HOLY MONTH FAST MAY BE FIRST STEP TO BETTER HEALTH

▶ Medical experts say abstaining from eating can add sense of physical wellbeing to spiritual contentment

The practice of fasting during Ramadan is one focused on peace and self-reflection, but doctors say that when it is done cautiously and under medical supervision, this can also provide health benefits throughout the year.

Medical experts typically advise that children, teenagers, pregnant women and people with diabetes or other chronic health conditions requiring medication avoid fasting.

Anyone with a history of eating disorders should also take regular meals, they said.

Health benefit claims for taking prolonged pauses between meals include an extended lifespan, short-term increases in growth hormones and even a slowdown of ageing.

However, there is still limited understanding of what happens to the human body during the fasting process.

“Fasting has a lot of benefits on the physical health and also mental health,” said Dr Mohamed Omar, an internal medicine specialist at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

“When fasting, psychologically it teaches you how to behave and have control. From the physiological aspect, it clears the body of toxins.

“It helps you control your diet and, for people who want to lose weight, it teaches you discipline to adjust meal times.”

Increasing protein and fibre in the diet, and drinking more water than usual in between fasts is recommended by doctors to stay healthy during Ramadan. Exercise regimes should also be adapted to ensure activity is not performed at the end of a long period of fasting, to avoid dehydration or other complications.

“Intermittent fasting allows your body to use stored fats, burning the excess in your body,” said Dr Omar.

“When fasting, the recommendation is to add some complex carbohydrates like beans or pulses that remain in your stomach, preventing hypoglycaemic attacks during daytime.”

In January, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said a weekly 36-hour fast – during which he consumes only water, tea and sugar-free drinks – helps him maintain the required discipline to deal with a busy government schedule.

Not eating from 5pm on a Sunday to 5am on the following Tuesday may seem like an extreme example of intermittent fasting, but medical experts said shorter periods can have health benefits.

Munawara Yahaya, clinical dietitian at the Nabta Health Clinic in Dubai, said fasting is generally safe if done with care.

“During Ramadan, I always suggest when you start in the early morning, women need to add more probiotics and protein, to keep their gut healthy for the entire day,” said Ms Yahaya.

“It is important to maintain regular blood sugar levels when they add more probiotics like kimchi, yoghurt or curd, and it is important to hydrate before the actual fasting starts.”

Outside of Ramadan, fasting has become popular among

Periods of fasting help digestion. It allows the body to naturally detox, acting like a catalyst for our metabolism MUNAWARA YAHAYA

Dietitian

those seeking a healthier lifestyle, or perhaps looking to lose some weight.

Popular regimes include the 5:2 fast, where calories are restricted to 500 for women and 600 for men, twice a week, and the eat-stop-eat fast that equates to a complete 24-hour fast once or twice a week.

Another popular pattern is the 16:8 fast which involves only consuming food in an eight-hour window, then fasting for 16 hours a day, each day of the week.

Ms Yahaya said eating the right food can be as important as the fast itself when trying to maximise health benefits.

“People can help gut preparation for digestion after a period of fasting by eating fibre first, then protein,” Ms Yahaya said.

“Generally, periods of fasting help digestion.

“It allows the body to naturally detox, acting like a catalyst for our metabolism by increasing enzyme production to help the liver and kidneys.”

Ms Yahaya said that it also helps control blood sugar levels and protect against severe medical conditions like cancer or neurodegenerative diseases.

“While regular fasting can have benefits, it can be difficult to maintain,” she added.

“People often feel more hungry, so tend to overeat.

“This is quite common during Ramadan and usually leads to an urge to eat more sugary foods so people need to be careful.”

For Muslims who remove the distraction of food during the holy month, empathy with the less fortunate is a benefit.

“Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam imposed on Muslims. It increases piety and makes people feel for their fellow humans who may be hungry,” Dr Ahmed Al Haddad, the Grand Mufti of Dubai, told The National.

He said that in addition to health benefits, fasting helps to bring Muslims closer to God, practise patience and focus on issues that feed the soul.