Ramadan During Lockdown: Health Expert Offers Tips for Safe Fasting

Among a thousand and one recipes to try to stay fit during the month of Ramadan, some no longer know which way to turn. To sort out the true from the false, Dr. Moussayer Khadija, a specialist in internal medicine and geriatrics, specifies that "fasting during the month of Ramadan is generally harmless for practitioners and age is not in itself an obstacle to its proper observance".

Nevertheless, certain predispositions on the health level deserve that we stop on some specificities. According to the specialist, "there are absolute contraindications in case of diabetes treated with insulin and not balanced, kidney failure, heart disease and any other pathology that does not tolerate even a short fast". She advises people in such cases to take stock with their attending physician in order not to "jeopardize their health". She also proposes to "show responsibility in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic, especially after 75 years where fasting is rather to be discouraged," indicates aujourdhui.ma.

Regarding people with Covid-19, Dr. Moussayer explains that "those who are severely affected by the disease or who have a particular fragility due to age, obesity, a chronic illness should refrain from observing the Ramadan fast". She specifies that the fact that beyond the deprivations of all kinds, "it must be accompanied by the barrier gestures that are regular washing and maintaining a distance of 1 meter minimum between people". The wearing of masks, which has been mandatory since April 7, is added to these measures.

However, according to the doctor, having a mask, even non-medical and homemade, is good, using it correctly is even better. "The mask under the chin or hanging from the ear, the time to talk to someone, then put back on after having been handled in all directions, that’s what you shouldn’t do. To be effective, a mask must remain in place and be touched as little as possible," she explains.

She also points out that a new marker has just appeared in the symptoms of covid-19. "This is the conclusion of a major European study which shows that such sensory alterations occur in 80% to 90% of cases studied in Europe and then regress rapidly for nearly half of the subjects," warns Dr. Moussayer.

Finally, an important and very important detail, the specialist reminds that in this period of confinement and fasting, "it is necessary to strengthen the immune defenses by taking measures against anxiety. It is requested to incorporate the consumption of fruits and vegetables into eating habits. Special emphasis is placed on sleep time, which should be between 7 and 8 hours, while practicing flexibility and muscle strengthening exercises," reads the newspaper.

The specialist also warns that "people who spend more than 7 hours a day sitting in front of a television screen have a cardiovascular mortality risk about 85% higher than those who spend less than an hour a day watching television," specifies the same source.