Basics for a Healthier Ramadan

MAKE A STRINGENT SET OF RULES

EAT SUHOOR JUST PRIOR TO AZAAN: Yes! It can be difficult to wake up if you go to bed at 2. Change your habits. Remember, it’s a sunnah. And that in itself is one of the many benefits of suhoor.

SUHOOR MEAL: You want the food eaten for suhoor to last a longer time in your stomach and you want it to provide you the energy for the whole day. Focus on eating complex carbohydrates, proteins, enough fibre and plenty of water. Eat whole grain or multi grain chapatti, brown rice, dals, lean meat, fresh fruits and salads. Food high in fibre gives a feeling of fullness, satiety, and helps control blood sugar for the day. Stomach secretes its gastric juices even on an empty stomach, which can cause pain and discomfort. High fibre food stays in the stomach for a longer time which can neutralize the acid. Remember, drink sufficient water or you’d be likely to end up with excessive gas J.

IFTAR: Follow the sunnah. Break your fast with a couple of dates and water. To hydrate yourself and bring the blood glucose to normal levels, you could go for juices. But always go for fresh juices which contain less amount of sugar, preservatives and additives. Stop with glass 1 at this point and go for your maghrib salah.

Only after the maghrib salah must you go for a full meal. If you are weight conscious or trying to lose weight, stick to a small meal. If you are eating a large meal, make it your last meal of the day. Keep yourself hydrated for the rest of the day. You could exempt yourself from a second meal/ dinner by having light snacks of nuts/fruits/salads.

Take small portions of meal on your plate. Eat slowly and chew well.  Chewing well will speed your digestion and make you full faster.

Choose lean meats and avoid fat. Bake or grill the food. SAY NO TO FRIED FOOD. High fat and fried foods are high in calories and deficient in nutrition. If you feel heavy, fatigued, sluggish, and miss taravih then your fried pakoras and samosas are to be blamed.

Salt and salted foods like chips and junk snacks dehydrate your body and trigger thirst during the fast. Avoid them.

Eat food which is high in potassium. They retain water in your body and suppress thirst. Dark green leafy veg, beans, yoghurt, fish, avocados, bananas are high in potassium. A banana at suhoor can control your thirst during the day.

Avoid eating foods containing too much sugar, heavy desserts and mithais. These food contain negligible nutrition, and empty calories. They spike the blood sugar levels and leave you with energy that does not sustain through the day or night. If you must have dessert, opt for healthier options like yoghurt and fruits, plain mixed nuts.

For those of you who exercise or workout regularly, keep up with the practice. For those of you who don’t, walk for 30 minutes everyday. But all of it should not be immediately after iftar. After 2-3 hours of iftar exercising or walking will help your metabolism and help you clear your mind.

Drink 8- 12 cups of water during the non fasting hours.

COFFEE AND TEA ADDICTS:  Both coffee and tea are diuretics. Drinking in large quantities can cause the body to lose the much needed valuable minerals, salts and fluids from the body. Reduce your coffee and tea consumption.

Ramadan is the best time for SMOKERS. To, quit smoking.

Post by Zohra Sada