We often hear of violence against muslims in India and at a time where tensions and secular oppression is at an all time high, the example of Aarif Khan donated blood to a fellow Hindu leprosy patient is a prime example of humanity reigniting hope. We believe it is important to highlight instances that show we are humans first, then people who follow different faiths.

Aarif Khan received a message on Whatsapp for an urgent donation of A+ for a leprosy patient Ajay Bilawalam. Leprosy is a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities. Leprosy is now mainly confined to tropical Africa and Asia. Due to the illness, Ajay’s platelets in his blood began to fall rapidly and to a dangerously low level, reported by media sources.

Ajay is a A+ blood group. Upon witnessing his son’s deteriorating condition, his father posted a plea and pinned his hopes on the power of social media urging people to either donate blood or ask somebody willing to do so. In this instance, our hero Aarif came across the message and decided to donate blood.

Upon reaching the hospital, he tried to donate blood without eating anything but on the insistence of the doctors he decided to break his fast early and donate blood to help the young man get proper treatment and ultimately help in saving his life. The doctors at the hospital too had to convince him to eat something before donating, as they were concerned that a blood donation and a fast would prove to be injurious to his own health. Aarif ultimately relented and was then allowed to donate his blood.

This small step that proves there are always two sides to a story. Where the news might show us divided there are stories like Aarif’s that display a different story. Media generally likes to highlight stories of fear, violence to keep the public in check and not allow hope to be reignited. But the story of Aarif proves them all wrong.

1. Missing Food Big Time (.. big… Big Mac)

On Twitter, a hungry tweeter pleaded: “Can you please not use hashtags (#) during Ramadan? It looks like a waffle”. This innocent tweet shows how deeply hunger affects our thinking during the holy month of Ramazan. In fact, many have to have conscious reminders not to take a bite of the kids’ lunch, and suppress constant chai cravings. This is an expedition which can last all the way up to the first Ashra.

Warning: Groggy caffeine-deprived people on the loose!

2. Newsfeed and Ad Overflow

The first struggle comes pre-Ramazan, with an explosion of discount ads ranging from television to social media. With Ufone showing off Faisal Qureshi’s witty dialogues and Hamza Ali Abbasi making glow lights out of Pepsi bottles; it’s a real circus act testing the human decision-making process – and it all seems like a filler for a great opera. The companies prey on mass psychology in making people believe that their product is all they need for a hungry belly. Choices have never been so complex when it comes to choosing food; be it a mega buffet or a soft drink. The ads are so repetitive and cheaply scripted that they make you cringe. And, and, and… the game shows! What did I do to deserve watching people falling over themselves for a washing machine? How I wish people had a 160 character limit when they spoke!

3. Cliche Cholesterol, Maybe? A guilty pleasure for Ramazan!

The amount of eating increases dramatically during this month. Samosas, pakoras, jalaibis and other deep-fried foods are a staple on every iftar table. They have become so embedded in our culture that without them no iftar is considered complete.
The other day, I told someone about my sehri menu, which was Weetabix cereal and yogurt. They judged me and my taste buds, and said “Anday parathay kay baghair bhala koi sehri hoti hai?”
Since then, I’ve been having parathas for sehri *feels double chin*

4. Full appetite, half broke

Them: “All you can eat”
Translation: “All you can spend”
But it is true – after consuming the typical iftari: samosay, pakoray, Rooh Afza, fruit chaat, jalaibi, dahi bhallay, rolls and what not (thank God I’m not writing this during the roza), one begins to think how the same iftar was being made at home. It’s the thrill of Ramazan that becomes a big woe when you start eating out. Ghar ka khana FTW!

5. Pleasing the host (So much for being a foodie)

Born to a desi household, you cannot offend your host because you’ll get a rapid-fire of: “Beta ye tau lia he nai”, “Kitna kam khatay ho”, “Diet pe ho kya?”, “Khati nahi ho, phir bhi moti ho?” Meanwhile, an aunty puts a heap of aaloo channa chaat on your plate. This social obligation to please the ‘maizbaan’ causes unnecessary consumption of food and rampant bad health. So much so that at times we dread the ‘zabardasti ki aftariyaan’. Also, rozaydaars and their ‘ate too much’ post-iftar face is animated even more when they see the weighing scale: “Umm, but that’s my nana’s age!”

