Navratri- A Scientific Festival To Support Health | drkumarslifestyle.com

Navratri 2020 : When Mr. Sharma felt pain in his body, some symptoms of indigestion, irritable bowel, even after not suffering from any health issues, and taking a balanced diet, he decided to consult his family physician. After seeing the doctor, he received a clean health chit from him. This was annoying for him because he was still not in a good health condition.

This happens with many people around us. Maybe, you would also be feeling lethargic, depressed and loss of appetite these days. Don’t worry! This has nothing to do with the new COVID-19 virus strain. These are the symptoms of season transformation.

Spring is the most beautiful period of the year. The fifteen days spring season is the period when winter comes to the end and summer begins. This is the time of transition in nature.

The human body is no different from nature. It works in a coordinate manner. During this transition period, it also prepares itself to face the next season. The symptoms of fatigue, indigestion, pain in the stomach, light fever are common these days. The health practitioners recommend some change in diet to cope with this change. However, before the doctors, our forefathers and saints of that time, recommend people to harmonize the body with nature to keep it fit. Our festivals and rituals have been designed to help us establish this harmony. The Navratri festival is an apt example of the same.

Hindus celebrate Navratri twice in a year. The festival come at the time of season transformation, first when winter starts and second when summer begins. The nine days of Navratri teach us a lot about what we should eat to muddle through with the change. Let’s start learning the importance of Navratri from the mythological and scientific point of view.

Mythological Facts

• Chaitra Navratri comes in the month of March/April, the time of spring season. Ashvina Navratri comes in the month of October/November, time of autumn season.
• The Navratri is dedicated to the nine forms of Maa Shakti.

Scientific Facts

• Both Navratri comes at the time of season transformation
• It prepares the body to adapt the change
• Fasting during Navratri detoxifies the body

How To Attain Good Health With Navratri 2020 Fasting

Many mythological stories have been linked to Navratri celebration. Each story has its relevance, and it educates people so many things about how we should live our lives. But here we reveal the most important lesson it delivers, that is diet and keeping the mind calm.

Fasting Benefits Of Navratri 2020

The researchers all across the world have claimed fasting is good for health. Fasting at the time of season transformation provides bountiful benefits. Therefore, if you have a perception like many in our country, Navratri fasting is superstitious, it is not. Actually, our forefathers created festivals and rituals to respect different seasons and keep our body in sync with nature. There are two significant benefits of fasting during Navratri 2020

Physical Benefits

According to mythology, the fasting of Navratri means avoiding foods we were eating during winters. The food should be free from fat as our the body is shedding the fat layer.

Ayurveda says, “It is very crucial to balance the Kapha dosha in the spring. This accumulates in the body during winter and when spring arrives, it leads to diseases. When the world becomes colder in winter, the human body reflects changes like Kapha. Also, during winters, people generally follow the habit of more eating, sleeping, and staying inside, which create a “winter coat” of insulation. When spring arrives, this insulation needs to be shed or the body becomes vulnerable to cold and allergies. The way to do this is are including lighter foods in the diet, adding certain herbs in diet and practising yoga asana, doing pranayama and engaging the body and mind in some kind of devotional rituals.” The Chaitra Navratri is all about the same.

Mental Benefits

The body will not be able to contain all physical benefits of fastening until the mental state allows this to happen. Therefore, our ancestors have recommended us to engage the mind in devotional work during these days. Yoga asanas, meditation, pranayam help the mind to stay calm and think positive. During Navratri, people do engage themselves in devotional work. They worship goddess Durga, chant mantra, perform arti, avoid involving in any act of sin, which soothing for the mind.

Navratri 2020 plays a vital role in preparing our body for the season transformation and protects it from different illnesses, however, we are again playing with nature and have transformed many things to make this fasting comfy. Some, in the absence of knowledge, have made this fasting so rigorous that instead of harvesting the benefits of Navratri, they tend to harm the body. Fasting without water and food for days, fasting with carbohydrate-rich food like fried potatoes, dishes made from kuttu ka atta are some common mistakes that people make.

Dr Kumar Lifestyle Center Diet Guide For Navratri Fast

Dr. Kumar, a renowned naturopath, Neurotherapy and Ayurveda expert say that Navratri fasting is agreeable for health and provide surfeit health benefits, however, it is must for people to observe fast in a correct manner.

Do and don’t for physical fasting

• Instead of eating oily food, eat more fibre-rich food
• Include green veggies and seasonal fruits in the diet
• Take vegetable/fruit juices that help in detoxification
• Drink adequate amount of water to stay hydrated, wash off toxins from the body and to balance the Kapha dosha
• Include herbs in the diet, such as tulsi, mint to balance the pH level inside the stomach.
• Don’t eat spicy and fat-rich food
• Avoid/minimize the use of garlic and onion
• Avoid alcohol and smoking

Do and don’t for mental fasting

• Meditate at least for one hour in a day, preferably the morning hours
• Keep your thoughts positive
• Do some physical exercise, preferably yoga
• Relax and sleep
• Don’t overstress yourself in work that could be postponed for some time
• Don’t get indulge in unwanted arguments

Fasting Does Not Means Starving

Another concept that prevails in society pertaining to Navratri fasting is starving for days. Experts say this is not the right way of fasting. It might give some spiritual satisfaction to people but from the health point of view, this type of fasting is destructive to health. Fasting doesn’t mean starving, on the contrary, it means restrictive eating, that is staying away from fried food, junk food, cold and hot drinks, alcohol, that is adapting the diet according to the changing season.

Diet For Those Who Aren’t Fasting

Navratri is the time to celebrate, therefore, some people opt not to observe fast, which is acceptable, say nutrition experts. Still, modifying the diet according to the changing weather is a must. By adapting light, fibre-rich and less spicy food during this period, you actually help your stomach and intestine to deal with changing weather.

This is the fact of Navratri fasting. If you want to reap health benefits from this, observe it in the right way.

For more information on diet, what you should eat during fast, the right way of observing Navratri fast or any other fast, body detoxification, contact the food experts at Dr. Kumar’s Lifestyle Centre.

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