Answering Common Questions about Healthy Fasting in Ramadan

With the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, the month of spirituality and closeness to God, moments of familiarity and tranquility are renewed, and the journey of fasting begins, full of both challenges and the beauty that lies in its details.

Have you ever thought about the profound impact that fasting can have on your health? How can this unique experience be an opportunity to reconsider our daily habits and improve the quality of our lives?

But how can this be achieved optimally? What are the tips that can be followed to ensure healthy fasting in Ramadan?

Let me take you on a journey of discovery; To learn how fasting can be an experience that combines physical and spiritual benefits.

Let’s go, my dear, and discover together the secrets of healthy fasting in Ramadan, and how we can make this experience more enriching and beneficial.

Healthy Fasting in Ramadan

Despite the many benefits of healthy fasting in Ramadan, it requires following correct and safe methods to ensure achieving these benefits. Here are some simple tips to make healthy fasting in Ramadan safe; To nourish our bodies, minds, and spirits.

1. Drink enough water

Fasting increases thirst faster than your desire to eat, as water makes up 60% of our body.

This explains why we can go for three weeks without eating, but it is difficult for us to go without fluids after only three days.

To ensure you drink adequate amounts of water throughout the night, eight cups of water can be distributed using the 2-4-2 method.

2 cups of water during Iftar, 4 from after Iftar until bedtime, and 2 during suhoor. As we tend to drink more to compensate for thirst, this method is a useful way to regulate your daily water intake, to avoid drinking too little or too much.

Eat foods that contain large amounts of water, such as fruits and vegetables, so don’t forget to add them to your plate as well.

2. Eat suhoor meal

It’s a good idea to eat suhoor. Here’s exactly how suhoor can help with healthy fasting in Ramadan:

• Suhoor provides the body with the necessary energy to perform daily activities efficiently.

• Suhoor prevents the feeling of hunger and thirst during the fasting period, which makes fasting more bearable.

• It helps stimulate the digestion process and absorb nutrients in a healthy way.

• A healthy suhoor meal can provide essential nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.

• It contributes to stimulating mental and physical performance during the fasting period.

You can implement a good habit, which is to postpone the time of suhoor to 30 or 40 minutes before dawn. This works to achieve a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time, and reduces the possibility of early hunger and thirst as well, thus achieving healthy fasting in Ramadan.

3. Get enough sleep

How do you ensure that you wake up for suhoor?

Sleep is considered the most affected aspect during the month of Ramadan. Since Suhoor requires us to wake up much earlier than usual.

Such a sudden change can alter your sleep pattern, causing lack of sleep and headaches during the day, especially for late sleepers.

Therefore, it is very important to set a sleep schedule; To avoid surprising the body by waking up and sleeping at irregular times, improving your sleep habits is also important to get good quality sleep, such as:

• Do not eat large meals.
• Reducing screen time by at least 2 hours before bedtime can make a positive difference.

• You can also take a short nap during the afternoon, if you feel the need for some rest, but try not to give in to long daytime naps; It will keep you awake at night, making it difficult to fall asleep early.

4. Eat in moderation during Iftar

It is common that during Iftar the desire to eat large amounts of food increases, due to not eating and drinking all day.

So, this puts pressure on your digestive system to work more, leading to digestive disorders, heartburn, and stomach pain, thus causing a disruption in implementing healthy fasting in Ramadan.

Fasting does not necessarily mean that you need to double the amounts of food; To compensate for missing daily meals, you should actually maintain the usual portion sizes instead of eating a large Iftar.

Eating too much can also cause blood sugar levels to rise, so you need to be careful about the amount of food you eat, and not push your stomach to eat more when you’re already feeling full.

It is also recommended that we take time and not eat quickly. There is a great way to do this, which is to divide our Iftar into two parts: a light Iftar with dates and a cup of water at sunset, and a full Iftar after the Maghrib prayer.

Since dates are rich in carbohydrates and sugar, they can satisfy us to a great extent, and prevent us from eating excessively during a complete iftar.

5. Doing exercise

Exercising may seem illogical during Ramadan, as we already feel tired from fasting.

However, sleeping and lying around all day is not the way to go. Staying healthy goes beyond a balanced diet; While a healthy meal helps in the internal functions of the body’s systems, exercise strengthens the physical aspect.

