Navaratri is most important festivals of Hindus celebrated throughout India. It is dedicated to the nine avatars of Goddess Shakti. It is the celebration of Good over Evil.  Many people keep Vrat during these nine days. Some eat food once a day, some people keep their fast throughout nine days only eating food permitted to eat during fasting, while others only have fruits.

Fasting continuously for days together may take a toll on your health if one does not take precautions. Some people drink lot of coffee or tea to suppress their hunger. Here are few health hazards caused due to prolonged and inappropriate fasting.

1. Keeping your stomach empty for long hours, drinking excess amount of tea or coffee, eating oily-spicy food, and packed namkeen is an invitation to acidity, bloated stomach etc.
2. Packed namkeens are also high in triglycerides and trans fats which can increase cholesterol levels.
3. Not eating enough vegetables and fruits may cause vitamins and minerals deficiencies which may further develop complications.
4. Eating Low Fiber food causes Constipation, Hyperglycemia, High Cholesterol
5. Some can actually gain weight due to consumption of foods that are high in simple carbohydrate and high fats.
6. Low protein intake may cause muscle and tissue loss. BMR goes down which results in drastic weight gain as soon as you stop fasting.
7. Weakness and fatigue, hair fall, pale skin, dehydration, some serious digestive disorders are some of the side effects of improper fasting.

If you are planning to fast in Navaratri, ensure to do it in healthy way. I have enlisted some Tips to follow a healthy way of fasting…

1. Do not starve yourselves. Eat 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day. It will help maintain your steady blood glucose level
2. Keep yourselves properly hydrated by drinking lots of water, juices, buttermilk, coconut water, and healthy Indian sharbats (with less sugar) at regular intervals
3. Avoid any deep fried foods, outside foods, or any packaged foods like wafers and sabudana chivda or so called diet foods which may be high in sodium and sugar.
4. Instead you can have home roasted peanuts, almonds or any other nusts and seeds
5. Amaranth (Rajgeera), Little millets (Vari) , Barnyard millet(Samak rice), Buckwheat (Shingara) are healthier options to Sago (Sabudana)
6. Avoid your sweet cravings by eating fruits and raitas
7. Limit Potatoes to twice a week and no deep frying them
8. Have plenty of Vegetables (which can be eaten during vrat) like pumpkin, bottle gourd and ladyfingers
9. Don’t avoid exercise. Keep it moderate, Don’t do any high intensity strenuous exercise.

Thus, your meal plan during fasting should look like _ _ _ _

Morning: Warm water with lemon and honey, 2 Dates

Breakfast: Milk and fruit

Mid Morning: Coconut water

Lunch: Vari Khichadi, Pumpkin Bharit, Curd, Kakdi Salad

Afternoon: Kokum sharbat

Evening: Green Tea and Fruit

Mid Evening: Roasted Nuts

Dinner: Dudhi soup, Salad, rajgeera aata roti with bhindi

Bed time: Milk

• Those who eat only fruits should have dry fruits, nuts, fruits, some vegetables, salads, soups, milk, coconut water, sharbats, buttermilk every 1 – 1½ hrs throughout the day
• If you break your fast in evening, do not indulge. Have very light meal for dinner and eat it as early as possible preferably before eight.

 So, Enjoy this Festival, Eat Healthy, Play Garba and Stay Fit