Ramadan Kareem!
The holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and a time when many Muslims across the world fast during daylight hours for 29-30 days. The Islamic calendar is lunar and so Ramadan falls at a slightly earlier time in the year each year.Muslims taking part in Ramadan do not eat or drink anything during daylight hours, eating one meal (the ‘suhoor’ or ‘sehri’) just before dawn and another (the ‘iftar’) after sunset. The end of Ramadan is marked by ‘Eid-ul-Fitr’, the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.
Ramadan is a great opportunity to break the chains of bad eating habits, but the majority of people are not reaping the full benefits of this month.
What we eat outside our fasting hours is crucial to our health.
To fully benefit from fasting, a person should put a great deal of thought into the type and quantity of food they indulge in throughout this month.
The diet should be a simple meal – not a feast – and should not differ substantially from your normal everyday diet.
To maintain a balanced and nutritious diet, a person should consume food from all the major food groups, equally distributed between the two meal times.
The major food groups are:
Fruits and vegetables
Breads, cereals, and potatoes
Meat, fish and chicken
Dairy products such as milk and cheese
Foods containing fat and sugar
Pre-dawn meal
Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) should encompass a wholesome meal that provides long-lasting energy throughout the day. Foods that provide long-lasting energy are complex carbohydrates and high-fibre foods.
Complex carbohydrates are foods that are rich in energy but release this energy slowly throughout the day.
Examples include wholewheat, oats, beans, and rice.
Foods that are rich in fibre and are also digested slowly include fruits (raw and unpeeled) and vegetables.
Also don't forget the all-important fluids as they maintain water and salt levels in the body. Water and fluids with vitamins – like fresh fruit juices – should replace caffeinated drinks.
Caffeine – cold drinks, tea, and coffee – is a diuretic and promotes faster water loss through urination, which can lead to dehydration.
Post-dusk meal
It is customary for Muslims to break their fast. Iftar (the post-dusk meal) with dates and water. This helps restore sugar and salt levels in the body. It also rehydrates the body.
The benefits of dates are:
Easy to digest
Decrease the feeling of hunger, preventing one from overeating
Prepare the stomach to receive food after many hours of fasting
Rich in sugar and energy, restoring nutrients in the body
Prevent constipation as a result of altered meal times
Foods to avoid
Deep fried foods – fried samosas, fried chicken, fried spring rolls and fried potato chips
High sugar and high fat foods – Indian sweets like gulab jamun, jalebi, halwa and barfi
High-fat cooked foods – oily curries and greasy pastries
Healthy alternatives
Baked samosas, baked spring rolls, oven baked potato chips
"Dry frying" – using a non-stick pan or non-stick food sprays
Grilled or baked meat, chicken, fish as a healthier alternative – while retaining the flavour and taste of the food
Balanced food and fluid intake is important between the fasting periods. In order to prevent muscle breakdown, meals must contain adequate levels of energy-rich foods, including carbohydrates and a portion of fat. Hence a balanced diet with ample quantities of nutrients, salts and water is vital.
In the end, the focus shouldn’t be entirely on body weight, but rather on being mindful of how you fast and how you break your fast.
This can help to improve your overall health, and to maintain that behaviour – making it a lifestyle that can be continued even after the fast has passed.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan can be good for your health if it's done correctly.
If you're overweight, it can be an opportunity to lose weight – provided you eat healthy when you break the fast.
What happens to your body when you fast
The changes that happen in the body during a fast depend on the length of the continuous fast.
The body enters into a fasting state eight hours or so after the last meal, when the gut finishes absorbing nutrients from the food.
In the normal state, body glucose, which is stored in the liver and muscles, is the body's main source of energy.
During a fast, this store of glucose is used up first to provide energy. Later in the fast, once the glucose runs out, fat becomes the next source of energy for the body.
With a prolonged fast of many days or weeks, the body starts using protein and breaking down protein for energy. This is the technical description of what's commonly known as "starvation".
You are unlikely to reach the starvation stage during Ramadan, because the fast is broken daily.
Gentle transition from glucose to fat
As the Ramadan fast only lasts from dawn till dusk, the body's energy can be replaced in the pre-dawn and dusk meals.
This provides a gentle transition from using glucose as the main source of energy to using fat, and prevents the breakdown of muscle for protein.
The use of fat for energy helps weight loss. It preserves the muscles and eventually reduces your cholesterol level. In addition, weight loss results in better control of diabetes and reduces blood pressure.
After a few days of the fast, higher levels of endorphins appear in the blood, making you more alert and giving an overall feeling of general mental wellbeing.
