Medical Benefits of Ramadan

Most Muslims do not fast because of Ramadan, it is beneficial for one's entire
medical benefits but because it has been life. Moreover, the type of food taken during
ordained to them in the Quran. The medical Ramadan does not have any selective
benefits of fasting are as a result of fasting. criteria of crash diets such as those which
Fasting in general has been used in are protein only or fruit only type diets.
medicine for medical reasons including Everything that is permissible is taken in
weight management, for rest of the moderate quantities.
digestive tract and for lowering lipids. The only difference between Ramadan and
There are many adverse effects of total total fasting is the timing of the food; during
fasting as well as so- Ramadan, we basically
called crash diets. Islamic miss lunch and take an
fasting is different from early breakfast and do
such diet plans because not eat until dusk.
in Ramadan fasting, there Abstinence from water
is no malnutrition or during this period is not
inadequate calorie bad at all and in fact, it
intake. The caloric intake causes concentration of
of Muslims during Ramadan is at or slightly all fluids within the body, producing slight
below the national requirement guidelines. dehydration. The body has its own water
In addition, the fasting in Ramadan is conservation mechanism; in fact, it has
voluntarily taken and is not a prescribed been shown that slight dehydration and
imposition from the physician. water conservation, at least in plant life,
improve their longevity.
Ramadan is a month of self-regulation and The physiological effect of fasting includes
self-training, with the hope that this lower of blood sugar, lowering of
training will last beyond the end of cholesterol and lowering of the systolic
Ramadan. If the lessons learned during blood pressure. In fact, Ramadan fasting
Ramadan, whether in terms of dietary would be an ideal recommendation for
intake or righteousness, are carried on after treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-
insulin diabetes, obesity and essential
hypertension. In 1994
International Congress on "Health and
Ramadan", held in Casablanca, entered 50
research papers from all over the world,
from Muslim and non-Muslim researchers
who have done extensive studies on the
medical ethics of fasting.
improvement in many medical conditions
was noted; however, in no way did fasting
worsen any patients' health or baseline
medical condition. On the other hand,
patients who are suffering from severe
diseases, whether diabetes or coronary
artery disease, kidney stones, etc., are
exempt from fasting and should not try to
fast.
There are psychological effects of fasting as
well. There is a peace and tranquility for
those who fast during the month of
Ramadan. Personal hostility
minimum, and the crime rate decreases.
Muslims take advice from the Prophet who
said, "If one slanders you or aggresses
against you, say I am fasting.'" This
psychological improvement
related to better stabilization of blood
glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia
after eating, aggravates behavior changes.
There is a beneficial effect of extra prayer at
night. This not only helps with better
utilization of food but also helps in output.
the first There are 10 extra calories output for each
rikat of the prayer. Again, we do not do
prayers for exercise, but a mild movement
of the joints with extra calorie utilization is
a better form of exercise. Similarly,
recitation of the Quran not only produces a
While tranquility of heart and mind, but improves
the memory. Therefore, I encourage my
Muslim patients to fast in the month of
Ramadan, but they must do it under
medical supervision. Healthy adult Muslims
should not fear becoming weak by fasting,
but instead it should improve their health
is at a
and stamina.
Please refer these websites for more
details:
1)http://hubbulillahiyah.blogspot.com/200
could be
8/08/medical-benefits-of-ramadan.html
2)http://www.islamawareness.net/Ramad
han/medical.html