HMC advises fasting individuals to eat healthy meals

Dr Yousef al-Tayeb

Many individuals who fast during the holy month of Ramadan suffer from headaches as one of the primary symptoms they can experience while fasting, especially during the first few days of the Ramadan. These headaches are normally resulted by several changes that occur during Ramadan, including the rapid change in dietary habits, reduced fluid intake, and the changes in sleeping patterns by staying up late and not getting enough sleep at night. Dr Yousef al-Tayeb, senior consultant of Emergency Medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation said, “Some individuals may have a headache before the Iftar meal, while others can get a headache after having their Iftar meal. There are two types of these headaches, namely primary headaches and secondary headaches. Headaches often occur before Iftar due to the decreased blood glucose levels. Glucose is an important source of energy for the human body and food is its main source.” However, some individuals can have headaches after eating their Iftar meal, which often occurs due to overeating and indigestion. Excessive eating and drinking during Iftar until the stomach is full can apply pressure on the diaphragm and affect the breathing mechanism, which can lead the fasting individual to feel symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, and headache.