Nutrition during Ramzan

Ramadan is the only month/year where Muslims fast from dawn until sunset every day by refraining from food, water, smoking, medications, and even gum. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, seniors, and those on important medications or requiring nutrition care (such as people with diabetes, renal failure, or patients on tube feeds) are exempt from fasting.

During this month, Muslims spend more time getting closer to God, refrain from bad habits, and focus on spiritual growth. This year, Ramadan starts on 26th May to 24th June. Muslims will be fasting 16-17 hours per day, which allows for only 7-8 hours to nourish their bodies and sleep. Considering the heat wave that is still on in the city, one has to be extra careful and prepared about what to eat during non-fasting period, so that you can maintain your health, fitness, endurance and flexibility during entire month.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan or any other religious months/period can be good for your health if it’s done correctly. All changes happen in the body system during fasting (starvation). Stored nutrients, especially muscle proteins are broken down to provide fuel to our body. Fasting diet lacks in macro nutrients like carbohydrates and fats which leads to weakness. In order to avoid this having healthy options of food during fasting is very important.

A person who is fasting needs good and nutrient-rich food which will help to maintain the energy levels in our body on a day to day basis.

Here are few tips for healthy eating options while Ramzan or any other holy fasting period.

Go with Natural food, Not Junk or processed Foods:

Well, in today’s time processed foods might come across as a very convenient option, but they’re usually filled with unhealthy things like high-fructose corn syrup that leads to overconsumption. Secondly, contains lot of artificial Ingredients. Most processed foods are Low in Nutrients.

It requires less energy and time to digest processed foods. Processed foods contain MSG (Monosodium glutamate – to enhance flavor), it also contains lots of sodium and typically all the wrong heart-clogging oils. Therefore it is always good to go with natural food available, if possible go with homemade food.

Breaking the fast:

Breaking the fast is one of the most important meals and is comparable to breakfast. The Muslim Prophet Muhammad advised to fill a third of our stomach with food, a third with water, and leave a third empty. This ensures hydration and prevents overeating, which is a common problem while breaking the fast.



A common recommendation is to eat 5-6 dates soaked in one cup of milk. Many Muslims already do this but it’s neat to explain the science behind it: Dates are a potassium dense food, which aids in hydration and restores electrolyte balance. Milk is high in calcium, and water, and is balanced in macronutrients. This combination is perfect for restoring energy.

After breaking the fast with a snack, such as the dates and milk, it is recommended that Muslims go and complete sunset prayer (which usually takes 5-10 minutes) before they sit down to eat their main meal. This allows the body to absorb some of the nutrients and suppresses extreme hunger.

Hydrate Your Body:

When we fast for long hours, our body gets dehydrated over the course of the day. During the non-fasting period we should take care of the hydration levels in our body. After a long day of fasting, it’s difficult to drink lot of water or have lots of water based food items. But, we can have fruit juices and soups made of veggies to give our body the additional water it needs. A great way to break the fast is with ‘Dates’. Also consider having coconut water, or making smoothies, coolers and fruity drinks which are super-hydrating.

Suhour: Maximizing energy for the day:

“Suhour” is a very important meal for fasting Muslims. This is when Muslims wake up 1-2 hours before their fast begins to eat one last meal (between 2-3:30 am). If this meal is properly balanced, it can help those fasting to remain high energy for the morning-noon portion of the day.

The pre-dawn meal should be a wholesome and moderate meal that is filling and provides enough energy for many hours. Ideally, it should be slow digesting food like salads, brown bread, cereal (especially oats) so that your body will get energy for a long time constantly. Also, you can have some fluids with vitamins, such as fruit and vegetable juice.

It’s customary for Muslims to break the fast (Iftar) with some dates. Dates provide a burst of energy.  Fruit juices also have a similar, revitalizing effect. Start by drinking plenty of water, which helps rehydrate and reduces the chances of over indulgence.

The importance of snacking:

It is recommended to eat at least two small snacks between breaking the fast and going to sleep. Since the window for eating is tiny, it is best to focus on faster digesting foods.

For example:

·         Proteins with high absorption factors, such as egg whites, fish, skinless chicken, and whey protein.

·         Nutritious carbohydrates such as fruits and whole grains.

The last snack before going to bed should be higher in complex carbohydrates and good fats such as avocados, nuts, and seeds.
 

