"Food is obviously a big part of the holy month," Sofia says. "Usually after breaking fasts, my family have bigger meals than usual, my mum cooks a lot of extravagant Pakistani dishes for iftar. It's also a time when my extended family tend to visit more, or we go to the mosque and eat there.

"It's really difficult to eat in public, especially because I'm still uncomfortable around a lot of foods. And what people usually don't understand is how seeing all that food can make you feel so pressured. Last Ramadan I remember having to force myself to eat because everyone kept telling me to – and I couldn't say no to them. When we came back from the mosque, I spent most of the night crying, because I felt I had no control."

And while Sofia isn't fasting this Ramadan, so as to keep on top of her dietary meal plan – and indeed, she is exempted from fasting due to her medical condition – she still admits that "not being able to fast, like the rest of my family, is really difficult".

She adds: "I know in my head that I need to stick to the diet and do what my doctor says. But it's still uncomfortable preparing food while my family aren't allowed to eat or drink." At times she "feels guilty while she's eating", she says, and there are moments when she's tempted to go back to fasting again.

Such situations are not uncommon among Muslims recovering from eating disorders, Habiba Khanom, a London-based journalist recovering from anorexia nervosa, tells BuzzFeed News.

"The biggest challenge I face during Ramadan is the food during iftar," she says. "Ramadan is the only time of the year my family and I actually sit down and eat together.

"The food is usually triggering because every meal is different. Nothing seems safe for me. Also, I do not feel comfortable eating together, [as] there are always comments made by certain individuals that make me feel more triggered."

In some Muslim communities, she says, there is a misunderstanding of what an eating disorder is, and many dismiss it as a "diet": "They think eating disorders is just about wanting to be skinny – they see it as a choice.

"In fact, I would never do this if it was a choice. I would never have hurt my family and friends the way I have if this was a choice. It is a mental illness. The cause is deep-rooted and it cannot just be 'fixed' just by praying to God. You need treatment, such as therapy and a dietician to help you. You need a support network of family and friends. Because of the lack of understanding in the Muslim community, I've had very little support from my family."

Sofia believes there ia a lack of visible support groups geared toward British Muslim women dealing with eating disorders, although online communities, particularly on platforms like Tumblr, have helped in the process of her recovery.

"Last Ramadan I used to spend a lot of time on Tumblr going through blogs of other people recovering," Sofia says. "Usually they would post pictures of good healthy foods, like fruits or salads. People on there would usually be really positive and encouraging too, so it was a good way to encourage myself to keep up with the diet plan."