Transcript here - Muslim Leaders

Fasting for Women
Tips on fasting for non-pregnant,
pregnant, and breastfeeding
women
In General
 Good
nutrition is always needed
 Make wise choices for food
 Do not over-indulge
 Break your fast slowly, do not increase
your blood sugar too rapidly
 Break your fast with something light like
soup or dates
Food pyramid
 6-11
servings from the grain group
 2-4 servings from the fruit group
 3-5 servings from the vegetable group
 2-3 servings from the meat, Poultry,
Fish, Dry beans, eggs, and Nuts group
 2-3 servings from the milk, yogurt,and
cheese group
 Use Fats, Oils, and sweets sparingly
 Grain
group:
 Serving =
1 slice bread.
½ pita bread, bagel, bun, or English
muffin.
½ cup cereal, rice, or pasta.
3-4 small crackers.
 Fruit
group:
 Serving =
3 dates.
1 apple, small banana, orange,
nectarine.
¾ cup fruit juice.
½ cup berries.
½ cup diced, cooked, or canned fruits.
 Vegetable
 Serving
group:
=
½ cup cooked or raw vegetables.
1 cup leafy raw vegetables.
½ cup cooked legumes.
 Meat
group:
 Serving =
2-3 oz lean, cooked meat, poultry, or
fish
1 egg
1/3 cup nuts
½ cup cooked legumes
 Milk
group:
 Serving =
1 cup milk or yogurt.
1 ½ oz cheese.
Note:
3 serving of milk, yogurt and
cheese group are recommended
for teenagers, young adult,
pregnant/lactating women, and
women past menopause.
 Fats,
oils, and sweets:
include butter, margarine, salad
dressings, oils, mayonnaise, cream,
sour cream, sauces, dessert, candies,
and soft drinks.
During pregnancy
 Always
consult your doctor about your
wishes to fast
 It is strongly advised that you do not fast
if you are suffering from Diabetes,
Hypertensions, easting disorders, or
digestive system disorders
Remember
 What
you eat is more important that
How much you eat
 Choose foods from each of the major
food groups
 Do not overindulge in sweats or
“wasted-calorie” foods
Especially Important Nutrients
Iron
 Liver,
beef, veal, Lamb, turkey
 Iron enriched breads and cereals
 Dried beans, green leafy vegetable,
raisins, dried prunes, apricots
 Nuts and seeds
 Vit. C helps with the absorption of iron –
drink orange juice
Folic Acid
 Good
sources of Folate
 Green leafy vegetables (Spinach, beets,
and turnip greens), kidney, liver, beef,
wheat products, eggs.
Calcium
 Especially
important for any woman for
good bone development and
management
 Prevents osteoporosis
 Important for breastfeeding motherswhen the child breastfeeds it depletes
your stores of calcium
Calcium cont.

Milk group (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese,
cheese).
 Fish with bones (canned salmon), tofu
 Dark leafy vegetables, bok choy, broccoli,
beans
 Figs, sunflower seeds, tahini, almond butter
 Calcium fortified soya milk, juices, and
cereals
Fiber
Fiber aids in maintaining the health of
the digestive tract and help to prevent or
control certain diseases.
Some people suffer from constipation
during Ramadan. Eating enough fiber is
a good solution.
Fiber (cont.)
 Recommended
amount of fiber is
around 25 grams.
 Good
sources of fiber are whole grains,
legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
Water, Water, Water
 Any
person needs to drink between 8 to
10 glasses of water per day
 During pregnancy the doctor may
discourage you from fasting during the
summer months due to the high
likelihood of dehydration
Water –
pregnancy/breastfeeding
 Pregnant/breastfeeding
women should
drink at least a minimum of 2 liters of
water every day in non fasting hours
 May get water in the form of noncaffeine drinks (ie. Juice, sprite,milk),
limit two per day
 Caffeine (in tea and coffee) actually
dehydrates you more
Water-pregnancy
 Low
water consumption may make the
pregnant woman experience “false”
labor contractions called Braxton-Hicks
contractions
 If this happens, break your fast, drink
plenty of water, and rest. With these
interventions the contractions should
slow down and be irregular, if not
contact your doctor
Water - breastfeeding
 You
may see a slight decrease in the
amount that you can breastfeed
 Feed baby more frequently during nonfasting hours
 Make sure to drink high calcium
beverages such as milk AND PLENTY
of water when you are not fasting
Some good food choices to break
your fast are:
 Fresh
fruits
 Fresh fruit juice
 Porridge with skimmed milk and fresh or
dried fruit (go dates!!)
 Low-fat natural yogurt with fresh dried
fruits and seeds
 Boiled egg/grilled chicken/baked beans
on whole meal toast
Larger meal, a few hours
later…

Whole-meal bread roll without butter (herbs
instead), filled with egg and tomatoes,
chicken and salads, low-fat cheese and
salad, or tuna with cucumber and tomato.
 Whole meal pasta with tomato based sauce,
with a large salad
 Salad with fish, chicken, or low-fat cottage
cheese. Add whole meal bread or rice
 Baked potato (no butter or oil) with tuna or
low-fat cottage cheese
 Vegetables (raw) with hummus
Good sahour foods….
 Boiled
egg with nan bread and fresh
fruit juice
 Low fat yogurt sprinkled with granola
and fresh fruit
 Brain muffin, with scrambled eggs and
white cheese
Golden Rules….

Avoid too much fat/sugar/salts and caffeine
 Always have fresh food available
 Stick to a low fat diet. Cut out fried foods
 Choose fresh fruits and vegetables whenever
possible
 Eat sweets in moderation – high sweat intake
can give thrush to breastfeeding babies,
sugar is a great environment for bacteria to
grow!!!
Exercise
 You
still need to exercise
 Used to maintain you current fitness
level and gain strength for a less difficult
delivery
 Greatest appetite suppressant is
exercise
 20-minutes of aerobic exercise it great!!
Call the Doctor
Don’t be afraid to express your need/want to
fast to your doctor- they are there for you
 ANY DISCOMFORT – it is advisable to break
the fast as it is not against the religion –
exemption in pregnancy and breast feeding
“God has exempted the traveler during his
journey from fasting and part of prayer (qasr)
and exempted the pregnant and the lactating
from fasting.” (Termizi, Nisai’I)

Disclaimer for late pregnancy
 There
has been research conducted
showing that women that fast late in
pregnancy have a harder time fasting
and exerperience lower levels of blood
sugar and excessive hunger (condition
known as ‘accelerated starvation’) it
may be necessary to defer fasting
Questions ?????
Thank you