Below are several articles to help keep healthy during fasting.
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Maintaining Hydration While Fasting
“And We have made from water every living thing.” — 21:30 Water helps a thirsty person “regain his strength and activity”. We can live on water and no food, but we can’t do the opposite of that. And eating large amounts of food does not relieve thirst [Medicine of Prophet, 203].
Our bodies are made up of about 60 to 70 percent water. The water helps keep the blood oxygenated; it transports nutrition to the cells and takes away waste, and it helps to regulate body temperature among other things.
The Best Water So, the best water is water that has been kept overnight. Pollutants have a chance to settle on the bottom. Also, water kept in skins is better than water kept in clay containers and clay containers that allow the water to filter is better than containers that do not allow the filtering of water [Medicine, 204]. Water filtering is especially important when chlorine is used to treat the water.
Removing Pollutants Chlorine has many benefits; it kills many bacteria that make water unsafe to drink. However, it also causes some health problems. So, what is the best way of removing chlorine from drinking water? “Chlorine and related compounds will make their way out of tap water if the container is simply left uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours [Environmental, 1].
Remember to cover your pot (or tie your water skin) if leaving them out to remove chlorine. “The Prophet-sallallahu alayhe wa sallam – commanded that the pots be covered, even with a branch” to avoid the harm of insects accidentally falling in and to avoid a disease that descends and falls in whatever pot is not covered and water skins that are not tied [Medicine, 208].
A home water filtration system is a good idea for purifying water. If you’re interested in filtering your home water supply, This website WaterFilterRankings.com has useful consumer information that compares various water filters by price and effectiveness [“Chlorine,” 2008].
Some naturopathic doctors advise that we stay away from drinking distilled water. Distilled water does not contain any minerals and so when we drink it, it absorbs minerals from our bodies and causes the body to become acidic.
Tap Water Recommendations If using tap water, let your kitchen tap run for about 3 to 5 minutes before using the water. This flushes out the water lines.
The Etiquettes of Water The Prophet left us with examples of how to behave when drinking water and other beverages.
- say Bismillah before drinking
- don’t drink from the mouth of containers
- don’t drink from the chipped side of a cup
- don’t breathe into or blow onto a pot or cup
- drink sweet water (add honey or other sweet item to or soak dates in water overnight and drink)
How Much Water Do We Need Everyday There is a general guideline used by naturopathic doctors to determine how much water we need per day. Each person needs a different amount of water. The amount is based on body weight.
The formula for calculating water requirements is to take your body weight and divide by 50.
This will give you a general guideline of how many quarts of water you should be drinking per day. Of course, you will have adjust the amount upwards if you are working outside and sweating a lot. And remember to consult your health-care practitioner prior to any dietary changes especially if you have a known health condition, or are taking certain medications.
It is difficult to drink this amount of water in one sitting. And it is not a good idea to do it this way. But what you can do is drink water in the morning before you fast and throughout the night after you break your fast.
Soups are another way to get extra water into your body. Serve soups as part of your evening meal. There are some great recipes on the Net that are quick, easy and delicious.
Below are some of the signs of not getting enough water. Make sure children are drinking plenty. They tend to dehydrate quickly as do people who sweat a lot due to the nature of their jobs.
Signs of Mild to Moderate Dehydration
- thirst
- chronic pains in muscles and joints
- lower back pain
- headaches
- constipation
- yellow or amber colored urine
- dry sticky mouth
- dizziness
- tiredness or sleepiness in children
- chapped lips
Signs of Extreme Dehydration
Requires Immediate Medical Attention!
- confusion
- lack of sweating
- no urine output
- sunken eyes
- fever
- lack of elasticity in skin
- rapid heartbeat
“…Thirst isn’t always a reliable gauge of the body’s need for water, especially in children and older adults. A better barometer is the color of your urine: clear or light-colored urine means you’re well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber color usually signals dehydration” [Mayo Clinic].
Sources:
- About.com
- Mayo Clinic
- Environmental Magazine
- Dr. Mary Schrick, N.D., Ph.D.
- Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet
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Maintaining Digestive Health
Maintaining the Health of the Digestive System
Did you know that billions of bacteria live in our lower intestine? And that these micro-flora are essential to our health? Yes, that’s right. They help us digest the food we eat.
However, toxins can damage or even destroy the good intestinal bacteria which allows the harmful bacteria to grow and take over. This is not good.
The signs of and unhealthy balance of good/bad bacteria include headaches, skin eruptions, weakness, and constipation.
Fasting can deplete the good bacteria. Because of this, it is important to re-establish intestinal bacteria. There are several ways to do this but all of them require the use of probiotics.
Probiotics are bacteria that come from fermented milk products, like yogurt for example. Probiotics help the the body to fight against infectious diseases and other health problems such as asthma, allergies, intestinal cancer, and IBD to name a few. Probiotics also improves the function of the immune system.
There are several good sources of probiotics. One source is found in plain yogurt that contains the correct lacto-bacteria. You want a yogurt that has the following active bacterial cultures: S. thermophlus, L. Bulgaricus, L. acidophlus, bifidobacterium SPP. Write these down and take it to the grocery store with you.
