Towards a healthy Ramadaan

TOWARDS A HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS RAMADAAN.

Ramadaan this year is arriving in the summer season between the months of May and June 2018 in the Gregorian calendar. Its scorching heat and we really need to combat it with good nutrition, healthy eating habits, cleanliness and a cautious level of personal hygiene.

The average time duration of every fast this Ramadaan will be approximately 14 hours and 20 minutes.
One has to keep an eye on what he Eats, Drinks, Wears and does to make this a better Ramadaan than before.
As we know that the love for Allah, Taqwa and Ikhlaas plays an important role in Praying and making Ramadhaan better and fruitful for the upcoming year, "HEALTH" is equally important to pray with peace the entire month.

HOW to keep cool, pray and be healthy the entire month?

Here's a healthy piece of information which I would like to share with you all in regards to the nutrition which one should try to adopt. I will try to shed some light on both internal and external nutrition so that it becomes much easier and better.
So let's begin...BISMILLAH.
I will emphasize on three major problems that many people fall prey to in Ramadaan and provide nutritional tips which I've personally practised and experienced so that they may benefit everyone.

GASTRITIS

Is the upset of one's digestive system. Its major symptoms being burping, acidity, stomach pain and discomfort while defecation.

One can avoid this problem by Three Important rules of Stomach filling:

• Eat what is healthy
• Eat what provides comfort
• Eat with some space for air and water too.

What I suggest, is the use of pre-soaked BASIL SEEDS(in water) and PEPPERMINT leaves in salads, crushed and used in drinking water, lemonades, juices, homemade milkshakes, etc.

Both of the above are pocket-friendly, easily available in the market, simple to use and refrigerate, natural and have NO SIDE EFFECTS if taken in appropriate amounts.

PEPPERMINT & BASIL SEEDS - TO PREVENT GASTRIC ILLNESS

The use of the above items can prevent a Stomach upset and help in praying better.

What is more important is the healthy eating habit which we should adopt this Ramadaan to avoid such problems.

The best practice is eating all that is made at home. This reduces the exposure to harmful oils and other spices which create stomach upset. Home food is all neat and hygienic and cuts down the risk of many diseases. The oil used at most food outlets and roadside stalls maybe(I hope this is not true with most food stalls) REUSED and this makes the food A TUMMY SPOILER if consumed time and again.

HOMEMADE FOOD - A BETTER OPTION(CLEAN AND POCKET-FRIENDLY)

Almost all delicacies which are purchased from the market for SUHUR or IFTAAR can be easily prepared at home. Most recipes are available at a click on GOOGLE in videos or blogs.

It is better to take lemonades and homemade juices instead of aerated drinks and canned fruit juices.
Aerated drinks contain processed sugar and contents which are sometimes harmful to the body.

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.

Although they may feel soothing and tasty for a while, a long time use will definitely result in problems like acidity, obesity, diabetes and other problems.

FRESH HOMEMADE LEMONADE

Freshly prepared lemonade with a dash of ice and crushed peppermint leaves can reduce thirst at iftaar, release excess gases and keep acidity levels to normal. Remember fresh and cool water is a necessity at IFTAAR, IF TAKEN IN SMALL SIPS AND SLOWLY - it reduces the thirst and rapidly rehydrates the body.

Most Fruit-juices and milkshakes can be quickly prepared if a juicer is at hand, one can use pre-soaked BASIL SEEDS to help digest the shakes better and keep the stomach healthy.

FRESH HOMEMADE FRUIT JUICES AND SHAKES

Some fruits can be blended together to prepare shakes, smoothies, crushes. These can be tummy filling and nutritious too. Many ISLAMIC SCHOLARS whom I've personally met have a practice of having Juices and dates at IFTAAR and find it really helpful and relaxing. I have a personal experience with Dates and a glass of cool Tang juice.

People often visit local food hubs to "ENLIGHTEN THEIR TASTE BUDS", forgetting the fact that this can be done sometime later. Eating from food outlets and local food stalls regularly in Ramazaan will slowly attract ill-health, anxiety and lousiness.

All this can also be cooked at home with a high level of hygiene and with a minimal amount of oil and spices.

We should understand that RAMADAAN is a priority, once gone, it's not gonna come back. Every day is important and every second of each day should be spent wisely.

HOMEMADE MALPUVA - A BETTER OPTION

Using fruit salads(milk filled pastry cream with fruits) fulfils the fibrous requirement along with some milk in the diet which maintains acidity level to an optimum. Almost all fruits are used to make fruit salads and custards. Having it in the night can be useful as fibres help digestion and citrous fruits ease metabolism.