Meal plan example: 
 

·         8:50 pm (breaking fast): 5-6 dates soaked in 1-cup milk or small soup

·         8:55 pm: Complete sunset prayer

·         9:05 pm (main meal): Skinless chicken breast + 1-cup brown rice + sautéed veggies with olive oil, and a fruit for dessert + 1-cup water or soup

      *2-cups water

·         10:30 pm (snack #1): Fruit with low fat yogurt + 1-cup water

       *2-cups water

·         11:30 pm (or 15 min before bedtime): Half-cup rolled oats + walnuts + blueberries + 1-cup milk or kefir + 1-cup water

·         3:10 am (Suhour: 20 min before holding fast): Fava beans + eggs + ½-1 avocado + sprouted or multigrain bread + curds + 1-2 cups water

SOME QUICK TIPS:

Foods to avoid

·         deep-fried foods, for example pakoras, samosas and fried dumplings

·         High-sugar and high-fat foods, including sweets such as gulab jamun, rasgulla and balushahi

·         High-fat cooked foods, for example, parathas, oily curries and greasy pastries

·         Fatty meats, Liver and organ meats, Hotdog and sausages, large amounts of prawn, shrimp and shellfish

·         Whole milk, Ice cream and whipped cream, full cream yoghurt and labneh, Full cream cheese especially yellow cheese, Creamy and cheese sauces

·         Coconut (the only fruit rich in saturated fats that are unhealthy for the heart), Fried vegetables, Boiled vegetables with butter, Juices with added sugar

·         Pastries that contain large amounts of fat (doughnuts, croissants, Danish pastries), Fried rice, Fried potato chips or French fries

Healthy alternatives

·         Baked samosas and boiled or steamed dumplings

·         Chapattis made without oil

·         Baked or grilled meat and chicken, Fish, Grilled or boiled skinless chicken, Lean veal or lamb, moderate amounts of prawns, Legumes such as beans, lentils, and peas, eggs

·         Milk-based sweets and puddings such as rasmalai and barfee, skimmed or low fat milk, skimmed or low fat yoghurt and labneh, Low fat cheese

·         All fresh vegetables, boiled, baked, steamed or cooked with a little oil, Seasoned vegetables or vegetables with lemon juice or a little oil, Fresh fruits and natural fruit juice (in moderation)

·         Brown bread, Plain spaghetti or rice (without ghee or high fat sauce), Grains with no added fat, Baked or boiled potatoes

Healthy cooking methods

·         Shallow frying

·         Grilling, Roasting, Steaming or Baking is healthier and helps retain the taste and original flavor of the food, especially with chicken and fish.

Exercises to lose weight in Ramadan:

·         You can exercise at these timings in month of Ramadan: (remember, it might be difficult for first 3-4 days only)

·         Before aftari, walk or jog for 30 minutes.

·         After aftari with date and water, have a break, and go to gym or any other activity.

Wishing you Happy Ramzan!!

Mindful eating leads to healthy living

Do we really think today when we sit down to eat...GAP??/ What is GAP???

G Game-Changer! Recognize that this moment could change everything. You have the opportunity to choose your next move right NOW!
A Ask yourself: Am I satisfied? Am I no longer hungry? Why am I eating?
P Power! You have the power to make a choice. Continue to eat or stop right here. If you are hungry, that is find, eat! If not, investigate what feeling or situation is prompting you to eat.

There is a brief “gap” between each bite, where you can insert a moment of mindfulness. In that moment, you have the power to make a conscious decision.

Eating as mindfully as we do on retreat or in a mindfulness course is not realistic for many of us, especially with families, jobs, and the myriad distractions around us. This is not to mention that our friends, family and colleagues might not have the patience to eat with us as we take five minutes with each bite. So have some self-compassion, and consider formal mindful eating on retreat and special occasions, as well as informal mindful eating in your daily life.

Mindful Eating is allowing yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food selection and preparation by respecting your own inner wisdom. By using all your senses in choosing to eat food that is both satisfying to you and nourishing to your body, acknowledging your responses to food (likes, dislikes or neutral) without judgment, and becoming aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your decisions to begin and end eating you can change your relationship to food. Here are six simple guidelines to keep in mind to discern between mindless and (more) mindful eating, and bring our bodies and minds back together.

1) Let your body catch up to your brain

Eating rapidly past full and ignoring your body’s signals vs. slowing down and eating and stopping when your body says it’s full.

Slowing down is one of the best ways we can get our mind and body to communicate what we really need for nutrition. The body actually sends its satiation signal about 20 minutes after the brain, which is why we often unconsciously overeat. But, if we slow down, you can give your body a chance to catch up to your brain and hear the signals to eat the right amount. Simple ways to slow down might just include  many of your grandmother’s manners, like sitting down to eat, chewing each bite 25 times (or more), setting your fork down between bites, and all those old manners that are maybe not as pointless as they seemed. 

2) Know your body’s personal hunger signals

Are you responding to an emotional quotient or responding to your body’s needs?

Often we listen first to our minds, but like many mindfulness practices, we might discover more wisdom by tuning into our bodies first. Rather than just eating when we get emotional signals, which may be different for each of us, be they stress, sadness, frustration, loneliness or even just boredom, we can listen to our bodies. Is your stomach growling, energy low, or feeling a little lightheaded? Too often, we eat when our mind tells us to, rather than our bodies. True mindful eating is actually listening deeply to our body’s signals for hunger. Ask yourself: What are your body’s hunger signals, and what are your emotional hunger triggers?

