The holy month of Ramzan started officially on May 15th evening and will continue till June 14th. Muslims all over the world will observe a rigorous 28-30 day fast, in which food and drinks are prohibited during the daylight hours. The fasting month is the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar and holds a lot of significance for the Muslim, for it is the month when the Qur’an was revealed. Muslims fast during the day to practice self-restraint. By abstaining from food, they submit to the higher power, the creator. The ones who observe roza have their first meal of the day (sehri) before the crack of dawn, abstain from eating for the rest of the day and break their fast when the sun sets (iftaar).

Ancient wisdom usually has a kernel of scientific truth. Fasting during Ramzan is done for a spiritual reason. But according to modern medical science, the benefits of fasting may go beyond just spiritual exercise. Observing roza may present many health benefits too. Fasting is defined as partial or total abstinence from food, as a non-medical intervention for improving health and lifespan. Science also attests to its many health benefits. Here’s a summary of all the ways in which fasting during Ramzan benefits your body.

Weight and Fat Loss

While fasting during Ramzan is also followed by high-calorie feasting, studies indicate can positively impact weight loss. Although a single meal for sehri or iftaar may be dense in calories, the overall calories consumed during the day may be lesser than the daily recommended amount. This, however, differs from person to person. A 2016 study published in the Endocrinology Metabolism concluded that while observing roza resulted in weight loss, going back to a normal eating pattern can pile the weight back on.

Improvement of Cholesterol

The same study also observed that roza fasting affected fat loss and not muscle loss or catabolism. Another one published in Asian Journal of Sports Medicine concludes that roza helped in lowering body weight and fat percentage and elevated the beneficial HDL cholesterol in physically active men.

Healthier Immune System

Fasting can also regenerate the entire immune system, according to a study by scientists at the University of Southern California. They believe that even a three-day fast can kick-start production of new white blood corpuscles by stimulating the stem cells. Fasting can flip a regenerative switch that gives the stem cells an OK signal to produce white blood cells that fight infections.

Benefits NAFLD Patients

Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) patients may benefit from fasting during Ramzan because a study shows that deprivation of food produces a certain protein which adjusts the metabolism in the liver. A 2017 study published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition says that Ramzan fasting may be beneficial in improving health in NAFLD patients.

Benefits Cardiovascular Health

A 2013 study in the journal Current Medical Research and Opinion concluded that majority of patients with stable cardiac diseases could undergo fasting without any adverse effects. Apart from that, the body mass index, lipid profile, blood pressure showed significant improvement in normal healthy subjects and people with cardiac problems, metabolic diseases, cholesterol and hypertension during Ramzan fasting.

Despite its spiritual significance and myriad health benefits, observing roza is not a compulsion and can be practised by one’s own volition. Islam also exempts some observing roza. These include prepubescent children, sick individuals, people who are travelling, pregnant and breastfeeding women, menstruating women and the old. But bear in mind that the health benefits may be an unintended bonus, but the main focus of roza is spiritual growth. Observing roza only for its health and weight loss benefits may go against the primary purpose of fasting during Ramzan.

(Reference: Effects of Ramadan fasting on the health of Muslims, The impact of religious fasting on human health, Ramadan Fasting Decreases Body Fat but Not Protein Mass, Is Ramadan fasting related to health outcomes? A review on the related evidence, Effect of Ramadan fasting on anthropometric parameters and food consumption in 276 type 2 diabetic obese women, Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Biochemical and Anthropometric Parameters in Physically Active Men, The Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Body Composition, Blood Pressure, Glucose Metabolism, and Markers of Inflammation in NAFLD Patients: An Observational Trial, Impact of religious Ramadan fasting on cardiovascular disease: a systematic review of the literature)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 16, 2018 12:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).