During the holy month of Ramadan, it’s important to remember to eat a balanced diet and keep hydrated before and after the day of fasting. Doing so will help keep you energised throughout the day.
Getting enough water after a day of fasting is important as water is necessary to keep your body functioning. There’s a risk of dehydration if you don’t drink enough water before fasting, and that can cause dizziness, headaches, lethargy and fatigue.
Drinking the typical eight cups per day is important, but there are other things to remember to help you stay hydrated.
Here are some tips to help you avoid dehydration when you’re fasting.
1. Avoid drinks containing caffeine
As much as we love our coffee and tea, these drinks contain caffeine. Caffeine has a diuretic effect that increases urine production, thus flushing out salt and water from the body.
Too much caffeine can result in increased thirst, so to stay hydrated throughout the day, it’s best to stick to water. Make sure to have a glass of purified water along with a sweet fruit like dates to help you break your fast.
2. Break fast with plenty of fruit and vegetables
Eating fruits and vegetables aren’t just good for your health, but they help with hydration too. Certain fruits and vegetables have high water content, and make for a nutritious and refreshing way to replenish your body after a long day of fasting.
Some good fruits and vegetables to eat during this season of fasting are watermelons, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes and starfruits. They’re perfect to help you stay hydrated with their high water content.
If you don’t want to eat the vegetables as they are, try incorporating them into a salad as part of your meal when you break fast.
3. Avoid spicy or salty food
Spicy and salty foods can increase your body’s need for water, so keep this in mind and stick to small portions.
If you’re cooking during this period, try not to use too much salt or too many spices.
4. Avoid chugging your drinks in one go
Drinking your water in one go will cause your body to flush it out soon after. It’s best to sip water throughout the non-fasting hours of the day.
It’s important to keep a bottle of water with you during those hours so that you can take some sips whenever you’re feeling thirsty.
But ultimately, do make sure to get enough water during the non-fasting hours to avoid dehydration.
5. Avoid exposure to heat
Exposure to heat is inevitable with our tropical climate, but do try to avoid the heat as much as possible.
Hot temperatures will cause sweating, resulting in fluid loss. Try to limit your time outdoors and stick to the shade or cool environments.
While you’re staying cool indoors, why not watch some TV to pass the time?
If you’re looking for entertainment this Ramadan, tune in to Astro Prima at 8.58pm every Monday starting May 29, or Astro Ria at 10.58pm every Tuesday starting May 30, for a delightful Ramadan mini drama.
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