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| The typical
Ramadan table is known to be over-extravagant. |
We have experienced much this year both personally and
globally.
Someone kicks, but we are unable to see who it is.
We can only see the consequences of that kick, and in a dazed state we
tend to lose the language to properly express what is actually
happening. Emotions build up and affect our judgement and care for
our own selves, and we either tend to try to forget or we become
stronger in acknowledgement of the value of what we are already blessed
with.
Ramadan offers us an opportunity to care for ourselves
and our life’s transaction with God. “Certainly the
creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of
the men, but mostly people do not know” (40:57).
Choose What You Eat
We tend to get into bad eating habits throughout the
year, as the momentum of the day becomes a week, a month and
finally the year has ended. Some may even shop for convenience foods
because it offers less time in the kitchen. So whilst we are improving
our economic situation and busy doing everything else, our health
deteriorates but not always visibly. What we go through emotionally and
psychologically also manifests in our deeds and in the way we eat and
what we eat.
Referring to genetically modified foods, Muzammal
Hussain argues that it is clear that genetic engineering is a process
that we do not understand in a world where everything is interconnected
(Hussain p.5). What affects one species affects another for better or
for worse.
“The sun and the moon follow a reckoning. And the
herbs and the trees do adore (Him). And the heaven, He raised it high,
and He made the balance, that you may not be inordinate in respect of
the measure. And keep up the balance with equity and do not make the
measure deficient” (Rahman 55:5-9).
Fasting and Spiritual Equilibrium
Dr. Omar Hassan Kasule tells us that, “the
definition of disease considers several dimensions that may operate
singly or in combination: moral/spiritual, biological/pathological,
psycho-social, or normative/statistical. Loss of spiritual equilibrium
is a disease in itself and soon leads to physical disease. Most diseases
involve disturbances in the equilibrium of the normal body physiology.
These biological disturbances may be within the range of normal
physiological variation or may be clearly pathological. The
psycho-social dimension of disease is associated with loss of
equilibrium and may precede or follow physical disturbances (Kasule
p.3).” Fasting is done with one’s complete will, encouraging the
entire physiological, psychological and spiritual systems to work
together.
As we try to get rid of the emotional build-up gained
throughout the year, our bodies will also want to get rid of the toxic
waste that it has been unable to eliminate. Fasting allows the digestive
tract to take a rest, and mobilizes the detoxification mechanism by
facilitating the release of hormones that stimulate the immune system.
Fasting also releases the insecticides and man-made chemicals that have
become stored in our body fat.
So instead of looking to those finely packaged goods in
the supermarket, try frequenting the grocers that sell food more readily
ascertained to be as nature intended it to be.
The Incorrect Approach
Food intake should not be excessive rendering the
onslaught of sleep soon after consumption therefore preventing us from
our duties to ourselves, each other and God.
Incorrect eating can cause:
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Indigestion
– caused by excessive eating, fried, fatty and spicy foods as well
as carbonated drinks.
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Constipation
– caused by eating too many processed foods and not enough fiber
or water consumption. Fiber rich foods include most cereal grains,
fruits and vegetables.
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Lethargy –
due to low blood pressure which can be caused by a sudden excessive
consumption of heavy starchy and fatty foods.
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Headache –
caused by lack of sleep and being overly physically active.
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Muscle
cramps – due to an inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and
potassium. Foods rich in calcium include broccoli, kidney beans,
okra, parsnips, almonds, raisins, sesame seeds and dairy products.
Magnesium rich foods include: bran, brown rice, cornmeal, cheese,
egg yolk, bananas, apples, dates, almonds, carrots, eggplant (aubergines)
and cauliflower. Potassium rich foods include: cheese, apples,
cantaloupe, apricots, pineapple, chicken, peanuts (groundnuts), cod,
beet, cabbage, cucumber and green peppers (Haffejee p.1).
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Lack of
sleep – Adequate sleep is necessary to ensure balance the next day
especially for those who go to work or a place of study. Lack of
sleep can express itself in the form of nervousness, bad headaches
and digestive problems. Sleeping after a meal also causes problems
with digestion. The final meal should be taken at least 1 – 1½
hours before the night-time sleep.
Break Your Fast the Healthy Way
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Dates
are an important part of the Ramadan break-fast.
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All the good from fasting can be undone by the sudden
intake of food. Not only this, but the body’s natural healing
mechanisms are deprived of the benefits that fasting delivers. It is
noted that healthy Ramadan practices result in the reduction of
cholesterol levels and skin conditions are much improved (al- Qalam
p.9). At the same time Iftar (the first meal taken to break the fast) is
the Ramadan breakfast and as we have always been told, breakfast is the
most important meal of the day.
Our body is mostly water and the best source of fluid
replacement is pure unadulterated water. The sunnah (prophetic
tradition) of dates and water make a wonderful combination to gently
break the fast without placing the body into a state of shock i.e. a
sudden drop in blood pressure. Dried dates contain sodium, calcium,
magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, sulfur, manganese, silicon and
chlorine. Potassium, vital to the prevention of dehydration, is
also plentiful in dates. Fresh dates in addition contain thiamin,
niacin, riboflavin, ascorbic acid and beta carotene.
In some schools of fiqh it is preferable to do the
Maghrib prayer (prayer done at sunset) before commencing the main meal.
“O children of Adam! Attend to your embellishments at every time of
prayer, and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not
love the extravagant” ( Araf 7: 31). This also proves to be
functional in terms of giving your body time to digest what it needs
from the sunnah of dates and water before eating some more.
The key word here is fiber, as fiber is slow digesting
as opposed to fast burning foods like processed and sugar-based foods.
In Yemen a typical iftar (main meal following the fast) includes a soup
of boiled oats, milk and sugar followed by shafoot (pancakes broken in
yoghurt with some spices and herbs) and samboosa (minced meat and herbs
in a pastry envelope). A balanced combination of fiber, protein, dairy,
cereal, minerals (herbs) and carbohydrates (Shabeebi p. 1).
After the Break-Fast
The time between meals should be spaced out allowing for
proper digestion. Ibn Sina (otherwise known as Avicenna to the Western
world) warned never to take one meal until the previous meal was
digested. Whatever was lacking nutritionally in the previous meal should
be compensated for in the next meal. Many recipes exist online that can
conjure up ideas.
Be careful with relaxation, for what one does can upset
the balance of what has been achieved. A bad habit that has developed in
the Middle East is a craving for shisha smoking (water pipe). In
Bahrain, 17 – 21% of Bahraini women indulge in this habit. Some people
assume that it is healthier than smoking cigarettes, but in reality it
can cause throat and lip cancer as well as cause the build-up of
poisonous gases within the stomach. This can lead to heart disease
and brain stroke (Bahrain p.1).
Suhoor (the final meal before dawn) is a mercy for those
who need that extra meal. It usually consists of a milk-based food which
is slow-digesting. Most importantly is fluid intake throughout Ramadan
that will ensure proper functioning of the kidneys and adequate
digestion. For those with diabetes, a kidney disease or those who suffer
from low blood pressure, it is recommended to consult a physician about
fasting before the Holy month begins.
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