Medical Benefits of Fasting (Ramadhan)

Most Submitters (Muslims) do not fast because of medical benefits but because it has been ordained to them in the Quran. The medical benefits of fasting are as a result of fasting. Fasting in general has been used in medicine for medical reasons including weight management, for rest of the digestive tract and for lowering lipids. There are many adverse effects of total fasting as well as so-called crash diets. Islamic fasting is different from such diet plans because in Ramadan fasting, there is no malnutrition or inadequate calorie intake. 

The caloric intake of Muslims during Ramadan is at or slightly below the national requirement guidelines. In addition, the fasting in Ramadan is voluntarily taken and is not a prescribed imposition from the physician.

Nutrition Tips for Ramadhan Fasts

Although I realize that Ramadan fasting is primarily for spiritual purposes, there may actually be some health benefits as well! Research shows that short fasts, lasting anywhere from 20 to 36 hours can in fact reduce some risks for heart disease and diabetes–and maybe even cancer.  See also my article on Benefits of Fasting.

But to maximize the potential benefits of fasting, it is important to eat as healthfully as possible when you break your fast.  I realize that can be challenging when the nightly Ramadan feasts feature so many less-than-healthful holiday treats!

How to Stay Physically Fit in Ramadan

The month of Ramadan can often become an excuse to not exercise and to overindulge in food. But this month is not meant to be used as a crutch for laziness or a reason to eat whatever we want. We forget that keeping our bodies healthy can be an act of worship and in turn, make us realize our goal of becoming even closer to Allah (swt) during this month.

Insha Allah with just a few easy steps (literally), you can stay healthy while gaining the spiritual benefit that comes with exercise this Ramadan.

A Universal Ideal of Beauty

Chances are the beauty of a young woman’s face would be as recognizable in London as in Tokyo. Compared to her peers, she would have larger eyes relative to the rest of her face, higher cheekbones, a more delicate lower jaw, fuller lips and shorter distances between both nose and mouth and mouth and chin. These are universal characteristics of a beautiful female face, according to an article published in nature.

Researchers in Japan and Britain made three composite faces (based on 224 facial features) from a group of 60 photographs: a whole group average, an average of attractive faces and an exaggeration of the beautiful average. The third composite accentuated the features that distinguished the second face from the first.

In both the Japanese and British studies, viewers preferred the third face to the second, and the first face least of all.

The study also challenges the prevalent theory (first mooted in the last century) that an “average” face is considered more attractive than one with slight distortions from the norm.

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image sources: topbeautyfashion.co.cc

Medicinal Properties of Insects

Eating bugs is nothing new. Ento-enthusiasts have long extolled the virtues of insect cuisine, bugs being cheap, high in protein and readily available. Now they’re also raving about its medicinal properties. The Imperial Herbal Restaurant in Singapore offers dishes featuring scorpions and ants, both of which are high in nutriens.

Although there is no conclusive evidence, both reputedly combat illness as well. According to the restaurant’s proprietor, Mrs. Wang-Lee Tee Eng, scorpion’s poison soothes nerves and eases migraine headaches, while ants cure rheumatism, a condition which causes inflammation of the joints, muscles or ligaments.

The Bangkok Post reports that the Division of Medical Entomology is compiling a list of insect products that have medicinal properties. Among them: dried grubs which relieve pain and increase heart-rate after poisonous bites; cicada larvae which relieve gas, cold sores and measles; and dried hornet’s nest, which kills parasites and relieves gastrointestinal pain. Royal Jelly bee’s pollen is also believed to lower blood pressure and improve skin quality.

Those searching for a tasty meal made of bugs, however, might need to look elsewhere. Scorpions have a chewy texture, while ants have a sour tang like vinegar. It’s an acquired taste.

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image source: free-gourmet-recipes.com

Indifference: Society Can Kill

That truth has been brought home powerfully in Hong Kong. A woman died of an arterial blockage after passersby and newspaper vendor standing two meters away ignored her for two hours as she writhed on the ground. Cardiac arrest, which frequently leads to such sudden collapses, remains a leading cause of death everywhere, especially for adult men. Internal hemorrhage, diabetic shock, epilepsy, poisoning.

If you want to help someone who has collapsed, your priorities are A-B-C : Airway, Breathing and Circulation. If breathing and the heart stop for 4-6 minutes, the brain will probably suffer irreversible damage.

