A Guide to Healthy Fasting during
Ramadan
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Ramadan is a holy month observed by millions of followers of Islam throughout the world. One of the principle parts of Ramadan is following a fast that might be tedious for some. But the fasting during Ramadan is prevalent since long and most of the people love the spiritual concept behind the fasting. No wonder despite suffering from several hurdles along the way, many people fast during the holy month.
Ramadan is a holy month observed by millions of followers of Islam throughout the world. One of the principle parts of Ramadan is following a fast that might be tedious for some. But the fasting during Ramadan is prevalent since long and most of the people love the spiritual concept behind the fasting. No wonder despite suffering from several hurdles along the way, many people fast during the holy month.
However, if we follow certain
rules during our fast, we will not only remain healthy but also can enjoy the
fasting while performing our religious pursuits and actually the purpose of
physical and spiritual cleansing will be served.
Here are some expert tips to have
healthy Ramadan-
(1) Instead
of having two heavy meals after sunset and before sunrise, opt for three
portioned meals- one after sunset, second 5 hours later before you sleep, and
third before sunrise. This spaces your intake well so that the sugar levels are
maintained even in diabetics.
(2) Stay
away from habits like smoking at least during this month of fasting, because
tobacco with just two heavy meals often plays havoc for the health of the
smoker.
(3) Water
intake is one of the most vital things to keep tracking during this month. As
the fasting person doesn’t take water in between, often he suffers from
problems like acidity, constipation and/or urine infections etc. To avoid this,
as soon as the sun sets, first attempt should be made to have plenty of water,
lemon water, or coconut water.
(4) Suhoor
meal (early morning meal before sunrise) should never be missed. It is this
meal that keeps your metabolism chucking well throughout the day. Only one meal
after sunset makes your digestive system extremely weak and also you may suffer
from liver imbalances, thus unbalancing your lipid profile.
(5) It
is good to have food with low glycemic index- some cereal, yoghurt, or a fruit
etc. This type of eating slowly releases energy and also helps the person keep
the hunger pangs at bay. One can also go for other complex carbohydrates like
barley, wheat, oats, lentils, whole meal flour, semolina, beans, etc.
(6) Deep
fried food like samosas, pakodas, etc should be avoided as far as possible.
Heavily processed fast burning foods like refined sugars, white flour,
chocolates, biscuits, cakes, and other sweetmeats should be avoided too.
(7) Excess
tea and coffee usually makes people suffer from dehydration during the month.
Tea and coffee are considered as diuretics. When you indulge in them, you tend
to lose more water through frequent urination.
(8) It
is good if the person doesn’t sway a lot from the day to day food that he or
she is used to otherwise, during this blessed month too. All major food groups
should be taken into consideration while preparing the delicacies during the
month.
Thus, if we take some precautions
during this blessed month of Ramadan, we certainly can enjoy the whole month
with health and spirituality exemplified. Rather only if we remain healthy
throughout, we can concentrate on our spiritual pursuits and at the end of
Ramadan can boast of having cleansed body, mind, and spirit!
