After a month of fasting, Muslims all over the world celebrate Eid. This celebration also marks the end of Ramadan, where families usually gather together to celebrate the sacred festivity. This get-together for sure involves food amongst other things, and more often than not, people tend to overconsume food as they indulge in the moment. For some people, this can be a justification for them to celebrate after completing a month of fasting. However, if you are already in a certain age group, you also need to be cautious in picking which foods to consume and how much you should consume. On this week's journal, we will be giving out some practical tips that you can implement during Eid festivity this year. Read on!

1. Consume healthy meals

Enough consumption of proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables is necessary for a balanced diet. Balanced food intake is not just necessary during your regular day, but also important during festivities to ensure your body is getting enough resources from the foods you consume.

For some people, consuming healthy food may equal to just eating vegetables and fruits and ditching all other foods. However, this shouldn't be your aim when trying to eat healthier. Instead of abstaining from variety of food that you should be enjoying, why not trying to reduce or substitute the type and amount of food you consume? For example, when picking meat cuts, opt for leaner ones with lesser amount of fat on it or try to remove those fats before cooking. When baking cakes or cookies, you can also reduce the amount of sugar you put in, or replacing cream with other alternative ingredients. This way, you get to enjoy your food and also won't have to miss out on the celebration.

While the term healthy food is widely subjective, sometimes what makes food healthy is also how you process it. For example, you can opt for healthier cooking methods like grilling, boiling, or air-frying, compared to deep-frying. Fried foods may be tasty and highly appealing to everyone, however they are not that nutritious and give lesser benefits for your health. Consuming too much fried foods could damage the lining of the stomach and may cause indigestion as well. Keep portions small when you want to consume fried foods, just enough to satisfy your taste buds. Also, be reminded when cooking vegetables, try not to overcook them to retain their vitamins and minerals.

2. Avoid overeating

As the body adapted to your eating habits after a month of fasting, it's important to note that overeating should be avoided. Stuffing your plate with food on one go will likely to tire your body out, as well as triggering heartburn, stomach cramps, and other digestive problems. Therefore, try to consume food through multiple small meals a day, or simply by limiting the portions on your meals. The larger the meal, the longer time it takes for the stomach to digest. Consuming small and frequent meals also makes it easier to digest, as well as stimulating metabolism. Try to keep gaps between meals around 4-5 hours.

3. Reduce sugar and salt intake

As previously mentioned, meals that contain excessive amount of fat, such as greasy foods, may also trigger indigestion. These meals take a longer time to digest, making it stay in the stomach for a longer period of time. The same thing can also be said with excessive consumption of sweet treats. While they are absolutely common during Eid, be sure to hold yourself and calm down on those sugary treats, like cookies and cakes. Aside from digestive problems. these sweet treats may also make you more tired quickly, trigger blood sugar imbalances, as well as affecting your weight.

The other cooking component that may affect your overall health is salt. Try not to use excessive salt while cooking, as well as limiting consumption of processed foods that are usually loaded with salt. Too much salt intake can be detrimental for your health as it can raise your blood pressure.

4. Hydrate frequently

During the whole month of fasting, the body tends to be low on hydration, which is why you should consume more water during Eid celebration. Lack of water can mess up your glycogen levels, and therefore ensuring proper hydration is very important. Adequate water intake can also make you feel more energetic and fresh throughout the day, as well as taking care of the health of your kidneys.

5. Do simple exercises

After a whole month of fasting at home and Eid celebrations, it's important to ensure your metabolism is running smoothly by doing some exercise. Try going out for a walk every morning or do some solo exercises like yoga, running, or cycling to reduce coronavirus risks while still keeping yourself active. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine helps to keep your weight stable, reduces the risk of getting vascular diseases, as well as promoting the production of dopamine, a type of hormone that can help regulate your mood and managing your appetite.