Restoring respiration can often be as easy as clearing the airway of the tongue or foreign object obstructing it. If the airway is clear and the person is still not breathing, perform artificial respiration by tilting back the head and blowing air directly into the mouth every five seconds.

If the heart isn’t beating, enough blood to keep the patient alive can be pumped with manual artificial circulation. The live saving combination, CPR, requires special training to perform correctly.

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Image source: hometestingblog.testcountry.com

I Don’t Like Monday, Sudah Tidak Relevan ?

Setiap awal minggu – tepatnya hari Senin – saat tiba di kantor pasti ada saja teman kerja yang mengatakan, “I don’t like Monday!” Entahlah, apa masih terbawa suasana “malas” karena habis liburan 2 hari (Sabtu dan Minggu), atau memang ada hal lain, nampaknya “memulai” kerja di awal minggu menjadi alasan tepat untuk membenci suasana kerja.

Tapi, jargon “kebencian” pada hari Senin itu (agak) terbantahkan oleh hasil penelitian University of Vermont, New York, yang justeru mengatakan Rabu adalah hari yang lebih malas, jenus dan depresi.

Menurut penuturan detikHealth – mengutip yang dilansir Limelife di bulan Oktober ini – para ahli matematika di universitas tersebut melakukan survei terhadap dua juta blog orang selama empat tahun. Mereka menganalisis dan menghitung berapa banyak kata atau kalimat negatif yang muncul setiap harinya, dan pada hari apa kata itu lebih sering muncul.

Para ahli itu menggunakan sistem skor untuk bisa melihat perbedaannya secara signifikan. Kata-kata seperti 'Saya merasa' atau 'Saya sedang merasa' dan lainnya akan diberi skor dengan skala 1-10. Kata-kata negatif seperti 'bunuh diri' atau 'trauma' diberi skor paling rendah, sedangkan kata-kata seperti 'surga' dan 'cinta' memiliki skor tinggi. Hasilnya mengejutkan. Hasil survey para peneliti menemukan bahwa hari Rabu adalah hari yang paling tidak bahagia. Sementara itu, hari minggu adalah hari yang paling bahagia dan menyenangkan.

Dalam paparan selanjutnya, detikHealth juga mengungkapkan para peneliti tersebut berasumsi bahwa ketika sudah memasuki hari Rabu, seseorang akan mulai merasa jenuh dengan segala aktivitas rutinnya. Dibanding hari Senin, pada hari Rabu biasanya semangat seseorang akan menurun dan hal itu memicu stres dan depresi. Keadaan statis dan pekerjaan yang belum terselesaikan umumnya menumpuk di hari Rabu. Tidak heran jika semangat di hari itu akan berkurang. Rasa malas pun akhirnya muncul dan membuat seseorang kehilangan arah bahkan stres dan depresi.

Nah, apakah hasil penelitian tersebut juga berlaku bagi kita yang di Indonesia, tentu perlu kejujuran diri kita sendiri untuk menjawabnya. Kalau kita mengangguk-anggukkan kepada setelah membaca tulisan ini, berarti tanda “setuju” dan sudah selayaknya menjauhi kata-kata “I don’t like Monday!”


sumber foto: detik.com

Another Factor of Tummy-Fat Troubles

Not only does an oversized waist make it just about impossible to fit into sexy clothing, but it can also make you more prone to heart-related diseases. Weight loss that results in pounds shed around the abdomen was found to lower blood pressure in people with “apple-shaped” bodies, according to findings reported in the journal Hypertension.

High blood pressure is one of the underlying causes of stroke, heart attack and kidney disease. The cause is unknown in most cases, although factors such as excessive salt intake and being overweight can contribute to it. The new study suggest the preponderance of “tummy fat” may be another factor.

In an attempt to lower blood pressure without drugs, Japanese researchers placed 26 obese women who had high blood pressure on a 12-week diet (less than 1,200 calories per day). Scientists also wanted to determine if reducing fat, which accumulated in the abdomen, would cause a decrease in blood pressure. Blood pressure measurements were averaged from three readings.

Women who had significant changes in intra-abdominal visceral fat experienced the greatest decreases in blood pressure. The average weight loss was 22 pounds, and average waist circumference reduced by about half-inch. Systolic blood pressure dropped from 151 to 156; diastolic pressure went from 92 to 83. Readings below 130/85 are considered within normal range.

In general, wherever the last weight was gained (for example, in the abdomen) will be the first place weight is lost.

**Sumber foto: ShilkWinds