Fasting during the month of Ramadan is usually known as a deeply religious act for Muslims around the world, but did you know that fasting also has great health benefits?
The Ramadan fasting ritual lasts from dawn till dusk, and as such the body’s energy can be replaced in the pre-dawn and dusk meals! This prevents the breakdown of muscle for protein and provides a smooth transition to using fat as your main source of energy instead of glucose.
The use of fat for energy not only helps to increase weight loss, but it also preserves the muscles and reduces your cholesterol level. Weight loss would eventually reduce blood pressure and results in better control of diabetes.
A process of detoxification will also start due to the dissolving of toxins stored in your body’s fat. Adding to that, if you’ve ever felt more alert and clearheaded when you’re fasting, that’s because the level of endorphins produced in your blood are increased after just a few days of fasting!
However, it’s important to keep a balanced food and liquid intake in-between fasts. While your kidneys are useful in maintaining the body’s water and salts – sodium and potassium for example-, these can be lost quickly through perspiration.
It’s highly advisable to approach a planned diet during the month of Ramadan just like how you would if you weren’t fasting. To prevent the breakdown of muscles, your pre-dawn and dusk meals should contain enough energy food like fat, carbohydrates, and protein.