Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Top 8 Tips to Stay Healthy during Ramadan!


A Guide to Healthy Fasting during Ramadan

{For health queries, mail to- contact@drshreya.com} 

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!