Ramadan Kareem is the 9th month of the Islamic year and a time when the Muslims of the whole world (about 2 billion) fast during the day time for 29-30 days. The time and days are different due to the geographical difference. In Pakistan, the length of the fast is 15 hours approximately. While the longest duration of the fast was 20 hours and 45 minutes in Murmansk, Russia. While the shortest fast was about 11 hours in Argentine.

The Ramadan is full of blessings for Muslims and in order to gain maximum out of this, you should plan because health can be disturbed easily due to many reasons. To avoid that here are 10 health tips for Ramadan. The Islamic calendar is lunar and so Ramadan falls early each year. The end of the Holy month comes after the event ‘Eid-Ul-Fitr’, the day of breaking the fast after one month.

Essence of Ramadan

This month brings a lot of blessings for the believers. Despite it, it has social importance because by restraining from food and water from dawn to dusk, we are reminded of those who are less fortunate. Ramadan’s iftar tables are also a gathering place where families and friends enjoy this holy month of cleansing. However, fasting means not consuming food and water for many hours which makes the Ramadan diet more important. To feel full during the fasting hours and have no medical problems after iftar, Dr. Fevzi Özgönül said one can turn these long fasting hours into boosting the digestive system and resting the body with a right diet. “The meal times change during the Ramadan and it is our interest to use long hours of fasting for the benefit of our bodies,” said Dr. Özgönül.

Relaxation in Fasting

while fasting is necessary for every Muslim (adult) but there is an exception for the people who can leave fast.

• TravelerHelath
• When you are ill
• Worsen the health if fast like diabetes, breastfeeding women and heart patients
• Pregnant women

10 Healthy Tips

Here are the health tips for Ramadan which will help you to stay fit.

1. Iftar-It is traditional to open the fast with dates and water/milk. Aside from religious preferences, there is great reasoning. Dates contain many nutrients and health benefits which include reducing blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and colon cancer, and relieving constipation. Dates also fill you up pretty quickly and are a great source of slow-release energy – keeping you going for longer.

2. Suhoor-Due to the slow release of energy, it is recommended to use dates in Suhoor as well. The ideal Suhoor consists of Oats. Porridge and some dates. Avoid caffeine in Suhoor because caffeine makes you urinate quickly and ut leads to dehydration quickly. Instead of it, opt for the milkier drink or smile wateMake sure to add natural yogurt in the meal because it will aid in digestion. Most of the people prefer to sleep after Suhoor so it will aid in digestion without leading you to the fatty belly.

3. Veggies and green salads-Ensure to add green salads in your meals and the ideal time is in Iftar. It gives you nutrients and necessary vitamins. By ensuring at least half of your plate is full of healthy nutrients, you’ll get the energy and vitamins you need. Remember to eat your veggies first. Make sure to add lemon in you Iftar because one lemon can rehydrate and fills you up.

4. Avoid Salt-Hold the salty while cooking during Ramdan because an excess amount of Sodium can lead to bloating, leaving you feeling uncomfortable.

5. Desserts-If you are a dessert lover than Ice-cream and fresh fruit are pretty lighter than party desserts and chocolates.

6. Drinks-Water, Milk, fruit juices (peach, strawberry, etc.) and smoothies are commonly used during Ramadan as it is in Summer. Water provides hydration without any extra calories or added sugars. Drinks based on milk and fruit provide some natural sugars and nutrients. These are also good to break the fast but avoid drinking a lot of drinks with added sugars after breaking the fast as these can provide too many sugars and calories.

7. Fruits-The use of seasonal fruits is a great way because a lot of vitamin deficiency is filled by fruits and it is common in Asain culture to break the fast with it. The use of Peach and Watermelon is common in this Ramadan. Fruit provides natural sugars for energy, fluid, and some vitamins and minerals.

8. Incorporate lean protein –You should aim to eat high-quality protein that is highly digestible and contain all the essential amino acids. Your body uses these to build and maintain muscle mass. Beef, milk, yogurt, eggs, cheese, fish, and poultry are all complete high-quality proteins.

9. Soup-It is an important dish in Iftar in Arab countries because of its health benefits. Soups are an indispensable dish in iftar. They’re rich in water and help you hydrate. Reach out for lentil, tomato, or vegetable soup and avoid cream-based soup. If you don’t enjoy a warm soup during the summer months, cold soups and Gazpachos make a great alternative.

10-Take it easy-It is always advised to take it easy because you are deprived of eating and drinking the whole day. As a result of this, we rush to reading and drinking but it has worse effects on health. Overloading may lead to indigestion and other gastric problems. Control the portion of your diet is key to stay healthy and preventing weight gain.

Obviously, there are many hundreds of health tips for Ramadan and other ways to be healthy during Ramadan. While you open and close your fast this Ramadan, we urge you not to forget those in need during Ramadan due to coronavirus; those who don’t have the option of eating healthy or otherwise. For more info visit Instacare or for a live session with a doctor visit here.