Staying Healthy This Ramadan

Ramadan during the summer can be a pretty tricky time. When you’re fasting all day in the blazing heat, you need to take extra care about how you manage your diet to avoid any ill effects on your health. We have a few tips to help you stay healthy and energetic this Ramadan.

1. Hydrate

Photo Credit: Konstantin Stepanov

This one seems like a no-brainer, but people often don’t drink as much water as they should. Caffeinated drinks are not a good substitute, and in fact we’d recommend avoiding them as they can dehydrate you in the long run. Stick with water as much as possible. Maybe infuse a few fruit slices or squeeze in some lemon juice to add a little zest to it.

2. Avoid Processed Foods

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When you’re hungry, junk food or processed food can provide an easy fix, but it’s not giving you any nutritional benefits. Replace the chips and candy with fresh fruits and vegetables so you can have the energy to make it through the day.

3. Eat in Color

We’ve talked before about how you need to ‘eat the rainbow’ to get the most out of your meals. Foods of different colors provide different benefits to the body, so eat as many different varieties of foods as you can instead of relying on a few staples.

4. Easy on the Salt and Spice

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Related to the point about hydration, avoid overseasoning your food, and try to avoid salty foods in general. These will only dehydrate you faster, which is especially bad over summer. Spicy foods can also cause indigestion and discomfort when you’re fasting.

5. Everything in Moderation

Perhaps the simplest tip is simply to not overindulge. After going through a long hot day of fasting, it’s tempting to gorge yourself in preparation for the next day, but it’s going to leave you feeling sluggish. We’d recommend some vegetable soups or stews along with whole grains to help you fill up without going overboard.

6. Don’t Skip Suhur

It’s tempting to miss the pre-dawn breakfast to sleep in for an extra hour or two, but it’ll leave you in bad shape for the rest of the day. Give your snooze button a break and get an early start with some healthy options like vegan oatmeal, fresh fruit smoothies and plenty of protein.

Cover Image Credit: @ccfoodtravel