It’s such a peaceful feelings in my heart every year when Ramzan comes! As if the atmosphere becomes pious. It’s the best month when time management becomes so easy. Besides prayers and Taravih, it’s the month to cleans oneself from all evils from heart and mind by reading whole Quran Kareem and it’s meanings with full concentration and applying it in our daily lives. Even before Ramzan started, in my college, all the students wanted holidays in whole of this month. I could not understand why people think that if one fasts, he/she is not able to study or do routine work as we do whole year. Roza is not meant to keep on lying on bed and do nothing and get all sympathy that one is fasting! Kids can do that but not the grown ups. Work hours are reduced because of Ramzan. Isn’t it enough? I feel it’s so important to perform all tasks of life during Roza and get the true essence of it. I don’t know how will one spend time of Roza in laziness? Its the best time to change our eating habits as people of our nation eat a lot, all the unhealthy stuff and that’s in excess in Ramzan. This month puts some restraints on us to apply in our rest of lives. Central obesity is the problem which is so prevalent in most men and women and it is the major risk factor for developing ischemic heart disease. It is the best time to cut off extra calories that we take in the form of fried pakoras, samosas, rolls and jalaibees and what’s not! Keep these for children only if they are too not becoming obese! We adults should take healthy meal at Aftari instead of snacks. If somebody wants to loose weight it’s the best month to follow a healthy diet. First step is to cut off all the snacks that we take between meals ( other months) or at Aftari (in Ramzan). Replace by taking dates, dried figs, channay, almonds or currents. Cut off sugar in tea then quit. No bakery items like cakes, pastries and other sweet dishes. Replace with fruits. There are so many tasty fruits in summer! One feels refreshed even to look at the fruits like cherries, peaches, plums, mangoes and melons! Then quit Roti and replace it with bran bread, toast it to taste better. Replace rice and eat more vegetables and less red meat, chicken and fish. Make salad bowl for yourself. Cut cucumber, lattice, carrots and whatever you like. I also add in it, sliced banana and an orange peeled off slices and mix with a little salt and pepper (if orange is out of season, mix another fruit to innovate the salad!) It is so delicious! Namkeen lassi that I prepare with 1/4 kg yoghurt plus one glass of cold water, mix it well then add a pinch of salt, zeera powder and kala namak. Add ice cubes…..it’s so refreshing! I take it both at Sehri and Aftari. Take one glass of water and squeeze half lemon juice plus one tablespoon honey, mix it well and drink every day at Sehri. One thing that I love for Aftari is a chilled glass of “Rooh Afza”! Whatever curry or dall you eat, take it with bran bread both at Sehri and Aftari. Make fruit chaat only for children and cut fruits in dices and eat with fork. Don’t add sugar in it for yourself! I have also changed my timings of morning walk that I do daily at 6 am to before Aftari that is 6: 30 pm. I walk for 30 minutes. With all these habits one can loose weight. Instead of following drastic dieting and spending hours in gym, this plan is much better that one can adopt for entire life not just for a few weeks. So its all about changing eating habits and life style! New studies suggest that even taking fats and carbohydrates are not harmful but the key is to eat less whatever you take! In the beginning this diet plan seems callus but as you adopt it, later it becomes much better as you start feeling good about yourself. You will feel fit and amazing. In Ramzan my clinic time is also changed and as my college is closed so I have time to do embroidery on my shirt. I do all shopping of Eid far before Ramzan and avoid going out except for my clinic. As the world outside is much more chaotic than usual in Ramzan! So spend this holy month by reciting ayaats and Durood Shareef in your heart while walking, driving or doing household work. Happy Ramzan! Dr. Zeba Hisam, 17th June, 2016