Ramadhan : Health Tips and Guidelines

Alhamdulillah, Ramadhan is upon us once again – may Allah accept and grant barakah to all our deeds this month.

The following is a brief sharing on some health tips and guidelines that I personally adhere to, to get the highest level of productivity and efficiency – based on my research, limited knowledge, and proven experience upon practicing them myself. They are by no means exhaustive; rather what I perceive as priorities which I personally adhere to as best I can, bearing in mind to get the best productivity especially during this blessed month of Ramadhan:

Outline:

1. Introduction – Our Health : an Amanah (trust) from Allah
2. Food and dietary guidelines – cut sugar, more fiber/vege/fruits, more protein, exercise restraint
3. Exercise and workout #RamadhanIsNotAnExcuse
4. Stay well Hydrated
5. Managing Sleep

1.    OUR HEALTH : AN AMANAH (TRUST) FROM ALLAH

While we are certainly in constant need for spiritual reminders, we should also be reminded to take care of our own physical health: for, it is with these bodies that we are gifted and entrusted by Allah to worship Him and to perform our duties to seek His Pleasure: for our prayers, reciting Qur’an, giving in charity, conveying da’wah, and so forth.
Our physical body – as robust and versatile as He made it – is the one and only we will ever have, and it is incumbent upon us to fulfill our amanah (trust) to take the conscious decision and efforts to take care of it to make best of its full potential.

The Prophet ﷺ said
 فَإِنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا
“Verily, your body has a right upon you” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

In another hadith, he also said
نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ
“There are two blessings in which most of mankind are cheated of, or incur a loss (maghbun) – good health and free time” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The meaning of ‘maghbun’ literally refers to capital in a business – which, when not utilized carefully, unknowingly ‘disappears’ an eventually incurs a loss and causes regret: by which when the time occurs, may be too late.

Our Prophet also made du’aa (supplication) to Allah the following du’aa – three times in the morning and three times in the evening, every single day :

اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَدَنِي اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي سَمْعِي اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَصَرِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
“O Allah! Grant me health in my body. O Allah! Grant me good hearing. O Allah! Grant me good eyesight. There is none worthy of worship except You.”
(Excerpt of hadith narrated in Abu Daud, classified hasan by Al-Albani)

Just as we are encouraged to ask Allah six times daily to grant us good health – we must fulfill our side of the bargain and put in the effort.



2. FOOD AND DIETARY GUIDELINES

My priority for my food guidelines in Ramadhan are –
1.    Achieve good satiation, energy levels and feel good throughout the day
2.    Not feel tired or sleepy during taraweeh prayers
3.    Maintain good overall health and well-being

a.    CUT THE SUGAR

In general, reduce – if not eliminate – added sugars from all your food. Refrain from sweetened drinks and fruit juices (Absolutely NO carbonated drinks), and most desserts (with the exception of no sugar added desserts). 

The biggest reason is how sugar can have a direct negative impact upon your worship, especially taraweeh and Fajr prayers.

High amounts of sugar causes a huge spike in your blood sugar – and consdering the rest of the day which you did not have anything to eat or drink, it is likely to come down crashing down really quick – causing us to feel exhausted, lethargic and sleepy : which hits hard during taraweeh, and makes us sleepy immediately after Fajr/Subuh prayers (or na’udzubillah, even before Fajr and make it miss it entirely)

For the same reason I also greatly reduce my intake of other refined carbohydrates (e.g. rice, pasta, bread, pastry) – I still do consume them (hey, I am Malay after all) : just in reduced and moderate quantities.
Sugars and refined carbohydrates are form of ‘quick energy’ – which means that although it quickly fills you up, you also quickly feel hungry not long after (when the blood sugar crashes). Contrast this to a high protein meal (which we will get to later) – you feel full and satiated and filled for much longer.

In replacement your sugary cravings, instead eat more whole fruits – in all its fibrous glory – but not fruit Juices. Fruit juices typically strip away the fiber.

b.    MORE FIBER
In general, increase your fiber intake – fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts.

Fiber supports digestion, controlling your blood sugar, lowering cholestrol levels (according to the American Dietetic Association); plus. Fiber also helps you feel full longer – which is an especially added bonus as far as fasting is concerned. 
Connsistently consuming fruits and vege also means you fill up on those important vitamins and micronutriens/minerals : which is very important in maintaining your overall health and energy levels throughout the day.

My typical staples : broccoli, apples, oranges, pear, carrot, dates, dark chocolate

c.    MORE PROTEIN

Besides being the primary building block for our muscles, Protein makes you feel full for much longer, helping you control hunger and cravings – thus makes you feel better throughout your fasting days. 
Speaking of spikes in blood sugar, studies have also shown that protein can slow down absorption of sugar during a meal – which in turn prevents spikes in blood glucose, hence keeping your appetite and mood in check.

Besides that as well, amongst the three macronutrients – carbohydrates, protein and fat – protein has the highest thermic effect: i.e. the caloric cost of digesting and processing different macronutrients in your diet. Which means that the net caloric value of protein is essentially reduced by 20-35%, which in turn helps keep your weight in check.
Feel full longer and get leaner – nice.

