How to stay healthy this Ramadan

Each year, Muslims worldwide eagerly wait for Ramadan -- the holy month of fasting which is followed by one of the biggest celebrations in Islam, Eid-ul-Fitr. During this month, our lifestyle becomes subject to many changes. For most part, it is the food habit that goes through a drastic change.

As Muslims have to fast from Sunrise to sunset, they need to take healthy foods to stay fit.

If you want to stay healthy during Ramadan, you have to get your basics right and learn about the ways that will assist you to stay in good health.  

Here are some tips which can help you!

Fight dehydration 

This year's Ramadan is going to be a long one, as it coincides with summer. The fasting hours in Dhaka and elsewhereis around 16 hours.

Therefore, staying hydrated will be one of the major challenges of Ramadan.

Not having enough fluids, during this period, can easily make anyone prone to dehydration or suffer from electrolyte imbalance.

So:

• Drink plenty of fluids during suhoor and iftar, (make sure you get at least 2-3litres of water a day)
• Avoid fizzy and caffeinated drinks as they stimulate water loss much faster, which can lead to dehydration.
• Intake of foods that are rich in calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, potassium and sodium is a must.

Avoid street food

Street foods are probably the most hyped fact of Ramadan.

Every year, street vendors come up with a wide range of iftar items that is both unique in taste as well as in appearance.

People are usually drawn to these foods for their taste and sheer variety.

However, the nutrition value and hygiene of these foods are highly questionable.

Most of these outdoor foods are deep fried in oils which are reused multiple times. Re-using cooking oil may change its chemical compound, consequently making it more harmful. It can lead to the creation of free-radicals and increase in trans-fatty acids that are extremely dangerous for your health.

Also, deep fried foods are one of the main reasons why people feel bloated and gain weight during Ramadan. After hours of fasting, our stomach becomes sensitive to foods that are deep fried or too rich.

Therefore, it is better to eat home-cooked meals.

Is my plate colourful enough?

Eat the rainbow. One question you should ask yourself during Ramadan is, does your plate have enough colours on it?

Red, Blue and Purple 

Red blue and purple fruits and vegetables get their colour from a compound called Anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are rich in anti-oxidant properties, essential vitamins and minerals which help us fight against free-radicals.

Orange, Yellow and Green

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain Carotenoids. Carotenoids help improve immune function, reduces the risk of heart diseases, vision problems and cancer.

Consuming a rainbow of fruits and vegetables will help you get different nutrients, which is a prerequisite for good health.

Hence, try to have an aim to eat at least six to seven different types of fruits and vegetables during Ramadan.

In addition to this, the calorie to the nutrition ratio that fruits and vegetables offer, are amazing-- basically you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Don't skip suhoor

This pre dawn meal preps your body to stay hydrated and fills you up with energy and nutrients for the whole day until iftar.

Since, the fasting hours are long, missing out on suhoor can have a direct effecton your health on the following day.

For more energy and vitality, you have to ensure the foods you're taking during suhoor, are complex-carbohydrates such as: oats, wheat, lentils and different types of grainsare also suggested.

They help to keep your blood sugar steady and gives you a feeling of fullness for the next day.

Next, high-fibre foods such as barley, various types of fruits, dates, vegetables, whole wheat etc, are also an ideal choice for suhoor.  

Last but not the least, protein-rich foods -- eggs, cheese, yoghurt, meat, fish etc -- are also recommended to help replenish your energy throughout the day.

Don't overindulge

Slow Digest Food = Less Energy Used

What it implies is, when we eat a lot, for the enzymes it requires a lot of energy to break down those foods for digestion. Thus, it can result in tiredness, dizziness, nauseous and even depression.

The connotation of cutting down meal basically refers to avoid excessive eating. In other words, less is more.

That is why during iftar, excessive eating should be avoided. We easily can alternate heavy meals with slow-digesting foods like:

• Different types of grains (Lentils)
• Porridge
• Cereal (Oats)
• Milk
• Dates

This way we can trick our brain into thinking we ate a lot.