Woes and wows make this holy month special and the most memorable throughout the year.It’s a month of sharing, caring, and making sure we don’t run out of basin!

According to Dr. Michael Mosley – author of The Fast Diet books – this eating plan can not only help people lose weight, but it offers an array of other health benefits.

“Studies of intermittent fasting show that not only do people see improvements in blood pressure and their cholesterol levels, but also in their insulin sensitivity,” he adds.

Another study, conducted by Dr. Valter Longo and colleagues from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, found longer periods of fasting – 2-4 days – may even “reboot” the immune system, clearing out old immune cells and regenerating new ones – a process they say could protect against cell damage caused by factors such as aging and chemotherapy.

The potential benefits of intermittent fasting

Since the body is unable to get its energy from food during fasting, it dips into glucose that is stored in the liver and muscles. This begins around 8 hours after the last meal is consumed. When the stored glucose has been used up, the body then begins to burn fat as a source of energy, which can result in weight loss. As well as aiding weight loss, Dr. Razeen Mahroof, of the University of Oxford in the UK, explains that the use of fat for energy can help preserve muscle and reduce cholesterol levels.

What makes fasting seem so novel is that, with all the diet advice out there, the easiest might be to simply not eat. Of course, fasting isn’t the same as starving yourself, which is what many people think when they hear “fasting.” And yet, fasting isn’t a diet, either. If you’re eating processed foods and potato chips, it’s unlikely you’ll reap the benefits of fasting. If that’s you, I encourage you to examine your diet before trying a fast. But if you practice fasting and stick to a mostly whole food diet, rich in fruits, veggies, lean proteins, healthy fats and raw dairy, you will see changes — and those occasional splurges on chocolate or cheese won’t have as big of an impact as they might if you were on a calorie-restrictive diet.

It’s extremely hot in most parts of the country and fasting is obviously going to be difficult. So, here are some refreshing, easy, and yummy drinks you can make at home. They don’t require too much time and effort, give these drinks to aunties and uncles and bag a bunch of compliments!

1. Sparkling Watermelon Ginger Drink: 

Uff watermelon is our best friend when it comes to summery foods. Our favourite favourite favourite fruit! Well, this drink is absolutely easy to make, here you go:

Ingredient:

Watermelon

Ginger

Carbonated water

Lemon

2. Watermelon, Ginger, Pineapple, and Ginger Drink:

Eeee! So much flavour and fun in one drink! This is going to drive you nuts after a lengthy roza. Get ready for some drink coma:

Ingredients:

Watermelon

Pineapple

Ginger

3. Yogurt and Apple Smoothie

Yogurt is a great way to keep thirst under control if you’re fasting. This mouth-watering smoothie is a must try before or after roza.

Ingredients:

Milk
Greek Yogurt
Dates
Apple Juice

4. Oats and Fruit Smoothie:

If you’re planning to eat healthy during Ramazan, this is a great drink to keep up with your health and weight. You would need the following ingredients for this:

Milk
Honey
Oats
Cinnamon Powder
Mango
Peach

5. Plum Lemonade:

Lemonade is a standard and the most loved drink for iftaar but you can always make it yummier by adding more fun to it.

Ingredients:

Plum
Lemon
Water
Brown Sugar
Ice

6. Lemonade with Chia Seeds:

Like mentioned earlier, lemonade is just the bomb you need after a parched day. Well to add more flavour and health value to your drink, you can have it with chia seeds( known as tukhmalanga in Urdu). It is also a great way to lose weight because of its high fiber value ( woaah, secret to your fit body!)

Ingredients:

Lemons
Chia Seeds
Water
Sugar Syrup
Ice

7. Mango and Coconut Drink:

Haye Allah, this sounds perfect already. Mango is the king of all fruits and it beats the heat for sure (if taken the right amount). Here, have a look:

Ingredients:

Mango
Lemons
Sugar
Mint
Coconut Water

8. Mango Lassi

Lassi is our traditional go-to drink every summer, well here’s how you can add more flavour it *ting*

Ingredients:

Mangoes
Yogurt
Crushed cardamom
Sugar
Nuts
Ice