Navratri is a time for many people to fast, which might make you feel weak if you don’t do it appropriately! Keep these 9 Navratri fasting guidelines in mind.
Every year during Navratri, people fast during this Hindu holiday in order to pray to Goddess Durga. During this celebration, some individuals observe a fast for only the first one to two days and the final one to two while others keep it for all nine days of the event. Fasting is not only seen as auspicious during Navratri; it is also a great technique to cleanse your body since it assists in emptying out dangerous pollutants. However, due to the nutritional changes, fasting could also make you sleepy or weary. Let us share some Navratri fasting suggestions for you!
Tips for Navratri fasting
If you want to make the most of the event, keeping your energy up throughout fasting is essential. In light of this, here are some things to keep in mind throughout your fast during Navratri.
Anupama Menon, a licensed nutritionist and food coach based in Bengaluru, was interviewed by Health Shots to create a fasting meal plan designed to keep you healthy and energetic during Navratri.
Here are nine guidelines to follow while cooking for the Navratri fast:
1. Fasting window
Keep a daily fasting window of 14-16 hours and eat within the remaining eating window. The 16:8 approach is a well-known kind of intermittent fasting. It involves fasting for 16 hours each day and eating within an 8-hour window in which you may have 2, 3, or more meals. In addition, you might fast for 14 hours per day for six days, or for 16 hours per day for three days.
2. Eating window
Eight hours of sleep every day is easy, secure, and maintainable. Regardless of how large or little your meals are, don’t let more than 2.5 hours pass between them after you’ve started eating within that time.
3. Eat healthily
Eat a hearty breakfast after fasting for 14 or 16 hours, such as sabudana khichdi or kuttu atta paratha with potato and a glass of milk or buttermilk. Fruits are another option for cleansing your body naturally. If you can, try to avoid eating any sweets with this meal.
4. Staying hydrated is essential
It is crucial to drink enough water during fasting, since this may greatly lessen hunger sensations. Fasting may cause exhaustion and even fainting, but drinking water can help counteract these effects. Always have some water on hand, and be sure you drink from it regularly.
5. Cold milk for acidity
While it’s true that cutting off food for nine days can help your body cleanse, some individuals find that the dietary modifications they make to accommodate fasting cause them to experience unpleasant side effects like acid reflux or constipation. To alleviate the symptoms, try drinking cold milk and avoiding acidic foods. Consuming it around 4 o’clock in the afternoon or later at night may be beneficial. Lemonade or curd may also be added to the diet to help with this issue.
6. Fruits for fibre
When we’re fasting, we want salty and sweet foods. Keep your snacking to healthy options like apples. Eating two to three portions of fruit daily does double duty by keeping you hydrated and providing the fibre that promotes regular bowel movements. Bananas, papayas, apples, and citrus fruits like oranges are all good examples of fruits to include. Drinking lemon juice throughout the day has several benefits, including improved iron absorption.
7. Add sugar but within limits
Every two to three days, give in to your sweet need by treating yourself to a bowl of your favourite dessert. This will not only fulfil your cravings but may also help boost your energy levels if they have been low owing to low blood sugar. It fools your brain into thinking you’re fasting, which helps alleviate any pangs of hunger you would otherwise have. A delicious bowl of kheer, such as makhana kheer or sabudana kheer, could do the trick. Keep in mind that moderation is key.
8. Nuts for fats
Finally, for your beneficial fats, try snacking on a handful of unsalted nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pistachios throughout the day. When breaking your fast in the morning before eating breakfast, one or two tablespoons of ghee or cold-pressed coconut oil is ideal. Dry fruits like dates, figs, and raisins, which haven’t been sweetened, are another option. Due to the lack of vegetables in this diet, it may be helpful to soak dried fruits in water for at least eight hours the night before eating them.
9. Coconut water
Sendha namak, commonly known as rock salt, is an excellent alternative to table salt for seasoning meals during the fasting period. In addition to this, eating a banana or drinking coconut water throughout the day is also recommended
