Preparing for a healthier fasting experience this Ramadan
Fasting is a central element of many of the world’s great religions. For Muslims, Ramadan is around one month long, and this year it starts on 10th March 2024.
There are many reasons for fasting. It is a religious obligation which facilitates a sense of purity, humility, helping others, equality and self-discipline (among others). Purifying onself is important “purifying our beliefs along with our bodies, minds and souls” and the health benefits of fasting are also acknowledged:
Fasting is particularly good for our health. Many athletes use fasting in their training regime prior to competitions in order to burn unwanted fat and encourage lean muscle growth.
Intermittent fasting and liquid fasting are incredibly popular methods of achieving many goals such as losing weight, improving blood pressure, fitness, maintaining a healthy mental balance, a healthy heart, stabilising blood sugar levels, encouraging improved cognitive function, boosting the immune system, increasing metabolism, detoxing the body, suppressing the appetite and so much more.
However, in the hundreds of years since the time of the Prophets, the way we fast has changed along with our food preferences and habits.
Long ago people probably fasted with more equanimity – they probably wouldn’t have suffered from sugar addition and food cravings. So they probably lose more weight and improve their blood pressure and blood glucose.
Nowadays any weight loss is likely to be hard-won – accompanied by hunger and food cravings – and short lived because the meals eaten after the last prayer are often dominated by those resulting in large blood sugar spikes and consequently an insulin surge.
Coaching for metabolic health
This year, I joined forces with Dr Aisha Malik to help people reset their metabolism in the run up to Ramadan.
Our aim is to help people fast in a better way – that retains the central spiritual elements, but which reduces the negative aspects of fasting linked predominantly with our modern lifestyle.
We want to help people reset their metabolism through a better away of eating which addresses the problem of large blood sugar and insulin spikes, food cravings and hangry feelings. Ultimately, we hope that more people will emerge after Eid healthier, with reduced risk of future chronic disease.
Ramadan is an ideal time to embark on such a challenge, and so we set up a group coaching programme as a way of organising the learning and transformation process.
The power of groups
We decided to make it a 12 week group coaching programme for men and women.
This format makes it affordable for as many people as possible, but it carries the major benefit of fostering support and connection between people who are grappling with similar challenges. In these days of social isolation this is particularly valuable for health transformation.
Join us for our 2024 challenge: Nourish, Fast, Flourish: The Ultimate Carb-Cutting Programme for Ramadan.
And make 2024 be the year you take control over your own health!
Lesley & Aisha