HolistiSci

On this 21st day of Ramadan in 2025, I love that the prompt for today was about food. Food can bring so much joy into our lives, the taste, smells and company of loved ones. An intricate part of cultures. And in this moment, I’m abstaining from it.

I remember my first years of fasting; it was trying. I was exhausted. All these years of fasting have taught me gratitude, generosity, and a lot of self-restraint. As an American, I grew up in a culture of instant gratification, including the indulgence of so many delicious treats. I always had a difficult time controlling myself. My friends and I would go and buy cake frosting and eat it directly out of the can. We would regularly eat raw cookie dough. There is nothing wrong with these things. They’re delicious! But it was out of control. I wasn’t nourishing my body. I wasn’t listening to what it needed.

Fasting teaches you the value of food. And how much one difference in your intake – a cup less of water, or a teaspoon more of sugar- can affect how you feel. To be fair, I don’t think everyone pays as much attention as I do. But I like to feel good ALL of the time.

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when I was 14. And after healing that naturally and being forced to eat only nutrient-dense foods to stay healthy, I don’t ever want to go back. For a long time, I was very extreme – fearful of not feeling well. While taking a nutrition certification course over this past year I learned that I probably had something called orthorexia – an obsession with eating healthy food. I’ve eased up a lot over the past couple of years. I’ve learned to trust my body more and believe that it can handle what I give it – along with digestive support. It’s always about balance.

Ramadan is a beautiful reset. Not only with food. With my soul – moving energy is so much easier when it’s not trying to also work through the energy of the food I’ve put in it. With my mind – I don’t have enough energy to feel stress. With my body – it’s given the opportunity to detox everything that shouldn’t be there. With my family – we’re all on the same schedule and spend more focused time together.

Once a year, I am given the opportunity for an entire reset. This year’s magical month is almost over. And while I’m tired and the reprieve will be welcome, I’m already looking forward to the next year and the magic it will bring.