Why Does the Middle East Have the Lowest Cancer Rates in the World - Dr. Berg

Amazing Benefits of Prolonged Fasting

Is it time more Muslims turned to veganism?

 

“O mankind, eat from earth what is halal (lawful) and tayyib (good/wholesome)…” – Quran 2:168

From a strictly religious standpoint, for meat to be considered halal tayyib and therefore permissible, the process needs to meet requirements beyond what many understand as halal as the draining of the blood and the recitation of Allah’s name at the time of slaughter. The other requirements needed for meat to be tayyib and thus lawful to eat, are less known.

The animal must be raised in a humane and wholesome environment, be fed and given water prior to slaughter, and not be stressed, abused or mishandled, nor witness another animal being killed, among other requirements. The reality is that most of today’s meat, even when labeled “halal,” comes from battery farms where the animals endure cramped conditions and cruel and inhumane practices and are injected with harmful steroids and hormones.

Animal welfare is essential in Islam with the Prophet (pbuh) often preaching that animals be treated with the utmost compassion, mercy and kindness. There is thus a stark contrast between Islam’s stated animal ethics and the poor conditions that thousands of mass-farmed animals endure everyday. It is worth wondering whether the Prophet (pbuh), who would curse the one who mistreated an animal would approve of such practices.

Full article

Abdelrahman Murphy - The Prophetic Art of Healing Hearts

Saudi authorities making sure that Women dont exercise

Health authorities in Jeddah have shut down an "illegal" women's fitness centre attached to a hospital, closing one of the few venues where Saudi women are able to exercise, local media said on Wednesday.

Although health officials have repeatedly blamed the high rates of heart disease and diabetes in the kingdom on poor diets and lack of exercise, health authorities said women's fitness centres were not allowed.

"Anyone who violates regulations governing the running of health facilities would be punished severely because this involves people's health," Jeddah health official Muhammed Abdul Jawad told the English-language Arab News.

The reports did not identify the Jeddah hospital affected, but a photograph in the Saudi Gazette showed an official sealing the club door with an announcement reading "Closed on the order of Jeddah Health Affairs."

While gyms for men in the gender-segregated conservative Islamic society are permitted, women's health clubs are forbidden, despite a clear demand shown by a surge in underground facilities in the past two years.

But last year a number of stand-alone women's gyms were shut, though some attached to or inside hospital premises continued to function.

The reports said the country's municipal and rural affairs ministry had recently closed two other gyms in the Red City of Jeddah and one in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia.

Bribing for healthcare in Bangladesh

The Dhaka Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh treats more than two million patients a year.

It claims to offer free medical treatment to the poor, but using a hidden camera, Al Jazeera has discovered that some patients have to pay bribes to receive any care at all.

Nicolas Haque reports.

Hadith: Ask god for forgiveness and health

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Ask God for forgiveness and health, for after being granted certainty, one is given nothing better than (good) health." - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 780

Iraqis sell organs to survive

Raad Bader al-Muhssin, 41, worked as a gardener for more than 20 years, during which he used to make no more than $4 dollars per day.

After the 2003 US invasion and the ensuing violence, life became harder as the number of clients requesting his services nosedived.

Adding insult to the injury was the recent discovery that his wife had cancer.

Thus, when he was offered $12,000 dollars for one of his kidney he did not hesitate or have second thoughts.

"I never had more than $100 dollars in my pocket at the end of the month, even if I didn’t spend one cent from my salary," Muhssin told IslamOnline.net.

"I lived my whole life a poor man and was afraid my children were going to have the same fate and my wife would die because we do not have money to help her," he added.

Five months ago when he was cleaning a garden in Baghdad, the owner started to speak with Muhssin about kidney transplantations and a friend who arranges them.

"I never imagined I would become a donor but when my wife’s condition got worse, I went to his house and asked for a way to find his friend who would guide me to the similar fate."

Muhssin called the friend who told him he had to take a blood test to check if he had any health problems.

"I borrowed some money and made it in a private lab. When I took the test results, the guy checked in a list he had in his pocket and came with the news that he had four patients with the same blood type and that they would pay good money for it."

Experts say organs donations, which are not illegal, have impressively increased in the past 18 months.

