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Fast
[the month of Ramadan] so that to heal your bodies from
diseases," says a Hadith, or saying of the Prophet Mohammad
(SAAW).
Weight
gain could be seen as one of these diseases. However, to lose
weight during Ramadan fasting must be done in a very careful
manner. There are many ahadith that give us advice on how to eat
healthy while fasting during Ramadan. However, people often
forget these healthy eating habits during Ramadan. Ironically,
as well, there are more "eating traps" during Ramadan
than any other month. So, as we struggle to be good Muslims and
fast, we may inadvertently be straying from the path of the
Prophet by breaking all rules of good health. The most common
"Ramadan pitfalls" are: Eating a large iftar (meal at
breaking of fast) right after the Maghrib azhan (sunset call to
prayer), eating unusual or new foods, too many salty foods, too
many sweet foods, increasing consumption of tea or coffee, not
sleeping enough, skipping meals, eating too much bread or other
foods, changing lifestyle habits, and reducing exercise.
Eating
a large iftar right after the azhan is not recommended in the
Hadith. The large influx of food consumed after a day of fasting
can cause the digestive system to "clog". For this
reason it is recommended that Muslims break their fast on dates
and water or a simple soup, perform the Maghrib prayer and then
eat a moderate iftar. Ideally, another small meal should then be
eaten after the Tarawih (evening prayers during Ramadan)
prayers.
Eating
a large iftar can also be a problem because it can involve
"trigger foods". Trigger foods are foods that cause
people to desire more and more of the same food. Sugar is one
popular trigger food. The opposite of "trigger foods"
are "ideal foods". You can find out your trigger foods
by observation or by visiting a naturopath. Everyone should know
what foods they are allergic to, what foods are their
"trigger" foods and what foods are their "ideal
foods".
Eating
too much is an obvious pitfall to weight loss during Ramadan.
The Qur'an says, "Eat of the good things we have provided
for your sustenance but commit no excess therein" (20:81).
Many people do not realize that they are eating more because
they try not to. However, keep in mind that the rest of the year
people usually eat a small breakfast, rush off to work or school
and then eat a small lunch and a larger dinner. Then they sleep.
In some cultures they eat a larger lunch and then a smaller
dinner. In Ramadan, however, iftar tends to be quite large and
eating can continue into the night with numerous visits to
family and friends. The morning suhur (pre-fast meal) is often
quite large as well. It helps during this time to keep an eating
diary for a "reality check". I am sorry to say that
most people in my practice that say they are not eating too much
find out otherwise when they write it down.
Eating
new or unusual foods is also a problem for weight loss during
Ramadan. In fact, making any lifestyle changes can be stressful
and contribute to weight gain. Stress can cause weight gain in
people that are susceptible to stress. If you are the type of
person who does not like change and prefers that
"everything has its place and everything is in its
place" or you are happiest at home then you are probably a
person who does not deal with the stress of change very well.
Vitamin B complex vitamins can help people deal with stress.
There are also many herbs that can help with stress.
Eating
new foods also increases the chance you may be allergic to
something you are eating. The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) said,
"The stomach is the pool of the body and the veins lead to
it. When the stomach is healthy, the veins convey health from
it: When the stomach is ill, the veins convey illness."
Foods you are allergic to can make your stomach ill, resulting
in asthma attacks, hives and weight gain. There is now
scientific proof that allergies or food sensitivities can cause
weight gain. Many people have lost enormous amounts of weight by
discovering their allergies and eliminating those foods from
their diets. Common allergens are eggs, peanuts, milk, wheat,
soy and many others.
The
types of food you chose to eat during Ramadan can also defeat
your efforts to lose weight. If you eat too many salty foods
your body will retain water and cause you to feel bloated. At
the same time, a lack of water in the body causes the body to
retain fat and other toxins more readily, as it does not have
enough fluid to "flush" toxins out of the body.
The
Qu'an clearly states, "Ye people eat of what is on earth,
lawful and wholesome" (2:168). If you eat too many
un-wholesome foods, such as processed breads and sweets, you
will gain weight. These processed and sugary foods are
"trigger foods". These foods also leach nutrients from
your body and thus cause your body to crave more food in general
because it feels very unsatisfied.
Eating
too many breads and starches can also cause weight gain. Ramadan
is often the time when women like to display and share their
cooking abilities. Breads are usually considered the mark of a
good cook and the way to display an inviting table to your
guests. However, not everyone considers bread to be the height
of good cooking. The books The Zone Diet by Barry Sears and the
McDougall Plan by Dr. McDougall explains in great detail how
starches and grains contribute to weight gain. The book Your
Health...Your Choice by Ted Morter, MD goes into even more
detail about bread, including how most grains and legumes, along
with milk and meat, contribute to the acid environment in our
body which promotes overall bad health.
