ZARINA PATEL
Fasting in the month of Ramazan is not just
to give up foods from dawn to dusk but also a spiritual exercise to strengthen
the relationship with GOD. A person on fasting inclines to follow spirituality
and learns to control his physical appetite. Fasting helps him to take on
healthy lifestyle by making little yet significant changes in his eating
habits.
People with different health related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, weak digestive system, obesity and kidney stones should have a complete knowledge of eating the right food and balanced diet to maximise the benefits of fasting and to minimise the chances of sickness during the holy month of Ramazan. Even person with good health conditions also keep in mind that Islam gives importance to eating of healthy foods and forbid over eating. Further, Amount and quality of food we consume on sehri and Iftar affect directly our health.
During fasting, several changes occur in our body. Body glucose, store in the liver and muscles, is main source of energy for our body. During early hours of the fasting, body glucose consumed by the body to get the energy. On later hours, when glucose used up, fat becomes the source of energy for the body. Use of fats during fast causes weight loses and lowers the cholesterol level. After few days of fast a certain amount of hormone endorphins, appear in the blood resulting in a better level of alertness and an overall feeling of general mental well-being.
Give your stomach relief: The blessed Prophet (PBUH) said, "The children of Adam fill no vessel worse than their stomach. sufficient for him is a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat more, then a third should be for his food, a third for his drink, and a third left for air." (Sunan al-Tirmidhî).
Fasting gives relax to the Stomach and give it a chance to get rid of toxins. People on fasting often complain of acidity or heartburn. Nutritionists describe acidity, as "The stomach is an acidic environment, designed to digest food and kill bacteria.
The stomach and esophagus (gullet) normally protected from this acid by the body's own special juices and 'valves' between these two organs. If either too much acid produced or the valve at the bottom of the esophagus is 'faulty', you may experience heartburn. Fasting usually reduces the amount of acid produced, but thoughts of food or the smell of it makes the brain order the stomach to produce more acid. Hence if there is a net increase in acid, heartburn could be a problem during the fast." Overeating, use of spicy, oily and greasy foods can be a cause of heartburn or acidity. Fasting all day does not mean to eat lot of foods and drinks.
Using caffeinated and fizzy drinks such as cola, coffee and extra cups of tea can irritate the digestive tract. Give first choice to fruit drinks, smoothie and milk shake to revitalise lost energy.
Avoid dehydration: Lack of fluids and water (dehydration), hunger and inadequate rest can cause severe headache, disorientation, or faintness during fasting. Poor intake of water and fluids, tough activities during fasting, and hot summer days can cause dehydration during a fast. Caffeine withdrawal as the most common cause of headache while fasting. Patients can often prevent headaches by reducing caffeine consumption in the weeks leading up to holy month of Ramazan. Severity of dehydration may cause tiredness, disorientation and faintness. Balanced food and fluid intake helps body to keep up correct ratio of water and slats in the body and prevent from fatal effects of dehydration. Staying hydrated; eating many fruits and adding fibrous foods also prevent constipation.
Be careful diabetic patients: Diabetic patients can fast if they follow appropriate diet and keep in mind due precautions. Doctors say, "People with diabetic under control, either by diet or using tablets, may fast but they should consult their doctors to make changes to their medication in order to help them take tablets outside times of fasting".
Risks that associated with diabetic patients are "low sugar level, high sugar level, and dehydration. Low blood sugar level is dangerous and could lead to fits, disorientation, and dizziness.
To avoid these risk factors doctors recommend that Diabetic patients, on sehri and Iftar times, must increase their fluid intake, avoid food that is rich in fats and complex carbohydrates, such as sweets, juices and fried food." They should include chapattis, skimmed milk with cereal, omelet or boil egg, in pre-dawn meal. For iftari one date, channa chaat and lassi are good for the patient.
Doctors forbid fasting to complicated diabetic patients and those with other medical complications such as angina, kidney disease, and eye disease. Islam exempt from fasting, people with long-term illness or poor medical conditions. "The doctors must inform their patients that they might need to break the fast before time and not avoid the topic," said a doctor.
