Dr. Farhat Bashir, Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean at Karachi’s United Medical and Dental College, recently presented a session on ‘Ramazan and Health’ at the University of Karachi’s Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research.
She underlined that fasting during Ramadan may have a tremendous influence on one’s lifestyle, including meals, physical activity, sleep habits, and social connections.
She did, however, mention that it can have a favorable impact on both physical and mental health, such as losing weight, improvements in metabolic indicators, and decreasing stress and anxiety.
Fasting during Ramadan, as per Dr. Bashir, may have both adverse and beneficial psychological effects, as well as helping people acquire social and moral qualities like compassion and empathy. Fasting can also regulate both mind and body while improving overall well-being.
When it comes to diet throughout the holy month, Dr. Bashir advises against eating large amounts of carbs and fat-heavy food, especially before sunrise and after sunset.
Instead, she advised eating simpler carbs around sundown and drinking more fluids during non-fasting hours. She also urged folks to have their predawn meals as late as they could before beginning their daily fast.
Dr. Bashir recognized the value of social connections throughout Ramadan since they can help alleviate loneliness and feeling isolated.
She also encouraged people with serious medical disorders, such as Type 1 diabetes, chronic renal failure, severe cardiac and respiratory diseases, G.I. bleeding and acute ulcers, severe epilepsy, and severe migraines, to refrain from fasting and to seek pre-Ramazan counseling.
