8 Tips for Healthy Ramadan Fasting - IslamiCity

8 Tips for Healthy Ramadan Fasting

Iftar or fatoor is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset (photo: iStock by Getty Images).

Category: Featured, Nature & Science Topics: Diet, Fasting (Sawm), Health, Ramadan Channel: Ramadan - Day 2 Views: 4279
4279

Fasting is an important part of many religious traditions, and can usually be accomplished safely. However, if you have any health conditions — including pregnancy, breast-feeding, or diabetes or another illness — it’s best to consult with your religious leader and/or your doctor to determine if you still need to fast or you’re able to fast without harm.

And if you are taking any medications, be sure to ask your health care provider if you can safely skip them or whether they can be taken without food and fluids. If you feel unwell during a fast, rest, consider sipping some juice, and consult a clinician if your symptoms do not improve.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one. Although we may differ in how we prepare our minds and bodies, here are some tips that can help adjust to the daily fast:

1. Stay hydrated. Try drinking fluid several times throughout the night, even if you aren't feeling too thirsty—thirst is a signal that your body is ALREADY dehydrated. Choose fluids that don't contain caffeine, because caffeinated drinks can be dehydrating. Remember, breaking your fast at iftar (the evening meal after sunset) with water not only is traditional, it ensures that you get the best source of hydration into your body before becoming distracted with food.

But, be careful and don't go overboard with drinking too much at one time. Trying to drink a few gallons all at once can dilute your body's electrolytes, inducing a potentially fatal condition called water intoxication.

2. Variety is the spice of life. Eat a variety of foods during the evening. Now, more than ever, your body needs good nourishment to compensate for the stress of fasting. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, healthy fat (fat from plants, like olive oil and nuts)—all of these are important to give your body all the nutrients it needs.

3. Portion size is important. It takes the body about 20 minutes to register that it's had enough to eat. So don't go overboard with eating during iftar. Eating mindfully and listening for when your hunger is actually satisfied puts less stress on your body and gives you more energy than eating huge amounts at one time.

4. Keep moving. Though fasting can be physically exhausting, try not to be completely sedentary. If you typically work out during the morning, see how your body feels if you switch exercise to the evening after breaking your fast. Strenuous exercise is not a good idea during the day because you can quickly become dehydrated. Think small—short easy walks (to classes or doing errands) or a few stretches can go a long way in keeping your energy up during the day.

5. A few secrets to a successful sehri (pre-sunrise meal). Together, the components of a balanced meal help your blood sugar remain most stable, which gives you good energy. Some of the elements to include in your sehri:

- Whole grains—sources include whole grain cereal, whole grain bread, brown rice, and oatmeal.

- Fresh fruits and vegetables—check out the produce section for dozens of ideas!

- Protein—sources include milk, yogurt, eggs, nuts.

- Healthy fat—sources are nuts and olives.

Try these easy combinations in addition to drinking water during sehri:

- Oatmeal made with low-fat milk and topped with fruit and nuts.

- A bowl of whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk, topped with fruit and nuts.

- A piece of whole-grain toast, a boiled egg, and a piece of fruit.

- A peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread and a glass of low-fat milk.

- A banana or apple with peanut butter and a glass of low-fat milk.

- A bowl of vegetable soup, a piece of whole grain toast, and a glass of low-fat milk.

- Whole-wheat couscous salad with mixed vegetables, olive oil, and canned tuna.

6. Find what works for you. Depending on your sleeping schedule, you may want to experiment with how often and when you eat to keep your energy up. Which brings me to a (somewhat obvious) point...

7. Trust how your body feels. Every person is individual and may feel best with different ways of eating. If you're having trouble with fasting and these tips don't work for you, talk with a dietitian or other healthcare provider to get more specific advice based on your situation.1The following are usually considered exempt from fasting during Ramadan: Young children; Menstruating, pregnant, or breastfeeding women; People who are traveling long distances; Those who have acute illness; Those with a chronic illness who would be harmed by a fast (e.g., diabetes); Those who are not able to mentally comprehend the reason for the fast; Frail or elderly people

And last, but not least...

8. Celebrate! This is the most joyous month of the year! Enjoy meals with others, exercise goodwill, and be patient with your body and with others.

Sonya Islam, MPH, RD is a former Extension Associate with Cornell Cooperative Extension, and is a Registered Dietitian.

( Source: Cornell University Health )

Footnotes[+]


  Category: Featured, Nature & Science
  Topics: Diet, Fasting (Sawm), Health, Ramadan  Channel: Ramadan - Day 2
Views: 4279

Related Suggestions


Related posts from similar channels:

 
COMMENTS DISCLAIMER & RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
The opinions expressed herein, through this post or comments, contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessarily those of IslamiCity. These are offered as a means for IslamiCity to stimulate dialogue and discussion in our continuing mission of being an educational organization. The IslamiCity site may occasionally contain copyrighted material the use of which may not always have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. IslamiCity is making such material available in its effort to advance understanding of humanitarian, education, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and such (and all) material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

  1. Welcome to the New IslamiCity


    We prepared this quick tour to help you get familiar with the new design so you find your way around the new site much quicker.

    Let's begin.

  2. Topics Menu - Always one click away


    Topics menu will always be here, always within reach.

    Here, you will find quick shortcuts to major topics & hubs under IslamiCity.

  3. Site Search & Most Popular


    Site search is also one click away.

    Here, you will also find the links to the most visited sections of IslamiCity, such as Prayer times, Hijri Converter, Phonetic Search, Quran Section, IslamiCity Bazar and more.

  4. Login & Login Status


    If you need a Login or Registeration, this is your starting point.

    If you see a green icon like this (), it means you're already logged in!

    But if you see, a red iconlike this (), it means you are NOT logged in.

    It's all color coded. We'd love it if your icon is always green. It makes us a community.

  5. Main Hubs & Home Pages

    Everything under IslamiCity is categorized under the major hubs you see in this panel. Due to overwhelming content, each of these hubs can be considered a home page of its own.

    Faith is where the tenets, pillars and spiruality related content is found.

    Science section features not just Science but also Nature and Technology. This section is more for the technologically minded.

    World section is for the News Buds. It covers day to day World Affairs, Politics & News.

    Life section is all about Society, Art, Culture, History, Sports, Food, Music and much more.

    Values section on the other hand is very special. We created it for only one thing in mind; to create a peaceful corner that features just inspiring and uplifting material, focused around Universal Values to be reflect upon -- at a time never needed more desperately than now

  6. Inspiring Themes


    Every other Friday, we try to feature a new theme which will uplift our spirituality. Our themes mostly focus on the universal values such as compassion, patience, love and so on.

    We feature each theme with a beautiful image. Click on these beautiful images & start exploring the theme/value behind it.