"Patients should break their fast if the blood glucose is less than 60 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), if the sugar is less than 70mg/dl in the first few hours after sehri or if the blood sugar level is greater than 300mg/dl at any time," Manage your weight: The type and quantity of foods we consume during non-fasting hours have strong impacts on unintended weight gain or weight loses during the Ramazan. Putting on excess weight during Ramazan is common problem among women.
One of the easy ways to maintain ideal weight is adding fibers everyday on sehri and iftari meal. Fibrous foods ensure flat-tummy and slim figure. Add dishes made from whole meal flour, semolina and basmati rice at sehri time because these foods contain complex carbohydrates, which digest slowly and remain in stomach for long time thus make you less hungry for many hours.
Avoid white bread, biscuits, cakes and chocolates on sehr time because these foods are fast burning foods, which mean they will give you instant energy, but make you hungry soon. Sweets are high sugar /high fat foods especially Baklawa, Baloo Shahi, Gulab Jaman are not suitable for Ramazan. To crave for your sweet tooth give preference to sweets made from Milk such as Rasmalai and Burfi.
In a Japanese study, researchers found that women who ate the foods that required the most work had significantly slimmer waistlines than those who ate the softest, easiest-to-eat foods. The fiber and protein in such foods take so much effort to digest that your body 'does not absorb some of their calories.
Care for headache, stress and tension: Ramazan brings changes in our routine and daily schedules. Long hours of fasting, lack of food and water, and shorter hours of sleeping can stirrup stress, tension and uncontrolled anger, and headache. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can also trigger headaches in many people. If a meal with high sugar content is taken before the fast begins, it can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels followed by a fast drop that may trigger a headache. Eating a meal with low sugar content before the fast may prevent the onset of a headache during the day.
Points to remember:
-- Taking healthy meal on Sehri is important to be energetic during the long hours of fasting.
-- Milk is a complete food its regular use on Sehri prevents muscle cramps on fasting.
-- End the pre-dawn meal with one tablespoon of fresh yogurt to keep your thirst away during fasting.
-- Dates are rich in sugar, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium. Three dates are enough to boost energy level.
-- Apple and potatoes, has fibers near their outer covering so it is better to add in chaat without peeling them.
-- Whole fruit such as orange is rich in fibers as compared to its juice.
People with different health related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, weak digestive system, obesity and kidney stones should have a complete knowledge of eating the right food and balanced diet to maximise the benefits of fasting and to minimise the chances of sickness during the holy month of Ramazan. Even person with good health conditions also keep in mind that Islam gives importance to eating of healthy foods and forbid over eating. Further, Amount and quality of food we consume on sehri and Iftar affect directly our health.
During fasting, several changes occur in our body. Body glucose, store in the liver and muscles, is main source of energy for our body. During early hours of the fasting, body glucose consumed by the body to get the energy. On later hours, when glucose used up, fat becomes the source of energy for the body. Use of fats during fast causes weight loses and lowers the cholesterol level. After few days of fast a certain amount of hormone endorphins, appear in the blood resulting in a better level of alertness and an overall feeling of general mental well-being.
Give your stomach relief: The blessed Prophet (PBUH) said, "The children of Adam fill no vessel worse than their stomach. sufficient for him is a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat more, then a third should be for his food, a third for his drink, and a third left for air." (Sunan al-Tirmidhî).
Fasting gives relax to the Stomach and give it a chance to get rid of toxins. People on fasting often complain of acidity or heartburn. Nutritionists describe acidity, as "The stomach is an acidic environment, designed to digest food and kill bacteria.
The stomach and esophagus (gullet) normally protected from this acid by the body's own special juices and 'valves' between these two organs. If either too much acid produced or the valve at the bottom of the esophagus is 'faulty', you may experience heartburn. Fasting usually reduces the amount of acid produced, but thoughts of food or the smell of it makes the brain order the stomach to produce more acid. Hence if there is a net increase in acid, heartburn could be a problem during the fast." Overeating, use of spicy, oily and greasy foods can be a cause of heartburn or acidity. Fasting all day does not mean to eat lot of foods and drinks.
