“To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.” – Buddha
Discipline is more or less the foundation of a healthy mind and body. With enough control, it is easy to portion what we eat, create space for a work out, or give time for self-care and indulgence. But given the pressures of work, the confines of our offices, duties we keep to our social circle, or personal leisure, it is hard to commit the necessary time for these. Bahrain Confidential’s Guide is here to help you manage time in sustaining your body and mind’s health especially during Ramadan.
“Good health and good sense are two of life’s greatest blessings.” – Publilius Syrus
Ramadan is a celebration of faith, and in practicing it involves fasting throughout the whole month. As hard as people already think of sticking to their usual diets, Ramadan in itself puts faith forward rather than our own self-indulgence or care. Here are some tips to help you throughout the holy month.
Water, water, water
It is common knowledge that to drink enough water in a day is key to health, more so during the Ramadan. Water would be your closest ally this month, not only to restore the fluids lost because of the heat, but also to fill the stomach and avoid the gnawing of hunger. Drinking sweet drinks would help in the needed energy and additional calories if fatigued within the day. Always avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol, both of which causes urination which leads to the need of more water intake and is acidic especially to an empty stomach.
Manage the stress
Ramadan is a time to discipline our minds and bodies. A time of portions and restraint. A time for improved devotion, worship, and spiritual reflection. As a working individual, one of the most common problems we have is the constant myriad sources of stress. The key however is to keep in mind that a task can always be finished, and if usually faced, the mindset that you overcame it before assures you that the second time around is a possibility. Always keep in mind what the cause is of your stress, if you are aware where it stems and what you can do about it, it will less likely be a cause of panic when you come around to facing it. Take one task at a time and do not dwell on those you cannot answer to immediately.
Touch the pavement
Well, not literally, but walking rather than taking a car to places nearby are more than enough for a time crunched exercise. Taking your feet for a stroll to a nearby store or just around the building block can be very beneficial to stretching muscles and improving blood flow throughout the body. Even for short strolls, walking under the sun can supply us with much needed vitamin D.
Smarten your Suhoor
The first meal of the day during Ramadan is important. It is the only meal that will supply yourself with nutrients within the working day. Suhoor should be a complete meal that would provide until Iftar.
Proteins are one of the most effective ways to gain and maintain nutrients. Keep in mind to avoid sweets and refined foods, usually cereal, or waffles and pastries are common breakfast meals. However, these meals are only good for energy that does not last long. Food like these usually contain a lot of sugar and just enough fibre to give the morning jolt we need until we eat again at noon. These usually give us the feeling of fullness even eating less and also digests fast, not enough to last us throughout the day.
Fast or Feast?
Iftar, or the breaking of the fast, is spent among friends, family, and colleagues. Compared to Suhoor, Iftar offers fewer restrictions and more on indulging after a long day of fasting. Unfortunately, this does not mean that we do not keep in mind what we eat, contrary to a Suhoor meal, an Iftar meal is more on pacing and portion of the food we plan to eat.
Eating a small portion of sweet fruits or pastries are good for we have low blood sugar levels at the end of the fast, clearing away any feeling of dizziness or headaches. Next is a cup of water that will lessen the acidity of our stomach. This would be followed by soups for they are easily consumed and is similar to the viscosity of liquids, softly transitioning our stomach’s from liquids to the solid meals we are now ready to take.
As much as we may want to eat as much and as fast to catch up with our hunger, remember to slowly eat the food we take and be careful on the portions we take during the breaking of the fast. Overeating and overindulging will give rise to gastric problems, giving our stomach a hard time not only to catch up from the fast of the day but also to digest the food we have taken through the night.
Split the clock like a pie
Split the clock like a pieSome of you might already be doing this, keeping time portioned and planned throughout the day gives you ample preparation and a routine to follow. When laid down, some of you might even be surprised on how many minutes or hours in between tasks you can still use for taking care of one’s self. It all boils down to the multiple minutes between tasks in an unplanned day that we spend idling or in social media, can be carefully collected to hours spent productively.
Sleep is NOT for the weak
Sleep is NOT for the weakSleep is crucial in maintaining our body and mind’s health. Always allot ample time to rest everyday. Sleep deprivation can affect mood, appetite, and mind-body coordination, all of which are essential in how we can face the day. Scientific studies suggest 7-9 hours as the best amount of time to sleep during each day.