Provided we eat adequate and healthy nutrients, exercise can provide energy rather than take it away, as the endorphins released when we exercise lift our mood and increase energy levels.

However, it is necessary to be smart in implementing our fitness routine, and it is recommended to practice light and slow exercises such as brisk walking and relaxing yoga exercises to get a result from healthy fasting in Ramadan.

The ideal time to exercise is in the evening before Iftar, and if the weather is very hot, you can always choose to exercise indoors through the Sara PopFit website.

6. Immerse yourself in Islamic books and lectures

Ramadan is also a time to increase your efforts at gaining knowledge, so you can read stories of the prophets and companions, listen to podcasts on spirituality and mental health, and watch videos of lectures on various aspects of Islamic life.

Expanding your mind to something new and positive benefits the cognitive functions of the brain, as well as the growth of your soul, by educating yourself with good sources of knowledge, you will gain a better understanding of the religion as a whole, and thus you can pass on what you have learned among your social circles.

7. Giving

Charity is a way of purifying our hearts of any soul-destroying emotions, such as jealousy, ungratefulness, and hatred. This thoughtful gesture aims to train us to treat others the way we would like to be treated, through acts of compassion, kindness, and empathy.

Additionally, participating in volunteering is a practical option to embody charity, as you can make contributions to a food or clothing organization; To provide support to those in need, and you can also contribute an amount through donations to mosques and orphanages.

8. Meditation through dhikr

Dhikr refers to performing all types of worship, such as prayer, fasting, Hajj, reading the Qur’an, praising, supplicating, glorifying, praising, and other types of obedience; For the purpose of remembering the greatness of God.

This type of meditation is able to give us a feeling of inner peace, inspire us to surrender our worries and feel the power and greatness of the Creator.

Healthy Fasting in Ramadan Benefits

Healthy fasting in Ramadan has many benefits for the body, including the following:

• Healthy fasting in Ramadan helps burn fat and reduce calorie intake, which contributes to losing excess weight.
• It reduces harmful cholesterol, raises beneficial cholesterol, and helps lower blood pressure, which improves heart health.
• Healthy fasting in Ramadan helps improve insulin sensitivity, thus lowering blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes.

• It contributes to improving memory and concentration, and reduces the risk of degenerative brain diseases.
• Studies have shown that healthy fasting in Ramadan can reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
• Healthy fasting in Ramadan also helps improve digestive health, enhance immune system function, reduce inflammation, and improve sleep quality.

Healthy Fasting for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Ramadan

Are you thinking about fasting in Ramadan during pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Do not worry, with some planning and attention, you can enjoy the benefits of healthy fasting in Ramadan without endangering your health or the health of your child.

Fasting for pregnant and breastfeeding women during the month of Ramadan can be an enjoyable and healthy experience while paying attention to proper nutrition. So here are some tips to achieve this:

• To ensure that the body’s nutritional needs are met, it is recommended to eat Iftar and suhoor meals that contain a variety of nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
• It is preferable to avoid coffee and tea at Iftar, and replace them with healthy drinks such as milk and natural juices.
• Eat a suhoor meal rich in vegetables and fruits, making sure to drink sufficient amounts of fluids; To avoid dehydration during the day.
• Be careful to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, and take shelter in the shade on hot days.
• Boost your magnesium consumption by eating foods such as whole grains, legumes, dates, meat, and leafy vegetables.
• Avoid following any diet to lose weight during pregnancy, and focus on eating in a healthy and balanced way.

These guidelines help maintain the health of pregnant and breastfeeding women during healthy fasting in Ramadan, while making sure to consult a doctor for special cases and potential health problems.

People Who Should Not Fast in Ramadan

In the following cases, it is recommended not to fast and focus on maintaining personal health and safety:

• Pregnant women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
• Those who suffer from chronic diseases in which fasting is harmful to their health.

It is necessary to consult a doctor; To determine whether fasting is appropriate for an individual health condition.

Healthy Fasting for Diabetics

Before starting healthy fasting in Ramadan, talk to your doctor to evaluate your health condition, and adjust medication and insulin doses if necessary.