Don’t buy yogurts that have thickeners and stabilizers. Also, stay away from yogurts that have sweetened fruit, sugars, and other sweetners (unless it’s stevia). Organic yogurt is the best.
While yogurt helps to keep the digestive system clean and provides food for the good kind of bacteria, kefir actually colonizes bacteria. Kefir (pronounced KEE-fir) is a fermented milk product that originated in eastern Europe. It is a tart liquid and is has the consistency of liquid yogurt.
Kefir has many health benefits including strengthening the immune system, and improving the digestion of lactose which is great for those with lactose intolerance.
Again, its best to buy unsweetened plain kefir and add your own fruits to them.
Another way to add probiotics to your diet is by taking acidophilus and bifidus capsules. One suggestion for using the capsules is to take two capsules with a warm glass of water before eating. Repeat once a week. It will take four days for a healthy colony of bacteria to be established in your colon.
Consult your health-care practitioner prior to any dietary changes especially if you have a known health condition, pregnant, or nursing.
Search the web or your favorite cookbooks to find great recipes using kefir and yogurt.
Sources:
- FreedomYou.com
- Oprah.com
- Ohio State University Research
- Perricone, Dr. Nicholas
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Positive Effects of Fasting on Physical Health
Fasting brings many benefits to both the mind and body.
It induces relaxation and energizes the mind, body, and emotions. It also promotes greater spiritual awareness.
The digestive organs, the stomach, liver, intestines, pancreas, gallbladder, and liver, get a chance to rest from work of processing food as well as a chance to create new substances that our bodies need.
The detoxification of chemicals in the blood and lymph system allows for these systems to be cleaned so that they function better. “Each cell has the opportunity to catch up on its work; with fewer demands, it can repair itself and dump its waste for the garbage pickup” [Haas 5]. This detoxification also clears the skin making it look vibrant.
Source: Dr. Elson, Hass, MD., Healthy.Net
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Side Effects of Fasting
Fasting has many benefits. No one will argue with that. However, fasting also brings on some side-effects for most people. Knowing about these side effects helps to be prepared for it.
Some people may experience weight loss and even some nutritional deficiencies while on a fast. Others experience weakness, and muscle cramps due to mineral deficiencies.
Still others may suffer from a drop in blood pressure which creates dizziness, especially when then person stands up after they had been lying down or sitting. Its best to get up slowly instead of suddenly.
Headaches can also be a common side effect especially during the first day or two of fasting. Irritability increases and so does sensitivity.
The tongue also becomes coated with either a thick white or yellow coating. Bad breath and unpleasant tastes in the mouth are also normal for the fasting person.
Some develop skin odor and/or eruptions due to toxins in the body that is being released.
The digesting system may also experience symptoms. It is not uncommon for people to experience upset stomach, mucus in the stools, gas, nausea and vomiting.
One’s sleep is also affected. The inability to sleep is also a common experience. Some also suffer from bad dreams due to the poisons that the body is releasing during the night.
Energy levels may go up and down as the body enters deeper levels of fasting. But generally, energy levels are usually good while fasting.
Some medical experts even say that people’s attitudes may change as the result of fasting. People tend to question parts of their lives and either change or make new future plans. Fasting also brings a sensitivity and an awareness to their jobs, spouses, home life, etc.
Researchers have even reported that hormone levels can also change with fasting.
The good news is that the majority of these symptoms occur early in the fasting process and do not generally last.
Many problems that people suffer from while fasting can be addressed by making sure to get adequate amounts of minerals, especially potassium, calcium and magnesium. If you plan to take magnesium and calcium supplements, then take the magnesium before you fast, and take the calcium at bedtime. Your body needs the magnesium to help with energy during the day, and the calcium helps promote sleep during the night.
Remember that the iron in vitamins cause constipation. Also think about natural sources of iron such as quinoa. Adding alfalfa powder or kelp powder to smoothie-type drinks also puts minerals back into your diet.
Another suggestion is to try eating foods that are on the list of World’s Healthiest Foods.
It is critical for those who are fasting to increase their intake of fluids. Have fruit juices, water, soups, and fruits and vegetables. Those who have gout will really want to take in plenty of fluids to avoid gout attacks or kidney stones (although rare).
One should try to avoid large amounts of caffeinated teas and coffees since caffein can cause excessive urination.
Here is a tip to naturally remove caffein from tea bags. Put the teabag in a cup. Then pour a half cup of boiling water over your tea bag. Swish the water around for about 30 seconds. Then remove the tea bag and discard the water. Use this naturally decaffeinated teabag to make your tea. The flavor will not be affected by removing the caffeine.
Consult your health-care practitioner prior to any dietary changes especially if you have a known health condition, pregnant, or nursing.
Insha’Allh, all of us will stay healthy during our fast. Planning for healthy food and drink is important to success in fasting health.
Sources: Dr. Elson, Hass, MD. Healthy.Net; WFH.Net
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Scientists: Hunger Can Make You Happy
No! It’s true! Read it for yourself at Live Science “Hunger”.
“When our bodies notice we need more calories, levels of a hormone called ghrelin increase. Ghrelin is known to spur hunger, but new research suggests this may be a side effect of its primary job as a stress-buster.”
