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 group:  Serving = 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 mothers- when 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 non- caffeine 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 non- fasting 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 ?????

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