Here are some tips, my dear:

• Choose meals that contain balanced proportions of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, and avoid foods high in added sugars and saturated fats.
• Avoid overeating at Iftar and Suhoor, and maintain healthy and balanced foods.
• Avoid dehydration by drinking sufficient amounts of water between iftar and suhoor.
• Exercise regularly, but avoid it during the long, hot hours of the day.
• Follow up on measuring blood sugar levels regularly during the fasting period.
• Maintain a regular and adequate sleep pattern; To avoid excessive fatigue during the day.
• Avoid excessive intake of sugars and fats, and keep your meals balanced.

It is very important that you be careful and follow your doctor’s directions during the month of Ramadan, and make sure that your fasting does not negatively affect your health.

Healthy Fasting in Ramadan and Exercise

In fact, some women prefer to exercise before Iftar, while others prefer it after.

But it is important to know that research indicates that 30 days of fasting without any movement reduces strength and physical fitness.

Therefore, my dear, it is necessary for us to move and stay active during Ramadan; To maintain our health.

But be careful, Ramadan falls in the summer, which means that heat plays an important role, so we must take this into consideration when practicing any sporting activity.

Many questions arise in our minds about Exercising and fasting, such as: When is the best time to exercise in Ramadan? Before or after Iftar?

1. Before Iftar

If you choose to exercise before Iftar, you must pay attention to some things and follow certain guidelines.

• Exercises should be light and not exceed one hour.
• It is preferable to practice it in an air-conditioned place.
• After Iftar, drink plenty of fluids and water; To replace the salts and minerals that your body has lost, and get enough rest.

2. After Iftar

You can also exercise three hours after Iftar. After the body completes the digestion process, it is also preferable for the place to be air-conditioned.

Tips for sports during healthy fasting in Ramadan

• Allocate at least 30 minutes to exercise every day, preferably in an air-conditioned space.
• Choose light and moderate intensity exercises, and stay away from vigorous and violent exercises, especially in hot weather.
• Choose the time that suits you, whether one hour before Iftar or two or three hours after it. The important thing is that you do not stop any movement after Iftar so that your body focuses on digesting the food.
• If you are not sure about your health condition, consult a doctor before starting any sporting activity.
• Reduce sitting for long periods, such as sitting in front of the TV, and use the time to do work that involves movement, such as walking or helping around the house.
• If you feel any dizziness, nausea, difficulty breathing, or chest pain, stop exercising immediately.
• Drink a large amount of water between iftar and suhoor; To avoid dehydration during fasting.

With some organization and choosing the right time, you can take advantage of Ramadan to move and lose weight in a healthy way.

Tips to Avoid Thirst in Ramadan

Here, my dear, are some tips to avoid thirst during the holy month of Ramadan:

1. Drink sufficient amounts of water during the night hours; To compensate for fluid loss during fasting hours.
2. Avoid eating salty and spicy foods during the suhoor meal, as they may increase the feeling of thirst.
3. Eat fruits and vegetables rich in water, such as cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, strawberries, and tomatoes, at suhoor and iftar; To help moisturize the body.
4. Avoid eating foods rich in sugar and caffeine, as they may increase fluid loss and thirst.
5. Avoid direct exposure to the sun during the day. Make sure to wear light clothing, and use sunshades and hats to protect from the heat.
6. Avoid strenuous physical activities during daylight hours, and postpone them until late in the day after Iftar.
7. Drink sufficient amounts of unsweetened fluids or sports drinks after Iftar to compensate for the loss of fluids and salts during the fasting period.

Remember to follow these tips while maintaining a balanced diet; To ensure the implementation of healthy fasting in Ramadan.

In conclusion, my dear, we can confirm that healthy fasting in Ramadan represents a wonderful opportunity for change by following proper nutrition advice and making sure to drink fluids during the night hours, thus spending the month of Ramadan with ease and joy.

Remember that health is the most important, so if you feel any negative impact on your health during fasting, you should consult a doctor, and you can always talk to a nutrition consultant to get advice specific to you and your health.

We wish you a month of Ramadan full of health, happiness and obedience, and that you enjoy both the spiritual and health benefits of fasting.

Frequently Asked Questions about Healthy Fasting in Ramadan

Written by: Dr. Nahed Abd-Alkareem Ahmad

Sources:

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