Meal Plans for Ramadan

The National Health System (NHS) is the British healthcare system. Because of the large Muslim population living in the UK made up of Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi immigrants, the NHS has made healthy eating during Ramadan a priority. Using the meal plans the NHS and other bloggers have put together, Healthy Ramadan America has a sample five day meal plan for Suhur and Iftar meals to make sure you’re getting the nutrition you need without overwhelming yourself with too much work.

Day 1:

Suhur: whole grain bagels with peanut butter, apple
Iftar:  Chicken curry with rice and a mixed salad, followed by whole fruit for dessert.

Day 2:

Suhur: Green breakfast smoothie, hard boiled egg, toast
Iftar: pita with chicken, salad, and hummus. A small piece of baklava for dessert.

Day 3:

Suhur: Eggs (either scrambled or prepared Shakshouka style), banana
Iftar: pasta cooked with chicken, grilled vegetables, followed by a piece of barfi for dessert

Day 4:

Suhur: Oatmeal, pear, fat free milk
Iftar: Grilled chicken served with quinoia and olive salad, with dried fruit for dessert.

Day 5:

Suhur: Dried fruits, cheese, jam on toast
Iftar: Salmon with brown rice and kale salad.

Although eating right will keep your energy up, it won’t solve everything. Be sure to register for insurance to make sure you are covered should something unexpected arise.

Staying Fit During Ramadan

Observance of the fast during Ramadan makes exercising difficult. If you can’t do a full workout, keep in mind these tips for staying fit.

Walk:
Walking can be great physical activity without being too taxing. We often spend a lot of time sitting for work these days, so make sure you get up and walk around during the day. If you can walk to work or on errands, that’s a great way to stay in shape without tiring yourself out.

Balance:
Balance is an important aspect of being fit. You can do exercises that work on maintaining a good sense of balance. For simple balance activities, try some simple yoga poses like Tree Pose or Warrior One.

Stretch:
Flexibility is another important aspect of being fit that’s possible to work on without tiring yourself out too much during your fast. You can perform stretch workouts like the ones found here to increase your flexibility.

Just because you’re fasting doesn’t mean you can skimp on physical fitness!

Compassionate Care Network also uses Ramadan as a time to reach out to the Muslim community about health issues. Expect to see us at a mosque near you soon. It’s a great time to think about getting health insurance coverage. Although exercising can help you stay healthy, it can’t cure everything, and health insurance is an important part of staying healthy.

Healthy Halal Food Brands

The Huffington Post recently highlighted some brands that make healthy halal food. Using food made by these brands may go a long way in creating a healthy menu for your upcoming fast.

Whole Earth Meats
For meat-based dishes, check out Whole Earth Meats for a healthy selection. Whole Earth Meats provides, in their words, “local, grass-fed, free-range, organic, humanely-raised, family farmed, Halal meats and poultry.” Their selection ranges from buying large amounts of meat in bulk to halal turkey sausage links and small chickens. If you’re planning on incorporating meat into your menu, this specialty spot is a good bet.

Taaza2u
Taaza2u has the same quality meat selection as Whole Earth Meats does, but a bonus aspect is that this outlet provides pre-marinated and ready-to-cook dishes as well, with chicken wings, gyro patties, and several biryani options on offer. If you’re worried about the time crunch when it comes to cooking healthy, Taaza2u has excellent options. Bonus: Taaza2u has a delivery service, which can help college students and families located in the suburbs.

Saffron Road Food
Saffron Road Food is an excellent bet if you’re looking to break out from traditional food. Their products include a large amount of vegan and vegetarian food, as well as gluten-free options. They also sell a variety of frozen dishes that aren’t necessarily traditional but are halal, like tacos and Korean dishes.

With the internet, cooking halal and healthy has never been easier. These brands make it not only easy but fun.

Problems and Solutions During Your Fast

Fasting puts your body under stress, and sometimes the stress can have negative consequences for your health. Here are some small issues that could cause you discomfort during your fast, as well as how you can relieve them.

