I thought you may find this useful in practice...

The various faiths of Christianity include Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. The regulations governing food differ from one to the next, including some faiths that don’t advocate any restrictions. Selected facts include:

• The ritual of the transubstantiation (changing) of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ is believed to occur at communion.
• Roman Catholics fast for at least one hour prior to communion.
• Fasting is sometimes considered to be ‘praying with the body’. It is believed to improve spiritual discipline - by overcoming the sensations of the physical world and focussing on prayer and spiritual growth. It may serve as a way to respect those people around the world who regularly face starvation or malnutrition.
• Self-denial (of food) can help Christians to remember that having what you want is not always the path to happiness (‘Lent’ is Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday = 40 days)
• Variations of fasting or abstinence are observed by some Roman Catholics on such occasions as Lent or Good Friday; for example, some may strictly avoid meat at this time.
• Most Protestants observe only Easter and Christmas as feast days, and don’t follow ritualised fasting.
• Mormons avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
• The majority of Seventh Day Adventists don’t eat meat or dairy products, and are likely to avoid many condiments including mustard. Those that do eat meat don’t eat pork.

Judaism
Judaism can be Liberal or Orthodox, based on the degree of adherence to the Jewish laws. ‘Kashrut’ refers to the laws pertaining to food in the Jewish religion. ‘Kosher’ means that a food is permitted or ‘clean’, while anything ‘unclean’ (such as pork and shellfish) is strictly forbidden. The Jewish ‘food laws’ originated more than 2,000 years ago and contribute to a formal code of behaviour that reinforces the identity of a Jewish community. Food forms an integral part of religion in life for a practising Jew. Other selected facts include:

• Foods must be prepared in the right way in order to be kosher; for example, animals that provide meat must be slaughtered correctly.
• The consumption of certain foods, including dairy products and fish, is subject to restrictions; for example, there are rules forbidding the mixing and consumption of dairy products with meats.
• Ritualised fasting is also included in Judaism. Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonemen is a complete, 25-hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur
• Jewish feast days include Rosh Hashanah and Passover.
• The Passover commemorates the birth of the Jewish nation. The food eaten helps to tell the story of the Exodus; for example, bitter herbs recall the suffering of the Israelites under Egyptian rule.

Islam
Regulations surrounding food are called ‘halal’. Prohibited foods are called ‘haram’. It is thought that the Creator turns a deaf ear to a Muslim who eats haram foods. Other selected facts include:

• The list of haram foods includes pork, alcohol, foods that contain emulsifiers (as emulsifiers may be made from animal fats), tinned vegetables that include emulsifiers, frozen vegetables with sauce, particular margarines, and bread or bread products that contain dried yeast.
• Gelatine can be made from pig and, since pork is haram, products containing gelatine are forbidden.
• Caffeinated drinks such as coffee are sometimes considered haram.
• Certain religious dates, such as Eid al-Fitr, demand fasting from dawn till dusk.
• Some Muslims choose to fast on Mondays or Thursdays or both.

The month of Ramadan requires mandatory fasting during sunlight hours, as do particular dates of religious significance, such as the ninth day of Zul Hijjah. The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan migrates through the seasons. In 2007 Ramadan lasts from September 13 to October 12.

The ill and travellers may substitute other days to perform their Ramadan obligations. Children, the elderly and pregnant women are viewed as excused. Menstruating women also make up the days missed, usually in Shawwal.

Hinduism
People who practise the Hindu religion don’t eat meat from animals. They also avoid foods that may have caused pain to animals during manufacture. ‘Karma’ is believed to be the spiritual load we accumulate or relieve ourselves of during our lifetime. Animals are believed to have spiritual awareness. If a Hindu consumes animal flesh, they accumulate the Karma of that act - which will need to be balanced through good actions and learning in this life or the next. Depending on the level of adherence to this belief, in many cases beef is forbidden, while pork is sometimes restricted or avoided. Selected facts include:

