Keep Walking During Ramadan

According to specialists at Abu Dhabi's Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC), it is extremely important to take regular exercise, even while fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

ICLDC's Dr Farhana Bin Lootah said that exercise is a key contributor to achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and can significantly help reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

"As simple as it may sound, a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day, five times a week greatly reduces the chance of developing diabetes. It is especially effective in minimising the risk when part of a three-way combination of a regular exercise practise, a balanced diet and maintaining a normal body weight. Therefore, it makes absolute sense to maintain this practice throughout the Holy Month, just changing the times for exercise and food intake according to the Ramadan guidelines," she advised.

The International Diabetes Federation's Diabetes Atlas suggests that around half of the estimated 387 million people living with diabetes worldwide are unaware.

Just Some Exercise Benefits For Overall Good Health

• Weight management
• Improvement of body composition - less fat, increased lean muscle mass
• Better blood glucose control
• Increased insulin sensitivity
• Improvement of blood lipid values - lower 'bad' cholesterol, increased 'good' cholesterol
• Decrease in blood pressure
• Decreased risk of heart disease
• Building stronger muscles and bones

Four Top Tips For Ramadan Exercise

1. It's good to take some moderate exercise just before you break your fast at Iftar, and again just before going to bed, as well as right before Suhoor
2. It is quite warm during Ramadan, and outdoor exercise might not always be the best option, so try including indoor activities like climbing the stairs. Start slowly and gradually with two flights at a time and refrain from pushing yourself too hard during the first few days
3. Taking a short but brisk walk for at least 10 minutes after the sun sets and just before dawn breaks is a good practise to adopt during Ramadan
4. If you decide to pop out to a Mall in the evening, park farther away from the entrance, walk the extra distance, and also enjoy a brisk walk around the mall walkways before your embark on your seasonal shopping!