Common Unhealthy Habits to Avoid During Ramadan

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According to Dr. Wael Bashir, a family physician, the month of Ramadan may have some improper practices such as staying up late and eating fatty meals, as well as drinking water frequently during the night hours. Many people assume that drinking too much water during Ramadan keeps the body from thirsting yet drinking too much water during suhoor actually boosts kidney function and increases the desire to urinate. This can make you thirsty throughout Ramadan and make you dehydrated.

For suhoor, he said, it is preferable to eat water-rich fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, grapefruit, pineapple, apples, cucumbers, and lettuce, which progressively secrete water while fasting. During Ramadan, it is also a bad idea to drink cold water right after iftar because it reduces blood flow to the stomach and intestine, which can lead to digestive problems like diving or contractions, according to nutritionists. Instead, nutritionists recommend drinking lukewarm water at room temperature after iftar or drinking milk with dates.

He stated that the iftar meal should be simple, such as soup and dates, and that Taraweeh is the main meal after evening prayers. Suhoor, the third meal before dawn, should be light, like yogurt and cucumber, or as the fruit suggested. According to him, eating sweets shortly after iftar contributes to a rise in body fat, obesity, and cholesterol. If some people want to eat sweets, they can do so after the Taraweeh prayers and just a small piece at a time.

He went on to say that during Ramadan, people should eat a lot of fruit. Fruits are high in vitamins and mineral salts, which the body requires during Ramadan, and they help in weight loss and obesity prevention. He also cautioned against consuming extra salt and spices, which cause the body to lose water, resulting in thirst and an erratic pulse during Ramadan.

He noted that many people associate Ramadan with food, particularly the fatty meals eaten at night, which have an effect on sleep by lengthening the time required for the body to sleep. He also mentioned that employment starts later during Ramadan, and marketplaces are more open late at night, as well as an increase in family and friend gatherings after the fast is broken.

He also warned about the dangers of sleep deprivation, which can affect practically every aspect of our life, particularly because an adult needs 7 to 8 hours of good sleep every day. He went on to say that current research suggests that sleep disturbances may have a role in heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.