Aura Skin Clinic

Is fasting good for health?

Ramadan fasting are mixed, probably because the length of the fast and the weather conditions experienced vary depending on the time of year and the country where the

fast is being observed.

Some of the benefits are

Decrease insulin levels which causes fat burning

The blood levels of growth hormone may increase as much as 5-fold).

Higher levels of this hormone facilitate fat burning and muscle gain, and have numerous other benefits

Short-term fasting actually increases your metabolic rate by 3.6-14%, helping you burn even more calories.

It Can Reduce Insulin Resistance, Lowering Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Can Reduce Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in The Body

When we fast, the cells in the body initiate a cellular waste removal process called autophagy, it may provide protection against several diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

How do we eat our way to clean, glowing skin?

Healthy skin requires hydrating Omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins for collagen and elastin production and trace minerals for repair, protection, and cell regeneration. So its important for them to incorporate leafy greens and fiber to help proliferate healthy gut bacteria and wild fish rich in omega 3s, vitamin D and B vitamins .

What are the best vitamin supplements to take during ramzan?

Skin supplements are usually a group of several vitamins and antioxidants that can enhance the wellbeing of the skin. Some of the most important antioxidants for the skin are vitamin C, E, A, selenium and zinc. Here we would like to suggest oral antioxidants and nutritional supplements to reduce the aging effects on skin and cellular function.

All of these antioxidants reduce the harmful effects of the sun and the process of releasing free radicals that usually harms skin cells. I recommend taking these supplements during ramzan, as you are able to get the benefits of these supplements during the fasting hours.

What is a go-to treatment for skin at Aura Skin and Hair Clinic that every individual should try during the month of Ramadan?

Mesotherapy treatment with microneedling, medifacials are one of the best treatments that can be used during Ramadan as it does not irritate the skin. On the contrary, it nourishes the skin with vitamins and amino acids. It is suitable for all skin types with almost no downtime.

What are the foods we need when we break the fast?

Break your fast slowly by drinking of fluids, choose fluid-rich foods to make sure you are well hydrated for the day ahead and go for starchy foods for energy, choosing high fibre or wholegrain varieties where possible as these can help keep you feeling fuller and can aid digestion, helping to prevent constipation. once the fast is broken, the body can rehydrate and gain energy from the foods and drinks consumed.

Having not eaten for a long period, you may find it helpful to eat slowly when breaking the fast and to start with plenty of fluids and low-fat, fluid-rich foods, while iftar meals are often a time for celebration, with families and friends coming together to break their fasts, it’s important not to go overboard when eating during Ramadan.

Consuming a lot of deep fried, creamy and sweet foods may actually cause you to gain weight during Ramadan. Ramadan can be a good time to make changes to improve the balance of your diet that you can sustain in the longer term, I encourage my patients to load up on what I call the Fab Four at every meal: protein, fat, fiber, and greens.

Fab Four meals turn off hunger hormones, squelch inflammation, and provide the body with the perfect complete meal of essential nutrients. The Fab Four is the light structure for eating healthy without “eat" or "do not eat" lists. Simply look at your plate and ask yourself, "Do I have all four components?" Protein ups collagen, muscle tone, and metabolism; fat benefits hormones, skin, and cellular health; fiber promotes gut microbiome proliferation and detoxification; and greens (or veggies deep in color) provide cancer and antiinflammatory phytonutrients.

This combination is a fail safe for my who are fasting or patients who are on diet they can stop fighting not to eat and instead mix their nutrients and easily go 4-6 hours without thinking of food .

Below are some examples:

Oats - these are whole grains and you could choose porridge, which will also provide fluids as it’s made with milk or water, muesli with milk or yogurt or overnight oats. You could experiment with fresh or dried fruit, nuts or seeds as toppings.

High fibre breakfast cereals – these provide plenty of fibre and are often fortified with vitamins and minerals, providing extra nutrients. Because they are consumed with milk, you also get fluid and nutrients like calcium, iodine and b vitamins from the milk.

Starchy foods like rice, or couscous – you could try rice pudding with fruit or experiment with couscous or other grains with dairy or fruit. If you go for savoury dishes at suhoor then it's a good idea make sure these are not too salty or they may make you very thirsty during
the fast.

Yogurt – this can be a good food to include at suhoor as it provides nutrients like protein, calcium, iodine and b vitamins and also contains fluid. You could combine it with cereal and fruit as in the examples above.

Breads – go for wholegrain options as these provide more fibre, for example wholemeal toast or chapattis.Avoid combining bread with salty foods like hard cheese, or preserved meats. You could try nut butters (without added salt), soft cheese, or banana. As bread is
fairly dry, make sure you drink plenty of water or other fluids alongside or you could have fluid-rich foods such as a lentil soup, which is a traditional food at ramzan in some countries.