"It is a very complicated issue, especially because there isn’t any law that prevent donations," Abdel Haythem Abdel-Kareem, a health expert and member of the transplantation chamber, told IOL.

"Of course there are many cases of free donation but the majority are looking for money and even travelling to Jordan where prices are higher with patients coming from different countries willing to pay for it."

There isn’t an official number of how many transplantations are carried out in Iraq every year but local NGOs helping patients looking for organs donations say that one in 500 persons accept to donate without financial interest.

Al-Muhssin made the donation, got his money and opened a small shop to sell gums, cigarettes, cereals and beans.

"It is one chance in life," he suggested.

"I still have a healthy kidney and with the money I got I will never be humiliated again," he added.

"My sons returned to school and our life changed. If I was going to wait for the government to help my family, I would have died before getting it."

Salwa Ahmed (not her real name), is another victim of poverty in Iraq.

After her husband died in a car bomb attack in Diyala four years ago, she moved to Baghdad with her four kids to find a better job and better living conditions.

"I was already living as displaced, my kids were hungry all day because I couldn’t afford more than one meal," she said.

"When a woman in the camp said that there was someone who constantly pays them visits asking for kidney donation, I got excited and was prepared to sell one and give my children a better living condition," Ahmed added.

"At first he wanted to pay only US $3,000 but after two weeks of negotiations and my lab test, which should I had a rare blood type, the price went up to US $8,000," she said, noting that the sum equals 15 years of hard work.

"Today I feel healthy, my children have enough food and new clothes and I was able to get a job as seller in a clothes shop."

Ahmed has no regrets.

"I know it might look wrong but when a mother sees her children suffering from hunger, you realise that a kidney is nothing.

"I hope I will never have kidney problems but even if this happens I will be happy to know that at least I have saved the life of my loved ones and of a person who was in a dire need of an important organ that God blessed me with having two healthy ones."

Muhammad al-A’ani, an aid employee working with patients requesting organs transplantations, says some people are so desperate for the money they are willing to do anything.

"Recently we received a man who couldn’t donate his kidney because he had some renal problems," he noted.

"But he was asking of someone who would be interested in buying one of his corneas.

"I got surprised and tried to help him so that he would not fall prey to any gang in Iraq," said al-A’ani.

"I kept looking for information about him and two months ago I heard from a colleague that he did it for nearly US $20,000. We couldn’t find where or how but we will keep investigating it because it is too serious to leave behind."

He lamented that body transportations became like an industry controlled by a mafia.

"Unfortunately there are dozens of corrupted nurses, doctors and government employees who allow such disgusting situations to take place in exchange for money."

The Health Ministry says it is too complicated to find out who is donating for free and who is selling his body organs.

But in some cases donations, whether free or paid, are not done voluntarily.

Many children and youngsters have been reportedly kidnapped by gangs that sell their body parts for huge prices.

A 17-years-old victim, who requested anonymity, said he was drugged and abducted.

He woke up two days later in a dirty room with signs of a surgery. They gave him US $20 and drove him to the outskirts of Baghdad.

He later started to have health problems as a result of an infection he got during the procedure.

"It is unfair and I might die now because of the criminals who wanted to make money from selling my body," he cried.

"I don’t have a rich family and my father is now selling the house to raise money and find someone who is willing to sell his kidney and save my life.

"I was once a healthy person with two kidneys but now I’m a victim who wants to buy an organ that was stolen from me. Is not that ironic?"

Ramadan: Fasting or Feasting?

From Al-Ahram Weekly, Egypt:

Egyptians' food purchases during Ramadan soar beyond all other monthly consumer averages, straining the efforts of ministers concerned with supply and domestic trade to keep up with demand. According to a recent study by the National Centre for Social and Criminal Research (NCSCR), 83 per cent of Egyptian families alter their food consumption habits during Ramadan in a way that augments their food bill for this month by 50 to 100 per cent. If total annual consumer spending in Egypt comes to around LE200 billion, LE30 billion of this is spent in Ramadan, which is to say at a rate of LE1 billion a day, the bulk of which goes to food in this month of "fasting".

