“Fast to be healthy,” advised Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him). Now the medical field has acknowledged this wisdom and recognized the many benefits of fasting to ensure a healthy body and mind. During the month of Ramadan our diet should not differ very much from our normal eating and should be as simple as possible. The best way is to maintain normal weight, neither losing nor gaining,” said Ruquiya Al-Usmani, consultant chief of dietary staff, at Dr. Bakhsh hospital in Jeddah. During Ramadan people should consume a well balanced diet which contains all food groups, like grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Al-Usmani said people should not skip meals, especially Suhoor, because this meal provides energy throughout the day. Suhoor acts like a breakfast. Research has shown that breakfast provides the essential nutrients and energy for concentration and keeps away hunger symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and restlessness,” Al-Usmani said. Eating complex carbohydrates, especially at Suhoor, like fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils, foul, hummus and whole-wheat bread plays a vital role. These slow digesting foods last longer, keeping you full for at least eight hours. Eating protein will also help you from getting hungry. Moreover, foods which are rich in fiber, along with lots of water, will help the body have the body fluids needed to avoid dehydration and will ensure detoxification of the digestive system. She said people should not eat food which contains sugar and is highly refined. Al-Usmani pointed out that spicy, fried, and high sugar food can cause indigestion, heart burn and weight problems. Furthermore, caffeine drinks such as colas, coffee, and tea are diuretics and can cause dehydration. More urine expended means a greater loss of valuable mineral and salts that your body will need during the day. Al-Usmani said that weight gain is caused by an inappropriate diet, overeating and insufficient sleep. The human body has a regulatory mechanism that reduces the metabolic rate and ensures efficient utilization of the body's fat reserves in times of hunger. A diet that has a normal amount of food and is well balanced will keep a person healthy and active during Ramadan. “A diet should be simple and should not differ much from normal everyday diet, especially in Ramadan when daily intake is limited to two meals. We need to put extra effort into including food from all food groups. Our body needs at least 40 different nutrients every day to ensure and maintain good health,” Al-Usmani said.
