Ramadan Articles - A strategy to combat thirst in Ramadan

The feeling of thirst in the monthofRamadanbecomes intense when it
falls in summerso how can we help our bodies maintain water,resist the
feeling of thirst, and reduce its intensity?
The feeling of thirst in the monthofRamadanbecomes intense in summer
because the period of fasting may extend to more than 14 hours a day.
The body continues to lose water throughout these hours. At the time
ofIftaar)the fast-breaking meal(, one is in urgent need of prompt and
adequate compensation for the liquids it lost. However, it is possible
to help our bodies maintain water, resist the feeling of thirst, and
reduce its intensity by following the principles of healthy
nutritionduring the month of fasting. Therefore, exerting some effort
to avoid thirst would be easier than bearing the suffering.
Our allies against thirst
Water: is the best of drinks and cannot be compensated for by any
other drink. Experts recommend drinking one liter and a half of water
daily, preferably containing mineral, salts in order to compensate the
salts that the body loses, especially while sweating. The following
tips should be taken into account when dealing with water:
*.Do not leave the bottle of water for a long time after opening it
and drinking it without use because thebacteriawhich are present in
the mouth and the environment around us can be active in it and are a
source of infection.
*.Wash the bottle and its lid with hot water and soap whenrefilling it
along with changing it from time to time.
*.You can add some healthy elements to the glass of water you drink,
such as slices of lemon, fresh mint leaves or grated ginger.
*.To get rid of the taste ofchlorinepour the water into a large bowl
and leave it for about one hour before drinking it.
Liquids of all types:particularlyhydratingbeverages and natural fruit
juices which contain minerals. It is advisable to avoid juices
containing unnatural substances and colors, which contain large
amounts of sugar. These substances damage health and cause allergies.
Fresh fruits and vegetables: it is preferable to eat fresh
vegetablesand fruits at night and in theSuhoor)pre-dawn( meal. This is
because they contain considerable amounts of water and fiber that
remain for a long time in the intestines. This actually reduces the
feeling of hunger and thirst. Cucumber is one of the most popular
vegetables that combat thirst because it soothes the thirst and cools
the body. It also helps to alleviate neurological disorders, and it
contains nutritious cellulose fibers which facilitate the process of
digestion, expel toxins, and cleanse the intestines
Delaying theSuhoormeal:theSunnahrecommends that the Muslim to delay
hisSuhoormeal. Therefore, it is preferable to havethis meal after
midnight, so that the fasting person will be able to resist thirst,
especially in the firstdays of fasting. TheSuhoormeal should
preferably be a light meal.
Thieves stealing water from the body
Salt:salty foods increase the body's need for water; therefore, it is
advisable to avoid adding a lot of salt on the food and stay away from
foods with high salinity, such as salted fish andpickles. It is
preferable to replacethe salt with drops of lemon in salad as they
adjust the taste justas well.
Spices and seasonings:meals andfoods containing a large proportion of
spices and condiments require drinking large quantities of water
followingingestion. That is because these foods absorb water as they
are taken, from thepharynxmouth and stomach causing dryness in the
body, and thus the feeling of thirst. So, the fasting person should
avoid eating spicy foods which contain a lot of seasoning, especially
in theSuhoormeal.
Stimulants: It is recommended that the fasting person reduces the
amount ofstimulantslike teaand coffee because they contain caffeine,
which increases the activity of the kidneys and enhances its role in
the excretionof urine. Thus, stimulants increase the process of losing
water from the body. It should also be noted that tea and coffee
cannot be considered alternatives to water; because their hot nature
does not allow the fasting person to drink a large amount of them.
Soda drinks:they contain carbon which causes flatulence and a feeling
of fullness and prevents the body from using liquids. Therefore, it is
necessary to avoidsoda drinks during theIftaarmeal.
Direct sunlight:the fasting person should avoid direct exposure to
sunlight for long periods of time. The ways ofmitigatingthe heat of
the sun and thus avoiding thirst are as follows:
*.Taking frequent showers with warm water to cool the body and using
soap to get rid of body oils that may block the pores.
*.Blocking out the sun from entering the house in the afternoon as
much as possible by closing the blinds or curtains.
*.Wearing light-colored and loose clothes preferably made of cotton to
absorb sweat.
*.Resting to the extent which is commensurate with the effort done in
order to renew the body's dynamic energy.
6 myths to overcome thirst inRamadan
1- Drinking adequate amounts of liquids with a high concentrationof
sugar hydrates the body and repels thirst.
Fact: Liquids with a high concentration of sugar urge the body
toincrease the flow of urineand increase the feeling of
thirst.Therefore, it is recommended that the fasting person eats
sweets moderately inRamadanas well as only drinking small amounts of
drinks with high sugar concentration.
2- Drinking plenty of water at theSuhoormeal protects from thirst
during the fast.
Fact: the kidneys expel the extra water which is not needed by thebody
after a few hours, leading to disturbance of the fasting person during
sleep because he needs to go to the bathroom. This causes fatigue
during the day.
3- Drinking very cold or iced water at the start of theIftaarquenches thirst.
Fact: Drinking iced water at the beginning of theIftaarseverely
affects the stomach, reducing theefficiency of digestion and leading
to the constriction of thecapillariesthus causing some digestive
disorders. Therefore, the water temperature should beaverage or only
mildly cool, and the fasting person should drink itslowly, not all at
once.
4- Drinking water while eating food provides a greater opportunity for
good digestion.
Fact: Drinking water while eating disrupts the flow of saliva on the
food such that the food does not mix well with the saliva in the
mouth, and thus it is difficult to digest and the body scarcely
benefits from it. Therefore, doctors advise people not to drink water
while eating except for very little to help swallow thefood.
5- Drinking plenty of water after the completion of the food directly
helps in the process of digestion and extinguishes thirst.
Fact: Drinking plenty of water after eating directly in fact hampers
the digestion process and prevents the digestive system from
completing its function properly. That is, drinking an abundance of
water prevents the secretion of gastric juices. The correct way is
that theperson should drink just a little water after theIftaarto
quench his thirst. The best time to drink plenty of water is about two
hours afterIftaar, and it is preferable that the fasting person drinks
small amounts of water at intervals during the night throughout the
period between theIftaarandSuhoormeals and not wait to feel
thirstybefore drinking water.
6- Frequent drinking of water leads to obesity
Fact: Recent studies have shown that water plays an important role in
losing weight because water helps increase the secretion of the
hormone Noradrenaline which increases the activity of the nervous
systemand increases the burning of fat, and thus helps to get rid of
excess weight.