Page 42 - Ramadan 2022

42 LG RAMADAN 2022

A healthy Ramadan

USLIMS taking part
in Ramadan do not
eat or drink anything
Mduring 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. A special celebratory meal
is eaten during the festival, the first
daytime meal for a month.
For those who celebrate the month
this may mean planning differently
for foods and drinks to prepare as
well as possibly taking part in online
events to meet family, friends and
the wider community. Ramadan is a
time where it is very important to try
to help others. Although doing this
face to face isn’t possible, supporting to health, provided that enough fluids lost during the day and to start
those in need in other ways, such as fluids are consumed after breaking the next day of fasting well hydrated.
donating to charities online, is still a the fast to replace those lost during Salt stimulates thirst and so it’s a
key part of the month. the day. However, if you are unable good idea to avoid consuming a lot of
While fasting is obligatory for all to stand up due to dizziness, or you salty foods. The pre-dawn meal, su-
healthy Muslims (not children), there are disoriented, you should urgently hoor, provides fluids and energy for
are exemptions for those who are drink regular, moderate quantities of the day of fasting ahead, so making
ill or who’s health could be affected water – ideally with sugar and salt – a healthy choices can help you to cope
by fasting, for example, pregnant sugary drink or rehydration solution. better with the fast.
or breastfeeding women and people If you faint due to dehydration, your While iftar meals are often a time
with diabetes. legs should be raised above your head for celebration, with families and
How does fasting affect the body? by others, and when you awake, you friends coming together to break
During fasting hours when no food should urgently rehydrate as outlined their fasts, it’s important not to go
or drink is consumed, the body uses above. overboard when eating during Ram-
its stores of carbohydrate (stored For those who would normally con- adan. Consuming a lot of deep fried,
in the liver and muscles) and fat to sume caffeinated drinks such as tea creamy and sweet foods may cause
provide energy once all the calories and coffee during the day, the lack of you to gain weight during Ramadan.
from the foods consumed during caffeine during the fast may initially Ramadan can be a good time to make
the night have been used up. The lead to headaches and tiredness. This changes to improve the balance of
body cannot store water and so the may ease over the course of Ramadan your diet that you can sustain in the
kidneys conserve as much water as as the body adjusts to going without longer term. For more information
possible by reducing the amount lost caffeine during the day. read our page on a healthy, balanced
in urine. However, the body cannot Once the fast is broken, the body diet. The changes to eating habits
avoid losing some water when you can rehydrate and gain energy from and lck of fluids during the day may
go to the toilet, through your skin the foods and drinks consumed. Hav- cause constipation for some peo-
and when you breathe and when you ing not eaten for a long period, you ple. When you can eat and drink,
sweat if it is warm. may find it helpful to eat slowly when consuming plenty of high fibre foods,
Depending on the weather and the breaking the fast and to start with such as wholegrains, high fibre cere-
length of the fast, most people who plenty of fluids and low-fat, fluid-rich als, bran, fruit and vegetables, beans,
fast during Ramadan will experience foods (see suggestions below). lentils, dried fruit and nuts alongside
mild dehydration, which may cause Drinking plenty of fluids, as well as plenty of fluids may help to ease con-
headaches, tiredness and difficulty consuming fluid-rich foods, such as stipation as well as doing some light
concentrating. However, studies have fruit, vegetables, yogurt, soups and physical activity, such as going for a
suggested that this is not harmful stews, is very important to replace walk after iftar.

UCH research has with a health condition such as diabe-
been done on the tes not to fast.
health implications However, Ramadan fasting has Fasting with diabetes
Mof fasting for people great spiritual significance for
with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Muslims and many with diabetes do
Type 2 diabetes tends to be particu- choose to fast.
larly prevalent in people of south- Whether to fast or not is a personal
Asian and black African descent, decision for each individual. If you
many of whom may be Muslim. are diabetic and are planning to fast
There can be a risk of dehydration it’s advisable to visit your doctor or
and hypoglycaemia, for those with healthcare team to talk about how to
diabetes who observe the fast, espe- manage your condition while fasting.
cially in the spring and summer when Find more information on the
days are longer and warmer. Diabetes UK website and the Interna-
It is permissible in Islam for those tional Diabetes Federation website.