Here is a List of Things You Should and Shouldn’t be Doing in Ramazan

Ramazan is here and so are we to help you with your food choices. While we fast and our hearts seek spiritual peace, our bodies rely on good nutrition. This is why it is important to combine healthy food choices with fasting to reset our metabolism.

Here is a short guide of Do’s and Don’ts that you can easily follow and benefit from. Let’s begin!

1. Don’t – overload on water

Fasting in summer is very challenging and we can easily feel dehydrated. But, to avoid that we often make the mistake of filling ourselves with litres of water at sehri and iftar. This only makes things worse. You have to take endless trips to the bathroom and it triggers nausea in some.

Do you know that overhydration can lead to water intoxication? When you drink too much water the amount of salt and electrolytes in your body get too diluted. In the worst-case scenario, you can get Hyponatremia – a condition in which sodium (salt) levels become dangerously low.

 

 

Do – consider your body’s limit

Moderation is the key. Try to balance things out. Drink 2 glasses of water in sehri and break your fast with 2 glasses of water along with dates. Follow with a glass of water every one hour before bedtime and you will be able to get sufficient hydration.

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2. Don’t – hoard on fried food

Pakoray, samosay and other fried delicacies are the staples of Ramazan in a desi household but consuming too much of them can cause problems as well. Fried foods give you empty calories and you might not realize it now, but they slowly destroy your gut.

 

Do – try to limit oily food and aim for a balanced meal

A balanced diet, in general, is important for a healthy lifestyle but it is even more essential during Ramazan when our bodies are drained and we easily crave fried foods. Slowly reduce your intake of fried food and focus more on a proper meal which you would generally eat on a regular day.

Have your rice/roti with a meat-based saalan and a bowl of salad. Instead of dunking your iftar delights in tons of oil, try baking or air-frying them. This will also save your time and you can pay more attention to your prayers.

3. Don’t – eat heavy foods for sehri

A good sehri will ensure you have a productive day but having parathay, pizza or biryani is never a good choice. They are likely to cause heartburn and you will feel lethargic throughout the day. And that is one thing that we don’t want whatsoever.

 

Do – befriend dairy and complex carbs

Instead of parathay, try wholewheat roti. Boiled eggs or omelette with little oil are great and don’t forget to incorporate milk or yoghurt. Yoghurt, be it plain or Greek is rich in probiotics that keeps your gut healthy. Compliment your sehri with fibre-rich fruits like apple and pear to keep constipation at bay.

 

With so many things going on, it’s very likely to lose track and just go with the flow. But we can always find a way to maintain balance in our lives and in our meals. Ramazan Mubarak! May this month bring joy and good health to all of us.

 

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