HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS AND ASSOCIATED RISKS WITH FASTING DURING NAVRATRI
Navratri is a nine-day festival celebrated in India and worldwide by fasting and worshipping all nine forms of Goddess Durga for nine days. Navratri celebration holds scientific relevance, and if followed judiciously, it can detoxify the body, revitalize the system and improve an individual's physical and mental well-being. However, faulty dietary patterns during fasting may induce health issues like weight gain, gastritis, and digestive disorders.
Choice of Food for Navratri Fasting
Buckwheat flour - This fiber-rich food is an excellent option for fasting food as it increases metabolism, promotes gut health, strengthens bones, and helps to maintain a healthy weight. It also assists in maintaining healthy insulin levels and is suitable for diabetic people.
Water chestnut flour - It is a good source of protein, Vitamin B6, dietary fiber, and essential minerals like potassium, iron, calcium, and zinc. Thus, consuming water chestnut flour during fasting nourishes your body and keeps you energized all day.
Amaranth flour - It is a rich source of various nutrients like protein, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, folate, and selenium. It offers several health benefits like weight loss, fighting inflammation, building bones, and muscle strength, and improving digestion and heart health.
Barnyard millet - Barnyard millet is a gluten-free, fiber-rich source of easily digestible protein and contains fewer calories than regular white rice. It has a low glycemic index, making it an excellent dietary option for people with diabetes.
Fruits and vegetables -Fruits and vegetables are good sources of essential macro- and micro-nutrients that boost immunity and promote overall health.
Milk & dairy products - Dairy products are rich in calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein and help build and maintain strong bones.
Risks associated with fasting
Though fasting induces several benefits, there are some health risks associated with fasting.
Headache and fatigue – Restriction in diet and meal frequency during fasting may cause headache, exhaustion, and tiredness, thus impairing overall well-being. Fasting can also trigger migraine attacks.
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Dehydration – Inadequate water intake during fasting may result in dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Therefore, drinking plenty of water and taking a liquid diet at regular intervals is necessary.
Blood Sugar Imbalance – Disruption in regular eating patterns, especially for diabetic people, may alter the blood sugar levels and result in hypo- or hyperglycemia.
Weight Gain – Unhealthy dietary patterns, overeating, and consumption of excessive potatoes and fried foods during fasting may result in weight gain.
Digestive Disorders – The long gap between meals, gorging heavy meals, and overeating before, after, or during fasting may lead to digestive problems like stomach aches, indigestion, vomiting, etc.
Reduced metabolism - During fasting, the body goes into conservation mode, which results in a slow metabolism rate, decreasing the rate at which the body burns fat.
Muscle loss - When the body is deprived of food for a prolonged period, it begins to break down muscle tissue to extract protein, causing lean muscle loss.
High autolysis rate - During fasting, the body breaks down non-essential material, thus causing autolysis. Rapid breakdown of cells and tissues may adversely affect the body's normal functioning.
Conclusion?
Fasting is a great way to detox the body, enhance digestion and maintain a healthy weight. To obtain optimal health benefits from fasting, one should: