Tips for healthy eating habits

As the UAE unites with the rest of the Muslim world in celebrating Ramadan, eating habits of people, typically undergo a drastic change to accommodate fasting during the holy month. Therefore, it becomes a challenge to maintain energy and alertness levels at work and other activities. To help the public maintain their health and energy in optimal condition during the holy month, Saudi German Hospital-Dubai(SGH-Dubai) has offered some advice regarding nutritional intake. Dr Maha Aledan, CEO of SGH-Dubai explained: “It is perfectly possible to observe fasting during Ramadan while maintaining a healthy balance in your performance levels, both physically and mentally. However, the public should be well aware about when, why and how to adjust their eating habits. Furthermore, we should not automatically assume that if we experience a lack of energy, it is because of the fasting. It could be due to undiagnosed issues like low blood sugar - if accompanied by other symptoms and confirmed by tests.” The body needs to adjust to the increased acid levels of the empty stomach during fasting, thus it is advisable to avoid (or at least minimize) foods that aggravate the acid levels, such as extra spicy meals and those high in caffeine. People with peptic ulcers, gastritis and similar conditions are advised to consult their doctors to formulate a healthy dietary plan. The consensus is that high fiber foods should be incorporated into the diet to prevent constipation. High consumption of water or fruit juice is also recommended between iftar and bedtime. However, consuming too much tea at suhoor (meal consumed early in the morning before fasting) is discouraged, as the body may discharge valuable mineral salts needed during the day. Fluid intake is particularly crucial to prevent kidney stones, dehydration, digestive irregularity and other conditions. For those experiencing muscle cramps, the remedy is to increase the intake of foods rich in magnesium, calcium and potassium. From a medical perspective, the best foods for Ramadan are those that digest slowly, like grains and legumes. The rationale is that, such foods keep energy high and appetite low during fasting, taking up to 8 hours to completely digest - whereas fast digesting foods only last 3-4 hours. According to Dr Maha if people go to the other extreme of over-consumption to tackle hunger, the results could be the exact opposite of what they intended: “Over-consumption of food at suhoor could result in the individual feeling even hungrier or weaker during the day, as the body accelerates its metabolism to cope with the increased intake. Another common mistake is to avoid exercise or physical activity during Ramadan, as some fear that they don’t have the energy to sustain it. But on the contrary, light exercise like walking and cycling actually helps you to stay fitter and more alert for the long evening prayer or taraweeh. Also, it goes without saying that we should maintain a healthy balance of vital nutrient groups.” From : Khalij