Is it healthy to fast with no water during the month of Ramadan? educogym Moorgate debate

LONDON - June 11, 2018 - PRLog -- Traditionally, in Islam during the month of Ramadan every Muslim will fast for a month with a few exceptions such as pregnancy or health issues. Between sunrise, and sunset, no food or water is to be consumed, to your average person, this may seem unhealthy or drastic, but are there actually health benefits to fasting? "Fasting is in fact very good for you when done safely and effectively, it is essentially a detox, it allows your digestive system to rest, manages your blood sugar levels, and if you eat the right kind of foods It can get you into shape, and also has great mental benefits as well" explained Sanj Bains, educogym Moorgate personal trainer.

Not having water for 23 hours, isn't that dangerous? Don't we need to stay hydrated? "Dry fasting, a fast without water, is definitely not something to be dived into without research, during Ramadan, Muslims begin fasting as teenagers, they start slowly until they are used to it, and the same thing needs to be done for anyone thinking about fasting for religious reasons or for fat loss. Luckily, most fasts are between 12 and 20 hours, our bodies store huge amounts of water in our fat cells, in glucose stores in our blood and more, and so you may not physically drink water for 18 hours, but your body has it all stored up for you" explained Godfrey Nurse, personal trainer at educogym Moorgate.

Fasting is by no means a new way to lose weight, it has been around for decades, centuries even, but how do you go about it? "Intermittent fasting is becoming very popular, this involves choosing a set window of hours to eat, and fasting throughout the rest of the day, it manages your blood sugar levels, which helps the sugar crash you feel after eating sugar, avoiding this crash means you don't get the cravings for the sugar spike again, and can essentially lower your daily calorific intake which over all leads to fat loss. The best thing is to start small, eat between 12pm and 8pm, then every few days reduce it by half an hour until you reach something that is sustainable but gives you a good amount of fasting hours. Always start with a wet fast, so drink water, dry fasting should only be done under medical supervision or for short amount of times after experience, I wouldn't recommend going over 23 hours without water as you would then be very low in electrolytes and can start to get unwell." Explained Sanj, educogym Moorgate personal trainer.

There are also some fantastic mental benefits to fasting "many people enjoy the self discipline they discover during fasting, the ability to have your day and routine not controlled by the stereotypical breakfast, lunch and dinner, mental clarity, many find their focus and motivation increases as their blood sugars stabilise, and many find themselves surprised at how little food they need which completely changes their perception of food and changes their bad food habits for good. The main concern is eating right when you do eat. Break your fast with a glass of water, and something low calorie like a soup, so you avoid overeating processed carbs, then follow with a nutrient and protein rich meal such as chicken and vegetables to get all the protein your body needs to maintain its muscle mass, and finally have some fruit, milk and more water to get extra nutrients and to rehydrate", explained Sanj Bains educogym Moorgate personal trainer. It is important to remember that Ramadan is for one month and not a long term, for Muslims it is a religious time to be thankful for what you have, to spend time with your family and to pray. Those fasting for weight loss can try intermittent fasting, and reduced fasting hours, fasting for between 14-20 hours a day which is much more manageable longer term.

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