Ramadan-fasting: the benefits and disadvantages of health
On 6. May the fasting month of the Muslims began. Generally, fasting for the human body is considered healthy and can have a positive effect on the human organism, as well as the Association of Islamic cultural centres (VKIZ) in Germany explained. However, fasting should pay attention to the signals of the body. Who has a rather bad physical condition, should pay attention to whether the circuit occur or the blood pressure drops. The German nutrition society (DGE) referred.
Also from a medical point of view, according to a statement from the VKIZ dialog Erol Pürlü officer assigned many of the positive effects of fasting. The almost time acting detoxifying for the body and could also promote endurance, patience and self-control, said Pürlü.
Not a complete renunciation of food
In contrast to the General understanding of fasting, Muslims do not abstain during the month of Ramadan completely on the food intake, but to take advantage of the evening hours after sunset and time is before dawn, the body of essential nutrients. Nevertheless, caution is warranted and already weakened people should quit at the first sign of physical impairment, the almost time and later catch up on, so the statement of the VKIZ-dialogue supervisor.
Debilitated persons should expose with the fasting
The conscious fasting could be missing “the body”, said the dialogue representative Pürlü. In General, the organism will get used very quickly to the new rhythm of food intake. During the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar) are encouraged devout Muslims from sunrise to eat until sunset and nothing to drink. In 2011, the Ramadan falls on the period from 1. up to 29. August to the today used worldwide Gregorian calendar.
Every day the faithful Muslims to go around 15 hours per day on food and Drink. This fatigue were the manifestations from the afternoon on one of the most common impairments of almost, reported the dialogue officer Pürlü. Although the almost requirement of Ramadan is applicable in principle for all the faithful Muslims from puberty, but already weakened persons should insert in the summer months, take a break and almost time later to catch up, said Pürlü.
Children before puberty are also encouraged to fast as many days as possible, but as soon as ” the fasting should affect their own health or that of the child, so the fasting is to suspend and later to catch up on,” said the dialogue representative. Similar exemptions apply in Islam for the Sick, travelers, pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as the health of the weakened elderly.
Threatening side effects of almost of the time
Although the fasting during Ramadan, unlike under the General understanding of the term “fasting” is not a period of food deprivation, warns the German society for nutrition from the possible adverse health effects caused by the significantly reduced food and fluid intake. Depending on the physical Constitution, the side effects can occur, such as a “drop in blood pressure, dizziness, fatigue, headache, and dizziness”, – said the expert of the DGE, Isabelle Keller. Also, a drop in blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) and dehydration threatened, in particular during fasting in the summer months.
A General Vitamin and mineral deficiency is, however, not to fear, added the expert. Anyone who is in the dark in the evening and morning hours, the body’s “nutrients in the context of a balanced diet with an appropriate choice of Food” to feed, can reduce the risk of health problems due to fasting, however, significantly, the basement.
Excessive fasting causes health problems
Often as a kind of diet practiced General fast, which, in principle, over a period of time on the intake of food is omitted, is to be judged according to the experts ‘ assessment, in General, far more critical than the conversion of food intake during Ramadan. Over-the-top fast, for example, increase the risk of a gout-disease, warned the professional Association of German rheumatologists at the beginning of June in a press release.
The often concomitantly used called diuretics (diuretics), which are intended to accelerate the release of water from the human body to enable a faster weight loss, according to the professional Association of German rheumatologists with regard to the gout to assess risk especially critical. Of uncontrolled fasting and the use of diuretics, the experts therefore strongly advise and recommend, to reduce the excess weight instead of slowly (no more than two to three kilos per month). (fp)
