It’s that time of the year again when the Muslim faithful resolve to strengthen their commitment towards God and their faith by way of observing fasts during their holy month of Ramadan. Practiced for thousands of years by millions around the world, fasting in the holy period before Eid al-Fitr has surprising health benefits apart from the obvious religious enrichment.
There are some, of the opinion that fasting all night and day, only to consume food at suhoor and iftar would compromise your health and bodily functions. The truth, in fact, is far from it. There are various health rewards one can reap from fasting if you shun certain foods and stick to a regime. Read on to find out more.
Include energy boosting foods
Dates are synonymous with Ramadan fasting, as they are eaten just before breaking of the fast at Iftar along with water. Dates are not just limited to spiritual rituals, but have added health advantages. Getting the right amount of energy during fasting is paramount and an average serving of dates contains 31 grams of carbohydrates. So this makes it the gold standard among energy-boosting foods.
Dates also pack in a lot of fibre, which will aid and improve digestion throughout Ramadan. Add to that their high levels of potassium, magnesium and B vitamins, and it quickly becomes apparent that dates are one of the healthiest fruits out there. Apart from dates, you can also include almonds, pistachios and walnuts to keep your spirits up.
Detoxify your body
Apart from being a form of spiritual cleansing, fasting during Ramadan also offers an opportunity to detox our bodies. By starving throughout the day your body will be offered the rare chance to detoxify its digestive system throughout the holy month.
When your body starts eating into fat reserves to create energy, it will also burn away any harmful toxins that might be present in fat deposits. However, mindless eating when your fast is broken will rob away the cleansing properties. Hence, be sure to avoid fatty foods and junk that will take long to digest and make you lethargic. Include in more of wholesome, nutritious foods.
A good time to shed the kilos
If done right, fasting during Ramadan can shave off excess kilos off your body. This will happen provided one can stick to traditional foods to break their fast rather than a king’s feast laden with sugary treats and high-fat foods, which is often the case. People following Ramadan can eat healthy meals consisting of fresh fruits, green leafy salads, lentil soup, fresh bread, dates, hummus, lean meat, fish and goat cheese. These are traditional foods eaten in Ramadan anyway, but without the added sugars and sauces, they can be slimming.
Bid adieu to bad habits
This is a perfect time to ditch habits that are not helping you much. Vices like smoking and indulging in sugary treats is something many are guilty of. Use Ramadan as a time to curb these weaknesses. As you abstain from them your body will gradually acclimatise to their absence, until your addiction is kicked for good.
Fasting’s ability to help you cut out bad habits is so significant that the UK’s National Health Service recommends it as the ideal time to ditch smoking.
Bolster your metabolism
By not eating throughout the day during Ramadan you’ll find that your metabolism becomes more efficient, meaning the amount of nutrients you absorb from food improves. This is because of an increase in a hormone called adiponectin, which is produced by a combination of fasting and eating late at night, and allows your muscles to absorb more nutrients.
This will lead to health benefits all around the body, as various areas are able to better absorb and make use of the nutrients they need to function.
Bonus of fasting — lower cholesterol
As we already know, weight-loss is one of the rewards of fasting during Ramadan. But there’s also a whole host of healthy changes your body undergoes. A team of cardiologists in the UAE found that people observing Ramadan enjoy a positive effect on their lipid profile, which means there is a reduction of cholesterol in the blood.
Low cholesterol increases cardiovascular health, greatly reducing the risk of suffering from heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke. A way to maintain this ideal lipid level is to continue eating a healthy diet that you adopted during the course of your fast.
Plunge in blood sugar levels
When you spend long hours without eating, your blood sugar goes down. Your body uses up stored glucose for energy when you’re fasting. People with diabetes should talk to their doctors before fasting for long periods of time. However, those with high blood sugar — but no diabetes — will benefit from the process.
With so many benefits attached to fasting now made clear, Ramadan offers a great opportunity to get back in shape and improve your overall health.
