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Monday, August 29, 2011

Healthy choice for this Eid


A leading doctor is urging the Muslim community participating in the holy month of Ramadan to use Eid to reinforce the good habits they have achieved over the past month.
Many people use the month of fasting to also renew their spiritual energies by individual and group prayers, as well as not ingesting any material orally during daylight hours. This includes smoking.
Dr Gora Bangi, NHS Central Lancashire clinical commissioning executive committee chair, said: “If you can manage to go without a cigarette during these long days of fasting, then why not give up altogether?
“With Eid approaching, you can really use this time to reflect on the lifestyle changes you could make more permanent.
“Do you feel different for not smoking? Think about how much better you feel now, think of all the money you have saved in the past month. Many people also feel better in themselves, because they have a better spiritual base from which to work from – and the improvement in mental wellbeing is one of the many great benefits of Ramadan.”
NHS Central Lancashire is also urging people to be careful in the kitchen as Eid is typically a time for family gatherings and a significant amount of cooking and eating.
Dr Bangi said: “Fasting during Ramadan requires a lot of self-control when it comes to food. Use this opportunity to look at your portion sizes and what you eat normally to see if any changes can be made.
“Your stomach capacity may have shrunk. It is healthy to eat and drink not till you are full-to-bursting. Leave space, and it will leave you comfortable.