Holistic Nutrition: Dealing with vitamin D deficiency

If I suffer from Vitamin D deficiency, are there any dietary considerations I should take while fasting?

Include milk based porridges, cheese sandwich and eggs in the suhour.

Wholesome recipe for suhour: 2 spoons of organic oats mixed with 2 spoons of mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, raisins, chestnuts) powdered and soaked overnight in a cup of milk blended with 2 spoons of yogurt.

The main meal after iftar can include fish like salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel. You could opt for mushroom and cheese based cooking if you are vegetarian. You can also include beef liver once a week. Alternately you can also consider cod liver oil supplements every day.

I’ve actually gained weight during previous Ramadans despite fasting. What am I doing wrong?

Avoid eating fried and high calorie food, which means a big no to kunafa, katayef, pastries, samosas etc.

Consume small amounts of food at a time. Avoid eating large meals and avoid eating continuously from Iftar to suhour.

Break your fast with a date and bowl of fruit as well as a fresh juice without added sugar, followed by a  soup and steamed fish with vegetables, or meat and vegetables cooked till soft. Opt for water based cooking (not fried or grilled) after prayer.

Have a bowl of papaya or apple or banana before bed and a simple suhour like muesli, or the recipe explained above.

Drink four to five glasses of water and two cups of herbal /flower teas like chamomile or jasmine tea. And try to go for a short walk, atleast for half an hour, after meals.