Fasting In Ramazan Reduces Stress Feelings, Anxiety: Expert

“Actively participating in Ramazan can lead to declining rates of depression, anxiety, stress, and improvements in memory and overall mental well-being.

Head of the Department of Cardiology at the Patel Hospital, Karachi Prof. Dr. Rehan Umer expressed these views while delivering a lecture on “Ramazan and Health”

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Mar, 2024) “Actively participating in Ramazan can lead to declining rates of depression, anxiety, stress, and improvements in memory and overall mental well-being.

Head of the Department of Cardiology at the Patel Hospital, Karachi Prof. Dr. Rehan Umer expressed these views while delivering a lecture on “Ramazan and Health”.

Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi (UoK), in collaboration with the Sindh Innovation Research, and Education Network (SIREN), organized the public awareness lecture in the lecture hall of the L.E.J. National Science Information Center on Friday.

He termed pre-Ramazan education as quite essential for people who are suffering from some kinds of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular, kidney, etc. Eating large amounts of foods rich in carbohydrates and fats, especially at seher and iftaar, should be avoided,” she advised.

Prof. Dr. Rehan Umer said that a study conducted on healthy Muslim graduate students showed fasting improved self-acceptance, self-sufficiency, social relations, and personal growth.

He said that Ramazan fasting was beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. However, diabetic patients are advised to consult with their doctors, he said. To a common question, he said that a diabetic patient could take two or three dates in iftaar as dates are a low Glycaemic Index food, they do not cause dramatic blood sugar spikes when people eat them in moderation, he said.

Talking about the effects of cardiovascular diseases in Ramazan, he said that fasting in Ramazan did not worsen cardiovascular diseases, adding that patients with stable hypertension and stable angina can fast in the month.

People with a history of recent heart attack, unstable angina, decompensated heart failure, uncontrolled severe hypertension, etc, are advised not to fast, Prof. Umer said.

Fasting also helps people to develop social and moral values such as feelings of true compassion and empathy for less fortunate people, he said.

Talking about the diet on the holy days, he said that the diet during Ramazan should not significantly be different from the daily routine diet, adding that the excessive use of foods rich in carbohydrates and fat especially at seher and iftaar, should be avoided.

It is recommended that fluid intake be increased during non-fasting hours and that the predawn meal be taken as late as possible before the start of the daily fast, he advised.

Prof. Dr. Rehan Umer pointed out that pre-Ramazan education was essential for those suffering from severe diseases.