FRESH FRUIT SALAD - COMFORTS DIGESTION

We should avoid thick Porridges, and outside sweets as most of them are prepared with MAWA or KHOYA which is a milk product and takes a longer time to digest than fruit salads and custards and is less healthy as compared to the same.
The idea is to have food items which are HEALTHY and COMFORTING so that we feel full and energetic the entire day.
If we eat something which can not be easily digested, we will sleep more and feel less energetic even after long periods of sleep.
The digestive system is connected to a large number of blood vessels which carry nutrition to the entire body. If it is healthy, all good nutrition is carried to the various parts of the body and vice-versa in case it is upset.

DEHYDRATION

This is one reason which makes fasting really difficult in SUMMERS. May Allah help each of us and give us enough strength and Taqwa to overcome this issue.
There are some special fruits which when consumed during SUHUR or IFTAR can be really helpful in fighting Dehydration and its severe effects on the body.
Almost all of them are easily available at affordable rates in the markets. They all are full of digestible natural sugars, water content, fibrous content and prevent dehydration. One gets the exact amount of Energy, natural detoxification and a soothing effect.

Watermelons, Muskmelons, Litchis and Black plum are the selected few which I chose for myself this Ramadaan. Being rich in water content, these fruits combat Dehydration better. They help in digestion and keep the pH levels of the digestive system to an optimum.
They can be consumed in direct form, blended to make juices, milkshakes, smoothies and used in custards too.

FRUITS TO CHOOSE IN SUMMER

COCONUT WATER: Is a blessing if one gets it fresh. A majority of people take it daily in all seasons. It contains a similar electrolyte profile to our blood and hence makes it an ideal beverage to replace fluids and remove toxins. It helps in reducing the negative effects of High- Sodium(SALT) processed diet.

COCONUT WATER

LEMONADES WITH PEPPERMINT LEAVES: Being thrifty on spending every penny, this drink is my personal favourite and it helps with dehydration. The sugars and salts keep the blood pressure to an optimum and the lime along with the peppermint leaves when chewed and sipped with the lemonade reduce acidity. It also has certain advantages in removing toxins and burning fats.

LEMONADE

FATIGUE/TIRED FEELING/LOUSINESS

TIRED FEELING AT WORK

If you feel tired AND lousy after working for small periods of time IN RAMADAAN, I suggest the use of EGGS, BANANAS and MILK in SUHUR. You can also use TALBINA for the same. You will find an increase in the ENERGY levels and feel much better until evening.

NOTE: If you feel energetic with the normal food which you consume in SUHUR then please do not switch to these suggested items.

FATIGUE FIGHTING FOOD-STUFFS

If you wish to know how to prepare the TALBINA, you can read my blog.

You will find a link to the blog about Talbina at the end of this post.

PERSONAL HYGIENE AND EXTERNAL NUTRITION(SKIN AND HAIR)

Summers get really annoying in Humid areas and in pollution. People get rashes, prickly heat(GHAMORI) and sunburns on the body. This is really irritating and can be prevented easily with a few items that clean the skin and prevent itching.

Bathing with SAVLON/DETTOL or any other Antisceptic treated water cleans the skin from the pollen grains and micro-pollutants that come into contact while travelling.

I personally avoid using sunscreens, lotions, de-odourants etc. and prefer light-coloured, loose-fitting outfits. Use caps, sunglasses and wet wipes to avoid direct heat and excess of sweating.

It's good to WELCOME summers with Fruit juices, holidays/work breaks, loose clothing, use of healthy energy drinks and elevated levels of good personal hygiene.
Although all of us have these few points in mind always, lets just quickly take a glimpse over all of them so that we just don't miss any of the below in RAMADAAN.

SUMMERS AND MUST DO'S IN SUMMERS

ADVICE: PLEASE PREVENT THE BACK OF YOUR NECK FROM DIRECT EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT, KEEP IT COOL WITH WATER AND WIPE IT WITH WET HANDKERCHIEFS WHEN WALKING IN THE AFTERNOON. IT HAS A NUMBER OF NEURONS AND WHEN EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT, IT CAUSES ADVERSE EFFECTS.

I hope this helps and the info comes handy in RAMADAAN. 
May all of you have a healthy and happy RAMADAAN. 
Please also remember me, SYRIANS, PALESTINIANS, IRANIS and the entire UMMAH in your prayers.
May this Ramadaan bring us the happiness of this world and the hereafter. Sincere requests for DUA.

IN the Love of ALLAH SWT and his beloved prophet Muhammad PBUH I aim to serve this UMMAH better.
Jazakallah. RAMADAAN MUBARAK!!!