The NCSCR study observes that during this month Egyptians spend 66.5 per cent more on meat and poultry, 63 per cent more on sweets, and 25 per cent more on nuts and nibbles, and they host 23 per cent more banquets and dinner parties. The study further notes that at least 60 per cent of food on an average Egyptian family table, and more than 75 per cent of food in a banquet, goes to waste, which is to say tossed into the rubbish bin, during this month.

According to statistics from the National Census Centre, in the first week of Ramadan Egyptians consume 2.3 billion loaves of bread, 10,000 tonnes of fuul, 40 million chickens, 200 per cent more yoghurt and ghee, and some LE9 million worth of dried fruits, which accounts for 35 per cent of the annual trade in this festive staple. Across Egypt's 28 governorates, the National Natural Gas Authority has to pump out 20 per cent more natural gas, and the same applies to water. In addition, the peak hours for electricity consumption rise to between four and five hours, up from two to three hours per night the rest of the year. Much of this can be chalked up to Ramadan lighting decorations and, specifically, illegal taps into the grid in order to feed the decorations hoisted up in alleyways or even large squares.

Then there are the medical studies that indicate that the general state of public health declines during this month. In spite of the fact that there are only two meals a night during Ramadan, the Iftar at sunset and the Sohour before sunrise, medical authorities report higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses due to overindulgence in fats and sweets. Some medical statistics also point to an increased consumption of over- the-counter medications related to digestive disorders, from stomach ulcers to colitis.

If the above facts and figures tell us anything it is that over-consumption during Ramadan drains the family budget, strains the national economy (due to the rise in food imports, particularly of dried fruits and nuts from Turkey, Syria and India), depletes Egyptians' savings and ruins their health. To compound matters, Ramadan, this year, coincides with the beginning of school, putting an additional strain on the Egyptian family budget, especially that of limited income families. Many of these are certain to find themselves encumbered by debt after the month draws to a close, largely due to careless spending.

The media offers a second type of testimony to the way we have come to celebrate Ramadan. One only has to open the several pages of TV guides in one's daily newspaper to appreciate the vast numbers of made-for- Ramadan TV serials, comedy programmes, celebrity talk shows, not to mention the phone-in contests and games that are aired throughout this month. The Egyptian television audience has a choice between more than 40 Egyptian or Arab serials broadcast over satellite networks. There are enough serials, alone, to take the viewer twice around the clock within a single day; enough to indicate beyond a doubt that Ramadan has become a month dedicated solely to entertainment and amusement. Evidently some quarters have begun to plead for a reduction in the numbers of programmes especially produced for television and the radio for this month because such is the glut that some producers have found it extremely difficult to find scheduling for their products during prime time. This applies in particular to the production sector of the National Radio and Television Broadcasting Company, the Cairo Company for Audio- Visual Production, and other such public companies that do not work jointly with private sector firms. From a practical and economic standpoint, all that time spent in front of the television until the early morning hours obviously diminishes one's competence and productivity at work during the daytime in Ramadan.

Which brings us to the third feature of the way we celebrate this month. So little value is given to work during this month, at least in the various government departments and agencies, that one might think that a whole class of civil servants, regardless of rank, regard Ramadan as the month of licensed indolence. Employees report to work late and/or sign out early on the grounds of their weariness due to fasting, and whoever dares object is treated to the growl, "Don't ruin my fast!" The labourer, engineer or physician who is diligent and conscientious at work is many times better than the man who prays, fasts and recites his Quran without putting their meanings into practice. This is precisely what the mufti of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, meant when he cautioned government employees against using fasting, prayer or reading the Quran as a pretext for not doing their jobs and hampering the welfare of the people.

A fourth phenomenon is the proliferation of mawaed al-rahman -- the banquet tables for the poor that are sponsored by MPs, business magnates, cinema celebrities and sports stars. The global economic downturn has not hampered the spread of these tables, which feed some three million people but which, at an estimated cost of around LE3 billion, have turned into something that blends ostentatious piety with status exhibitionism and politicking, as opposed to morally inspired charity. Recently the governor of Alexandria called for the abolishment of the mawaed al-rahman so that the money spent on them could actually be channelled to help the poor and the needy. Equally perturbed by the phenomenon, former mufti Nasr Farid Wasil said, "There is nothing wrong with the mawaed al-rahman per se, from the point of view of Sharia law. What is wrong is the extravagance that is lavished on them. We hear now of 'five-star' tables, when all that a Muslim should need to break his fast is some dates or a glass of juice and a little food."