The
best way to solve the problem of eating too many starches is to
make sure you eat the right proportions from the various food
groups to ensure weight loss. Imagine that you are preparing
your plate with only vegetables and you are only allowed to use
meat, milk, and grains as the condiments. Limit yourself to one
cup of any given grain per meal and use meat and milk products
as condiments. Start thinking of celery as something to spread
peanut butter on instead of bread, think of carrot sticks with
hummus instead of pita bread, and try a lettuce leaf instead of
tortilla shells. Don't give up eating breads and meat, just
de-emphasize them and save them for special dishes only. Your
goal should be to consume about 70% vegetables (and fruits, but
less of them) and 30% grains, beans, milk products and meat.
There
is also an entire category of foods that contribute to weight
loss because they are "bitters" or contain a high
percentage of water. As a rule any herb or food that is bitter
helps move fats through the system faster and more efficiently.
You must still eat these foods in moderation and correct
proportion. They are not foods you can eat unlimited amounts of.
Bitter and watery foods include: amaranth, quinoa, oats, corn,
rye, adzuki beans, cucumber, zucchini, summer squash, sweet
potatoes, celery, asparagus, kale, brussel spouts, cabbage, and
other sprouts. You can also cook with spices that help speed
your metabolism. These spices include: cardamom, cayenne,
cinnamon, ginger.
Discontinuing
exercise can also cause weight gain during Ramadan. Most people
reduce their workloads in some way stating "It's Ramadan so
I should rest." For most people, this is untrue. If you
have an unstable health condition the stress of fasting may mean
that you should be careful. However, if you are so unhealthy
that you cannot lead a normal life during Ramadan then you
should not be fasting anyway. We need to exercise to pump blood
and lymph through our bodies. The heart pumps blood but the feet
and legs pump the lymph; and the lymph glands are what help us
process and get rid of excess fats and toxins in the system. To
really get the lymph flowing you need to have a good twenty
minutes of NON-stop brisk walking. However, remember that
exercise alone may not help some people lose weight so don't get
discouraged if it does not help you. Keep in mind that you
should not overwork and that moderate exercise will at least
help you keep up your motivation to do the other therapies!
The
increase of social coffee and tea drinking also contributes to
weight gain during Ramadan. Caffeine (found in coffee, tea,
chocolate and even decaffeinated teas and coffees) can cause
weight gain in people. This is because carbonated beverages and
caffeine leach calcium from your system, which means that you
will feel less full all the time and tend to eat the wrong or
more things.
Using
some herbal teas instead of coffee and tea can also assist in
weight loss. I recommend using "single" mixtures or
weight loss mixtures that have been tested for hundreds of years
and are still in use. Many herbal weight loss formulas on the
market have been tested thoroughly, but only for short periods
of time. There is a growing pressure to create new formulas all
the time, so as a result many weight loss formulas on the market
now have not been tested for long-term effects to organ systems;
many contain shocking mixtures of various herbs that do not
combine well. Secondly, each person is unique depending on their
physiological type as well as their lifestyle and their unique
allergies or health conditions. A tea which may help one person
lose weight may cause another to gain weight. A professional
herbalist, when creating a program for you will consider the
herbs of oat straw, dandelion, alfalfa, fennel, fenugreek, milk
thistle, and other herbs that cleanse the liver or lymphatic
system. The herbalist may also recommend using some essential
oils in a bath or massage such as juniper, bergamot, citrus oil,
rosemary, or sage oil.
Surprisingly,
lack of sleep can also cause weight gain in people. And it is
common in Ramadan for people to not get enough sleep. Not
getting enough sleep can put excess stress on the body, which
can trigger weight gain.
Not
eating enough can also be a surprising cause of weight gain. Not
eating Suhur triggers a starvation response in your body, which
actually slows down your metabolism for the rest of the day.
This is like putting all that food you are eating on "slow
motion" instead of "fast". If you skip breakfast
your food will metabolize sluggishly in your system and
contribute to your weight gain.
Taking
vitamins during Ramadan may also cause weight gain. Vitamin D
supplements or Multi-vitamins contribute to weight gain. Many
people think that since they are not eating the foods they are
used to during Ramadan that they should take a vitamin
"just in case". Vitamins should never be taken for
that reason and should always be recommended by a health care
professional. Vitamins can cause damage to organs, malnutrition
or other health problems when taken inappropriately.
Last,
but not least, remember that Ramadan does not have to be the
time of year to lose weight. Don't focus on losing weight this
Ramadan. Focus on the meaning of Ramadan, follow the tenants of
good health recommended by our Prophet and you will find the
weight will come off.
For
more information on weight loss during or after Ramadan please
contact Karima Burns. There are many suggestions I could not fit
in this article such as how to do an allergy self-test, what
additional herbs for weight loss to use and how to use them, how
to use music therapy for weight loss, how to use pressure points
for acupressure & reflexology points for weight loss, what
aromas are good and bad for weight loss, and how to use gem
therapy and color therapy for weight loss. To receive your OWN
personal weight loss program including a list of your ideal
foods, ideal herbs and other personally suitable therapies: Go
to www.herbnmuslim.com
or write to me at herbnhome@yahoo.com.
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