Tips for fasting during Ramadan, Lent before Easter Sunday

With Ramadan just beginning and Good Friday about a week away, people are pushing away from the dining room table.

The celebration of Ramadan began last weekend and will continue through May 1 this year. For Muslims, this is the holiest time of the year and is celebrated by praying together and fasting (no drinking or eating) from sunrise to sunset “as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate,” according to Islamic Networks Group.

“Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation with a heightened focus on devotion, during which Muslims spend extra time reading the Qur’an and performing special prayers.”

Muslim families prepare for fasting by waking before sunrise and having a hearty breakfast. After sunset, people often invite friends and family over to break their fast, and mosques hold community dinners, making the month one full of social gatherings and good will.

When the practice of fasting started in the Catholic church, it lasted the full 40 days of Lent. The United States Conference of Bishops (USCCB) said fasting also preceded every major feast or religious milestone.

Nowadays, most Catholics practice fasting only two days a year: Ash Wednesday (the day after Fat Tuesday) and Good Friday (the Friday before Easter) as part of the Lenten season’s traditions of praying, fasting and charity. In the Catholic religion, you eat less but do not skip meals to fast. Catholics have one full meal and two snacks that do not add up to a full meal and abstain from meat. Liquids may be had throughout the fast.

Orthodox Christians fast on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year and start preparing for the 40 days of Great Lent with pre-Lenten fasts and themes (humility, repentance, judgment and forgiveness) for the four weeks leading up to Great Lent.

The first week of Great Lent is especially strict. On Clean Monday, the first day of Great Lent, Orthodox Christians have a total fast, except for a little water, according to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. The fast continues Tuesday and Wednesday. The Diocese said most are unable to fast three continuous days. Those who can’t have a meal of uncooked food after sunset on Tuesday and then continue their fast until Wednesday evening.

The church’s general rules of fasting are kept from week two through six of Lent. Orthodox Christians abstain from meat, animal products (milk, cheese, lard, eggs), fish, olive oil and all alcoholic drinks weekdays and allow for oil and wine on weekends. One meal a day is eaten on weekdays and two meals on weekends.

Like the first week, a strict fast is kept during Holy Week, the week before Easter. “Most eat a simple Lenten meal at the end of each day before going to the evening Church services,” according to the Archdiocese. The fast ends Easter Sunday at midnight.

The Church Fathers recommend those who are new to fasting begin by adhering to the fasts as much as they can and gradually working up to the strict fasts. The Orthodox Christian church is lenient with those who have health or living situations that do not permit fasting.

“Fasting is not a law for us — rather, a voluntary way of remembering to not sin and do evil, and to help keep our focus on prayer, repentance and doing acts of kindness, for we ‘are not under the law but under grace’ (Romans 6:14),“ according to the Archdiocese.

Any Catholic in good health, age 18 to 59 is required to fast. To skip the fast would be considered a sin. However, Muslims and Catholics exempt the following from fasting:

• Anyone outside the age limits of 18 and 59

• The physically or mentally ill, including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes

• Pregnant or nursing people

“In all cases, common sense should prevail, and ill persons should not further jeopardize their health by fasting,” according to USCCB.

Muslims exempt from fasting make up for it by feeding a poor person every day they miss, according to the Islamic Network Group.

Here are some healthy ways for Muslims and Orthodox Christians to fast:

• Eat healthy meals: For a healthy meal before dawn, skip fried foods and sweets that will not sustain you. “Muslims can more easily make it to sundown by eating high-fiber meals to sustain satiety over longer periods, fruits and vegetables to maintain electrolyte stores, and plenty of fluids to maintain hydration,” said Sara Elnakib, a registered dietitian and community health educator.

• Drink plenty of water: Elnakib also recommends continuing nightly hydrating between meals. You need three to four quarts of water to keep every cell, organ and tissue working properly.

• Do not overeat: After a long day of fasting, you may want to eat everything in sight. Doing so could cause acid reflux or keep you from getting enough sleep
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• Go to sleep early: Since you will be waking up before sunrise, be sure you still get seven to nine hours of sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, anything less can have long-term and short-term effects. Sleep deprivation can cause mood swings, affect your memory, alertness and ability to make sound judgments. Long-term effects include heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and even death.

Here are some tips for Catholics fasting:

• Pay close attention to nutrition for meals and snacks: Each snack should include a protein or fat and a carbohydrate. For instance, half a serving of oatmeal and nuts will make you feel fuller longer, according to registered dietitian Bridget Reiter of The Delicious Dietitian in Mobile. “Develop a schedule for meals and pack healthy snacks.”

• Eat with moderation: When sitting down to your bigger meal, resist the urge to overeat. It could cause heartburn and leave you feeling nauseated or tired.

This story was originally published April 5, 2022 11:09 AM.