In other words, instead of serving as a means to strengthen social cohesion the banquet tables have become an excuse for conspicuous spending.

From Saudi Gazette:

Much has been written about the adoption of unhealthy eating habits during Ramadan, but another important issue is why people simply stop exercising during Ramadan, particularly when heavy Iftars and over-eating on social occasions is a given.

“Ramadan is one of the best times to lose weight but Saudis and expatriates both adopt unhealthy habits, due in part to a lack of awareness about sport and physical activities,” remarked Mohammed Barnawi, a physical education instructor and Dietician, in an interview with Saudi Gazette. “Continuing an exercise regime in Ramadan is a strong means to maintain health and balance, but people are less willing to do any physical activity during Ramadan, so they pack on the kilos.”

Exercise, is therefore a must during Ramadan, but it is also important to keep the workout on a low profile while fasting. Undertaking a strenuous exercise regime can cause health problems like headaches, vomiting, dehydration and dizziness.

It doesn’t make sense to start pounding on the treadmill, for instance. “One can lift weights while fasting, and another option is skipping rope, which is an effective form of cardiovascular exercise,” said Dr. Barnawi. “It is also great at burning fat, increasing stamina and coordination, as well as the firming muscles in the shoulders and limbs.” The most convenient form of exercise, however, is to go for a 30-minute walk. When is the ideal time for working out during the day in Ramadan? Just after Suhoor or two hours before Iftar are both good times for working out during the fast, according to Dr. Barnawi. “Exercising two hours before Iftar is the best technique as it restores energy in the body,” he explained. “If someone opts to work out in the morning, then eating a late and substantial Suhoor is advised.”

Working out after Iftar is also possible, for those unwilling or unable to exercise during their fast. “Anyone who intends to exercise after Iftar should eat some dates, drink plenty of water and perhaps have some soup and then head off for the work out,” explained Mohammed Siddique Al-Ansari, the Imam of a mosque in Riyadh. “This way the body can build up more stamina.” For those used to having a large meal with their family for Iftar, it is also possible to work out after the Taraweeh prayers, as that helps to digest the large Iftar meal, he added.

US Muslims to raise Malaria Awareness tomorrow

America’s most prominent imams and Muslim leaders are uniting in an extraordinary one-day gathering to raise awareness and funds in support of Islamic Relief’s “Bite the Bug” campaign to combat and eradicate malaria in Western Africa.

“We need to put this on the radar of the community,” Tariq Subhani, event chairperson and president of United for Change, a new Muslim umbrella organization, told IslamOnline.net.

Billed as a “historical event” and a “turning point in Islamic work in the US,” the one-day conference will be held on Saturday, September 5, just outside of Washington, D.C.

It is the brainchild of Imam Zaid Shakir, of the Zaytuna Institute in California, who took an eight-day trip with Islamic Relief to see their work to eradicate malaria in Mali last March.

“Seeing the work of Islamic Relief, how they’re filling the gaps and empowering the Muslims in sub-Sahara Africa to take charge of their health and their selves, to see how they’re building a healthcare infrastructure--it was truly inspiring,” Imam Shakir told IOL.

He came back from Africa convinced that an issue like malaria couldn’t be tackled by one group or individual.

He immediately approached all 11 major Muslim organizations in the US, including Islamic Society of Northern America (ISNA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Relief and the Zaytuna Institute, to come together in a unified effort for this cause.

“I knew it was possible to bring these different groups together for a higher cause – to rally around malaria,” asserted Imam Shakir.

“We pray that Allah helps us to raise the consciousness of Muslims about the devastating effects of malaria.”

Prominent religious leaders like Hamza Yusuf, Imam Siraj Wahaj, Imam Mohammad Masjid, Dr. Fatima Jackson and many others will be speaking about the need for unity and the battle Muslims must wage against malaria.

In the evening after the conference ends, there will be a special iftaar dinner and taraweeh prayers with all the speakers.

With a capacity for nearly 3,000, tickets for the event are selling briskly, Subhani said, expecting a rush of sales on the day before and event.

