Nutritionist Saumya Satakshi gives dietary suggestions to follow during fasting
What to eat & avoid
long hours of fasting during the dreadful summer days can cause weakness and dehydration. One should ditch caffeine and tea and instead opt for healthy summer drinks which are not only healthy but will keep you refreshed during the entire day. Go for chaas, saunf sherbet, bael sherbet, coconut water.
Opt for low fat milk in shakes and sweet dishes to keep your stomach light.
Soak the dry fruits before consuming them for better absorption of nutrients. Also limit the intake of dry fruits during this period as they generate a lot of heat and excess use can cause problems in these already high temperatures.
Take time to plan your two meals — Iftar & Sehri. Try to balance your carb, protein, fibre and fat intake in these two meals. Excess intake of protein and fibre can leave you thirsty all day. It can also lead to constipation, if your water intake is low.
Keep changing your cooking oil between two to three varieties to get proper nutrients like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Have ajwain with water before going to bed to aid digestion and have a healthy stomach.
To beat the heat, opt for sparkling water or detox water. This will help you stay hydrated. Add slices of cucumber, mint leaves, slices of lemon, and fruits of your choice to water and give a nice mix. Drink the awesome portion to stay fresh.
Try to consume more and more fresh fruits. This will give you the required amount of dietary fibre, save you from constipation and keep you full for longer.
Instead for deep frying use airfryer or grilling to give the tasty fasting food a healthy twist.
Diabetic people can also relish the sugary treats by using stevia to make sweets for all.
A cup of chamomile tea can help induce sleep and reduce stress.
Try making yummy popsicles and kulfi for kids, a healthy indulgence for long fasting summer days.
Avoid too much spice and oil while preparing meals as this can trigger digestive issues.
Try making curd and paneer at home.
Avoid health hazards
By Dr Deepak Parashar
Ramadan does demand rigorous fasting as no food or even a sip of water is allowed during the daytime. One is only allowed to eat once the sun sets in. The same is observed for a period of 30 days. Several studies have proved that fasting is good for health and can help detoxify the body but in few cases, fasting can have serious side effects on health. People, especially elderly and those already having some health issues, should be extra cautious about their health. The following health issues could either get triggered or complicate due to fasting:
Diabetes
A diabetic person observing Ramzan fast has a high risk to suffer fluctuations in the body glucose level.
Hypertension
People suffering from high blood pressure have to take medicines timely, as skipping can cause serious repercussions.
Thyroid
For someone who is on a regular course of thyroid medication, improper or untimely intake of medication can cause hormonal imbalance in the body.
Dehydration
Fasting for long hours without any food or water during the horridly hot weather can cause few health complications like dehydration.
Stomach problems
long hours of empty stomach can cause stomach discomfort and gastric problems like bloating, stomach ache and gas to name a few.
Cholesterol
The food consumed during fasting are usually loaded with fat and are deep fried.
Weakness
Not everyone can afford to stay on an empty stomach for long hours. long hours deficit of food and water can also cause weakness in many.
— The writers are doctor from Healthians