Doctor Tiva: Exercise During Fasting Boosts Metabolism
The Director of Siloam International Hospitals, S.A. Erich Richardo, stated that Ramadan is also an appropriate time to increase public awareness of the importance of maintaining health. During a media gathering held on Monday evening, Erich noted that many people regard Ramadan as a time to restrict physical activity due to concerns about dehydration or fatigue. “Ramadan is often considered a time to limit physical activity due to worries about dehydration or weakness,” he said.
To maintain good health and fitness, Dr Tiva Ismadyanti Christine Prabowo, Head of Medical Check Up at Siloam Hospital Yogyakarta, explained during a health education session on fasting in Yogyakarta on Monday that exercise can still be performed safely during fasting.
“Fasting changes sleep patterns, reduces food intake, and limits fluid intake. However, exercise is still necessary to keep the body fit,” said Dr Tiva.
The body, she explained, possesses a natural mechanism to adapt. With this natural capacity, the body remains capable of performing various activities even without food intake throughout the day.
During fasting, she continued, several processes occur in the human body, one of which is a reduction in insulin hormone levels. “This reduction in insulin hormone is related to decreased carbohydrate intake,” she said.
On the other hand, she added, glucagon hormone increases and triggers the body to generate energy from existing reserves.
Initially, she explained, energy is derived from glycogen stored in the liver and muscles. After 12 hours without food and drink, she noted, the body begins to use energy reserves from fat through a process called lipolysis. “This is what causes some people to experience weight loss during fasting,” said Tiva.
The body, she explained, also undergoes gluconeogenesis. This process, she said, involves generating energy from fat and protein. Nevertheless, the body ensures that protein from muscle tissue is not excessively used, as protein is needed to build important tissues such as skin, hair, and hormones.
According to her, exercise during fasting actually helps increase metabolism, maintain ideal body weight, and improve insulin sensitivity. “Fasting does not mean stopping exercise. In fact, with exercise, the body’s metabolism becomes more regular and health is maintained,” she said.
She noted that exercise can be performed in the morning, afternoon, or evening with various types of activities. She mentioned that these exercise types include brisk walking, yoga, gentle jogging, and the like.
Dr Tiva reminded people not to overexert themselves when exercising during fasting and that the duration need not be overly long. The main focus is to keep the body fit without interfering with the fasting worship.
Meanwhile, CEO of Siloam Hospital Yogyakarta, Siti Nurtata Rizki, emphasised her commitment to continuing to provide health education to the community, particularly in maintaining fitness during the month.
On this occasion, Siti Nurtata Rizki also mentioned that Siloam Hospitals Yogyakarta now has a Urology Clinic service for adult and paediatric patients. The Urology Clinic service, she said, addresses various health problems of the urinary tract, including paediatric urology cases. “Patients can consult with Prahara Yuri, a specialist in urology and paediatric urology consultant at Siloam Hospitals Yogyakarta, who is ready to provide professional and comprehensive medical treatment,” she said.