People urged to adopt healthier practices during eid holiday and after

AMMAN — Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, begins on Wednesday, and people are excited to have fun, visit their friends and relatives and do other fun activities. However, there are health practices that should be followed to keep themselves and those around them safe.

Health Ministry Spokesperson Hatem Azrui told The Jordan Times on Monday that there are general practices that people should heed during eid in order to avoid any health problems, which include, first and foremost, eating balanced meals and avoiding overeating.

“Fatty and sugary foods, liked eid sweets, are certainly to be avoided as they damage a person’s health in more than one way; causing obesity, blood pressure, diabetes and other health problems,” Azrui said during the phone interview.

People who fast during Ramadan are generally used to eating two main meals: Suhoor before dawn and Iftar at dusk, Azrui said, highlighting the importance of gradually shifting a person’s eating habits to the way they were before Ramadan, while ensuring they remain healthy and balanced.

The most consumed beverage during the eid holiday is black coffee, Azrui said, noting that serving it during the holiday is a long-time tradition, but that people should make sure not to drink more than a small cup or two a day to avoid the dangers of excessive caffeine consumption.

Moreover, those who serve the coffee should not let two or more people drink from the same cup to avoid transmitting infectious and contagious diseases from one person to another, so each person should drink using a different and clean cup.

When asked about how to help direct people towards healthier eating habits on any given day, Azrui said the only way to convince people to eat healthier food is by raising their awareness on the dangers of fast food and the damage it can cause on the short and long terms. “Without this awareness, people will most probably continue with their unhealthy eating habits.”

He added that learning how to make homemade healthy meals and teaching children to observe what they eat also helps increase awareness of the benefits and advantages of eating healthy.

Azrui also said that children tend to play with fireworks during eid, which causes more harm than joy as many go to health centres and hospitals to report injuries caused by these fireworks, like skin burns due to lighting them the wrong way.

The Health Ministry on Monday set up a work plan that includes managerial procedures and technical arrangements to continue providing health services throughout the eid holiday, Azrui said, adding that the plan focuses mainly on keeping emergency and health centres active 24/7 in the days off.

Prime Minister Omar Razzaz issued a communiqué earlier this week, announcing that all ministries and public departments will be on holiday from Tuesday, June 4, to Friday, June 7, in observance of the Eid Al Fitr holiday.