In general, any meats are good sources of protein, but for sahur, some quick and ‘easy’ protein sources are eggs and canned tuna.
It is also worth considering Casein Protein, which is protein extracted from milk and acts as a form of slow-digesting protein : releasing protein into the bloodstream throughout a steady pace of 8-hours after.

d.    EXERCISE RESTRAINT
Last - and certainly not least - is to always exercise restraint, with regards to eating in Ramadhan. Especially during iftar. 

As the cliché saying goes – and hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – “this is a month of fasting, not feasting”.

On a serious note – Allah says in a hadith qudsy,

يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الصَّوْمُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَأَكْلَهُ وَشُرْبَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي
“The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his desires, food and drink for My Sake” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

If we indulge in our eating desires – even if they are ‘halal’ – then we kind of defeat the purpose of fasting : which is training to restrain ourselves.
Now having said that, there is no harm at all in eating nice foods: but eat healthy and in moderation.
We should have a paradigm shift and minset change with regards to eating : As much as food is “pleasure” to us, we should think of food as a means of providing essential nutrients and fueling our worship.

So do not fill your body up with junk or non-nutritious stuff – as they say, ‘empty calories’. Eat whole foods (i.e. “real food” - Google this up to get more info). As engineering people like to speak about their simulation tools : “Garbage in, garbage out”

And moderation is key. In Ramadhan we have a tendency to stuff in a lot of food during iftar – and without knowing it, those calories can easily stack up and ironically cause weight GAIN. So be wary of what you consume; you don’t necessarily have to track your calories (though that does help), but take it easy, brother : Remember, it takes time for your food to digest for you to feel satiated – so keep calm, eat and drink in moderation as theProphet Muhammad ﷺ advised:

مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلاَتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ
“The son of Adam does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath." (Narrated by At-Tirmidzi)

This is precisely why we rarely ever go to Ramdhan Bazaars unless absolutely necessary. Going to Ramadhan bazaars in that state of thirst/hunger after Asar, looking at all those yummy rare foods that ironically only appear during the month of Ramadhan – you have a tendency to let loose “the halal desires within”: and you end up with overeating, or worse yet : wastage. 

Remember, Allah says:

وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
“And eat and drink – but do not be extravagant. Indeed, He (Allah) does not Love those who are extravagant” (Surah Al-A’raf, verse 31)

وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا ﴿٢٦﴾ إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا
“And do not spent wastefully – verily those who are wasteful are the brothers of the Shayatin. And Shaytan is ever ungrateful to His Lord” (Surah Al-isra, verse 26-27)

Also a word of advice on iftar buffet meals - be very wary of the timing, especially with regards to our obligatory prayers of Maghrib and isha. There is a tendency we miss our jamaah prayers attending these buffets : especially isha prayers, so you want to make sure you don't fall into this trap. 
Our 5-daily obligatory are our utmost priority (even more so than the fasting itself) - so don't allow your food indulges to compromise with regards to this matter!





3.    STAY HYDRATED

It is very important to stay well-hydrated throughout the non-fasting evening period. These are the guidelines I follow:

• Minimum : 2-3 litres of plain water per day, if not more.
• At least 500mL – 1 litre during iftar (before maghrib, before dinner)
• Try to refrain drinking during dinner itself to avoid stomach upset
• Have at least 1 litre of water accessible during taraweeh – drink sips in between salams
• At least 500mL before sahur meal
• Refrain from sweet/sugary drinks

What makes us tired and lethargic during the days of fasting isn’t the lack of food – rather, it’s dehydration and lack of water.

Since October 2016, I have been implementing Intermittent Fasting (IF) and I have been doing this every day (besides the Islamic shar’i fasts such as in Ramadhan). During this >1.5 years of IF – I would fast between 16 – 22 hours a day every day; however the biggest difference between IF and the Islamic shar’ie Fasting is that in IF, you can drink water and non-caloric beverages, such as black coffee and green tea. And what I did realize is, if you maintain well hydrated throughout the day, you actually don’t really feel very hungry or tired – even after 20 hours of not eating anything.
In contrast with the Islamic fasting in Ramadhan, where we only fast for about 13 to 14 hours, there is a tendency to feel weak and exhausted by the afternoon. The only real difference here is the hydration, so the key is to maintain that well.

