Dubai: People tend to get more obese and diabetic due to irregular eating and overeating after ending the fast, a senior doctor from the Ministry of Health warned, advising people to eat healthy during the Holy Month.
Fasting during Ramadan can improve a person's health, but if the correct diet is not followed, can possibly worsen it, it warns. The deciding factor is not the fast itself, but rather what is consumed in the non-fasting hours, the Ministry said.
It undertook a four-day initiative called Ahlan Ramadan, before the advent of Ramadan, providing information to corporates and workers in the labour accommodations on how to keep healthy while keeping to their religious obligations.
A panel of medical experts conducted interactive sessions on how to fast healthily and also offered free medical check-ups. "This endeavour will ensure that a maximum number of residents are targeted to disseminate information about the appropriate way to eat and stay healthy," said Dr Wedad Al Maidoor - director of Public Health Centres.
"The fast of Ramadan has spiritual significance as well as physical effects. Long hours of fasting may take a toll on the participant's health and the initiative reaches out to the community and encourages adequate nutrition and continued health among the residents of UAE," said Dr Ali Bin Shakr, Director-General of the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry notes that a diet that has less than a normal amount of food but is sufficiently balanced will keep a person healthy and active during the month of Ramadan. But it advises people with medical conditions to seek a doctor's advice as meal timings and medications may need to be adjusted.
"The diet should be simple and not differ too much from one's normal everyday diet," according to Ahlan Ramadan.
Dr Prem Jagyasi, managing director of ExHealth, the organisers of the initiative, said Ramadan is a great opportunity to focus on bringing back a balanced and healthy lifestyle in people's lives who do not normally watch their eating habits. "Ramadan requires to give the stomach a break, and by doing so one will be able to break down and expel the collected toxins from body," he said, but notes that it is very important to understand the proper practice of eating healthy.
Though the initiative ended on Monday, the panel of doctors are still available to reach corporates interested in providing the healthy eating initiative to their staff, he said.
Are you fasting? What diet are you on this Ramadan? Have you faced any difficulties in fasting during the first days of Ramadan?
Your comments
I feel very thirsty during the fasting hours just i want to know the reason is it because of Ramadan comes this year in summer time and people lost water because of warm weather and my food in Iftar i think it is well balanced contains soup, dates
Kamal Belfassi
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 14:11
Yes Alhamdulilah. i didnt face any problem, normal diet.
Fast means to feel huger of that people who dont have enough food for them.
We keep fast only for Allah and Allah will gives us the reward for it.(Ameen)
Khalid Ali Siddiqui
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 13:21
Alhamdulilah We are fasting and no problems from day 1, because we avoid overeating and oily food, more fruits and normal diet is always good.
Naeem
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 13:02
Why didn?t you mention any diet system? Alhamdulilah, I'm fasting and doing well in Ramadan, hope the fasting culture lives long in my life, I was of the opinion that fasting in the UAE would be a bit difficult compared to India, but I found that it is much better than India due to the air-conditioned rooms everywhere. I usually eat fruits and meat for iftar and vegetables for Suhoor.
Don?t forget to drink plenty of water.
Shaheed Azhary
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 12:49
Yes, I am fasting and I've changed my diet this year. Our iftar includes dates, home-made juice (papaya/watermelon/mango), boiled beans with tomato, onion without any masala or oil, carrot, puffed rice, yoghurt with fruits like apple, mango, grapes, banana, orange etc.
We take small quantity of rice, vegitable, fish/chicken etc for dinner and some carrot.
Finally, we eat oats with milk and some fruits for suhoor.
Alhamdulillah, we didn't face any problem till now.
Nasim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 12:21
I am a convert Muslim and this is my first fasting so i didnt face any difficulty and inshallah i am very happy to keep fasting untill end of ramadan.
Sania (sonia) Castelino
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 11:46
yes i m fasting. i like 2 hv more fruits. al hamdulillah i dont hv any difficuties til now.
