The month of Ramadan is nigh and the Pakistani summer is here in tandem. The sweltering heat in of itself is a difficult thing to contend with, but adding in dry fasts for the majority of the day during it makes it a hard time.
For the working class and students who have to be out for the majority of the day whilst fasting tackling the dual issues of sweltering heat and no water are difficult to contend with.
However, the origins of the religious duty happen to be the Arabian desert in times of no air conditioning or refrigeration and thus devotees power through the hot day whilst working hard and survive each day till sunset where they break their fasts with some dates and horrible fried food.
Hunger is still something easier to contend with throughout the day, but the main issue is not drinking water throughout the day. Working during the hot day and not being able to drink any water till sunset seems to be the best way to either get heat exhaustion or dehydration and this tends to be the case every Ramadan during the summer months.
Fasting in of itself is a healthy thing to do both health wise and good for the spirit as it helps us relate to those that face hunger and thirst every day of the year, and do so involuntarily.
Let us take a look at the effects fasting and dry-fasting has throughout the Ramadan months and see what kinds of things we can do to ensure that we can spend the month fasting and in worship whilst also being able to perform our daily duties and maintaining our health.
Ramadan In Islam
The history of Ramadan is rooted in braving heat whilst also not drinking or eating to counter the heat. So much so that even the word Ramadan comes from the Arabic Ramada or Ar Ramad which means scorching heat.
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is a time for prayer and remembrance of Allah. It is also a time for coming closer to those around you and striving towards a better future as well as the afterlife. Fasting is a major portion of the religious rituals during this time and thus the Sehri (dawn meal) and the Iftar (evening meal) constitute a large shift from the normal doings of a large portion of the world. The tenets of the Roza are not only abstinence from food and water, but is a general abstinence from most kinds of indulgence. This includes any kinds of excess and even marital relations as well.
The practice of fasting and abstinence predates Islam and is a part of many religions that even predate monotheism. This is mainly due to the fact that a period of abstinence and hardship allows for a kind of self-reflection and a “sharpening” of the spirit that is difficult to attain otherwise. It also allows for an increase in empathy towards those that are forced to abstain rather than doing so by choice.
In any case, the month of Ramadan is spent in fasting and prayer whilst also continuing with the day to day. It is a testament to the devotion of the Muslim ummah that refrain from eating and drinking in the heat whilst also increasing prayer and religious activity whilst not using it as an excuse not to work or study.
Health Effects Of Fasting
Apart from the spiritual benefits of fasting and the improvements that come through the religious aspects of Ramadan, fasting in of itself has different health effects.
The first and most obvious benefit is weight loss. Fasting for extended periods of the day cause the body to look towards other sources of energy. Fat stores are reduced during this period and fasting is one of the simplest and effective means of losing weight. The kind of fasting taking place during Ramadan is intermittent and dry fasting which starts and ends during a period of 24 hours and does not extend beyond that time.
Ramadan fasting reduces insulin resistance and helps prevent diabetes (type II). This is because in general our diets are high in sugar. This and the fact that we tend to eat throughout the day either with meals or with snacks. The constant input of food to the system and injections of glucose causes the body to become impaired when dealing with constant spikes in blood sugar. This means that we become insulin resistant in the long-run and energy management is something that becomes more difficult.
Heart disease, arthritis and some other illnesses are a result of inflammation caused by consumption of processed or other food throughout the day. Fasting is a breakup of this time which leads to a reduction in inflammation causing a reduction in those issues.
Fasting also helps improve neurogenesis whilst retaining muscle mass due to the reduced inflammation and increased testosterone as well. It also serves to improve metabolism in the long-term and helps reduce fat percentage.
However, fasting is something that has to be done carefully and there need to be caution when fasting due to blood-pressure, energy level, and heat exhaustion issues that could be caused otherwise.
How To Fast In A Healthy Manner
Dehydration is the main problem during the Ramadan fast. It is relatively easy to brave the hot day on no food but without water it becomes a real problem. Fortunately, there are several ways that can be used to reduce thirst and reduce risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion during fasting.
The first thing to do is to drink water constantly from sundown to dawn. This helps you rehydrate after the water loss throughout the day. The key is to not drink all your water at one time, but spread it out. Drinking too much too fast could lead to stomach problems and reduced water absorption and the best way is to drink slowly whenever not fasting. Consuming water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables helps in water absorption and hydration as well. Consumption of sugar rich drinks and fizzy liquids causes you to lose water faster and thus these should be avoided at iftar times.
Keeping cool in the shade and frequent showers reduce the heat and help reduce water loss too. Yogurt and fruits helps with intestinal issues caused by the reduction of water intake.
Good luck, and Ramadan Mubarak.
