People celebrate Navratri with lots of enthusiasm and excitement in India. Fasting During Navratri is one of the significant parts of Navratri. People fast during these nine days. The scientific reason behind fasting is to remove toxins from your body. Fasting is very beneficial for our health. Many people also restrict themselves from consuming water on the days of fasting. This no-food-no-water fast is known as Nirjala Vrat. Many people take advantage of this opportunity and attempt to lose extra kilos. Some people do fasting in a wrong way. Fasting for an extended period can bring trouble for your health. By following some rules, one can do easy Navratri fasts in a healthy way.

Side effects during Navratri Fast

• Weakness and fatigue.
• Drop in blood sugar level.
• Unable to sleep properly.
• Lack of stamina.
• Tiredness.

Rules to follow Fasting During Navratri

1. Stay hydrated during fast – Drink lots of water and try to stay hydrated fasting during Navratri. You can drink lemon water, coconut water, fresh juices, and milk. Water helps to cleanse your toxins out and keep your body hydrated.
2. Do not starve – Fasting doesn’t mean killing yourself by hunger. You should take care of your health. Health should always be your priority. So first take care of your health and enjoy the festival.
3. Do n’t overeat– Fast means eat less or eat a healthy diet but people are not doing it correctly. Some people eat more fasting dishes and oily things. Try to avoid dishes which are low in fiber like sabudana khichdi.
4. Small and frequent meals – Fasting does not mean not to eat anything the whole day. Plan your day; add small and regular meals to your schedule. It will help you to maintain your digestion. Eat something in 2 hours gap as it will help to prevent acidity.
5. Sendha namak – Sendha namak is enhancing with potassium and easy to digest. It is not chemically processed. So, many people use sendha namak during Navratri fast.
6. Eat fresh fruits – You can have fresh fruits, fruits salads and chaats to bring in a new taste. It is the best option to control calories. It includes healthy sugar fructose which helps in charging your metabolism.
7. Do not take stress – Stress is very bad for our health especially fasting during Navratri.
8. Get enough sleep – It is challenging to get enough sleep fasting during Navratri as people play garba during the night. 8-hour sleep is essential to stay fit and healthy.

List of food healthy items for Fasting During Navratri

• Vegetables – Potatoes, sweet potatoes, arbi, suran, carrots, cucumber, bottle gourd (lauki), pumpkin, lady’s finger, raw banana.
• Cumin seeds (jeera), green chilies, sendha namak.
• Sago (Sabudana)
• Fruits
• Dry fruits- Almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts…etc
• Milk products –  Ghee, paneer (homemade), curd, yogurt, white butter, khoya(mawa), condensed milk.
• Sugar, jaggery, honey.
• Coconut, coconut milk.
• Tamarind, kokum, yogurt and lemon juice.
• Samak rice is also a favorite fasting food contain low on calories. It is easy to digest as compared to sago.

Also Read: Special Navratri Recipes for 9 days

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