Wockhardt Hospitals Nagpur a leading health care Hospital is gearing up for the Navratri with useful and important tips to those who follow fast on all days of Navratri. Everybody is ready to celebrate Navratri with vigour and enthusiasm. Wockhardt Hospitals is helping to cope up with the situation arising when one goes for fast on all days of Navratri.
The auspicious Navratri festival has begun and the devotees are very excited about it. They dedicate these nine days to worshipping Goddess Durga in her nine different forms. While fasting is done for all the great reasons, it can be very tiring. Rich in colors, tradition, songs, and dance, Navratri is also a time for us to relax, turn inwards, and recharge ourselves with energy.
Fasting is an integral part of this auspicious occasion. Everyone has their own reasons for fasting either religious reasons or to detoxify their bodies and cut back on unwanted calories, which is a brilliant idea. However, there are two concerns around fasting and feasting, which have to be handled carefully.
Swati Awasthi, Chief Dietician, Wockhardt Hospitals Nagpur has come up with some healthy ways to fast during Navratri, like eating properly, not adding back the lost kilos, as well as keeping oneself fit till the Navratri lasts.
HEALTHY FASTING TIPS;-
AVOID STARVING- while some people binge on snacks and fruits even when they are fasting, there are many people who eat nothing at all. The thumb rule is to avoid fasting for too long. If you want to detoxify, eat fresh fruits or nuts at intervals. Prolonged fasting can lead to a number of problems such as weakness, anemia, fatigue, and headaches. So keep eating small snacks in short intervals of time like nuts and makhanas are amazing ideas for this period.
STAY HYDRATED- Staying hydrated when you fast is extremely important. Water, low-fat milk, fruit juices, and coconut water are some of the ways to stay hydrated and maintain adequate levels of fluids and salt in the body. It’s important to stay hydrated while fasting, as dehydration can cause fatigue and even fainting. While you can cut down on food, you must ensure that you do not dehydrate yourself. Always keep a bottle of water with yourself and keep sipping timely.
DON’T OVER INDULGE ON FRIED SNACKS – Fasting for many people, includes binging on oily snacks throughout the day. By doing this you are doing more harm than doing good to your body. Fried snacks are high in fats as well as salt, depending too much on these snacks negate your purpose of fasting.
MAINTAIN YOUR ENERGY LEVELS- Feeling low and experiencing a lack of energy is quite common during Navratri. To maintain your energy levels, you need to eat right. Include foods that are rich in proteins and carbs to maintain your energy levels.
EAT FOODS RICH IN FIBER- Include vegetables such as sweet potato, raw banana, bottle gourd, and pumpkin in your menu to stay full and satiate your hunger. The reason is fibers take a long time to digest, thereby keeping you full for a longer period of time and also curbing your hunger.
GET A BREAK FROM SUGAR- we tend to eat extra sugar during fasting. Refined sugars don’t have any nutritive value and are stored as empty calories. Instead of refined sugars try to use jaggery and honey to satisfy your cravings for sugar.
PLAN YOUR MEALS- A sudden change in your diet can have an impact on your body and mind, which makes it important to plan your meals. Ensure that you eat a major meal before sunset with alternate grains and minimum oil. Planning your meals and snacking healthy will maintain your energy levels and keep you healthy.
Make sure you follow the below points to have a healthy and happy festival.
- Drink as much water as possible. Indulge yourself in skim milk, fresh fruit juices, and milkshakes as they provide the required nutrition and energy and also help in flushing out toxins. Coconut water, lime juice, and herbal teas can be consumed with no limits. Soups of pumpkin or bottle gourd are also healthy options.
- Staying on an empty stomach can lead to acidity, so eat dry fruits, seeds, and nuts every 2 to 3 hours as they will provide energy and help in controlling hunger pangs. Go for Sabudana Khichdi or kheer as it is a great energy booster and source of carbohydrates than the oily tikkis or papad. Yogurt or raita is another refreshing item that can help you with energy.
- Fruit-flavoured yoghurt or curd can be a good substitute for kheer which is loaded with calories from sugar and milk. Plain skimmed milk is another healthy food to indulge in which reduces calories.
- Fruit salad sprinkled with rock salt boosts metabolism with all the natural sugars in it. The rock salt is rich in potassium and also helps digestion and reduces acidity. You can also adopt new methods of cooking like baking, grilling, or steaming instead of regular frying, it will help you control weight and stay fit.
- Try boiling potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and eat them with minimal spices like pepper and black salt. Paneer or cottage cheese is another option loaded with protein and calcium. You can skip regular sugar and use low-calorie sweetener instead