After the holy month of Ramadan provided us with a golden opportunity to break free from unhealthy eating patterns, fasting gave our weary digestive systems a much-needed break.
The blessed Eid Al-Fitr comes for family and friends to meet over a period of 3 days, to exchange congratulations, spend happy times, and enjoy cakes and delicious food.
It becomes unrealistic to talk of a strict diet in this festive atmosphere where special and traditional foods and desserts are served, with which we have been emotionally linked for generations.
None of the experts tell you to stress yourself out on Eid;
“You just have to be in moderation, not eat everything that is placed in front of you, listen to your body, and try to be in tune with it,” says nutritionist Noor Zabada.
Nutritionist Rahaf Al-Boushi advises following the Sunnah of the Prophet, and starting the day of Eid by drinking water and eating dates “to provide fiber, natural sugar, potassium and magnesium, and to enhance the energy that the body needs after fasting,” although Nour Butter prefers adding almonds to dates, “to get more protein.” ".
To help in the safe transition from the dietary privacy of the fasting month to the regular days, and to transform Eid into a stepping stone towards a healthier lifestyle;
We take some practical advice from experts, and from the British "oxfordonlinepharmacy" website.
Break your fast wisely
Because your body has adapted to not eating for a long time, Al Boshi recommends that you don't stress it too much with foods high in fat suddenly, and advises "to move from the Ramadan pattern to the usual pattern slowly, to avoid bloating and other digestive problems as the stomach shrinks due to fasting, and its ability to digest digesting a lot of food";
And it becomes better “to go back to eating 3 to 4 meals distributed throughout the day, and to reduce fast and fatty foods that people often eat outside the house, and the body is more prone to indigestion and acidity of the stomach after the month of fasting.”
Dietitian Jawwal Farha stresses the importance of moderation in eating "to maintain a healthy weight after the fasting month, or to regain fitness when gaining weight."
And when meals are in smaller quantities, and are separated by 3 to 4 hours, this "helps the digestive system to get rid of any bacteria or waste," according to expert Nour Zabada.
food diversification
Experts stress the importance of diversifying the food to get the beneficial nutrients, and dispense with taking vitamins supplements.
"A multivitamin is unnecessary if people are back on a healthy diet after Eid," says dietitian Courtney Ferreira.
Instead of indulging in the fatty foods and sweets associated with Eid, the expert recommends “trying to eat more sources of fiber,” such as raw and juiced fruits and vegetables, cooked or soupy vegetables, grains, beans, and nuts, as well as grilled fish, skinless chicken, and lean and nonfat meat. And try to replace the dates, dried figs and dried fruits that were used to eat in Ramadan, rich in iron, fiber and antioxidants, with cakes full of calories to help the body recover healthily.
Drinking water is vital
Drinking water is vital to prevent dehydration after a long period of fasting, especially for those who have been fasting for about 17 hours a day.
Therefore, you must make sure to drink enough water after Ramadan because the body continues to lose water and salts through breathing, sweating and urination.
Therefore, the expert advises Farha to make sure to "consuming a lot of water, coconut water, lemon juice, or any natural juice, or other liquids that help hydrate the body, and restore the fluids lost during the fasting month."
Be sure to drink enough water after Ramadan (Getty Images)
Don't stop fasting
Experts advise continuing to fast regularly, from once to twice a week because it is healthy for the body, because of its physical and mental benefits, such as improving memory, sleep, focus, increasing energy, speeding up metabolism, and losing weight, as it allows the body to burn fat cells more effectively than following Regular diet.
In addition to helping to speed up the removal of waste left by dead and damaged cells from the body, scientists believe that the body's failure to get rid of this excess waste on a regular basis leads to the emergence of chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
They are also advised to repeat fasting because it is useful in order to get used to and prepare the body for the upcoming Ramadan fast, without feeling a big change in the usual regime.
A chance to quit smoking forever
The month of Ramadan is an ideal opportunity to quit smoking gradually for smokers who intend to quit smoking, to eventually reduce it completely, and not to give in to the temptations to return to it after the end of Ramadan, but rather try to replace it with a healthy habit that helps to stay away from it more, such as exercising .
Gradually return to exercise
Because most people tend to reduce exercise in Ramadan, enough time should be taken to gradually return to the normal exercise level, and start light exercises such as walking, yoga or any type of “cardio” exercises, but without fatigue “to preserve the energy reserve necessary for the body’s recovery.” And strengthening the muscles and gradually regaining activity after a month of stopping regular exercise,” according to Farha’s recommendation.
Adequate time should be taken to gradually return to a normal exercise level (Shutterstock)
Probiotics to Rescue the Digestive System
The importance of taking a supplement of probiotics to compensate for the deficiency in it, to maintain the health of the digestive system, and to reduce the impact of excessive consumption of sweets that followed the fasting of the long days of Ramadan, as part of the Eid celebrations;
The digestive system can be negatively affected so adding a supplement of probiotics to our daily regimen is important to improve the levels of good bacteria in our gut.