Navratri, as the name suggests, is a nine-day long festival. The nine-day long festival comprises fasting, daily pujas, eating together, and participating in various cultural events. This colorful nine-day festival is enjoyed a lot. Navratri lasts for 9 days and many people follow a strict fasting during these days. Even those who don’t fast also follow certain guidelines when it comes to food. In Northern and Western part of India, people follow this fast for 9 days and thus taking a good care of the health is necessary. This fasting helps the body to cleanse and detox.
Many say that this fasting during Navratri has scientific relevance. Navratri is held twice a year – once during Summer and second during Autumn and both these seasons make immunity weaker. So, opting to eat light and nutritious food items during these two seasons keeps the body in good condition and you can also avoid flu. That’s why, you see subtraction of meat, rice, grains, and regular salt from our food.
Now, there are certain Navratri health tips you can follow to stay stronger during your fasting on Navratri and some are explained below:
- Keeping the body clean is of prime importance and a cool bath must be done by 9 A.M. Then, you can start your day with hydrating things like coconut water, milk, or plain water. You can follow this up with yoghurt or fruits for breakfast. You can also have boiled veggies with black salt.
- Due to fasting, many people stay away from food which is dangerous and calls for acidity. Fasting of Navratri means staying away from regular foods and eating fruits, liquids, and nutritive food in its pure form so that it detoxifies the system. So, opt for food every 1-2 hours. You can have 3 small meals a day along with one snack time generally at evening. This will ensure that you have sufficient energy throughout the day. These small meals would also keep the glucose level stable.
- Many people have the habit of sipping tea and coffee more and more during the Navratri fasting days. But this over-drinking of tea/coffee can be stressful for your body. Too much caffeine without much food and fruits would be harmful.
- Make a habit of munching on a seasonal fruit or vegetable and sipping into plain water or fresh fruit juice.
- You must avoid fried foods while fasting. Simply boil the potatoes or other vegetables or cook them using minimal spices to keep yourself safe during Navratri. In case, you are craving fried food, then you can opt for baked or roasted ones. This practice would save you from acidity and that bloating feeling.
- Sugar is also a strict NO during this time. So, for your sweet craving, you can draw your satisfaction from honey or jaggery. In fact, when you feel like having a sweet, have some dry fruits instead.
- While you are having a sugar craving, you can also munch on fruits like bananas and in that way, there would be a slow release of glucose in your blood.
- If you are someone who follows a strict exercise routine, then you have to mellow down a bit during Navratri fasting. You have to keep the workout light and simple like a light jog around the park or simple stretching would be enough.
- Among the vegetables, have more sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Why? Because the sweet potatoes carry beta-carotene and are low on calories. And they fill the tummy for a longer time.
- If you are eating out, instead of ordering the Navratri Thali, opt for simple Sago Khichdi, Buttermilk, or Curd.
All around the year, you all eat whatever you want. But for these 9 days, follow a Sattvic diet to reboot your body and clean it from junk. So, take very good care of yourself and your family members and relatives during Navratri fasting following these simple rules.
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