He hopes the Ramadan spirit of giving and the drive to help fellow Muslims will make people more receptive to the message.

“We can gain a multitude of benefits by attending and supporting this cause,” he said. “The blessings are countless.”

Funds raised from the event will go in part to Islamic Relief for their work to eradicate malaria in Africa.

Also see: Youssou N'Dour's fight against Malaria

Women-only Gym's becoming a norm

Singapore: MOVE over, guys, women-only gyms are getting bigger and better. Amore Fitness, which has 16 outlets islandwide, is planning to open a new 1,393 sq m fitness centre at City Square Mall at the end of the year.

Amore's founder and chief executive, Ms Jasmine Teo, says its gyms have 50,000 active members to date, with numbers 'constantly growing'.

Gyms like Amore not only have fitness regimes and classes tailored for a woman's physique, but also have less bulky fitness equipment and luxurious vanity areas where members can primp and preen after their workouts.

Independent 51/2-year-old outlet Body Temple has also opened a second 1,114 sq m outlet in Lowen Gardens in May.

Director Karine Gauthier, 34, said the rise of women-only gyms stems from the fact that women 'appreciate privacy and want to feel less intimidated when they work out'.



UK: A NEWLY opened ladies-only gym is offering a package of exercise with nutritional advice.
Smeara Ahmed and sister-in-law Farzana Majeed took on the site of former gym Body Flex, which went into administration, and opened up their own Body Bliss venture.

It is based at the former Calder Work-shops in Gibbet Street, Halifax.

Smeara was already a trained gym instructor and nutritionist and is now also training as a personal trainer.

She and Farzana agreed to take on an apprentice through CMS Vocational Training Ltd in Huddersfield in return for funding to give further training to their instructors.

And working with NHS Calderdale the gym is offering a weight management scheme to members.

With already more than 200 members, aged from 18 to 65, Body Bliss is aimed at encouraging more women to lead healthier lifestyles.

"It's a massive gym and everyone is really impressed with it," said Smeara.

"Often women feel intimidated in a mixed environment so this is a secure gym for them, run by women.

"Our instructors work closely with the ladies.

"Members are saying they really appreciate the nutrition side as a lot of people don't know what to do apart from exercise."

The gym has been fitted out with new equipment and rooms, including an aerobics studio and a sauna and steam room.


USA: Over the past four years that she has owned the Club for Women in north Phoenix, JoAnn Mullooly has noticed an increasing number of Muslim and Orthodox Jewish clients who want to work out among women exclusively in order to preserve modesty.

"I've definitely seen an increase," she says, attributing it to word of mouth in the community. "And we try to be conscious of it."

She estimates that 10 percent of the 1,700 members are Muslim and 10 percent are Orthodox Jewish. Some work out fully veiled, and some change into modest workout clothes.

There are no statistics that chart the number of Muslim or Orthodox Jewish women clients at fitness centers, but this population's eagerness to work out away from men seems clear:

• In 2006, Fitness USA agreed to place a divider and frosted glass in its Lincoln Park, Mich., gym to ensure gender separation. The move came after 200 Muslim members of Fitness USA signed a petition saying that the company reneged on a promise to maintain gender separation at that facility.

• Last year, Harvard University agreed to set aside women-only hours at one of its fitness centers for students after Muslim women pleaded their case.

• Curves for Women gyms, a fast-growing franchise in the United States, has rapidly expanded into the Middle East, with more than two dozen facilities in Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar opening in the past two years, according to Becky Frusher, head of corporate communications for Curves.

"We are especially proud of being in those countries where opportunities for women are not as plentiful as elsewhere, both for working out and for women owning a business," she says.

Mullooly says she helps to maintain a women-only atmosphere at the club, which also has a pool, by stopping all male visitors at the front desk and by scheduling repairs by workmen after hours.

Kneha Khawaja, 46, of Phoenix, is a Muslim who dresses modestly but does not wear a veil. She has worked out at the Club for Women for four years, preferring kickboxing.

"You don't have to worry about who will be watching you work out here," she says.

Devora Krischer of Phoenix used to live in New York.

"As an observant Jew I wear long sleeves and long skirts. I don't wear pants, and I cover my hair," she says. "I could not work out in a coed gym. In Brooklyn, they have separate gyms for men and women."

