The Ramadan season is here and even though Ramadan fasting is recognized as having numerous health benefits, it is important to practice it in a proper and safe manner to prevent harming our bodies.
The risk of being dehydrated during Ramadan fasting is very high as you’re not expected to have any food or liquid until sunset, and you’re also sleep deprived which could lead to fatigue and headaches.
Below we’ve rounded up 5 tips for a healthy Ramadan fasting.
Always eat Suhoor
Suhoor is the meal eaten before dawn during Ramadan, after which people fast until sunset. It is consumed early in the morning before sunrise, right before the fasting begins.
For Suhoor, you should avoid foods such as pickles, salted nuts, and olives. Avoid canned foods, spicy foods and heavy desserts because they increase thirst.
Consume nutritious and easily digestible meals and drink enough water to avoid feeling thirsty later in the day.
Here are some high-nutrient, wholesome foods that you can eat at Suhoor:
- Bread
- Egg
- Cheese
- Meat
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Yogurt
- Milk
Don’t overindulge in Iftar
Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan. It’s essentially the meal used to break the daily fast.
Iftar is the time to replenish one’s energy levels by consuming healthy foods, and while it is very easy to eat anything and everything during the feasts at sunset, filled with trays of sumptuous food, it’s better not to overeat because it could lead to indigestion and weight gain.
It’s advisable to consume just enough food that’ll get you through the night.
Iftar foods include:
- Egg Salads
- Kebabs
- Chicken
- Oats
- Dates
- Porridge
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Minimal Exercise
We’ve already mentioned that sleep deprivation and fasting could make you dehydrated and experience fatigue. So, it’s better not to push yourself too hard when it comes to your workout routine.
Instead, try minimal, low effort exercises like brisk walking, taking the stairs, dancing, yoga, wall sits and lunges.
Stay Hydrated
Because water accounts for about 60% of your body, fasting from dawn to dusk triggers your thirst much quicker compared to your hunger cravings. This is precisely why a person can survive three weeks without food but not more than three days without water.
Therefore, in order to make sure that your body stays hydrated throughout the day, have at least eight glasses of water. However, this doesn’t mean that you drink all eight glasses of water during Suhoor.
Instead, you can simply do this by using the 2-4-2 method, meaning that you have two glasses of water at Iftar, four from Iftar till Sehri, and the remaining two glasses of water for Suhoor. This compensates your body’s daily water intake requirement without you drinking too much in one go.
Get sufficient sleep!
From consistently trying to stay awake so that you don’t miss Suhoor to working till Iftar, your sleep cycle suffers the most during Ramadan. These lifestyle changes end up disturbing your sleep pattern, causing sleep deprivation and headaches throughout the day.
Therefore, establishing a sleep schedule and sticking to it is the secret to staying healthy and active while fasting in Ramadan.
One simple way to do this is by taking short naps during lunch break or noon, reducing your screen time to two hours before bedtime, and avoiding large, heavy meals late at night.