3) Develop healthy eating environments

Eating alone and randomly vs. Eating with others at set times and places

Another way that we eat mindlessly is by wandering around looking through cabinets, eating at random times and places, rather than just thinking proactively about our meals and snacks. This slows us down for one thing, but prevents us from developing healthy environmental cues about what and how much to eat, and wires our brains for new cues for eating that not always ideal. (Do you really want to create a habit to eat every time you get in the car, or other situations?) Sure, we all snack from time to time, but it can boost both your mind and body’s health, not to mention greatly helping your mood and sleep schedule to eat at consistent times and places. Yes, that means sitting down (at a table!), putting food on a plate or bowl, not eating it out of the container, and using utensils not our hands. It also helps to eat with others, not only are you sharing and getting some healthy connection, but you also slow down and can enjoy the food and conversation more and we take our cues from our dinner partner, not over or under eating out of emotion.

When we put our food away in cabinets and the fridge, we also are more likely to eat healthy amounts of healthy food, so consider what’s around, where it is and whether it’s in sight. If we limit eating to kitchen and dining room, we are also less likely to eat mindlessly or eat while multitasking. When food is around, we eat it. And food, not always the healthiest, is often around at the holidays.

You don’t have to plan your food down to each bite, and it’s important to be flexible especially at special occasions, but just be aware of the fact that you might be changing your eating habits at different times of year or for different occasions. And when you do plan ahead, you are also more likely to eat the amount your body needs in that moment than under eating and indulging later, or overeating and regretting it later.

Classic advice is to also not shop when hungry, but the middle path applies here as well. A psychological effect known as “moral licensing” has shown that shoppers who buy kale are more likely to then head to the alcohol or ice cream section than those who don’t. We seem to think that our karma will balance out and we can “spend” it on junk food, or other less than ideal behaviours.

4) Eat food not stories

Eating foods that are emotionally comforting vs. eating foods that are nutritionally healthy

This is another tricky balance, and ideally we can find nourishing foods that are also satisfying and comforting. As we practice eating healthier and a greater variety foods, we are less inclined to binge on our comfort foods, and more inclined to enjoy healthy foods, ultimately finding many foods mentally and physically satisfying as opposed to just a few.

5) Consider the life cycle of your food

Considering where food comes from vs. thinking of food as an end product.

Unless you are a hunter-gatherer or sustenance farmer, we have all become ever more disconnected from our food in recent years. Many of us don’t even consider where a meal comes from beyond the supermarket packaging. This is a loss, because eating offers an incredible opportunity to connect us more deeply to the natural world, the elements and to each other.

When we pause to consider all of the people involved in the meal that has arrived on your plate, from the loved ones (and yourself) who prepared it, to those who stocked the shelves, to those who planted and harvested the raw ingredients, to those who supported them, it is hard to not feel both grateful and interconnected. Be mindful of the water, soil, and other elements that were part of its creation as you sit down to eat whatever you are eating. You can reflect on the cultural traditions that brought you this food, the recipes generously shared from friends, or brought from a distant place and time to be a handed down in the family.

As you consider everything that went into the meal, it becomes effortless to experience and express gratitude to all of the people who gave their time and effort, the elements of the universe that contributed their share, our friends or ancestors who shared recipes and even the beings who may have given their lives to a part of creating this meal. With just a little more mindfulness like this, we may begin to make wiser choices about sustainability and health in our food, not just for us but for the whole planet.

6) Attend to your plate

Distracted eating vs. just eating

We’ve all had the experience of going to the movies with our bag full of popcorn, and before the coming attractions are over, we are asking who ate all of our popcorn. When we are distracted, it becomes harder to listen to our body’s signals about food and other needs. With your next meal, try single-tasking and just eating, with no screens or distractions besides enjoying the company you are sharing a meal and conversation with.

Someone Who Eats Mindfully:

·         Acknowledges that there is no right or wrong way to eat but varying degrees of awareness surrounding the experience of food.

·         Accepts that their eating experiences are unique.

·         Is an individual who by choice directs their attention to eating on a moment-by-moment basis.

·         Gains awareness of how they can make choices that support health and wellbeing.

·         Becomes aware of the interconnection of earth, living beings, and cultural practices and the impact of their food choices on those systems.

So while formal mindful eating practices may be what we think of when we look back on a mindfulness course or retreat we attended, the reality is that we do live, and eat, in the real world which is a busy place. But we can take the insights gained from our formal practice- slowing down, listening to our bodies, doing one thing at a time, making even small rituals, and considering all that went into our meal on a more regular basis and bring more informal mindfulness to our daily meals.