Since working out at the Club for Women for several years, she has lost about 30 pounds.

"I'm 62, and I'm probably stronger than I've ever been in my whole life," she says.

Krischer says the single-sex atmosphere appeals to all types of women, not just those whose religion calls for it.

"I see women exercising there who would never ever think of setting foot into a coed gym, especially older ladies," she says.

A 2008 study by Temple University found that feeling self-conscious about appearance was one of the strongest barriers to obese women working out at gyms.

Mullooly says about 25 percent of the gym's clients are Latina, many of whom follow customs of modesty.

Sandra Eckman, 40, of Phoenix, is originally from Mexico, and she also enjoys the women-only atmosphere.

"I feel comfortable being there around all the girls, and my husband is all for it," she says. "I go and have fun and little by little lose the pounds."

Alcohol destroys!

A man called police in Jeffersonville, Ind., to say that there was a man sleeping on his property -- inside his overturned trash can. It was no street bum: it was his next-door neighbor, Larry Wilder, police say. Wilder was apparently intoxicated, they say, but said no crime had been committed, and officers walked him home. Wilder is a private attorney on contract to represent the city and the local school district at $100 an hour; he has resigned both positions. "I can't tell you what happened. I wish I could," Wilder said later -- the last thing he remembered was celebrating with a client. He thinks he only had "three or four" drinks, and "I take responsibility for my conduct." He is upset that photos of him in the trash can were leaked to the media, and accuses the police of doing it. "I think the police officer who leaked the photos should only apologize to my kids," Wilder said, but "I would defend that police officer if any effort is taken to discipline him." (Jeffersonville News and Tribune)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Addiction is a disease that affects your brain and your behavior. You have control over your choice to start using drugs, but once you start, their pleasurable effect makes you want to keep using them. When you become addicted to alcohol or other drugs, your brain actually changes in certain ways so that a powerful urge to use drugs controls your behavior. Someone who is addicted uses drugs without thinking of the consequences, such as problems with health, money, relationships, and performance at work or at school." (Substance Abuse: What It Is and How to Quit, last accessed 9 July, 2008)

According to these people, addiction is a disease. But note the second sentence above: "You have control over your choice to start using drugs, but once you start, their pleasurable effect makes you want to keep using them."

This means that if a particular person does not deliberately choose to use a drug or alcohol for the sake of pleasure, he or she will not become an addict. This means that the real cause of addiction is a personal choice by the addict. There is something called 'substance abuse'.

In fact, the difference between substance abuse and addiction is very thin. Substance abuse means the use of an illegal substance, or the use of a legal substance in the wrong way. Addiction begins as abuse, or the use of a substance like marijuana or cocaine. One can abuse a drug or alcohol, without having addiction.

For example, if a person drank alcohol a couple of times, it does not mean that he has an addiction, but it does mean that he is abusing a substance, and that could be the starting point of an addiction.

If a person has become an addict to a substance, his body becomes dependent on that particular substance. Even smoking is physically addictive. And if an addict stops using a substance like drugs or alcohol he may experience withdrawal symptoms, like shaking, diarrhea or feeling awful.

And psychologically he may develop a strong craving or desire for that substance, to such an extent that he would be ready to commit even crimes for the sake of getting it. That is to say, a severely addicted person may feel a terrible compulsion to get the substance by any means just to satisfy his craving.

What Islam does is to cut the roots of addiction by declaring that all the addictive substances prohibited in the first place. And anyone who goes for something prohibited commits a sin, and if he persists in committing the same sin, it becomes all the more compounded.

Remember the Quranic verses:

The Holy Quran, 2.219: They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." They ask thee how much they are to spend; Say: "What is beyond your needs." Thus doth Allah Make clear to you His Signs: In order that ye may consider.

The Holy Quran, 5.90: O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan's handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.

The Holy Quran, 5.91: Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?

Swine Flu can cause problems at Hajj

Arab health officials have agreed to restrict certain groups from performing the annual Muslim pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this year amid growing concerns about the H1N1 flu pandemic.

Those considered high-risk such as the elderly, young children and the chronically ill have been advised to avoid making the hajj or the lesser umrah pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.

