Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and any views expressed in this post are solely mine. Before embarking on any diet or calorie restriction, please consult with a medical professional. I am not advising or recommending you approach this experience as I did.
I’m a Muslim, and I’ve been fasting for most of my life. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is when the Holy Quran was revealed. Muslims who fast during Ramadan abstain from eating, drinking, taking any oral medication, smoking, and sexual intercourse from dawn until sunset. I probably started fasting during Ramadan around the age of twelve or thirteen. Whether that is medically recommended, I’m not sure, but I did it because that what I was encouraged to do. I used the same approach when it came to iftar (breaking fast); I broke my fast just like everyone else. I indulged in the entire food spread that was laid out. One of my favorite parts of Ramadan is having family members and friends come together to enjoy a satisfying meal. I’m grateful that there is an abundance of food to go around.
If there is one thing I dread about Ramadan is the toll it takes on my body. Every year I tell myself, “This year, I will do Ramadan right.” Let’s face it; For those of us living in America, we overeat during Ramadan. We worry and occupy our minds about having to go without food from a few hours up to 20 hours. At the end of the night, we stuff ourselves with the foods we’ve craved throughout the day. I want to attribute this to what Freud referred to as the “Id.” The Id is the part of our personality that strives for human’s basic urges and needs as quickly as possible. It is our pleasure center that is fulfilled by food or sex. When these needs are not met, we feel tension. While hunger may lead to irrational beliefs that result in unhealthy negative emotions, it’s essential to keep in mind that these concepts will apply differently to different people. Although I feel hungry when fasting, I know my “logic brain” is saying, “You will not die,” and it’s true. Take it from me, who has recently had some personal experience with intermittent fasting, in addition to a three-day water fast. Yes, that’s three days with no food or calories. This is my journey and how it changed my perspective about Ramadan and some reasons you may want to consider trying it out.
Before I share my experience, let me give you a bit of context. I’ve been a graduate student for the past three and a half years. I spend most of my days in a chair staring at a computer screen. I get little to no exercise, and my eating habits over the years have only gone from bad to worse. I would say I put on approximately fifteen to twenty pounds since starting graduate school. Before mentally accepting this challenge, I ensured that I had a supportive network aware of what I was about to embark on. I also promised myself that I wouldn’t go the entire three days if I felt physically weak.
First, what is intermittent fasting? Intermittent fasting has recently gained popularity in health and fitness circles. The primary purpose is to lose weight and choose a healthier lifestyle. Intermittent fasting is precisely that. It’s when you cycle through periods of eating and abstaining from food. Here are some popular intermittent fasting schedules: Fast for 16 hours; eat for 8 hours Fast for 18 hours; eat for 6 hours Fast for 20 hours; eat for 4 hours Fast for 24 hours; eat once per day. This is not an exhaustive list, but just the ones I tried leading up to my three-day fast.
So why did I try this out? Really, the science was undeniable. For me, being Muslim is to seek, gain, and disseminate knowledge. I try to do that to the best of my ability. The following verses in the Qur’an highlight this importance: Quran, 39:33 “He who brings the truth and he who confirms it – it is they who are the Godwary. Quran, 20:114 “So exalted is Allah, the True Sovereign. Do not hasten with the Qur’an before its revelation is completed for you, and say, “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.”
Several studies have shown some health benefits from intermittent fasting. Mattson and Wan (2005) found that intermittent fasting extended the lifespan and slowed down age-related diseases in rodents and monkeys. Those that fast can increase their fitness and resistance to injury (Longo & Mattson, 2014). Other benefits include the maintenance of blood glucose levels, reduction of glycogen, mobilization of fatty acids and generation of ketones (Johnson et al., 2007), and increased alertness and mental clarity (Fond et al., 2013). This is also not an exhaustive list, but some reasons that motivated me to try it.
And so, it began. I initially started with 20 hours of fasting and 4 hours of eating regimen for three days. My goal was to eat healthy and whole foods that would sustain me for the following day. I limited my carbohydrate intake and consumed more healthy fats than protein. Think avocado and olives. I didn’t feel much difficulty during these initial three days. It was business as usual. Sure, I felt hungrier, but I was okay.
After these initial three days, I set to complete a three-day water fast. I wasn’t expecting what the experience was like, and it was perspective-changing. After the first 24 hours of not consuming any calories, I felt excellent. I didn’t feel any hunger, and it was as though my body wasn’t ready for food. I thought to myself, “I can definitely complete 24 more hours.”
That night I slept like a baby. I woke up in the same spot I slept in. I was rested and felt more flexible. I could even sit cross-legged a lot easier than I had before, and I didn’t feel the pain in my knee.
But what happened later during that day (between the 30-40 hour mark) was incredible. I was experiencing extreme focus and concentration. I could zero in on the tasks I was doing and experienced little to no distractions. It enhanced my hearing and sense of smell.
But then something happened between the 47-49 hours. I started panicking, and negative self-talk started kicking in. I recognized that my inner monologue was filled with comments such as, “I need to eat right now,” “I can’t go on any longer,” “my body has had enough.” I was not in control of these thoughts. Cognitive behavioral theory states these negative thoughts cause us psychological distress and impact the actions we take. These were not the conscious thoughts I was having, and for me to control them, I had to realize that. This is the same self-talk that I and probably many of us experience during the day throughout Ramadan.
I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to pray and meditate. Something happened during my meditation. I had an awareness of clarity — not the kind where I can focus on something but about the true meaning of Ramadan.
The following verse kept coming to mind: Qur’an, 2:183 “O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may be Godwary.”
I thought about what Allah may have been trying to tell us this whole time. “Fast to heal, to know yourself, and know your body.” I hadn’t understood this concept before that awareness. Ramadan isn’t a way to punish us, it’s a mercy from Allah to heal us. Like a doctor prescribing our medicine.
We in America have been taught a lot about the cultural aspects of Ramadan with no real appreciation for the spiritual aspects of it. That’s what I hope some of you take from this reading. We have diluted Ramadan to doing nothing during the days, feasting at night and staying up until sunrise again. Instead, it is a time to connect with the world around you, with yourself and with Allah.
I imagined myself eating during this brief meditation, and I cried. I cried that Allah was so merciful in allowing me to partake in such an experience and for those who weren’t able to imagine their next bite of food.
I slept well again that night and woke up with a slight headache, but I knew that at the 72-hour mark, I would eat. I wanted healthy foods in my body after such a long time without it. I tried to be conscious of the benefits that food would offer my body and mind. I felt like my relationship with food has changed as I prepared a bone-broth and was looking forward to having my first meal in three days.
This experience changed the way I view Ramadan. Not that I wasn’t aware of what Ramadan was supposed to be, but I had never experienced in the way it was meant to be experienced. It was always something I had to do, rather than wanting to do. That’s why I believe it would be helpful for Muslims who take part in Ramadan to consider consciously taking part in intermittent fasting. It will make you more aware of the foods you eat and experience some health benefits. Most importantly, you may gain a better appreciation for what Allah has prescribed.
I am wishing you all a blessed Ramadan 2020.
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