4/8/26 Easter

In Crete, a vast majority of the island is Orthodox. During this week, it is the end of Holy Week- the week Jesus dies and rises from the dead. Before this week, there is a fast for 40 days to represent the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting. Individuals choose how much they want to participate in this fast. At the most extreme, people will not consume any animal-based products for the whole 40 days. Others will just not eat meat or not eat meat Wednesday and Fridays. Depending on the person, this can play a major role in a person's health. In some ways it can be beneficial specifically for cholesterol to refrain from eating animal proteins and focus on plant-based proteins. However, with the lack of meat in the diet, people tend to add in more carbs which can affect blood sugar in those with diabetes the most. People also will add more salt to their meals which can raise blood pressure. Another thing my preceptor mentioned is that a lot of people will get diarrhea after the easter holiday from re-introducing meats and the abundance of foods and sweets consumed. I noticed that many of the conversations were revolving around education about fasting and how to manage their religious practices with chronic diseases. Since it was towards the end of the fasting period, conversations were also focused on reconciling the disturbances created from the fasting period. In the US, I find that we are often unaware of the religious holidays outside of the Catholic Christian holidays. Another big fasting holiday is Ramadan for Muslims. As physicians, we need to be aware of these times for our patients to make sure they are able to practice their religion the way they want but also be sure they are doing so safely.