But Abdullah al-Rabeeah, the Saudi health minister, said on Wednesday the kingdom has no plans to restrict the number of visas it issues for pilgrims, though numbers are expected to be lower.

"We did not change the percentage of any country, we changed certain rules," he said after a meeting of Arab health ministers and representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"It's up to the country to replace [applicants who fall under the restrictions] with" other pilgrims.

The move to keep the vulnerable groups away from the pilgrimage is expected to be ratified by the respective Arab governments.

Hussein Gezairi, the WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, said he expected Riyadh to ratify the recommendations, adding there was a "consensus" among the health ministers at the meeting.

"The Saudi government will make [these conditions] a requirement... No one will get their visa unless these requirements are fulfilled."

Gezairi said the Saudi government was well equipped to deal with communicable diseases among the large number of annual pilgrims.

"[Our] government has a very long experience now... because Saudi Arabia every year receives between 25 and 30 cases of cholera and no epidemics are happening."

Around three million Muslim pilgrims from over 160 countries head for the holy city of Mecca in western Saudi Arabia each year in one of the world's biggest religious gatherings.

In June, Saudi Arabia called on elderly, ill and other unfit Muslims - including pregnant women - to postpone their pilgrimages to Mecca because of the threat of H1N1.

Oman issued a similar warning on July 6.

This year the hajj will take place in November, while the umrah can be performed at any time but is popular during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts in August.

On Monday Egypt became the latest country to warn vulnerable Muslims against the pilgrimage to Mecca, after an Egyptian woman returning from Saudi Arabia succumbed to H1N1 - the first death in the Middle East and Africa.

Egyptian health officials have said all returning pilgrims will be quarantined.

"We are separating patients who are positive for avian flu in hospitals," said Hatem el-Gabali, the health minister in the most populous Arab country.

In Iran, a health ministry official repeated calls on Tuesday for elderly Iranians and children to avoid travelling to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage as the number of confirmed H1N1 cases in the Islamic republic rose to 16.

Tunisia earlier this month suspended umrah pilgrimages because of the virus, while reserving judgement on whether the main hajj pilgrimage should be undertaken in November.

The airborne H1N1 virus has now been diagnosed in tens of thousands of people worldwide, and has killed more than 430 people, according to the WHO.

Eat less and live longer

It is mentioned in the Hadith: "Eat less you will be healthier."

Also,

"Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should be: one-third for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath." (Tarmazi, ibn Majah and Hakim)

Allah has mentioned in the Quran:

"O children of Adam! Look to your adornment at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but be not prodigals. Lo! He loveth not the prodigals." (Quran 7:31)

Now the research shows that if we eat less, its healthier and we will live longer. See the article on The Independant here.

See also my old blog on How Islam helps control Obesity.

Cola Warning

Since our Muslim Brothers and Sisters worldwide cant drink Alcohol, they tend to think they have to have a substitute in the form of a Cola. You will see Cola bottles on every dinner table in the Middle East and South Asia. Now experts have issued a warning on Cola and I hope some Muslim brothers and sisters take heed:

The number of cola-lovers suffering health issues is on the rise, they said, adding there had been a food industry push towards an “increase in portion sizes”.

As well as tooth decay, diabetes and “softening” of the bones, doctors have seen patients suffering from hypokalaemia — where potassium levels in the blood drop too low.

This can increase the risk of muscle problems and heart rhythm abnormalities, which could prove fatal in some cases.

“We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralisation and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes,” said Dr Moses Elisaf from the University of Ioannina in Greece, who led an academic review of the issue.

“Evidence is increasing to suggest that excessive cola consumption can also lead to hypokalaemia, in which the blood potassium levels fall, causing an adverse effect on vital muscle functions.”

His study, published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, detailed cases where patients drank two or more litres of cola a day.

In one case a 21-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to the hospital suffering tiredness, loss of appetite and repeated vomiting.

The patient had consumed more than three litres of cola per day for the previous six years and was found to be suffering from severe hypokalaemia and a heart blockage.

Once she was taken off cola and given potassium replacement substances she made a full recovery.

Other case studies of people drinking between two and nine litres of cola a day found they suffered muscle problems ranging from “mild weakness to profound paralysis”.

