Source: www.rta.ae
The Department of Administrative Services at the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has recently held a religious lecture entitled “Fasting is Good for Better Health” delivered by Dr. Badriya Al Harmi, Community Medicine Specialist at the Department of Community Health Services programs in the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) at RTA Auditorium.
The lecture was attended by the Director of RTA Administrative Services Ahlam Al-Feel, and several male and female staff of different RTA Departments.
The lecturer tackled several key aspects that contribute to boosting sound health attitudes during the holy month of Ramadan and the disseminating of health education across the community segments. She cast light on the concept of fasting in the traditional and modern medicine along with its diverse benefits in protecting the human body from some diseases, flushing accumulated toxins, and improving digestion & absorption functions. Fasting is also viewed as a perfect system for activating demolition & building processes, restoring youth & vitality to cells & tissues, and controlling the rates of blood sugar, fat and cholesterol in the blood.
“Fasting is a preventative measure as it helps weight loss, destruction of fat cells accumulated in the body, and dissolution of fat cells in the blood vessels; thus improves the blood flow and increases the proportion of oxygen; which gives the fasting individual a subsequent feeling of livelihood,” said Badriya. She also reflected on the therapeutic role of fasting in contributing to sorting out problems of the digestive system, reducing the symptoms of heart disease among those suffering cardiac ailments, and improving the mindset, besides curbing allergies, acne and pimples.
The lecture also highlighted conditions & diseases where patients are prevented from fasting by the concerned doctor; which include kidney, stomach ulcer, hepatitis, acute heart disease, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and irregular diabetes diseases.
The lecturer spoke about bad habits practiced in the month of Ramadan by considerable numbers of fasting individuals, most notably heavy eating & drinking, large intakes of fluids, nuts as well as sweets, and the excessive consumption of stimulants & fat foods. Such habits cause glut, laziness & sleep, increase the incidence of catching diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure and obesity.
The lecture included a visual presentation of the typical Ramadan meal, which has to contain wet dates, and small amounts of water & milk in order to prepare the stomach for food. Afterwards, the faster has to take a moderate main course which has to contain all important nutrients, while avoiding fatty foods & drinks as well as iced or fizzy drinks. In case of a desire for sweets, it should be taken after about two hours from breakfast time in order for the body to be capable of absorbing the sugar.
Dr. Badriya stressed the importance of practicing exercises in Ramadan as they help reduce weight, avoiding sleeping after breakfast, and offering Taraweeh prayers, which is a sport in its own right as it helps the body burn around 200 calories, and revitalize the stomach & intestines. Moreover, the serenity of the prayer helps the healing of some internal diseases caused by psychological reasons.
She also spoke about Sahoor meal which is required to be light and contain dairy products, eggs, dates, taking moderate quantities of bread or wheat, while abstaining completely from salt & fat foods together with sweets, and sugary drinks as they cause fatigue during the following day of fasting.
Ahlam Al-Feel stressed the need of holding such events and lectures and hosting key personalities in the community specialized in different disciplines. The lecture was hugely important as it communicated a key message in raising the awareness of our employees towards adopting healthy attitudes in Ramadan in order to help fasters get rid of some diseases. More info
