Ramadan is here and Relax will be sharing some tips to support our Malay friends & family who are fasting. Naturally during the long fasting days of Ramadan, drinking water is not an option. Your body needs water to function throughout the day. We will constantly lose water through breathing, perspiration, urine, and bowel movements. With Malaysia's hot summer days of Ramadan, thirst will be inevitable. But continue reading to reveal the little tricks that may help avoid dehydration.
1. Sip slowly, gradually
Start sipping on warm water regularly during iftar and sahur is very important, don’t forget to plan your water intake throughout the night too. Spreading out your water intake will be easier to maintain by drinking around 500ml of water during Sahur to make sure your body is hydrated throughout the day, and drink the remaining 1.5L in the evening.
If it helps, get a 2litre bottle of water so you are able to measure how much water intake you drink throughout day & night. Plus, if you’re usually forgetful when it comes to drinking water, get a transparent water bottle to see the volume you’ve drank.
2. Replenish with vegetables & fruits
Avoid food with high salt content since the body becomes dehydrated. During this period, the body will pull water from your cells. Certain fruits and vegetables have higher water content compared to others which is another way to sneak more hydration into the day.
A yummy side salad or easy going smoothie allows you to consume more than one type. Smoothies taste best when chilled so enjoy it slowly with our classic mug, it retains cold beverages up to 8 hours long. Some of our local favourites are watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, cucumber, lettuce as well as cabbage. Incorporate these in your buka puasa dishes.
3. Light exercises
It is known that you lose a lot of water when you sweat hence, working out can surely cause dehydration. On the other hand exercising also helps your body get rid of certain toxic elements that may cause dehydration later on. Here’s a good time to exercise during Ramadan, yes we’ve calculated. 2-3 hours after iftar (in order for your food to digest) or 1 hour before iftar would be the most suitable timing. When browsing which exercise to do, select those which are low impact to moderate exercises such as a light cardio workout, bodyweight exercises or you could try stretching & yoga. Make sure you know what your body is saying so you do not overexert yourself especially if you’re working out before iftar.
After sweating, try to make up the amount of water lost by drinking water before you go to sleep. Relax Tritan water bottle with straw is perfect for slow sipping like we mentioned earlier with a large capacity to remind you if you're drinking enough or not for the day.
4. Try not to drink sugary drinks
Ending Sahur with a glass of carbonated sugary drinks or breaking fast with some syrup bandung will keep you more dehydrated according to research. When you drink drinks high in sugary content, your urine becomes more concentrated with sugar. Your kidneys then work hard to water it down, at the end you end up losing more water content. Leaving you feeling more sluggish & slow—not the act of fasting itself.
Furthermore, caffeine helps rid your body of salt (sodium) and water, meaning it makes you go to the toilet more. Best to just stick to water during this period, if you’re really craving for something more you may try infused water with fruits such as berries or sweeter fruits to replace. This flask with a built-in strainer is perfect for infused drinks and keeping it cold!