Heartburn:
Heartburn is caused by an increase in the production of stomach acid. Although stomach acid production can decrease while fasting, the time between meals can lead to an increase in acid overall. As a result, heartburn or indigestion can develop. If heartburn becomes a problem, avoid spicy or oily foods. Cutting down on your caffeine intake can help as well. Try  not to smoke if you are a smoker, as that can lead to heartburn. Although not serious, it can be very uncomfortable.

Headache:
Headaches can be caused by many issues during fasting. Dehydration, not getting the usual amounts of caffeine, and not getting enough sleep can all cause uncomfortable headaches during Ramadan. These can be avoided by making sure not to skimp on your pre-dawn meal and to consume plenty of water before your fast begins. Avoiding bright lights can also help alleviate a headache once it starts.

Dehydration:
It is key you hydrate before a fast. Otherwise dizziness or disorientation may ensue. In addition to drinking plenty of water, make sure to avoid diuretics like coffee, which will dehydrate you quickly.

Constipation:
Fasting may cause issues with your digestive system. This problem can be avoided by including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other high fiber foods in your pre- and post-fast meals. Fiber will regulate your digestive system and avoid this uncomfortable problem.

Weight gain:
It’s hard to believe, but fasting can lead to weight gain rather than weight loss, due to overeating during the pre- and post-fast meals. Try to regulate your meals and make sure they are as healthy as possible. That way, you don’t have to worry about gaining weight during the holiday.

Smoothies for Ramadan

Smoothies are a great way to stay healthy and full throughout the day while providing vital nutrients. PopSugar has a collection of smoothies that could do the trick as a part of your Ramadan breakfasts. Here are some of our favorites:

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie

This rich smoothie will keep you filled up without filling you with unnecessary calories.

Ingredients:

• 5 raw almonds
• 1 red apple
• 1 banana
• ¾ cup of nonfat Greek yogurt
• ½ cup of nonfat milk
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Method: 

1. Place all ingredients in a blender (depending on how powerful your blender is, you may need to chop the apple and almonds into small pieces before blending).
2. Blend on medium-high for 30 seconds (or until desired consistency).

 

Green Smoothie

Green Smoothies are a real winner, because they have massive amounts of healthy vegetables, leaving you full and healthy. This smoothie has an entire day’s worth of veggies in it!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and chopped
• 15 green or red grapes
• 6z plain fat free Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped avocado
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Method: 

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Coverage 2 Care

Ramadan is an opportunity to kick off healthy habits year-round. It’s also a great opportunity to make sure your health insurance is up to speed. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, you may now have access to new health resources that previously were not available to you. In order to take advantage of these new resources, Ramadan is the perfect time to follow the “Coverage to Care” roadmap to ensure you are getting the most possible out of your new insurance.

Step 1: Put your health first

Preventative health is key to maintaining a healthy life. Stay committed to eating well and exercising regularly, as well as visiting the doctor for check-ups.

Step 2: Understand your coverage

Investigate what doctors are covered under your insurance. Calculate how much of a copay you will have to pay when you visit the doctor. For more information about how to understand your insurance plan, press this link to look at the roadmap.

Step 3: Know where to go for care

Find a primary care doctor for non-emergency medical care.

Step 4: Find a provider

Research providers that are covered by your insurance. You can do this by calling your insurance company, or looking at their website. Ask around to see if friends or family have any recommendations.

Step 5: Make an appointment

Make sure you indicate your insurance information when you make the appointment, as well as the type of appointment you want to make. If you’re sick, be sure to tell the office you are sick and if you are just coming for a check-up, be clear about that as well. Ask if you need to bring anything to the appointment, like medical records, as well as the details of the cancellation policy in case you have to cancel your appointment.

Step 6: Be prepared for the visit

Make sure you bring your insurance card, a photo ID, and your copay. You may need to fill out additional forms once you arrive at the office.

Step 7: Decide if the provider is right for you

Decide if the provider made you feel comfortable and informed about your health. It’s very important you are able to trust your provider.

Step 8: Next steps

Ask your provider about any follow up visits or when you should next make an appointment. If you have questions for your doctor between visits, feel free to give them a call.

Now is the time to make sure you understand your health insurance policy! For more assistance, call Compassionate Care Network at  773-775-3600