9 HABITS OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD THAT SCIENCE LATER PROVED
Islam’s holistic approach to life and thus health offers us the ability to remain strong and healthy. If God decrees that illness or injury are to be part of our lives then Islam provides us with the ways and means of accepting and even being grateful for the tests and trials that envelope us. Believers in Islam must take care of their spiritual, emotional and physical health. God gave us our bodies, the most complex of machines, as a trust. We should not abuse or neglect them.
Diet and nutrition play a big part in maintaining the best possible health, so does a lifestyle incorporating exercise. Islam lays emphasis on a simple diet combined with physical exercise. Fulfilling the obligations of three of the five pillars of Islam requires that Muslims be of sound health and fitness. The daily performance of five prayers is in itself a form of exercise, its prescribed movements involve all the muscles and joints of the body, and concentration in prayer relieves mental stress. Good health is necessary if one intends to fast the month of Ramadan and the performance of the Hajj (or pilgrimage to Mecca) is an arduous task that requires many days of hard physical effort.
I- EARLY RISER Prophet Muhammad slept early and woke up with the Adhan of Fajr each day. Being an early riser has scientifically been correlated with better productivity, as well as better mental health in general. So, waking up early may be hard but with baby steps, even if it’s just waking up 15 minutes earlier to start with, you can begin improving your quality of life.
II- EATING LESS The practice of eating less to prevent sickness and disease was emphasized by Prophet Muhammad, and now backed heavily by science much later. The Islamic concept ‘1/3 for your food, 1/3 for your liquids, and 1/3 for your breath’ matches very closely to the Japanese ‘hara hachi bu’ concept, which means eat until you are only 80% full.
III- EATING SLOWLY We now know that it takes our body 20 minutes to send signals to our brain that it is full. Slow eating will help you eat less food and improve your digestion, and it is a practice Muhammad did himself and strongly advocated.
IV- MINDFUL EATING Eat together and not separately, for the blessing is associated with the company (Ibn Majah). The prophet stressed this, and today sharing and enjoying food has been proven to reduce stress, and build healthy eating habits within family and children
V- WATER Do not drink water in one breath, but drink it in two or three breaths. This is the manner by which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) drank water. Science today proves that when a person drinks too much water in a short period of time they can experience headaches, imbalance in blood electrolyte levels and sometimes dizziness too. Drinking slowly helps you actually absorb the fluid and get the most benefit out of it.
VI- POMEGRANATES Pomegranates are thought to have been the Prophet’s favorite fruit. Modern scientific research has proven pomegranates to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet. They contain manganese, which helps in the formation of bone structures during the metabolic process, and potassium, which aids in maintaining cellular function and keeps a balance in fluid levels. Also, they are potent in flavonoids and polyphenols, antioxidants which protect our bodies against heart disease.
VII- FASTING Recent evidence is showing that not just the food we eat, but our eating timings and patterns also have a profound impact on our health. Fasting was a regular practice of Muhammad’s (PBUH) life, not just during Ramadan. He would fast until Maghrib every Monday and Thursday, and also on the 13th, 14th and 15th of each month. This is similar to the intermittent fasting practice. It has been proven to balance hormone levels, prevent oxidative stress, and reduce overall inflammation. When you think about it, the less food you put into your body the less it focuses on digestion and the more it can focus on healing itself from certain ailments!
VIII- DATES Dates are the perfect foods to break your fast. They stabilize your blood sugar levels, rebalance blood electrolyte levels, and help kick start your digestive system in preparation for food. Prophet Muhammad also said: A family which has dates will not be hungry. (Muslim). Dates are now proven to boost oxytocin production in your body and speed up labor.
IX- STAYING ACTIVE Fulfilling three of the five pillars of Islam requires that Muslims be of sound health and fitness. Prayer in itself is a form of exercise that requires movement of your body’s muscles and joints. Good health is also necessary if you intend to fast or participate in Hajj. Prophet Muhammad 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.
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332011884_9_HABITS_OF_THE_PROPHET_MUHAMMAD_THAT_SCIENCE_LATER_PROVED
