Fasting during teenage years requires some nutritional care by parents, it is better for these people to use nutritious and beneficial substances for iftar and suhoor.
Abstaining from eating and drinking for more than 18 hours is a tough test for fasting people. In recent years, the coincidence of the month of Ramadan with the hot days of the year has made this test and self-improvement even more difficult for the fasting people. The intense heat of the air in mid-June and early July, sweating and thirst and enduring hunger for 18 hours requires more patience and tolerance and, of course, observing the principles of nutrition.
Although fasting has many positive mental, spiritual and physical effects, but without a doubt, not following the principles of nutrition is not only not beneficial for the body’s health, but can be extremely dangerous. For this reason, in the past few years, doctors and nutritionists have been emphasizing nutrition during Ramadan. According to nutrition experts, by following the scientific principles and at the same time simple nutrition in Ramadan, fasting people can achieve health goals such as increasing fat metabolism, reducing weight in obese people, reducing blood pressure, treating digestive system diseases, reducing blood cholesterol and arthritis, quitting smoking. and even improve their mental health.
Methods to reduce thirst during fasting
Thirst is one of the signs of fasting, especially during the hot days of the year. The heat of the air increases perspiration, and this perspiration causes the body to lose water and eventually feel thirsty. But there are solutions to prevent thirst during fasting. Doctors and nutritionists suggest interesting and at the same time simple solutions to overcome thirst and reduce the effects of dehydration during fasting. Mohammad Panahi, the vice-chancellor of traditional medicine at Alborz University of Medical Sciences, told “Shahrvand” about this: “Dehydration and thirst cause disturbances in the water and electrolytes in the body and threaten the health of the body.”
For this reason, one of the measures that fasting people should pay attention to is not to drink water between meals because it causes bloating and digestive disorders, and also to eat less starchy foods during Iftar and Suhoor because these foods They need a lot of water to digest.” He continues: “Because hot weather prevails in most regions of Iran, and in some areas this hot weather is accompanied by dry weather, it is recommended for fasting people, especially people who have hot and dry weather, to drink enough water between dawn and iftar.” to drink.”
The thirst of Ramadan, especially in recent years, which has coincided with the hot months of the year, puts so much pressure on fasting people that as soon as the time of breaking the fast comes, many people fill their glasses with ice water and start drinking a lot of water. Nutritionists, however, believe that this method is incorrect. According to them, cold water should not be drunk all at once to quench thirst after breaking the fast, but should be savored and drunk slowly, drinking water all at once does not eliminate body heat. Panahi says about this: “Consumption of ice water quickly damages the structure of the body, especially disrupts the function of the liver, for this reason, we advise fasting people to use lukewarm water to quench their thirst, if they mix this water with a little honey, the result will be much better.” for the body.” Consuming tea and sugary substances is another thing that removes a lot of water from the body, that’s why fasting people are advised to avoid drinking strong tea, especially at dawn. Avoiding vigorous physical activities, bathing with hot water and avoiding going to the sauna are other recommendations of doctors to reduce the sweating of fasting people.
Don’t forget the watermelon
At the same time, doctors and nutritionists put a lot of emphasis on observing the amount and type of water supply needed by the body between iftar and dawn. Things that fasting people, if observed, will suffer from dehydration and thirst less. Consuming 8 to 12 glasses of water between iftar and dawn, using fruits and vegetables and reducing the consumption of sugary substances are among the general recommendations of doctors and nutritionists these days, which, according to Mohammad Panahi, can compensate for the lack of water in the body well: “Fortunately, In this season of the year, there are a variety of fruits in the market, and summer fruits with a high volume of water can be a good supplement to quench thirst during the day.
Watermelon, cantaloupe, melon and cucumber are among the fruits that are recommended for fasting people to consume between iftar and dawn. He also has a recommendation for kidney patients: “All patients, especially those suffering from kidney failure, are strongly advised to fast with the consultation and approval of the doctor, and if allowed by the doctor, in addition to drinking 10 to 12 glasses of water, be sure to eat summer fruits, especially watermelon and cantaloupe, during iftar and use Sahar.”
