Feeling famished all the time regardless of how much you eat is a struggle experienced by many people. This problem can be dealt with by making dietary or lifestyle changes, but in some cases, it could be a sign of certain medical conditions. When not treated, this constant hunger can lead to severe obesity.
A new study, published in
Science on April 15, has the potential to pave the way for drugs that can turn off the hunger switch in the brain. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science, the Queen Mary University of London, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have shed a light on how the master switch for hunger in the brain, dubbed the melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4 receptor), works and controls the urge to eat, according to multiple press releases from the universities.
1. Why is Ramadan called Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the new crescent moon is, or should be, visible.
The Arabic term Ramadan connotes intense heat. It seems that in pre-Islamic Arabia, Ramadan was the name of a scorching hot summer month. In the Islamic calendar, however, the timing of Ramadan varies from year to year. This year Ramadan begins in most places on April 13. An Islamic year is roughly 11 days shorter than a Gregorian year.
2. What is the significance of Ramadan?
Ramadan is a period of fasting and spiritual growth, and is one of the five “pillars of Islam.” The others being the declaration of faith, daily prayer, alms-giving, and the pilgrimage to Mecca. Able-bodied Muslims are expected to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from dawn to sunset each day of the month. Many practicing Muslims also perform additional prayers, especially at night, and attempt to r