Healthy Ramadan
By Dr Zafar M. Iqbal
TCCI, Chicago, IL
For nearly 2 billion Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a holy month of fasting and rituals for this annual religious observance.
Since this is also the time when the practicing, observant Muslims also go through physical stress, this is a time to keep one physically fit and able. For the elderly, vulnerable, and those already under medical care, a prior consultation with a physician is highly recommended for health monitoring. And for those in need of daily medications, and for some women (pregnant particularly in 2 nd trimmest and later, or nursing or breast-feeding mothers), there may be a religious exemption from Ramadan for health reasons. This is all the more important since the daily fast this year is essentially more taxing - about 16 hours long in the mid-summer temperatures.
During this Ramadan, since the daily fast, about 16 hours long in the mid-summer temperatures, is going to be more taxing, health concerns due to restriction in both food and water intake are being routinely recognized not only in the Muslim countries but also increasingly in countries with a significant, and increasing, Muslim population, such as the US, Canada, UK, the EU countries, Australia/New Zealand and others. In UK, the National Health Service put out health advisories (NHS Choices) for Muslims before Ramadan : http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Healthyramadan/Pages/faqs.aspx .
Pakistan Link readers may be interested in an article on Ramadan dietary choices by Sarah Hashim-Waris in LA Times ( http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ramadan-healthy-eating-exercise-20130724,0,154852.story ). In this article, there are also helpful tips from local experts, including some dietary advice for the South-Asian community from a nutritionist, on community-clinic concerns from a local physician and on physical exercise from a fitness expert. There have also been other such articles from around this country.
Dehydration is one of the foremost health concerns among the practicing and observant Muslims. To stay well-hydrated, the average water-intake is supposed to be for men, 3 liters or 13 cups a day, and for women, about 2.2 liters or 9 cups daily. Normally, the body loses water through breathing, urination and perspiration -- and with it, essential electrolytes/salts also.
In the 16-hour daily fast in the summer heat, this water loss may be higher for all, and more so in the elderly and the medically-vulnerable
To prepare for this daily water-loss in Ramadan, the observant have little choice but to drink lots of liquid or eat plenty of water-rich fruit like water-melon and quash etc., or take the sugar-and-salt based Dioralyte or Lucozade, before or after the fast . Compensating for it during the fast may be difficult but preparing for it somewhat may involve some changes in the diet during the non-fasting intervals may be necessary: avoiding spicy, oil-rich food, coffee and tea in pre- and post-fast meal, as well as smoking.
A normal balanced and health diet needs to include items from all major health groups: fruit and vegetables; bread, cereals and potatoes; meat, fish, or alternatives; milk and dairy foods; and foods containing fat and sugar.
In a healthy diet during Ramadan, one needs complex carbohydrates that release slowly and more so during the summer Ramadan like this year. These nutrients are found in barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, whole-meal flour and basmati rice. In this category also fall fiber-rich foods including bran, cereals, whole wheat, grains and seeds, potatoes with the skin, vegetables such as green beans and most fruit (apricots, prunes, figs, etc).
For maintaining a healthy balanced diet, there is also a widely recommended general list of dietary do’s and don’ts for a healthy Ramadan.
Try to avoid:
Deep-fried foods (pakora, samosa, etc); high-sugar, high-fat foods ( Gulab jamun, etc.): high-fat cooked foods (parathas, curries and fat–rich sweets); and anything that involves deep frying and excessive use of oil.
Use healthy alternatives:
Grill or bake chicken and fish (it retains taste and original flavor); baked samosas; chapattis without oil; baked or grilled meat and chicken; milk-based sweets and puddings (Rasmalai, Burfee); and shallow frying (if frying is so necessary).
I realize it is now too late in Ramadan to consider adopting these health-oriented dietary changes (hard as it could be for those used to the traditional South Asian diet), but the basic health issues have been cited above in various reports, available on-line, and all one can do now is to ask the observant community to try to adapt to healthy alternatives in the post-Ramadan months to be better able to observe many healthy and healthier Ramadans to come.
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