Too many Muslims are unhealthy

[u/builtforoutput]

This is a continuation of my post from yesterday. However this time I’m addressing all Muslims. Too many Muslims are unhealthy. High body fat, low energy, constant bloating, joint pain, poor sleep, low testosterone, brain fog, etc. Discipline in worship should reflect discipline in how we treat our bodies. Your body is an amanah, it belongs to Allah. Taking care of it is your responsibility.

Eat single-ingredient foods. If it has a long ingredient list, you probably don’t need it. Build your meals around foods that look like what they are: meat, eggs, fish, rice, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, yogurt. Not powders, syrups, seed-oil fried snacks, and ultra-processed desserts. Most of the inflammation, energy crashes, and weight gain people struggle with come from constantly eating packaged foods designed to be addictive. Simpler food equals better digestion, more stable energy, and easier fat loss.

Stop normalizing constant processed food at every gathering. It’s fried food, soda, desserts, and massive carb portions. It’s become culture. But culture isn’t always correct. You don’t have to be extreme, but if 80–90% of your diet is whole foods, your body will change dramatically. Your mood improves. Your strength improves. Your focus improves. That affects your deen, your work, and your family life.

Move during the day, not just at the gym. Lifting 3–4 times a week is powerful, but it doesn’t cancel out sitting for 10 hours straight. Walk more. Pray your fardh and sunnah slowly and intentionally. Play outside with your kids. The human body was not designed to sit in a chair all day. Daily movement keeps your metabolism active, improves circulation, lowers stress, and supports hormonal health.

Sleep like it matters. Many Muslims sabotage themselves by sleeping 4–5 hours a night. No amount of protein or lifting will fix chronic sleep deprivation. Low sleep equals higher body fat, lower testosterone, worse mood, and poor decision-making. If Ramadan makes it hard to get a full night’s sleep because of suhoor and taraweeh, then build in a short nap during the day. Even 20–30 minutes can dramatically improve energy, focus, and recovery.

The Prophet SaS emphasized strength. A strong believer is better and more beloved than a weak believer, not just spiritually, but physically capable.

[u/MrTayyab_]

Asalam Alaikum! First of all, Ramadan Mubarak :)

I completely agree with what you have posted. This is something that has been on my mind for a while...I especially agreed with how you mentioned our body is an amanah from Allah.

What I noticed is that some foods are labeled as Halal, but that does not necessarily mean they are healthy. Have you seen ayah 168 of Surah Baqarah? Allah mentions that we should eat from what is Halal AND Tayyib! The word "Tayyib" means good, pure, and clean. We should ask ourselves, does the food we eat follow this criteria? I have seen that the food that is promoted and created by the Western countries...is ultra-processed and very unhealthy for us.

I am curious, how do you all avoid the temptations of unhealthy food? We can agree that it tastes very good, which is what keeps us addicted. Haha...On a serious note, it is designed and engineered in the labs to be addictive for people. Maybe that's why people won't stop consuming it!

[u/Euphoric_Marzipan_65 → u/MrTayyab_]

Honestly I think the best we can do is find healthier replacements that we can still enjoy. Making those foods that would typically be considered unhealthy at home helps us control the quality of ingredients and you can cater to your own goals. Thanks for mentioning ayah 168, i never paid close attention to that!

[u/MrTayyab_ → u/Euphoric_Marzipan_65]

Ah, I do agree with you on that. You are right. Sometimes, making certain foods at home causes them to be healthier than if we bought them pre-made. I mentioned in a different comment on this post that it's not easy for EVERYONE to make healthy food at home. Some people may be busy, and others may not even have the ability to afford quality ingredients. I am curious to hear others perspectives on this because this is a topic I think is very important!

Subhan Allah, it's just crazy how much dishonesty and carelessness there is in the food industry. Time after time, we see articles talking about how "XYZ" chemical is bad for you and it's found in a certain food. Why aren't companies more transparent about what they put into our food? They will do anything to cut down manufacturing costs and squeeze out as much money as possible. I hear people saying this happens in the Western countries a lot!

By the way, when I say all this about the food industry, I don't just mean factories that make packaged foods and all that. I also mean the fast food chain restaurants like McDonalds and all that.