The holy month of Ramadan has commenced for the believers who can regulate their life in accordance with the tenets of the holy Quran and the ideals of the holy prophet (PBUH). During the month, health and diet issues are very important, especially for the ailing people and those having specific health complications. Most of the health problems during Ramadan are likely to arise from improper diet and overeating. Physicians say diet in Ramadan should be as simple as possible.
The health benefits of fasting were probably known to our ancestors several centuries ago, who ate a pre-dawn meal and fasted until sunset. This practice is aimed at nurturing self-discipline, sacrifice and empathy for the poor. Religion wants one to be healthy, hygienic, lively and energetic. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Fast to be healthy.” And now physicians acknowledge the benefits of fasting that ensures healthy body and mind. During this month, diet should be normal and as simple as possible. Moreover, Ramadan is an ideal time to lose weight if one has excess of it.
Health experts were of the view that food should be well-balanced. It is better to eat slow-digesting foods rather than fast-digesting ones. Slow-digesting foods last up to eight hours while fast-digesting foods last only three or four hours. Slow-digesting foods include wheat, beans, lentils, flour, unpolished rice etc. These are called complex carbohydrates. Fast-burning foods contain sugar, white flour etc. They are also known as refined carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates or grains, green beans and spinach are healthy choices.
One must drink water or fruit juice as much as possible between Iftar and Sehr so that the body can adjust fluid levels in time. It is better to drink about three litres of water, but it must be accounted that soda or juice cannot substitute for water. Human bodies only absorb 50 to 60 percent of fruit juice and only 20 to 30 percent of soda.
Fried foods and most of fast foods are unhealthy, so their use should be limited as they cause heartburn, stomach upset and weight problems. Try to avoid too much spicy foods or carbonated drinks. Try to keep away from fatty foods and too much sugar.
Overeating, especially at Sehri, is a bad idea. Fasting helps the people get rid of addictions and unhealthy habits. In fact, it is an ideal month to stop smoking completely and regulate other habits like taking tea and coffee in excessive quantities and using tobacco or betel.
The body’s immediate need at the time of Iftar is to get an available energy source in the form of glucose for every living cell, particularly the brain and nerve cells.
Dates and juices are high-quality sources of glucose. These are adequate to bring low blood glucose to normal levels in most cases. Juice and soup help maintain water and mineral balance in the body.
Meanwhile, a study has shown that compounds found in the grapes may help people look younger.
The study found that the fruit could also protect against skin cancer and prevent premature ageing.
The compounds found in the fruit protect cells from the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun – the leading environmental cause of skin cancer, according to the study. Ultraviolet (UV) rays increase the levels of reactive oxygen species – harmful molecules which damage the skin cells.
Scientists from the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council have shown that substances called flavonoids extracted from grapes could prevent the formation of reactive oxygen species in cells exposed to UV rays. “These encouraging results should be taken into consideration… to develop new photo- protection skin products,” says Marta Cascante, a biochemist at the University of Barcelona and director of the research project. Cascante, whose report was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, added, “This study supports the idea of using these products to protect the skin from cell damage and death caused by solar radiation.”
Moreover, an Australian scientist is on the verge of creating the world’s first skin cancer vaccine.
Professor Ian Frazer, former Australian of the Year and creator of the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, hopes to develop the vaccine within a year. The 57-year-old immunology professor has developed a world-first strategy to combat the insidious disease which affects two out of three Australians.
Ramadan: An institute to nurture self-discipline and sacrifice