Fasting people should not combine iftar and dinner together
Satisfying hunger is as important as thirst during Ramadan. After fasting for 18 hours after breaking the fast, the fasting person must have proper nutrition. Some fasting people experience disorders such as constipation, kidney or urinary tract stones, headaches, boredom, anger, and aggression due to a change in their dietary pattern during the month of Ramadan or after, while with a proper diet, not only will there be no complications for the fasting person, but it will also help the health of the body. On the other hand, the coincidence of iftar time with dinner makes many fasting people skip one of the meals or eat iftar and dinner together; A subject that is strictly forbidden by doctors and nutritionists.
The vice president of traditional medicine of Alborz University of Medical Sciences explains about this: “After 18 hours of resting the digestive system, a large volume of food is harmful to the body and reduces the percentage of absorption of nutrients. We recommend that they eat 3 meals of iftar, dinner and suhoor.” Of course, some points should be observed while consuming these 3 meals. He continues: “The first thing is that there should be an hour or more between iftar and dinner, because the digestive system needs time to digest the first meal or iftar.” A glass of boiling water or pale tea with two dates, a few slices of bread with a small amount of cheese and walnuts, halva, halim, shalezard, vegetables, soup and a glass of milk is the best suggestion for the first meal.
Of course, due to the symmetry of the month of Ramadan with the summer season, it is better to use fruits and fibrous materials instead of halva, haleem and shalezard. At dinner, you should eat all the main food groups. One of the best Ramadan dinner recipes includes vegetable salad, less than 100 grams of chicken or red meat or fish, a bowl of yogurt, along with a few spoons of cooked rice. For suhoor, it is very useful to consume light tea, juicy vegetables and fruits along with a little honey and lemon juice to quench thirst during the day. At the same time, he advises fasting people to avoid consuming very sweet syrups, carbonated soft drinks, and fast food during iftar, dinner, and suhoor meals.
Don’t remove breakfast
But Sahri is one of the meals of fasting people during the holy month of Ramadan, a meal that is not paid attention to in many cases despite the advice of doctors and nutritionists. Eliminating suhoor or overeating in this meal is the main problem of most fasting people. A problem that, according to doctors and nutritionists, endangers the health of the fasting person. Panahi says about the benefits and types of foods consumed in the breakfast meal: “Due to the long hours of fasting, it is recommended that the breakfast meal should not be omitted in any way, because not eating breakfast will lead to low blood sugar, headache and dizziness, and in the long run, more damage to the body. enters
Fatty food should be avoided during dawn, overeating during dawn does not reduce the feeling of thirst. “Food consumption during Suhr and Iftar meals should be such that you never feel full, and you should also avoid consuming too much tea at Suhr.” He emphasizes: “Eating protein foods at breakfast should be considered due to the increase in satiety-inducing hormones.” Adequate consumption of carbohydrates is also recommended to provide glycogen reserves in this meal. Also, it is necessary to consume two to three units of fruit in the morning meal to provide water and nutrients needed by the body.” However, one of the best recipes for breakfast is a glass of milk, a few slices of wholemeal bread, cheese and walnuts, sweet tea, with honey, butter, and jam, and you should not lie down or sleep immediately after having breakfast, because this will lead to So that the person has gastric reflux.
Ramadan is the right time
to quit smoking
In general, fasting has no contradictions with the health of the body. If people face problems during the holy month of Ramadan, it is because of not observing the nutritional requirements. This is what Seyyed Diyaddin Mazhari, the head of the Iranian Nutrition Association told Shahrvand and continued: “During the month of Ramadan, the consumption of high-fat and fried foods and foods containing simple sugar such as zolbia and okra should be avoided as much as possible. It is also recommended to stop smoking and strong tea to prevent indigestion and flatulence.