Some other tips which others advise (though I haven’t tried them long enough to vouch for their effectiveness) :

• Reduce foods high in sodium – sodium triggers thirst
• Eat foods that are high in potassium (e.g. bananas) – potassium provides essential electrolytes to retain water and suppress thirst
• Eat fruits high in water content (e.g. watermelon)

4.    EXERCISE AND WORKING OUT #RamadhanIsNotAnExcuse

Exercise! Ramadhan is not an excuse, my friend. These are some guidelines I follow:

• Keep exercises short in duration (less than 45 minutes). Too long duration will leave you feeling dehydrated and exhausted - and tired during taraweeh prayers later the evening. Some simple suggestions: short HIIT workouts such as 7-minute workout or Tabata workout (many routines available for free online) – these are very practical: short and easy to follow, do not require any additional equipment
• Best time to exercise : after Asar, before maghrib (i.e. aim to finish not long before iftar). Night time : not an option, leave the nights only for meals (iftar/dinner/sahur), worship and sleep. Morning : not recommended, may leave you feeling thirsty, dehydrated and spoil your day.
• Lessons learnt : no long distance running / jogging – feel very dehydrated
• Focus on strength + cardio – I personally follow bodyweight training following the Freeletics Bodyweight app which reaps the benefits of both
• Many people advise against going high intensity, but I personally don’t see an issue – unless you haven’t been used to it, don’t start now

Yes, exercise in Ramadhan isn’t only doable – it is highly recommended. As Sheikh Assim pointed out, it is actually very common in Saudi Arabia for 50-plus year old men to be playing basketball for hours while fasting. Heh.

I experimented exercise in Ramadhan since 2016, beginning with simpler workouts (7-minute workout), then ramping up the difficulty with multiple sets, before going full-swing HIIT circuits in 2017 – comprising of bodyweight workouts such as pushups, squats, pull-ups, burpees and so on.

Having said that however, if you are not used to high intensity workout, I do not suggest you start in Ramadhan, as it may take a toll on your body – take light walks and do light cardio instead. Your priority is your worship.  
 
Interestingly, I found myself feel less hungry after a workout (Probably the adrenaline rush?). The only real challenge is the overcoming the mental barrier to stop procrastinating and START the workout. 


Working out after Asar – towards the end of your fast – also has added fat loss benefits. After 11-12 hours of fasting and depleting your glycogen stores (your sugar/quick energy sources), your body starts switching to its fat stores to utilize ketone as the energy sources – i.e. fat burning. Allahu Akbar.

It is also worth addressing regarding a common myth or worry regarding muscle loss during fasting. Studies have shown that fasting in fact results in the body secreting elevated levels of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) – which not only preserves lean muscle, but actually helps to BUILD muscle with the right nutrition.




5.    MANAGING SLEEP: GET AS MUCH SLEEP AS REASONABLY PRACTICAL
And herein lies one of the most difficult challenges in Ramadhan : managing your sleep times. On one hand, we need a good amount of quality sleep every night to maintain good health – and function ‘normally’ the following day. On the other hand, this is practically very difficult to achieve as Ramadhan nights are also the busiest – with the iftar, taraweeh and sahur.
Here are some guidelines I live by:

• Night times are reserved for four things : eating, sleeping, worship, and family chores. No social media, newspapers, chit chat, or other entertainment time-wasters.
• Try to get a good 5-6 hours at night
• Take short power naps in the afternoon where possible (i.e. Qaylula) – after zuhur. Power naps only, do not exceed 20-30 minutes: you’ll wake up feeling fresh and energized. Sleeping more than this duration might get us into deep sleep and by the time we wake up we feel groggy, unsatisfied and hungrier. This kind of naps – Qaylula – isn’t only a sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, but in fact is something he himself recommended. He said:

قِيلوا فإن الشياطين لا تُقِيلُ
“Take afternoon naps (Qaylula) – for verily, shaytan does not perform qaylula” (Narrated by Abu Nu’aim in At-Tibb; graded hasan by Al-Albani)

• As much as possible, refrain from sleeping after Fajr prayers – I noticed that when sleeping on a filled stomach (i.e. sahur) in the morning, it is very tiring to wake up and feels terrible afterwards: feeling both sleepy and hungry: sometimes for the rest of the day
• If necessary to sleep in the morning, go ahead but try not to do so immediately after Fajr (especially on weekends/holidays) – complete some daily chores and delay it slightly before hitting the bed

The dilemma, of course, lies in trying to balance healthy amount of sleep and to also maximize the blessings (barakah) of this month by waking up earlier and performing acts of worship during the hours of ashar (the last third of the night) – for Allah informs us of the Muttaqun (the people of taqwa / righteousness), their habit was :

كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
“They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope]. And the ashar (in the final hours before dawn, i.e. the last third of the night), they ask (Allah) for forgiveness” (Surah Adz-Dzariyat, verse 17-18)

This holds especially through for the Last 10 nights of Ramadhan – where it is highly encouraged for us to spend the nights in worship as per the practice of the Prophet.

I find that if the best practical solution and advice is to take leave for the sake of Alllah : start your  leave early before Eid so you can make the best of the final few nights –
This is in contrast to the practice many people do which is to take long leave AFTER Eid: when you just spend your days eating. And eating.



So these are some of the  basic health tips and guidelines I follow throughout Ramadhan. 

I am sure that this will have some tweaks as I learn more on the subject matters. Please do add suggestions if you have any – and share if you find this beneficial. 

May Allah continually grant good health to us all to fulfill our obligations and grant us the capability to make the best of this month to maximize in acts which He is Pleased with - and may Allah grant acceptance and barakah to all our good deeds and make us amongst the people of taqwa. Amin.


أبو معاوية

-AM.FAL-