Fasting during the holy month is the process of detoxifying our mind, body and soul and the benefits of refraining from excess food and cleansing ones thoughts will have immense benefits.
On the other hand, feasting, or having excess food over iftar and suhour can bounce back onto our physical as well as mental health. Observing moderation should be the key during the next few days.
Fasting in Ramadhan changes many things and the body adapts to these changes like maintaining the glucose levels for more than 12 hours during fasting, where body utilises the stored fat, and changes in the digestive system occur as well as the neurogenic changes happen.
What happens when one overeats after fasting triggers high sugar and can cause sudden changes in the body again, as it adapted to the fasting state leading to a sudden surge in sugar levels or cholesterol from fatty food.
Although moderation is the key, people tend to eat whatever comes their way immediately after iftar and keep on eating the same irrespective of the condition of our body even when the organs are breathing afresh.
Bombarding our system with too much food after starving for nearly 14 hours can really put one in danger and doctors and dieticians say what we consume directly affects our health and health is the key to happiness.
Mini Padikkal, Clinical Dietician, NMC who campaigns better eating habits, advocates minimal intake and to take heavy foods after some time as it is of paramount importance to take care of one's health.
"One advantage of fasting for nearly 14 hours is that it fetches in a multitude of benefits both mentally and physically. The holy month of Ramadhan is a great opportunity for us to focus on striking a perfect balance between our intake of calories, vitamins, water intake and the like," the doctor says as she campaigns for the necessity of a well-balanced diet in schools and for corporates.
"While we fast, our metabolic function slows down and dietary fat is utilised during this period and our body has built-in regulatory mechanisms that are activated during fasting. Any food overeaten will make the function upside down and will lead to problems in due course,", she said adding that a diet that comprises less than a normal amount of food but is sufficiently balanced will keep a person healthy and active during fasting.
What dieticians say about overeating has been understated by the reports from hospitals which see a large number of patients visiting doctors with gastrointestinal ailments most commonly abdominal pain immediately after Ramadhan due to overeating.
"The best way to prevent any such illness is to plan the iftar meal in advance and make sure that it is light, coupled with fluids to keep you hydrated and energised."
Many symptoms after overeating are reported and they include, abdominal symptoms like nausea vomiting, abdominal fullness, headaches, constipation, gastritis, swing on blood sugar levels which will rise suddenly causing problems in diabetic patients. Additionally, chest pains among heart patients or shortness of breath in patients with heart failure due to the sudden change in diet are also reported which may worsen their condition.
Headaches or vertigo due to the sudden increase in food intake is also reported among some while some experience loose motions or pains in the abdomen to the sudden change and increase in the food intake.
Therefore, it is advised to take small portions of food which have high fibre slowly, low sugar like fruits, salads vegetables and gradually increase the quantity of food intake.
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