According to Mazhari, Ramadan is a very good opportunity for people who plan to stop smoking forever. Not smoking for 18 hours can mentally and physically prepare a person to stop using nicotine: “These people can get help from tomatoes to compensate for the nicotine their body needs. “Tomatoes are a suitable alternative to meet the body’s nicotine needs, salad and consumption of tomatoes and cucumbers can reduce the desire to smoke.” Also, stopping the consumption of carbonated drinks such as soft drinks, by increasing the body’s ability to absorb calcium, greatly reduces the desire and appetite for smoking. In addition, soda consumption greatly reduces the appetite for healthy foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins, and dairy products. On the other hand, fasting people are suggested to use fresh juices such as watermelon and strawberry, cantaloupe and mint, pineapple, cucumber and sakjanbein to quench their thirst. In addition to quenching thirst, these drinks also provide the body with natural vitamins. Honey can be used as a suitable sweetener for these drinks.
One of the most important signs of not eating in Ramadan is bitterness and bad breath. An issue that, in addition to bothering the fasting person, also causes discomfort to others. According to the head of the Iranian Nutrition Association, there can be various reasons such as gum and teeth infection, smoking, taking certain drugs such as antidepressants, prescription vitamins during pregnancy and even antibiotics, gastric reflux, hormonal changes (estrogen) during menstruation and pregnancy, diabetes. , having improper functioning of kidneys and liver and not taking proper care of mouth and teeth. He says about the methods of preventing bad breath during fasting: “Fasting people can solve this problem by consuming citrus fruits and drinking orange or lemon juice during iftar, which leads to more saliva production and washing away the bitter taste in the mouth during the day. to tone it down.”
He continues: “Of course, bitterness during fasting is also associated with bad breath, which is temporary and is not considered a serious problem, the reason is that the person does not eat for long hours, so the body naturally Not consuming carbohydrates or by consuming a low carbohydrate diet, the energy supply mechanism of the cells through the metabolism of the body’s stored fats, which causes bad breath. For this reason, fasting people are advised to brush their teeth several times a day after Suhr, Iftar and before going to bed, and then use dental floss and mouthwash to prevent the accumulation of bacteria. “The use of salt is also very useful in preventing the accumulation of bacteria.”
Fasting of professional athletes
Basically, people should reduce the level of exercise in terms of intensity and duration during Ramadan. Experts suggest that one hour after breaking the fast is the best time to exercise during Ramadan. Mazhari believes: “Exercise not only does not conflict with fasting, but if it is done in a correct and principled way, it makes the fasting person more resistant to the fatigue and difficulties of fasting, especially in hot weather, but the important thing is that the right time for exercise is one hour after Iftar is until two hours before dawn. According to Mazhari, exercise burns body fat and reduces body fat reserves, and a balance between the burning of carbohydrates and fats is established. During fasting, due to the fact that less carbohydrates enter the body, the body burns more fats. This nutritionist recommends that fasting people should avoid eating fatty and sweet foods after breaking the fast and drink a lot of fluids. It is also necessary to consume enough water before and during exercise to maintain the body’s water balance.
Patients who can fast
Fasting is very useful in healing and treating many diseases, especially digestive diseases and insufficiency. Heart attack is one of these diseases that fasting can greatly reduce the risk of suffering from this dangerous heart condition. According to Mazhari, about 20 days after the start of the holy month of Ramadan, the level of “homocysteine”, the main cause of heart attack, in the blood decreases drastically, and the level of good cholesterol (HDL) also increases, and the concentration of the blood is in the normal range. Explaining the benefits of fasting to reduce the risk of some diseases, he says: “Due to the fact that people avoid aggression, aggressive behavior, stress and excitement, smoking, drinking tea and coffee in this month, the possibility of heart attack will decrease. He finds that the set of these changes in people’s behavior and nutrition are two important factors for maintaining a person’s health during the holy month of Ramadan. He also gives recommendations to patients with high blood pressure: “People with high blood pressure should check their blood pressure continuously throughout the day. If the patient’s blood pressure changes during the day, he should not fast, but if the blood pressure does not change during the day, there is no need to fast.”
Citizen newspaper – Amirhossein Khajovi
