by WAFAA AL ABRI
Ramadan is the best chance for you to adopt a healthy lifestyle and help you adjust the spiking sugar in your blood (and lose a couple of pounds along the way, too), as fasting is known for being a natural remedy for healing the body and its organs. Here’s how you can get the best out of Ramadan this year.
1. Have a well-balanced iftar
It’s better to start with 3 to 7 beads of date and drink a glass of water then have something light such as a bowl of fruit salad, homemade soup made of vegetables, broccoli and mushroom, or a bowl of warm oatmeal. Also, stick to leafy greens such as romaine lettuce and top it with your choice of protein, preferably from the brine — delicious and healthy.
2. Stick to making one dish only
For the mains, try to prepare one main dish each day such as shrimp with rice, cooked vegetables, grilled meat with mashed potatoes, chicken biryani, grilled or cooked fish with freshly-baked loaves of bread, beef pasta, chicken and mushroom with Arabic flatbread, and rice with lentil. Avoid consuming fried food as much as possible, opt for steamed or grilled
3. Find healthy alternatives to sweets
Dried fruits such as dates, as well as dark chocolate and nuts are a good choice for you if you love eating sweets; rich of fibres, vitamins and minerals. When it comes to sweetening your treats, It’s better to use honey and date syrup instead of adding sugar. You can make dates cake, it’s yummy.
4. Don’t skip suhoor
This meal will help you to stay in good health during the fasting period. It gives you the needed power and energy during fasting hours without facing any fatigue or other problems, and our prophet Mohammed told us to take extra care for suhoor meal for its great importance. Here are some good recommendations for you:
Did we mention dates? Yes, it’s a fundamental Ramadan staple, so have it at suhoor as well. it’s a great source for energy and contains glucose. Also, consume more potassium, so fruits like banana reduces thirst.
Whole grains such as oatmeal are your best choice because it has a high nutritional value, lots of filling fibre, and it is known for being digested slowly. You can also have yoghurt for some protein, calcium and vitamins. Most importantly, reduce any drinks full of caffeine, it causes nothing but dehydration and makes you thirstier than ever.
Bonus tips:
Your meal should contain all the necessary nutrients for the body.
Drink adequate amount of water between iftar and suhoor.
Do some exercises on a daily basis for half an hour, with activities such as walking.
Avoid drinking any soft drink because it contains lots of sugar and affects your health.
Avoid eating sweets and pastries on the daily.
