Fasting is a way to cleanse the body and an overburdened mind. Most lifestyle diseases we face today are probably due to over-nutrition and not under-nutrition. We lead a life of excess which is leading us to many health problems. Our body needs only so much to sustain, hence Navratri fasting is a great way to re-boot our systems. However, most of the times, fasting during Navratri, takes a complete u-turn, where we allow ourselves to indulge in heavy and unhealthy food. Here are four foods you should stay away from this Navratri to cleanse and detox the body:<\/p>\n
1. Fruit Juices<\/strong><\/p>\n Now, because we are fasting, that does not mean we can have unlimited\u00a0fruit juices<\/a>. Yes, not even the freshly squeezed variety! Fruit juices are loaded with sugar and miss out on the beneficial\u00a0fiber<\/a>, anti-oxidants, and compounds present in the whole fruit. They increase the risk of diabetes and have been linked to childhood obesity. Juices spike up the\u00a0blood sugar\u00a0<\/a>levels, and associated health risks.\u00a0 Also, these juices do not fill you up as they are devoid of any fiber. So, pick up the whole fruit, grab a banana or an apple, eat some watermelon and mangoes with all their goodness. However, you could drink green vegetable juices as they are low in sugar and will not disturb your blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n 2. Forgo everything fried<\/p>\n The pack of fried snack might have all the calories you need for a day. The purpose of fasting is to cleanse the body of any sludge and not overburden it.\u00a0 The hydrogenated oil, used to fry to these packaged snacks, deprives the cells of oxygen, eventually leading to\u00a0asthma<\/a>, clogged veins and arteries, and\u00a0diabetes<\/a>. So, avoid frying your\u00a0puris<\/em>, rather have the\u00a0vrat rotis<\/em>\u00a0with potato or pumpkin\u00a0sabzi.<\/em><\/p>\n White or brown it does not matter, sugar has zero nutritional value. It is anti-nutrient playing havoc with your health. It weakens your immune system and destroys your gut health. Avoid refined sugar this Navratri and see how your body will re-energize and bounce back with a healthy glow. Use\u00a0<\/em>jaggery<\/em><\/a>\u00a0or coconut sugar to sweeten your sabudana<\/em>\u00a0kheer.<\/em><\/a>\u00a0The traditional jaggery is loaded with selenium,\u00a0 zinc, iron and pushes out the nasty toxins from our bodies. Also, eat naturally sweet food like a variety of seasonal fruits with all their benefits.<\/em><\/p>\n 4. Processed and packaged food<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Supermarkets are flooded with vrat namkeens and packaged junk food during Navratri. They may be disguised as\u00a0<\/em>healthy or diet food<\/em><\/a>, but that does not change the real story. Packaged snacks are high in sodium, sugar and unhealthy oils plus the chemical preservation used to increase their shelf life can impact your health negatively. There around 3000 and more food additives and colors added to packaged food today.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n