What is the ideal table in Ramadan?
Can a liver transplant patient fast?
And how to avoid bad breath during fasting?
The answers and more are in this report.
What is the ideal table in Ramadan?
The answer is from the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar, which first introduces these main rules:
Start your breakfast with dates
Try to include soup and salad and start before the main course
Stay away from fried foods and fats as much as possible and try to replace frying with grilling
Don't make sweets a daily habit in Ramadan, but make it limited to occasions
The perfect breakfast in Ramadan
First: dates
Eat 3 dates with a glass of water.
Second: soup
Eat soup on a daily basis with your choice away from creams and fats such as vegetable soup, lentil soup, oat soup and chicken soup (without cream).
Third: the appetizers
Eating appetizers after soup gives the stomach a chance to prepare for the beginning of digestion, and accordingly, you should choose the types of appetizers rich in vegetables such as fattoush, green salad, and tabbouleh with a little lemon and vinegar without adding salt.
Fourth: the main dish
The Ministry of Health says that it is better for the Ramadan table to contain one main dish, as the diversity of the main dishes prompts a person to eat from all dishes without the need for it, bearing in mind that the components of the dish contain starches such as rice, pasta, bread, etc., in addition to containing Protein such as meat, chicken or fish.
An example is porridge, meat kabsa, pasta with chicken, or harees.
Night Snack (Ghabga):
The Ministry of Health says that the type of food that should be eaten in this meal depends on the person balancing his food between the three Ramadan meals. For example, when a person eats a heavy breakfast, he must reduce this meal.
And you should not eat everything delicious in the late hours of the night, including main dishes, pans, and desserts, and then sleep directly;
Which causes health problems.
For example, you can eat a dish that contains carbohydrates (brown bread, rice, pasta...) with a change in the protein source, such as eating plant protein sources such as legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils).
As well as a salad bowl to secure the body's need of fiber, vitamins and mineral salts.
It is also advised to stay away from fried foods in this meal and sweets, and not to forget to drink water to provide the body's need for fluids.
Suhoor meal
The best time for Suhoor is half an hour before the dawn call to prayer. The fasting person can have a light meal such as:
Brown bread with labneh and a piece of fruit.
Cereal chips with fresh milk and dried fruits.
And sweets that increase hunger should be avoided after a few hours of fasting, as well as salty foods that cause thirst.
Avoid bad breath during Ramadan
Bad breath is usually caused by a buildup of bacteria in the mouth, according to Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar.
The foundation says that using a mouthwash, rinsing with plain water, and even rinsing with plain water helps avoid bad breath.
It is also recommended to rinse the mouth from time to time during the day, such as during ablution, for example.
It is also recommended to use a tongue scraper.
The foundation adds that smoking is one of the causes of bad breath, and fasting is an opportunity to quit this harmful habit.
The Foundation also advised the use of toothpicks during fasting hours, as it helps stimulate saliva, which prevents dry mouth and bad breath.
It is also recommended to increase water consumption during breakfast time.
Dental care tips during Ramadan
Brush your teeth immediately after suhoor and iftar meals, and don't forget to floss your teeth after suhoor, according to Hamad Medical Corporation.
To maintain a fresh breath, use a toothpick to brush your teeth.
Drink plenty of water during breakfast hours.
On the other hand, it is recommended to reduce the amount of carbonated water, coffee and tea, because drinking them can cause dehydration.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and avoid sticky foods.
Can a liver transplant patient fast?
Dr. Moataz Derbala, Senior Consultant of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Hamad Medical Corporation, said that these patients have privacy, as during the first year after completing the liver transplant they cannot fast for medical reasons.
As for after the first year has passed, the patient must consult a doctor before fasting to verify the condition of the transplanted liver. Fasting is acceptable after one year of transplantation, provided that the treating physician is first consulted.
He added - according to a statement issued by Hamad Medical Corporation Wasl Al Jazeera Net - that a fasting liver patient can regulate the doses of his medications. What is implanted at breakfast and suhoor, and we still have some kind of patients who take diuretic medicines or medicines to treat esophageal varices. The medical rule is that these people cannot fast, as the time for taking medicines cannot be redistributed and medicines cannot be prevented from them, so let them take the legal license that permits breaking the fast.
We also have liver patients who suffer from other concomitant diseases such as pressure, diabetes or asthma. These people need to see a doctor in order to organize the dates of taking medications in Ramadan.
Classification of patients with liver disease in relation to fasting
Concerning the classification of liver patients with regard to fasting, Dr. Moataz said, "There are severe cases of hepatitis, such as acute viral hepatitis A, B and C. They are forbidden to fast and the legal license here. It prevents fasting. As for stable chronic cases, they can fast, such as cases of virus, hepatitis, liver dysfunction, or people with fat on the liver, so these patients can fast, and perhaps fasting is beneficial for cases of fat on the liver, as it helps in burning these fats.”
He added, "As for those with chronic conditions, but they are in late degrees of disease, such as patients with esophageal varices, ascites, hepatic coma, and chronic liver patients accompanied by diabetes, these are recommended for them to break their fast from a medical point of view. Liver since childhood and people with hepatitis B and C virus, these people can fast, but after consulting the attending physician first.
Food habits that are recommended for liver patients in Ramadan
Dr. Derbala explains the dietary habits that are recommended for liver patients during Ramadan, saying, "It is important to choose the type of foods that do not harm the health of the liver patient. Perhaps Ramadan is an opportunity to organize lunch and meal times, and therefore we advise the fasting patient to start his breakfast with a light sugary drink, then pray Maghrib and then return to eat Iftar, we advise that the meal include starches, sugars and proteins, and reduce the amount of fat to a minimum, especially for patients with fat on the liver. It is also preferable that the meal contain fruits to provide him with sugars with drinking fluids, and stay away from a lot of fried foods, including fast food, raw oysters or uncooked."
He continues, "The liver patient must follow a balanced diet that includes all food groups such as grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, beans, milk and oil, and eat food that contains fiber because it helps the liver to function at the optimal level. Fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, rice and cereals can take care of the body's needs of fiber. In addition, you should drink plenty of water, as it prevents dehydration and helps the liver to function better.
Regarding the emergency cases that a liver patient may face while fasting, Dr. Derbala indicates that if the liver patient’s condition is stable and not advanced, he will not face any troubles during fasting. We recommend breakfast.