Eat Right during RAMADAN:

Fasting during Ramadan can be a cause of serious dehydration due to lack of water
during the day and muscle loss due to changes in the regular diet and timings of meals.

If you are diabetic and fast during Ramadan, you need to take steps to avoid hypoglycaemia and hyperglycemia. Follow doctor’s instructions carefully and check glucose levels twice while fasting and once after breaking the fast.

During Ramadan:

- Eat food items like grains, barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, bran, green peas, apricots, prunes and almonds.

- Avoid big meals and eat slowly.

- Drink juice to avoid digestive problems.

- Avoid deep fried food and red meat as it causes acidity and digestion problems.

- Have proper protein intake.

- Avoid hypoglycemia (low sugar level in blood).

Start the day with water followed by vegetable sandwiches or oats with veggies and nuts. In the  evenings, break your fast with water again and eat dates and fruits as well. After the prayers, take rice, rotis, salad, vegetables, dhall or chicken.

It is important to eat a good amount of vegetables to provide enough nutrition to the body. If you have a sweet craving , satisfy it by including fruits in your meal as it will help digest the food better.

Include fibre and protein-rich foods.

Avoid eating fried, oily and heavy food items as they cannot be easily digested and can make your stomach bloated later.

 Start your day with:

oats /brown rice/roties made of  wheat, ragi, jowar fruits, and nuts Milk, curds, and buttermilk.

 Break your fast with fruits and opt for the following:

 salad/ soup

chicken/ fish – steamed, boiled, grilled, roasted or paneer green veggies or mix  vegetables

 Drink plenty of water before you sleep to rehydrate yourself and rest well to rejuvenate
your body for the next day’s fast.

It is safe to exercise during Ramadan . Exercise at the right time and at low to moderate intensity .

Exercises recommended:

1. Walking or cycling helps burn calories and improve stamina.

2. Low intensity resistance training helps to maintain muscle strength.

3. Full body stretching helps to improve flexibility and also in detoxification.

4. Floor exercises like free squats, push-ups, calf raises etc improves functional activities.

5. Yoga and meditation help in detoxification.

6. Exercise for 20 to 40 minutes.

7. Don't exercise during the fasting phase. Exercise either before or after the meal. Exercising during fasting will burn muscles.

8. Avoid high intensity exercises like high speed running, stepper, heavy weight lifting, high intense group classes as it can lead to joint or muscle injuries and complications like low blood pressure,hypoglycemia, dizziness, etc.

Dietary fibre in diabetes:

Although high dietary fibre can cause occasional adverse GI effects, serious chronic adverse effects have not been observed . However, If you have diabetes and have been advised to increase the fibre
content in your diet, I am sure you would like to know the reasons why. Here are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions.:)

1. How will increasing dietary fibre help me?

Foods rich in fibre are usually low in fat and energy. They need to be chewed well and so take a longer time to eat. They are more filling. It takes a longer time to digest fibre rich foods and they attract water and give a feeling of fullness.

2. Why is whole fruit better than the fruit juice?

Whole fruit provides the maximum fibre. A large apple, ½ cup of apple sauce and ¾ cup apple juice provide the same number of calories but the apple sauce has 2 g of fibre, apple juice provides 0.2 g fibre but the whole fruit contains 5 g fibre.

3. How does dietary fibre help in managing diabetes?

Certain fibres may delay absorption of glucose and smooth out the blood glucose response thus preventing spurts in blood glucose levels .

4. How does fibre lower blood cholesterol?

Dietary fibre binds bile acids that are produced in the in the GI tract from cholesterol in the liver and prevents them from being reabsorbed into the body. New bile acids have to be made in the liver thereby reducing blood cholesterol levels.

Bacterial fermentation in the large intestines may also prevent formation of cholesterol.

5. Why does high intake of whole grains lower the risk of heart disease?

Whole grain contains fibre as well as anti -oxidants which protect against cellular damage that can cause heart disease. Consuming at least three 1- oz. servings of whole grains every day can reduce risk of heart disease . It is possibly the combination of compounds found in grains rather than any one component that provides the protective effects.

6.. How does fibre keep the GI tract healthy?

Cellulose from cereal grains promotes healthy GI functioning.

Fibre speeds up the passage of food thru the intestinal tract promoting regularity. Ample fluid intake plus high fibre helps prevent and treat constipation, swelling of the rectal vein, and development of pouches on the intestinal wall.

7. Does high fibre have any negative effects on health?

High dietary fibre can cause problems especially if taken within a short period. If you increase fibre, increase water as well to prevent stool becoming hard and impacted. Too much fibre can also increase intestinal gas and bloating. This can be prevented by increasing fibre gradually over several weeks and drinking plenty of fluids.

High fibre may also bind small amounts of minerals especially zinc, calcium and iron, in the GI tract and prevent their absorption.

Young children and elderly may become full before meeting energy and nutrient requirements. They should be careful as they have limited stomach capacity.