Your Ramadan Fast

Ramadan is a blessed month in the Muslim calendar. It is obligatory for Muslims to observe fast this month. Every year, I spend several weeks before Ramadan counseling my patients about the safety of their fasting and any special precautions they need in diet, medication, and lifestyle to observe the fast.Here are some frequently asked health questions about fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. I have attempted to answer these questions based on Quranic verses, Hadith, Shariyah, and evidence-based medical literature.Doctor, I regularly fast during Ramadan. Could you give me advice on my diet?To remain healthy during Ramadan, regular quantities of food from the major food groups (bread and cereal, milk and dairy products, fish, meat and poultry, beans, vegetables, and fruit) should be consumed. Fruit intake after a meal is strongly suggested. High-fiber diets have an excellent effect on our satiety and are most suited for Ramadan.Given the long hours of fasting, we should consume the so-called ‘complex carbohydrates’ or slow-digesting foods at Suhoor so that the food lasts longer (about 8 hours) and makes us less hungry during the day. Such foods include grains and seeds, namely barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, whole-meal flour, and unpolished rice. In addition, I can take skinless chicken, fish, low-fat dairy products, fresh vegetables, and fruits.