Emergency room visits in the UAE are skyrocketing in Ramadan, according to ER medics who attributed the rise in cases to overeating at iftar and suhoor.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Dr. Ola Nagi Ibrahim, General Practitioner at Bareen International Hospital, said: 

"We are receiving too many patients with abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea in Ramadan, it is really too much now. Sometimes we receive an entire family all at once."

The GP revealed that her ER is receiving around fifteen patients daily during the holy month, which is double the cases received on regular days. The majority of them were caused by overeating or food poisoning. 

"People are eating too much in Ramadan and require medication after they're admitted to the hospital," she explained.

Ibrahim also said that most patients that were admitted during the day needed urgent treatment with IV fluids because they were severely dehydrated, while those who came in after iftar were treated for stomach problems. 

Another UAE based doctor, Shafqut Jalal, Assistant Head of the Emergency Department at Universal Hospital also weighed in on the matter, saying: 

 "The numbers have doubled in Ramadan."

Jalal said a few of the reasons behind the surge in patients coming in to the ER in the first few days of the holy month include people overindulging in food, eating unhygienic meals or suffering burns while cooking. 

She also stated that diabetic patients who are fasting during the day without checking in with their doctors are also being admitted to ERs across the country. 

Dr. Magdi Mohamed, an ER specialist at Burjeel Hospital, also said cases at the medical center where he works have risen since the beginning of Ramadan.  

"We are seeing a growing number of cases because of the large quantity of food and the lack of quality of the food the people are eating," he explained. 

His advice to those fasting is to break their fast "with dates, water and a light meal, such as soup or salad," and consume a main meal that's low in fat while also high in complex carbs, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. 

When people think of the Middle East, they think Muslims. 

While it's true that Islam is a dominant religion in the region, with about 20 percent of all Muslims residing in the Middle East and North Africa, there are many who have renounced their beliefs altogether. 

Many ex-Muslims choose not to share their views publicly - for fear of oppression, torture, and possibly even the death sentence in some countries. 

But, Mohammad Tawhidi, an Australian-Iraqi Muslim preacher, recently shared a screenshot of a conversation with an ex-Muslim ... and it's the definition of acceptance. 

Tawhidi embraces ex-Muslims because "he believes in humanity before religion," he told StepFeed. 

Here's how it all went down:

Tawhidi made sure to sneak in a joke about the "72 virgins" myth in Islam, which he has denounced previously.

When it comes to ex-Muslims, Tawhidi believes we should "never hate people for the way they think," he wrote in a tweet.

Acceptance and peace is Tawhidi's motto - after all, his Twitter handle is dubbed @imamofpeace.

His acceptance has been manifested in the many ways he has helped ex-Muslims who are in danger.

"I hear them out and I give them advice on how to handle pressure within conservative and extremist families. I also help them out financially when I can to remove themselves from dangerous areas. I have even traveled to the Middle East to help a few ex Muslims from their harsh families," Tawhidi told StepFeed.

Tawhidi does not discriminate between a believer in Islam and a non-believer in Islam.

"I welcome people from all backgrounds and from all religions because I believe in humanity before religion," he added. 

A number of Muslim-majority countries still outlaw apostasy. 

In 2017, a report published by the International Humanist and Ethical Union revealed that 13 countries impose the death penalty on non-believers including Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Tawhidi does not believe apostasy laws are valid.

"I do not believe in apostasy laws that preach killing and beheading of ex-Muslims. I believe in everybody's right to life and I respect their opinions. Just because someone differs with me ... it does not mean that we hate or kill them," Tawhidi said.