Muslims adhere to Islamic fasting, namely not eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual intercourse from dawn to breaking their fast. For a full month Muslims will fast as a mandatory duty.

Fasting during Ramadan is often associated with several health problems such as headaches, abdominal pain, constipation, dehydration, anemia and poor quality sleep. Several ways need to be done to prevent this.

Maintaining a nutritionally balanced diet by consuming fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, meat, fish and milk. In addition, you also need to consume plenty of fluids during breaking fast until dawn.

During fasting you should avoid fried foods, sweets, fatty foods, refined carbohydrates, salty foods, caffeinated and carbonated drinks.

Benefits of Fasting for Health :

1. Health Benefits for Body Metabolism

Disruption of insulin sensitivity, obesity, increased blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), high blood pressure (hypertension), high triglyceride levels (hypertriglyceridemia) and high cholesterol levels are symptoms of the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome. Ramadan fasting is known to have a positive effect on the body's metabolism such as increasing insulin sensitivity, losing weight, lowering blood sugar levels, lowering blood pressure and changing lipid profiles. This is due to changes in the pattern and amount of food that enters the body during fasting.

2. Lose weight

In a study conducted in 2015, found that fasting can help reduce weight by 7% and reduce body fat by 5kg. During fasting, there are changes in the main sources used for the formation of energy from glucose to fat. The use of fats that are converted into energy can help you lose weight.

In addition, reduced fluid intake during fasting also affects weight loss. Weight loss can affect cholesterol levels, blood sugar and blood pressure. However, weight loss during fasting can be recovered quickly so it is necessary to consistently make lifestyle changes to maintain a normal body weight in the long run.

3. Maintaining Cardiovascular Health

Ramadan fasting is known to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disorders such as decreased cholesterol levels, LDL, triglycerides, blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference and HDL. Fasting can provide heart protection by reducing damage.

4. Reducing Diabetes Risk

Ramadan fasting reduces the risk of diabetes through decreasing insulin resistance and fasting insulin levels. Insulin resistance is a major cause of type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and gestational diabetes.

5. Reducing Blood Pressure

Fasting is a non-pharmacological effort that effectively lowers blood pressure. Ramadan fasting can significantly reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

6. Maintaining Cardiovascular Health

Ramadan fasting is known to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disorders such as decreased cholesterol levels, LDL, triglycerides, blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference and HDL. Fasting can provide heart protection by reducing damage.

7. Reducing Blood Pressure

Fasting is a non-pharmacological effort that effectively lowers blood pressure. Ramadan fasting can significantly reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

8. Increase Muscle Mass

Fasting can encourage the release of human growth hormone. Human growth hormone or HGH is naturally produced by the body. HGH is effectively used to treat obesity and helps build muscle mass. HGH can also help increase muscle strength. Fasting can effectively reduce excess fat.

9.Normalize Insulin Sensitivity

The body that gets a lot of carbohydrate and sugar intake, can experience decreased insulin sensitivity. This condition can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus. A study published in the World Journal of Diabetes found that Ramadan fasting can improve body weight and blood sugar levels.

10. Fasting can change your diet

Fasting can help normalize the body to know when to need food. With fasting, the body is accustomed to not be hungry all the time fasting.