Diabetes and Ash Wednesday

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Hi. I have type 1 diabetes and I am adult so I want to know if I have to fast during the Ash Wednesday. I can abstain from meat as I normally do on Fridays but this fast is about quantity. Like one full meal and two small ones.
In my case I have fixed hours of checking my sugar, then eating something.

Maybe I could do this fast. Id only eat one full meal, then two smaller ones. But no, I have fixed meal at 6pm and then 8:30pm. So I couldnt do that. My parents wouldnt let me abstain from this meal.
 
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Diabetes and fasting during Lent Spirituality
I’m currently in RCIA, and this will be my first time trying to follow the Church’s recommendations during the Lenten season. In past years, I’ve given something up for Lent, and last year I gave up meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays. I haven’t attempted to fast, however. My concern is that I have type-II diabetes, and one of the medications I take acts to lower my blood sugar. If I don’t eat at regular intervals, and my blood sugar drops, I get some of the usual symptoms of low blood sugar: con…
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Listen to your parents and your doctors. There are many ways for you to have a fruitful lent!

Edit: It says you are an adult in the first sentence. Comprehension fail on my part. Still. Take care of yourself.
 
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Babinicz said:
Hi. I have type 1 diabetes and I am adult so I want to know if I have to fast during the Ash Wednesday. I can abstain from meat as I normally do on Fridays but this fast is about quantity. Like one full meal and two small ones.
In my case I have fixed hours of checking my sugar, then eating something.

Maybe I could do this fast. Id only eat one full meal, then two smaller ones. But no, I have fixed meal at 6pm and then 8:30pm. So I couldnt do that. My parents wouldnt let me abstain from this meal.
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You need to be guided by your parents and preferably (if you haven’t done already) check with your doctor.
 
DisorientingSneeze said:
Listen to your parents and your doctors. There are many ways for you to have a fruitful lent!

Edit: It says you are an adult in the first sentence. Comprehension fail on my part. Still. Take care of yourself.
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Some adults live at home and are financially and/or otherwise dependent on their parents.
 
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People who are sick are not required to fast. Diabetics often have to be very careful about their eating habits. In your position, I would not recommend fasting unless you discuss it with your provider first.

Fasting only binds those between the ages of 18 and 59 who are not sick, pregnant, breastfeeding, or caregivers for the sick.

You can definitely abstain from meat, though, and you may find other ways to fast. For example, many people fast from social media throughout Lent. Others may fast from favourite foods, TV, radio, or other activities they enjoy.
 
As a person with diabetes, you do not have to fast on Ash Wednesday or on Lenten Fridays.

Having said that, though… I have type II diabetes, and one of the medications I take works directly on my blood sugar. Low sugars are NOT fun. Or safe! I do abstain from meat. Rather than fasting, I do try to eat a bit less than I normally would, but not to the point of risking a low.

It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor about this. I’m blessed in that my doctor is also Catholic, so she understands.
 
I agree with the others, but I just want to add that my bishop actually sends out a letter every Lent reminding people of the regulations for Lent with regards to fasting and abstinence. He specifically states “When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige.”

The Church does not want you to put your health at risk in order to fast.
 
My late aunt was a Type 1 diabetic. She was given a dispensation each year because of her diabetes and other illnesses.

When you have an illness and are under a dr’s care for it, the Church always has you listen to your dr. Because of your diabetes, you’re released from the food fast since you need to be mindful of your health.

There are other things you can fast and abstain from that won’t put your health at risk. TV, the Internet, etc.
 
Give up something else that has nothing to do with food, like watching your favourite tv show. Or if you feel really brave, go without social media for the day or part of the day and offer it up for God. It’s not what you give up so much, but the love you give with it. So don’t put your health at risk, think of something like that that has nothing to do with food and then join in with the rest of us in spirit, you can share our suffering of less food with your suffering of what ever you chose to give up. Jesus will respect your offering just as highly as ours and your parents won’t mind cos it doesnt harm you. God bless you.
 
lilypadrees said:
My late aunt was a Type 1 diabetic. She was given a dispensation each year because of her diabetes and other illnesses.

When you have an illness and are under a dr’s care for it, the Church always has you listen to your dr. Because of your diabetes, you’re released from the food fast since you need to be mindful of your health.

There are other things you can fast and abstain from that won’t put your health at risk. TV, the Internet, etc.
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All good advice.

One thing in this post concerns me, though. Your aunt was automatically excused from fasting, but did she still feel she needed to ask the priest for a dispensation?
 
I’m sure the Church does not require you to fast if you have an illness such as diabetes. It’s similar in Judaism on Yom Kippur, where those who are ill or pregnant are not only not required to fast but not permitted to fast. Your parents and your doctor know best in this situation.
 
Thanks for posting this thread, I’m diabetic too and didn’t know about this
 
On the other hand, my mom (God rest her soul) on at least a couple of occasions suggested to me that I could be excused from fasting because of my own health issues … but my main “health issue” is that I’m paraplegic and use a wheelchair. Personally, I never saw that as an obstacle to fasting, and I’ve done it with no ill effects. Frankly, I’ve had more severe “fasts” to prepare for medical procedures, than any the Church requires, and still had no ill effects. I’m not diabetic, so that’s not an issue.
 
I will hasten to add, last year on Ash Wednesday, I was in the hospital recovering from an illness. Obviously, I ate what they put in front of me. When you genuinely are sick, you shouldn’t fast. You need to eat to help your body recover.
 
This was in the 1960s. I’m not sure the rules as we know them today were in effect. As I recall, they had to ask for the dispensation each year. She passed away in 1967 at the age of 32.:cry:
 
The Eastern Great Fast started on Monday, and at Sunday Divine Liturgy my pastor mentioned that people who are under a doctor’s care or have medical conditions that make fasting difficult or dangerous should speak to their doctor and follow his/her advice.
 
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