Muslims love fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, even if they are suffering from illnesses, so as to receive their reward from God. But anyone who is sick ought to consult a doctor first, before fasting. For some patients, for example people with high blood pressure, fasting can actually be beneficial. Approximately one billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure and hypertension is the single most important cause of attributable mortality, according to the International Hypertension Society. Fasting benefits people with hypertension, who should avoid what are called heavy business meals, according to Dr Ahmed Magdi, PhD FACC, the head of unite cardiology at National Heart Institute. Such patients should eat several small meals a day. Although high blood pressure does not cause any pain, it may lead to complications like thrombosis and kidney failure, without any warning symptoms. “This is why hypertension is called the silent killer,” adds Dr Magdi, who attributes hypertension to high intakes of salt (more than 5.8g daily), obesity, genetic factors and kidney failure. "Patients with high blood pressure should drink a lot of fluids and eat plenty of salads, while avoiding polysaturated foods," Dr Magdi urges, recommending that patients consult their doctors about the doses of the drugs they should take to control of hypertension during fasting, especially diuretic drugs. Such patients shouldn't neglect to of the suhour (the pre-dawn meal eaten by Muslims before they resume fasting), because that might lead to a fall in their blood sugar level, causing their blood pressure to rise, says Dr Magdi. In a study conducted by the National Heart Institute in Giza of 1,200 patients under the age of 45, it was discovered that 40 per cent of this sample suffered from hypertension and 15 per cent had had heart attacks; 60 per cent of them were smokers. According to Dr Magdi, people who suffer from arteriosclerosis, smokers, kidney patients, the physically inactive and patients taking asthma drugs are all vulnerable to high blood pressure and should have their blood pressure regularly checked. Meanwhile, Dr Fawzi el-Shobaki, professor of nutrition at the Giza-based National Research Centre classifies patients in three categories in terms of fasting. The first, people with hypertension, can fast without consulting a doctor. The second group, patients who suffer from a high level of cholesterol in the blood, arteriosclerosis and obesity, can also fast without consulting a doctor. “However, the third category, patients with heart disease and blood vessel complaints, should consult a doctor before fasting, because they have to take their medications at specific times,” he says, warning that patients with hypotension shouldn't fast, because it might have a bad effect on their blood circulation. Dr Shobaki adds that anyone with hypertension should do sports regularly to help dissolve fats and make the blood vessels more flexible. “They should avoid salty and spicy foods, because salt contains sodium, which makes the body retain water, contributing to infection with hypertension.” Studies show that cholesterol becomes an oxidant as a result of interaction between fats and oxygen, leading to the accumulation of fats on the walls of the blood vessels, he adds. “So it is wise for patients with hypertension to take antioxidants that prevent cholesterol oxidation. Nutrients that contain antioxidants, such as vitamin H or E, are found in plant oils. “Foods that hinder oxidation in cholesterol include lemons, guavas and green peppers, because of their Vitamin C, while beta carotene, if turned into vitamin A, becomes an antioxidant,” Dr Shobaki explains. He stresses that fasting contributes to increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the useful kind of cholesterol in the human body.
