Navratri is the season of fasting, feasting and footslogging that often ends with health related issues, nine ‘fast’ tips to avoid them
Navratri literally means ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit; nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. It is that time of the year when apart from the dancing and festivities, most people observe fasts. Fasts have become a means of internal cleansing, physically and spiritually.Most people fast with an aim of reducing fats and losing weight. But in the process, healthy food takes a backseat. Instead of real fasting, most of us end up feasting on high-calorie food in these nine days. On the other hand, it is very necessary not to feel weak or drained and gain energy for dancing away the nights.
An intake of healthy, dietary pattern can really help in rejuvenating the body, mind and soul during the fasting days of Navratri. Here are nine things to be kept in mind for the nine-night festival:
Go liquid: Consume lots of juices, coconut water, vegetable soups and of course water! This helps in cleaning the body toxins.
Milk and Fruits, complete food: These not only act as a cleansing agent for the body but also lend immense energy.
Eat less but frequently: Feed your stomach at regular intervals. Empty stomach leads to acidity and heartburn. Cold milk, cream, curd and bananas are effective antidotes for acidity.
No to ‘No Salt’ fasts: Most people follow a ‘no salt’ fast during Navratri. This leads to fatigue and weakness. Make up by having one meal with salt or use rock salt (sendha namak).
Keep aside the frying pan: Avoid the intake of fried, oily and heavy food. They defeat the very purpose of fasting. Instead, go for healthy ways of cooking like roasting, boiling, grilling, steaming etc.
Big no to ‘fast’ food: Avoid packaged fast food like potato chips (which is the main intake, especially in Navratri) and opt for healthier options.
Health first: However religious, not everyone should fast. Diabetes, hyperacidity or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) patients, pregnant women and children should give fasts a miss.
Quantity matters: Do not go crazy over the feasts prepared for the festival. It is an irony that people tend to overeat in the name of fasts!
Do not starve: Fasts should not deprive the body of energy. Prolonged fasts lead to problems like weakness, anemia, acidity, fatigue and headaches.
This Navratri, follow these tips and do not let the weighing scales tip to the wrong side!
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Aditi Rindani 