• ‘Food is God (Brahman)’ is a common Hindu saying. Food is thought to be an actual part of Brahman, rather than simply a Brahman symbol.
• Foods contain energies such as sound waves that can be absorbed by the person who eats them - the Hindu religion takes literally the maxim ‘You are what you eat’.
• According to the Hindu religion, violence or pain inflicted on another living thing rebounds on you (Karma).
• In keeping with the aim to avoid violence or pain to any living thing, vegetarianism is advocated, but not compulsory.
• Prohibited animal products tend to vary from one country or region to the next; for example, duck and crab may be forbidden in one geographical location, but not in another.
• Foodstuffs such as alcohol, onions and garlic are thought to inhibit the Hindu’s quest for spiritual enlightenment by exciting the body and leading to acts which may have Karmic impact, and are therefore avoided or restricted.
• While beef is forbidden, dairy products including milk, butter and yoghurt are considered to enhance spiritual purity.
• Fasting depends on the person’s caste (or social standing) and the occasion; for example, rules regarding fasting depend on whether the day has religious or personal significance.

Buddhism
The dietary rules of Buddhism, which is more of a life philosophy than a religious doctrine, depend on which branch of Buddhism is practised and in what country. Selected facts include:

• In his lives on Earth, Buddha cycled through various animal forms before he took on the form of a human being - this is why most Buddhists are vegetarian.
• Similarly to the Hindu concept of Karma, Buddhism proposes that violence or pain inflicted on others will rebound on you, further strengthening the need for a vegetarian lifestyle. Some Buddhists believe that the cause of human aggression is violence against animals.
• Some Buddhists avoid meat and dairy products, while others only shun beef.
• Religious dates vary from one region to the next. Mahayana Buddhism, for example, celebrates three festivals for the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, while Theravada Buddhists observe all three events on a single day.
• Buddhist monks tend to fast in the afternoon.
• Buddhist monks and nuns aren’t allowed to cultivate, store or cook their own food; instead, they must rely on ‘alms’, which are donations from believers. This sometimes includes meats, as monks and nuns aren’t allowed to ask for specific foods.

TallPoppy Turner
08/10/07

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StudentMidwife.NET Founder

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Thanks TallPoppy,

That's great and I am sure it will be really useful.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

Thank you, TallPoppy! It is so important to understand other's beliefs in order to provide optimum care for the individual. I did not realize that many Roman Catholics fasted for an hour before communion and I used to live in an area that was heavily populated with believers of that faith. It's interesting and I try to keep myself open to what is important to others.

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Sasha, Doula, Mama, Wife, Student Midwife

Three little wild boys and one soldier husband

There's an interesting blog article on fasting in Judaism and pregnancy here http://jewifery.blogspot.com/2006/09...-pregnant.html

Nice find

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I am so blind to other religions and find it so fascinating. Here in NZ, Maori's consider certain things Tapu (restricted or forbidden) such as having hairbrushes, or sitting on tables where you would normally eat is Tapu. Things or places which are tapu must be left alone, and may not be approached or interfered with. Also ensuring you don't look your elder in the eyes as it is a sign of disrespect. SOOOO fascinating aye?

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Im like you I find it totally fascinating..... I dont kow much about Maori thinking so thanks for sharing

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StudentMidwife.NET Founder

"You're braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think."
Christopher Robin in Pooh's Grand Adventure

Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Want to contribute midwifery or SM2B articles to SMNET? If so, PM me with your thoughts/articles

I am trying to find articles about culture and skin to skin contact at the moment, and it isn't proving as easy as I thought it would be.

This was really interesting, I love reading about other cultures, I find it fascinating.

Thanks for posting that link.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

I just wanted to share that a few years ago I served an Indian couple who observed fasting as part of their religious practice, and even though she was "technically" not required to fast because of the pregnancy, she chose to do so (this wasn't helpful when it coincided with a long labor). I only share in order to say that sometimes individuals will interpret the teachings of their church in a way that you as their midwife may not anticipate. I believe I will try to do better to learn about such self-imposed requirements among my clients in the future as a result of this experience.
Thank you to all who posted here, as it is a wonderful resource.