time difference from the meal. Ideally, it would be good to prefer a sweet with stevia.

Finally, a good walk after the table can contribute to digestion, while if done systematically it also helps to avoid extra pounds.

In conclusion, Holy Week and the Easter that follows can and should be an exercise in faith, patience and full compliance with dietary choices that benefit health.