Dr Elisaf said that caffeine intoxication is thought to play the most important role in the cases.

How Islam helps control Obesity

Very few people know that Islam has multiple ways of making sure that people do not become obese, or for that matter even a little overweight. In fact a practicing Muslim should not be Obese unless of course due to some medical condition. I am listing some of the ways in which an Islamic lifestyle can keep us fit and healthy. I am sure to have missed some other points, please feel free to add to the list:

1. Ramadan Fasting: This is the most well known way. Fasting helps our body in many different ways and the best way is by teaching our body discipline in eating. People restrain themself from eating or drinking from dawn till sunset. After sunset they may eat a bit more than the usual dinner, but is still less than eating two times and the junk food that we keep stuffing ourselves with. Ramadan is a month to cure all eating disorders.
   
2. Voluntary Fasts: The prophet (pbuh) has suggested many times that it is a good idea to fast on Mondays and Thursdays and he used to practise that. There are also other fasts like Ashura, fast of Arafah, Shaban fasts, Muharram fasts, etc which can help control our eating habits more and prepare people for Ramadhan.
   
3. Salah or Prayer: Muslims are required to pray five times everyday. During each prayer they have to perform different postures that has prompted some to refer to it as Yoga of Islam.
   
4. The Morning Prayer or Fajr: The prophet (pbuh) used to encourage people to pray Fajr in Masajid (Mosque). Even otherwise, waking up for Fajr prayers installs dicipline of getting up on the same time everyday thereby improving general health. There is also a popular saying, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise".
   
5. Mid-Night Prayer or Tahajjud: These are more prayers in the night which can keep your health in a good shape, physically and mentally.
   
6. Congregational Prayer: The big problem with people nowadays are that they do not take enough breaks while in between working (or watching TV or playing computer games). Going to pray in Masjid (or Mosque) can break the monotonous routine of work and excercise you that can help digest food and avoid weight gain.
   
7. Walking to Mosque: Praying in Mosque is highly recommended and along with that its recommended walking to mosque. The more you walk to mosque, the more rewards there are for the believers. One of the hadiths state, "The person who will receive the highest reward for Salat (prayer) is the one who comes to perform it in the mosque from the farthest distance."
   
8. Eating within limits: There are a few well known hadiths where the prophet (pbuh) advices us to eat within limits. The first says, "If you did not have a paunch (belly fat), it would be better for you. He also said: Overeating does not go with good health". Another one says "Food for one is enough for two and food for two is enough for three and food for three is enough for four". The final one I recall says, "No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath." All these saying of the prophet (pbuh) clearly says that we should eat within limits and should not overeat.
   
9. Dates: Dates (also known as Khajoor) have been mentioned in Quran and Hadith as a superfood. Dates was one of the main nutritional food used by the arabs in the desert and was their main source of supply of many vitamins and minerals. In Quran, Allah tells Mary (pbuh) via angel, "And shake the trunk of the palm tree towards thee – thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon thee". Allah is emphasising a food by name to tell us that its beneficial for us. We learn from the hadith that prophet (pbuh) said, "When any of you breaks his fasting he should eat dates cause dates are blessing, if he didn’t find dates then drink water cause water is purifying". Another hadith says, "A household that has dates doesn’t feel hunger". Nowadays people feel ashamed of eating dates. They would only eat it in Ramadan as its recommended but other times this superfood is ignored as its cheap.
   
10. The Prophet's medicine:The prophet (pbuh) has recommended many natural medicines that can help us with variety of problems including obesity. One needs to study them and apply them to their daily life to reduce many problems from depression to obesity.
    
11. Fitness: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said a strong believer was better than a weak believer. He was talking in terms of faith and character but also indicating that physical strength i.e. optimum health and fitness were desirable, providing God gave us the ways and means of attaining such strength. The Prophet (pbuh) is also reported to have said, "Teach your children swimming, archery and horse-riding."
    

Now one may think that all Muslims must be fit and active and there should be no reason for Muslims to be Obese or for that matter over weight. Unfortunately this is not true. 70% of the womenfolk in Gulf countries are obese according to research and according to Economist, the countries with most obese population are Muslim/Arab countries. This just shows that Muslims have a long way to go to become better followers of Islam.