The month of fasting is a month full of blessings where in this month we all or Muslims are encouraged to observe compulsory fasting, in which we all have to endure hunger and thirst from dawn to sunset.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is a form of worship that is only performed once a year and is a special form of worship. Even though you have to endure thirst and hunger, fasting during the month of Ramadan is the most eagerly awaited moment. Apart from being a worship to get reward, fasting in the month of Ramadan also brings many benefits, especially for health. Here are some of the health benefits of fasting.
Benefits of Fasting for Health
Lowering Cholesterol Levels
According to research, people who fast during the month of Ramadan are known to have decreased levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. If the cholesterol level in the blood decreases, the risk of heart disease and stroke will be lower. Especially for those of you who are running a diet program, which by fasting cholesterol will easily decrease.
Neutralizes Poison
Fasting is useful for neutralizing toxins in the body. During fasting, our bodies will detoxify and detoxify the toxins in it digestive system will come out. When our bodies use fat reserves as a source of energy, these fat reserves will burn harmful toxins that settle in our bodies.
Improve Brain Function
During fasting, neurotropics will increase. That way, more brain cells are produced so that brain performance will increase. The hormone cortisol will drop during fasting, so this situation will help reduce stress levels.
Controlling Weight
Our weight will be better controlled when fasting. The reason is, when fasting for a full month, our diet becomes more regular. To lose weight, you don’t need to run a diet that is too heavy, we just need to eat and drink with a makeshift menu at dawn and iftar.
Boosts the Immune System
The body will be more immune to disease when fasting. When fasting we experience an increase in lymphocytes. This situation is certainly very good for the body because the body will become more immune to viruses so that the body will become healthier.
Prevent Diabetes
One of the dangerous diseases experienced by many people is diabetes. Diabetes can be prevented by observing fasting. Diabetes is a disease caused by increasing sugar levels. When fasting, we are able to control food intake in the body.
Make Kidneys Healthier
The kidney is an organ that functions to filter out harmful substances in the body. The kidneys will function more optimally if the osmotic strength is up to 1000-12,000 ml of osmosis / kg of water. Now, when fasting, the strength of the osmosis in the urine will be achieved. So that by doing so, the kidney function will be maximized and the kidneys become healthier.
Although there are many benefits, we cannot deny that when fasting many people often experience disorders of the digestive system. The reason is, during the fasting month our digestive system will adapt to a diet that is not used to being applied. At the time of fasting, the diet changes from the time to the frequency, namely only sahur and breaking the fast. If we adopt a healthy diet, we will get the benefits of fasting. However, it is not uncommon when the time to break the fast arrives, many people take revenge by eating excessive amounts of food. This is certainly not good for health, especially for the digestive system. Then what problems are often experienced during the fasting month? Here is the explanation.
Digestive System Disorders that Often Occur During the Fasting Month
Nausea and Vomiting
In order to satisfy appetite, it is not uncommon for many people to consume a lot of food when breaking their fast. Even because of being full, wake up to be late and do not perform sahur. This situation is certainly not a good thing. An unhealthy diet like this should be avoided. If you have eaten right away to sleep, the body’s metabolism will be hampered.
Get up late and don’t eat sahur will also cause the stomach to become empty during the day, stomach acid will increase. To overcome this situation, it would be better if you break the fast with a balanced portion. Also try to run sahur every day. So that your stomach is full for a longer time, you can add fibrous foods to your sahur menu.
Bloated
Flatulence also usually often occurs during the fasting month. Flatulence is also caused by consuming too many certain foods or drinks. In the stomach, the first thing that is passed down into the small intestine is liquid. Then, the stomach will release acids and enzymes. When the process is not finished, but when there is more fluid intake, the digestive process will be hampered. Which is this condition that will cause the stomach to feel bloated. When opening or sahur you also have to avoid some foods that can cause flatulence such as broccoli, cabbage, cabbage, oily foods, nuts, soft drinks and so on.
Diarrhea
During the fasting month, our diet will change. Due to the change in diet, the digestive system is not used to it and will be surprised, which will cause diarrhea. Some foods you should avoid to avoid diarrhea, such as foods that contain too much fat. The reason is, fat will be difficult to digest by the digestive system, so it will only cause disorders and diseases, one of which is diarrhea. To overcome this you have to adopt a healthy and balanced diet.
Constipation or Constipation
As mentioned earlier that during the fasting month the digestive system will adapt, because when we eat three times a day on a normal day. When fasting, the stomach will be empty for approximately 14 hours. Conditions like this will certainly make a person experience constipation or constipation. Constipation or constipation itself is a condition where the stool is hard and difficult to pass. This kind of situation will usually cause very painful pain and make the sufferer uncomfortable. To overcome this situation, it is recommended to drink approximately 8 glasses of water at dawn and breaking the fast.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Many people usually experience this kind of disorder during the fasting month. Digestive disorders in humans are caused by several things, including breaking the fast, which is often late or
after eating. Things like that will cause stomach acid to become full, so that food will rise up into the esophagus. This disorder will cause main symptoms such as hot chest and heartburn. The way to overcome this disorder is quite easy, where you must avoid consuming excessive food, avoid eating foods that contain caffeine and high fat. In addition, you should also avoid sleeping after eating. If you want to sleep, then it would be better to pause for approximately 2-3 hours after you finish eating.
Those are some of the disturbances that often occur during fasting. Get used to living a healthy life by adopting a good and correct diet to avoid these disorders and get the benefits of fasting.