Shaji
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 11:34
Alhumdulilah i am fasting. eating light food in saher and iftar fruits, dates, juice. first ramzan i got a headache but after that i am feeling well.
Naveed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 11:33
These are my food habits during ramadan:
shuhr - 2 chapathi, small bowl of rice, veg dishes (less spicy) and leaves. 3 glass of water (1.5 glass 15 min before food and 1.5 glass after 15 min of food)
Breaking - 1 or 2 dates, half glass of water, half glass juice and small bowl of fruits. Half an hour after Maghrib prayer I have things which made of rice (idli, dose, roti etc) with some non veg like fish, chicken or once in a week mutton (very limited). I eat salads along with this. I make sure to consume 3 glass of liquids during this period. Then after tharaavi, I eat some fuits and consume 3 glass of liquids half an hour before I go to sleep.
How do I feel - I feel like eating a lot during breaking the fast but I control myself and feels good when I have less and could concentrate better on prayers. I am losing weight but feeling great and very active at work. I get tired in the last 1 and half hour but after breaking the fast again energised.
Siraj DH
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 11:33
Alhamdulillah , I m fasting every year, and thankfully I did not face much difficulty during first day of Ramadan as am mentally preapred for it.
Riyaz Sirsi
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 10:38
Could the doctors please tell that what type of health diet or what type of food should be taken during Iftar.
Anwar ul Haq
Islamabad,Pakistan
Posted: August 26, 2009, 10:34
Yes,the first day i had migraine and felt like vomit. And my iftar time as soon as i take water i lost appetite.
Mohammad Ahmad Hama
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 10:31
My had my first iftar at a public tent and the main course had meat biriyani and some other meat-based dishes. There was no importance given to fruits expect one banana. Also a large plate of biriyani served for 4 persons, which was enough for 6 or more. I would like to request to all, who prepare the Iftar meal for public or for personal consumption - give importance to fruits and fresh juices. Also, the fruits can be used later and there is no need to throw them away like biriyani.
Abdul Jaleel Pallipparamba
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 09:45
Yes Alhamdulilah, I am fasting. A well balanced diet consisting of vegetable soup, salad and main meal would be grilled chicken/fish with some mashed or boiled potatoes/vegetables/beans and toast bread and fresh juice.
After ending the fast and offering my maghrib prayers, I would definitely go for a cup of tea because of headache.
Otherwise, I am perfectly fine and do enjoy fasting in the month of ramadan.
During the first days, you tend to crave for tea and have headaches but then you get used to it.
Irshad Hussain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 09:34
Yes I fast In Ramadan.In the morning i take eggs or some light meal
Mustafa
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 08:32
As a non-Muslim, but regular visitor to the UAE, having many Muslim and Arab friends and cherishing their culture, this year's Ramadan is the first when I'm trying my best to obtain it's fasting tradition. It's actually harder here in the UK as fasting hours are longer and Ramadan spirit is not the same as in UAE, but many of my colleagues are fasting Muslims and they hail my decision. It's already been a few days and it's still difficult, especially as my work in a medical laboratory demands full attention at all times. To fast or not to fast is a decision, but feeling tired due to fasting is hard to help at all... In addition to fasting I also wear the Arab women's outfit, to work as well, all through Ramadan, and people who see this change automatically ask: 'are you fasting too?', what is very encouraging, and my Arab boss as well is really proud of me. I will visit Dubai in the 3rd week of this Ramadan Inshallah, and by that time I should be fully compliant with the fasting obligation. Also, Ramadan in a Muslim country has it's real authenticity, so unlike most Europeans, I really can't wait to go to Dubai during Ramadan!
Suzan
London,UK
Posted: August 26, 2009, 04:25
when i fasted on the first day i really did not face any difficulty or problem because this month of Ramadan is a holy month when u will fast from first day believe me u will never face any difficulty, trust me you will think that we should keep fasting untill end of the ramadan.
Munsif Ali
Al Ain,UAE
Posted: August 26, 2009, 03:42
