‘Id Mubarak!
I took the opportunity to weigh myself a few days before ‘Id and noticed I had lost about half a stone during Ramadan. I now weighed in at 9 stone and 13 lbs. It has been recommended to me that one’s weight should be checked against the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s weight tables issued in 1959 to get a real indication of ones ideal weight.
The charts are readily available on Google and are a real eye-opener in terms of how we increasingly redefine what is “normal” or “fat”. To my surprise, according to the 1959 tables, I was round about the ideal weight for my height – much to the amusement of my sister who prefers the term “scrawny”.
I recommend whoever comes across this blog entry to do a brief Google search of the 1959 tables and see how you get along. It’s worth knowing for sure.
I made a conscious decision during Ramadan (save for the odd occasion) not to eat my fill at iftar and suhur. I opted for a bowl of muesli for suhur, with lots of water, and something warm but light for iftar. I found it particularly difficult to eat enough fruit, as I’m not a fan of fruit at night.
It is recommended to eat a low-protein suhur to benefit from what’s known as “protein cycling”. Short periods of protein depravation trigger the body’s consumption of various “misfolded” dormant proteins in the body, including around the brain, which could otherwise contribute to diseases such as alzheimers. Those who are interested should read works by Ron Mignery for further information.
For the past few months I’ve also reduced the amount of meat (incl. chicken) I consume to having it only about twice or thrice a month. My decision was as a result of listening to a series of talks entitled Health and Suluk, and also reading a fascinating book called The China Study. The talks expounded upon the lifestyles of the early Sufis who rarely ate meat. I can’t say I feel much different as a result. As scary as it sounds, I’ve had friends commenting to me that they can’t remember the last time they went without meat for even a day!
On the topic of food, I visited Bristol Sweet Mart a few days before ‘Id to buy some treats. I can’t believe I’ve been in Bristol for almost 7 years without having before visited this place! As it’s customary to rejoice and eat well on ‘Id I intended to buy some mithai and Willowbrook Farm’s Organic Halal Lamb. I recommend this place; lots of variety and owned by fellow Ugandans too!
Lastly, given the dire situation in Syria, Burma, and elsewhere, the brethren and I recently recited the Du’a al-Nasiri as a means to alleviate distress of the Muslims in every place, with Allah’s grace.
“Reckon not that God is heedless of the oppressors; rather He defers their punishment to a day in which eyes roll over and intellects evanesce” – Koran 14:42
With peace
Shakespeare
