No doubt, Allah Almighty blesses every fast observer with special patience and self-control power to complete the fasting process. Still, some new Muslims, health sensitive people and hard-working employees find it difficult to observe fast normally for a longer period of time. The following are some common problems that such fast observes usually face and the time tested tips to make them have easy fasting during Ramadan.
Steps for easy fasting during Ramadan:
1- Some people start feeling heartburn two to three hours ago Iftar time. Mostly, they have a problem with the digestive system or have quite big bodies to feed. Observations have revealed that eating two to three dates at the Sehri time reduces this problem to a considerable extent.
2- Almost every fast observer just starts drinking water madly after Iftar because the thirst is almost out of control. This creates health problems and dullness. Making a date-shake in the Iftar and drinking a couple of glasses satisfies this thirst to a considerable extent.
3- Those who are engaged in rigorous mental or physical activity throughout the day also start feeling intense starving in the last hours. Just make sure that you are always in ablution and after every hour or so recite the Holy Durud for about 5-10 minutes, closing your eyes and resting your head in a comfortable position. Durud, when recited with too much attention, decreases the blood pressure and sets breathing to a very light, smooth rhythm. This reduces the calorie break-down, resulting in lesser loss of energy; keeping you energetic and fresh for a longer period of time.
Ramadan Kareem comes with lots of gifts and blessings. But, sometimes, it really becomes difficult for some people to fulfill all the requirements of fasting in their toleration limits. The above tips may help in making things easier and happy.
Happy Fasting!
2- Benefits of taking protein-rich and fatty food recipes in Summer Ramadan Sehri
Summer Sehri During Ramadan Kareem, Muslims abstain from drinking or eating anything orally from dawn to the evening prayer. The fasting period keeps on changing depending upon the time in the year when this month starts. During winter the fasting period is about 8-10 hours at maximum. Less desire for water and this short time period coupled with long nights to take rest make the winter fasts easier than the rest. During spring and autumn, the fasting period is about 10-12 hours, making fast still less challenging. But, the long, hot, dry and sweating fasts of summer are really a great big challenge. The fasting period varies between 14-17 hours with short nights to prepare for the next one.
In this scenario, the diet and nutrition during Ramadan play a great big role in making it easier and really beneficial for the fast observers. You have lesser time to prepare the Sehri and have to make it a sufficient one for such a long period of time. Foods that produce filling effect in the stomach for a longer period of time, expanding the hunger toleration span are the ideal ones for summer Ramadan. Usually, saturated carbohydrates and proteins take most long to get digested and stay in the stomach and gut most of the time.
So, half-fried eggs or an omelet with a good amount of onion, cabbage, tomato, and green chili serve best as a sauce. Coupling them with the twisted loaves having saturated fats filled in the twists and then fried in the fats as well (Ghee or Bal Wale Parathe), can keep you easy for about 10 hours. Eating a couple of dates will help fight starving and heartburn. Similarly, meat, milk and other protein and carbohydrate-rich foods will also help.
3-Best Iftar drink recipes for Summer Ramadan
All of the expert nutritionists believe unanimously that the drink on the Iftar table should be from a natural resource. Do not fill your stomach with pure water as it may make it painful and uneasy. At the same time avoid taking artificial drinks. Following three are the best homemade drinks for the Ramadan Iftar table:
1- Lemon squeezed in normal water:
Just take a normal glass of water (250 ml), add a teaspoon of sugar and salt in it. Then take a normal-sized lemon and squeeze the juice in that mixture. Chill up to a normal level and take two glasses after the little interval.
2- Chilled brown sugar drink:
Just take a glass of water and add about one tablespoon of brown sugar in it, chill to a normal extent and you can enjoy two glasses after some interval of time.
3- Milk drink or the all-powerful Lassi:
Just take a one-third glass of water and add two tablespoons of milk in it. Shake it well while adding a teaspoon of salt or sugar or half teaspoon of both. Chill and enjoy at least two glasses after a short interval.
4- Go for milkshakes of your choice:
You can enjoy milkshake of any seasonal fruit, especially dates as they help in fighting thirst attacks. But, make sure to keep them light and chilled to a normal extent.
All of the above drinks are just matchless in their effectiveness as Iftar drinks. They satisfy the thirst, turn on the digestive system quite safely and smoothly and are free from any other health hazard. Moreover, they remind us of the lesson to be simple and healthy in our drinking habits.
5- Best Iftar food recipe for Summer Ramadan
Iftar is the time to collect the first reward of fasting the whole day. But, most of us just jeopardize all of the benefits that we gathered after so many struggles during the whole day. This devastation process starts with food. Our stomach is the first victim of our carelessness. This is because we usually tend to have fried, roasted and too heavy food items on our Iftar table. Just switching the menu over to a healthier one can help in getting the most out of the fast.
1- Include yogurt in your menu. You can add it in many ways. In the sub-continent, we just go for a homemade dish known as “Pakorian“. Just take two cups of yogurt, shale it well adding a couple of tablespoons of milk. Add two, chopped, boiled potatoes, chopped medium-sized tomato, chopped medium-sized onion(dipped in salty water and rubbed well to exclude stench), a small cup of boiled white grains, a cup of chopped cabbage and boiled “Pakorian” (You can have them from any nearby store).
2- Go for fruit and vegetable salads without cream and mayonnaise. Just chop all the items, sprinkle salt, black pepper and squeeze lemon juice or add a tablespoon of olive oil and you are done. You can have two normal sized cups at a time of these salads.
3- If you can’t go without the roasted and fried things, just avoid using ketchup or other such readymade sauces with them. Replace them with the homemade sauces. Just take a bunch of mints and separate the leaves. Wash them; add in the grinder with half medium-sized onion, tomato, a couple of green chilies, half green mango or tamarind extract (dip the tamarind seeds in water for 30 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind seeds in the water so hard that the seeds get separated from the peel and the pulp. Filter the extract for seeds and use it) and a tablespoon of salt. Grind the mixture and use it along with the fried or the roasted things or add one tablespoon in one normal cup of shook yogurt. This mixture boosts the stomach’s digestive ability and helps it take a comfortable start after such a long period of time.
Keep in mind that these are the starters. You can go with the heavy dinner after an hour or so. Ramadan teaches us the lesson to be simple in our eating habits and remain as close to nature as possible. Just make things easy for everybody and everything around you to get most out of this training session; resulting in a flexible and easy to go with society at the end.
