Avoid dehydrating during Tisha Be’av fast

Magen David Adom advises fasters to be careful not to get dehydrated.

By JUDY SIEGEL
MDA 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
MDA 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Tisha Be’av, which begins at 7:42 p.m. on Monday and ends at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, is expected to be hot, and Magen David Adom advises fasters to be careful not to get dehydrated.
Tisha Be’av is day of national mourning for the destruction of the two Temples and a variety of other calamitous events from ancient to modern times.
MDA advised the chronically ill and the elderly to consult with their doctors on whether they are able to fast, and if so, how to continue taking their medications. MDA said it does not recommend that women fast in their last three months of pregnancy.
Anyone who feels weak during the fast should stay indoors in a cool room and rest. Among the sick that reach hospital emergency rooms during a fast are people with kidney stones due to lack of drinking; the symptoms are headache, fuzzy vision and later the inability to urinate.
People should drink a lot of water before the fast – at least 1.5 liters. Do not drink beverages with caffeine (coffee, cocoa, cola or regular tea), as they are diuretics. Eat complex carbohydrates with protein and vegetables, which give a feeling of satiety – but not food that is salty, sweet or spicy, before the fast.
At the end of Tisha Be’av, break the fast with a snack and a lukewarm drink. A slice of cake or two slices of bread with cheese is also good. An hour later, one can eat a light meal.
Anyone who suffers from dehydration, excessive sweating or chest pains should call MDA at 101.