Mahashivratri Special: Healthy Fasting Tips

Mahashivratri is one of the biggest festivals of India and the devotees of shiva are excited to celebrate the festival and mahashivratri is right around us. People all over India who are devotees of lord shiva visit the mahakaleswar temples or Kashi Vishwanath temples on this auspicious occasion. On this day people offer prayers in the temple by getting early in the morning and taking bath. They visit shivlings and offer milk and water to shivling. 

One of the most important things on the day of mahashivratri is the mahashivratri vrat or fast. The fast begins on the day of mahashivratri morning and ends the next morning of the next day. Everyone knows that Maha Shivratri has celebrated as the great night of lord shiva when he married Goddess Parvati and this is celebrated as mahashivratri. 

Fasting is not only the belief in the god and goddess but fasting also has many scientific benefits that are related to your health and body.

Things to know about mahashivratri fast

It is believed that fasting on this auspicious day can benefit a whole year's prayer and whose fast on this day can make lord shiva closer to him by worshipping his ideal and keeping fast.

There are many benefits of fasting as fasting helps one to stay healthy, detoxifies, and rejuvenate both spiritually and physically. Fasting is literally a tough thing as going a whole day without having food containing cereals, legumes, and pulses. Also, some do nirjala fasting on mahashivratri which is a day without food and water. Having a day without may drop the energy level and hence to gain energy level without dropping it there are many foods that may do wonders of the world. 

There are many healthy recipes that include energy that keep your stomach full for a long time and give you a high energy level. Some of the healthy recipes are given below:

• Kuttu cheela: Kuttu cheela is made from kuttu ka atta also known as buckwheat flour is a healthy and easy recipe. This recipe is for fasting people those who keep fast for lord and goddesses, so this is also known as vrat friendly cheela. This cheela contains high contents of carbs and is overloaded with nutrients that make breakfast a great option during fasting.
  
  
• Dhokla for fast: Dhokla is loved by every human as it soft and spongy food item with a delicious taste. Dhokla for fast is prepared by rice called Samak rice and is ideal for having in fasts. They are prepared by steaming and are not heavy to digest and provide a great energy level even during fasting.
  
  
• Kheer: There is no limitation to having a glass of drink on the day of fasting, one can have a dessert on the day of fasting but preparing a kheer full of nuts and dry fruits can gain a high energy level. And is also everyone’s favorite and is also an all-time favorite and very easy to prepare. This is the best to have on the day of fasting. 
  
  
• Sabudana Khichdi: You may know the very well-known dish which is prepared on the day of fasting is white pearl-like tiny balls that are made with spices and curry leaves known as sabudana khichdi. You can prepare sabudana khichadi either with milk or yogurt. 
  
  
• Dahi aloo: Dahi aloo is everyone's other favorite dish and is light and hearty a mixture of curd and potatoes. You can have this with kuttu k parathe that is loaded with a good amount of carbs in your diet that make you feel energy full on the day of fasting.

Some useful and healthy fasting tips

The first and the most important thing is always doing things by your pure heart is always the best thing you can do or have. So a day before fasting prepare yourself mentally to keep yourself happy, calm, and stress-free and prepare yourself for the fasting and what to have to retain your energy on the day of fasting. As you will be observing fasting, it is very important to start your day with a calm, sacred, happy prayerful heart. Be happy all through your fasting day, be happy you feel energetic too on the fasting day and this will help keep you maintain your fast very easily.

Drinking eight ounces of water while you are fasting will help purify your body and detoxify your body. Water alone increases the body’s requirements on the day of fasting. Having plenty of water will make you less hungry and tired. Do not make yourself dry-mouthed and keep your body hydrated the whole day.

Fasting with liquid items can help your body detoxify the toxin levels in your body. You must include fruit juices, milkshakes, herbal tea, and buttermilk in your diet on the day of fasting to avoid any digestive issues.

During fasting, you should avoid any heavy workout or physical activities, as it can be more challenging during the fasting period. During this time, do some silent works like listening to devotional music, reading spiritual books, and meditating yourself to keep calm your body and mind both.

For your fasting always try to choose fruits and light meals that are soft and take in limited quantities as it would help proper digestion. Avoid raw and too much food while you are fasting as it is related to your digestive system that releases digestive juices that can initiate hunger cramps.

Some scientifically proven fasting tips:

• Fasting is the best way to lose weight and reduce your calorie intake. Consuming healthy foods like fruits, kheer, etc while fasting will help lose weight naturally and will not drain your energy level. While fasting throughout the day can drain all your energy levels and can cause sugar cravings.

• Fasting helps in reducing bloating as salt intake during fasting is reduced helps decrease water retention and stops bloating in your body. Bowel movement and indigestion are improved by reduced bloating in the body.

• Shivratri fasting or any fasting can keep your heart healthy as there is no or less salt in the body during the day of fasting and hypertension-related to salt intake can be reduced and controlled by the foods that are consumed on mahashivratri fast.

• While fasting there is decreased or reduced intake of fast foods or junk foods and this is the best thing that can detoxify your body. This can eliminate free radicals from the body and keep your risk of disease far away.

Take Away

Mahashivratri fasting is the best as there is less salt intake and limited healthy foods to eat that can help you detoxify your body and keep many diseases at bay.