A balanced food and fluid intake is important between fasts. The kidneys are very efficient at maintaining the body's water and salts, but these can be lost through sweating.
To prevent muscle breakdown, meals must contain enough energy food, such as carbohydrates and some fat.
How to fast safely during Ramadan
The way to approach your diet during fasting is similar to the way you should be eating outside Ramadan.
You should have a balanced diet, with the right proportion of carbs, fat and protein.If you're not careful, food eaten during the pre-dawn and dusk meals can cause some weight gain. Approaching the fast with discipline, otherwise an opportunity to lose weight and be healthier could be wasted.
The underlying message behind Ramadan is self-discipline and self-control. This shouldn't fall apart at the end of the day.
Try to limit the amount of sugary foods you eat and instead include healthier sources of carbohydrate in your diet, such as wholegrains, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and lower fat dairy products.
Foods high in fibre can help to keep your bowels healthy and add bulk to your meal, helping you to feel full.
These include:
fruit
vegetables
pulses
starchy foods (especially wholegrain varieties)
It's also worth avoiding caffeine-based drinks such as tea, coffee and cola. Caffeine is a diuretic and stimulates faster water loss through urination.
For those who would normally consume caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee during the day, the lack of caffeine during the fast may initially lead to headaches and tiredness. This may ease over the course of Ramadan as the body adjusts to going without caffeine during the day.
WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR WEIGHT GAIN DURING RAMADAN?
Eating continuously, especially between Iftar and Suhour, which is sometimes accompanied by tiredness due to the feeling of fullness.
Inactivity and lethargy after Iftar
Consuming large portions of food, more than the usual
Eating fried, high fat and calories food (kunafa, pastries and samosa) in large uncontrolled amounts, especially in the evenings
Going out for Iftar or inviting guests over which may be putting you within reach of large varieties and quantities of mouth-watering, but calorie dense food.
WAYS TO EAT HEALTHY AND CONTROL WEIGHT GAIN
Here are some tips that will definitely help you in managing your weight during the fasting month
Avoid overeating: Have a light Iftar that includes reasonable food portions
Chew your food slowly to avoid indigestion
Have your soup and salad first; as these are low in calories and make you feel full
Drink at least eight glasses of water during the non-fasting hours
Limit the intake of sweetened fruit juices, make your own at home instead of the readymade ones as they contain high amounts of sugar
Choose low fat dairy products and lean meats
Replace sweets with fruit salad and fresh fruits every now and then
Exercising is an important factor to help you burn fat. Walk every day for at least half an hour, aiming to one hour in order to burn the extra calories.
HEALTHY COOKING ALSO PLAYS A ROLE IN MANAGING YOUR WEIGHT!
When cooking, make your favorite Ramadan recipes healthier by avoiding deep frying whenever possible. Instead, reduce the amount of fat in your meals by cooking your food with a little bit of vegetable oil, baking, roasting, steaming or grilling. Keep in mind that reducing fat in your cooking does not necessarily mean reducing its flavor. You can enhance the seasoning of your dishes by using fresh vegetables, fresh herbs and spices, which add taste without adding calories.
And now, with so many tips to help you control what you eat and resist the temptation of over indulgence, you can make sure that this joyous season is happy, healthy and filled with goodness.
Besides, eating moderately, slowly and sensibly is the perfect way to – avoid getting lethargic, stay active and spend time with your family and friends. Whether it is shopping, meeting loved ones or simply watching the TV, a healthy meal will make sure that your Ramadan is filled with loving memories and a better-looking you.
Is fasting good for health?
Results from studies on the health effects of Ramadan fasting are mixed, probably because the length of the fast and the weather conditions experienced vary depending on the time of year and the country where the fast is being observed. Some studies have found that people lose weight during Ramadan (although they tended to put this weight back on after Ramadan). If you are overweight and would like to lose weight and keep it off, then making plans to maintain a healthy diet and get active when Ramadan is finished may help you sustain any weight lost due to fasting.
Some small studies have looked at the effect of Ramadan fasting on factors like blood cholesterol and triglycerides (fat in the blood) and found a short term improvement in some cases although some studies found no effect. There have also been some small studies that suggest that Ramadan fasting may have a short term beneficial effect on the immune system. In both cases, the results of studies have been mixed and so more research is needed to confirm these results.
Remember to drink plenty of water before you sleep to rehydrate yourself and rest well to rejuvenate your body for the next day’s fast.
Disclaimer:Please take a doctor's opinion before starting your dose!
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Your Well-wisher,
Dr.Insiya
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