Using caffeinated and fizzy drinks such as cola, coffee and extra cups of tea can irritate the digestive tract. Give first choice to fruit drinks, smoothie and milk shake to revitalise lost energy.
Avoid dehydration: Lack of fluids and water (dehydration), hunger and inadequate rest can cause severe headache, disorientation, or faintness during fasting. Poor intake of water and fluids, tough activities during fasting, and hot summer days can cause dehydration during a fast. Caffeine withdrawal as the most common cause of headache while fasting. Patients can often prevent headaches by reducing caffeine consumption in the weeks leading up to holy month of Ramazan. Severity of dehydration may cause tiredness, disorientation and faintness. Balanced food and fluid intake helps body to keep up correct ratio of water and slats in the body and prevent from fatal effects of dehydration. Staying hydrated; eating many fruits and adding fibrous foods also prevent constipation.
Be careful diabetic patients: Diabetic patients can fast if they follow appropriate diet and keep in mind due precautions. Doctors say, "People with diabetic under control, either by diet or using tablets, may fast but they should consult their doctors to make changes to their medication in order to help them take tablets outside times of fasting".
Risks that associated with diabetic patients are "low sugar level, high sugar level, and dehydration. Low blood sugar level is dangerous and could lead to fits, disorientation, and dizziness.
To avoid these risk factors doctors recommend that Diabetic patients, on sehri and Iftar times, must increase their fluid intake, avoid food that is rich in fats and complex carbohydrates, such as sweets, juices and fried food." They should include chapattis, skimmed milk with cereal, omelet or boil egg, in pre-dawn meal. For iftari one date, channa chaat and lassi are good for the patient.
Doctors forbid fasting to complicated diabetic patients and those with other medical complications such as angina, kidney disease, and eye disease. Islam exempt from fasting, people with long-term illness or poor medical conditions. "The doctors must inform their patients that they might need to break the fast before time and not avoid the topic," said a doctor.
"Patients should break their fast if the blood glucose is less than 60 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), if the sugar is less than 70mg/dl in the first few hours after sehri or if the blood sugar level is greater than 300mg/dl at any time," Manage your weight: The type and quantity of foods we consume during non-fasting hours have strong impacts on unintended weight gain or weight loses during the Ramazan. Putting on excess weight during Ramazan is common problem among women.
One of the easy ways to maintain ideal weight is adding fibers everyday on sehri and iftari meal. Fibrous foods ensure flat-tummy and slim figure. Add dishes made from whole meal flour, semolina and basmati rice at sehri time because these foods contain complex carbohydrates, which digest slowly and remain in stomach for long time thus make you less hungry for many hours.
Avoid white bread, biscuits, cakes and chocolates on sehr time because these foods are fast burning foods, which mean they will give you instant energy, but make you hungry soon. Sweets are high sugar /high fat foods especially Baklawa, Baloo Shahi, Gulab Jaman are not suitable for Ramazan. To crave for your sweet tooth give preference to sweets made from Milk such as Rasmalai and Burfi.
In a Japanese study, researchers found that women who ate the foods that required the most work had significantly slimmer waistlines than those who ate the softest, easiest-to-eat foods. The fiber and protein in such foods take so much effort to digest that your body 'does not absorb some of their calories.
Care for headache, stress and tension: Ramazan brings changes in our routine and daily schedules. Long hours of fasting, lack of food and water, and shorter hours of sleeping can stirrup stress, tension and uncontrolled anger, and headache. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can also trigger headaches in many people. If a meal with high sugar content is taken before the fast begins, it can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels followed by a fast drop that may trigger a headache. Eating a meal with low sugar content before the fast may prevent the onset of a headache during the day.
Points to remember:
-- Taking healthy meal on Sehri is important to be energetic during the long hours of fasting.
-- Milk is a complete food its regular use on Sehri prevents muscle cramps on fasting.
-- End the pre-dawn meal with one tablespoon of fresh yogurt to keep your thirst away during fasting.
-- Dates are rich in sugar, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium. Three dates are enough to boost energy level.
-- Apple and potatoes, has fibers near their outer covering so it is better to add in chaat without peeling them.
-- Whole fruit such as orange is rich in fibers as compared to its juice.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2011
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