Imagine yourself running on a treadmill all day. Your muscles will be fatigued not to mention your entire body will be in pain. Now imagine what your digestive system goes through when you eat all day without giving it a break. The process of digestion does not stop and end at your three meals. It starts when you salivate and put food into your mouth and ends when that same food gets out of your system. So your body is working tirelessly one meal after another to eat, digest, assimilate and excrete. Here’s a quick read about fasting and how you can go about it if you want to try it during Navratri.
3 reasons why it’s good to fast during Navratri:
- Navratri marks the onset of seasonal change. During the change of seasons, our bodies have lower immunity which is why it is good to fast.
- Fasting allows your body to cleanse, detox and calms the mind.
- Scientifically, fasting decreases the risk of metabolic diseases like high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
How does fasting during Navratri work?
Different people fast differently.Some consume nothing at all, some do water fasts for a day, some do water fasts for all nine days. Some have only fruits for the 9 days of Navratri. The bottom line is that you should fast to help cleanse your body. So it is best to avoid foods that take longer to digest if you do intend to fast. What foods should you avoid?
- Grains such as wheat, rice, refined wheat flour etc can be avoided since they take longer to digest.
- Goes without saying that eggs and all meat and alcohol are to be avoided while fasting.
- To keep your body light you can also avoid all dals and legumes.
- If you are taking the extra effort to fast during Navratri, then it’s best to avoid foods that are also highly processed or have any sugar content.
So what does one eat when fasting?
If you choose to eat food instead of a water fast, you can eat fresh fruits, vegetables, dry fruits, nuts, green leafy vegetables that keep your body feeling light and digest quickly. You could also try alternatives for grains like Millets and Rajgira.
It is important to remember not to stay hungry for too long and to keep yourself hydrated with water, fruit juices and coconut water. Fasting does have its benefits but if you have any pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes etc you should consult your doctor.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Your next pizza could end up looking like the one on the right!
Happy Navratri!