Al-Hadeeqah Holistic Awareness

Dates are very popular this time of year due to the Blessed Month of Ramadhan. It's highly recommended for Muslims to break their fast with three dates and water upon the setting of the sun.  I remember seeing a freshly opened box of dates as a child and an adult handing me three plump dates into my eager hands. I would hear them say that dates were healthy for you but at that time, all I knew it was the best candy-fruit in the world. Photo Credit: Stan Shebs Background Dates were cultivated about 7,000 years ago in what is now modern Iraq, Iran, and the Indus Valley area near Pakistan. Before then, however, dates were still flourishing and eaten all over North Africa and the Middle East. It was the fruit of the nomads and kings alike. It's naturally bacteria-resistant due to its high sugar content making it a perfect survival food that can practically last forever once dried.  [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] Aside from eating them as a plain fruit, the flesh of dates could be

Fasting has been used for many years to aid in mental clarity and a tool in curing diseases. In light of the month of Ramadhan, I thought it would be beneficial to cover some of the general, positive effects of fasting from a biological point of view. [I would also like to note that there are many different kinds of fasting. However, "Dry fasting" or "time-restricted fasting" is practiced during this Blessed Month of Ramadhan.] Effects on Blood and Heart Health  When we eat, our bodies produce insulin. It can become problematic when one becomes insulin-resistant due to such factors as a high carb or high sugar diet. When fasting the body produces less insulin aiding the body to become more sensitive to it and normalizing insulin levels. This can be especially helpful to those who are pre-diabetic (Type 2-diabetes).  [1   , 2] Many studies have shown positive results on heart and blood health when fasting such as reduction of cholesterol and an improveme