Chaitra Navratri, a nine-day Hindu festival celebrated annually from the first day of the Hindu Luni-Solar calendar (Gudhi Padwa), falls this year on April 9. Fasting for nine days in Navratri is not uncommon in India. Fasting is a part of every culture and religion across the globe. The practice holds deep significance not just for the physical body but also for the mind, emotions, and spirit.
“A fast is a much-needed break for our digestive system – a sacred time that allows the body to assimilate, detoxify, repair, and heal itself – something only the body itself can do – not food, not a doctor, or a medicine. Yes, it is that powerful,” advocates Bhavna Kapoor, a nutrition coach from Siolim.
Explaining that digestion is one of the most energy-consuming activities undertaken by the body, Kapoor says, “Digesting a typical meal with chicken or paneer, sabzi, roti or rice, and a piece of sweet thrown in could take anywhere between 18 -36 hours. And even before it has been fully absorbed and waste material eliminated, in goes our next meal, creating a constant traffic jam within! All our energy is directed away from other vital functions such as absorption, elimination, and healing back into digesting. This backlog, over time, leads to a toxin build-up in the body, which is the cause of all imbalance and diseases.”
The good news is our body is always trying to do its best, despite our habits, and fasting every now and then can really be that holiday it can totally make so much use of – to have the space to clean up, do its repairs, and heal. It is especially wonderful for anyone suffering from a chronic issue but is also beneficial for everyone else.
So, should everyone fast? Kapoor warns, “Pregnant and lactating women should not fast. People who are merely looking at fasting to deprive or punish themselves should definitely not fast. And people with chronic issues should fast under proper supervision. Apart from this, everyone should listen to their body and fast accordingly.”
How often should we fast? A good rhythm for most people would be once a week or fortnight. Once or twice a year, take on a longer fast for a week or more, which really works like spring cleaning and restoring balance.
For those who are just starting out, the easiest is an ‘intermittent fast’ in which one does not eat for 16 hours straight and eats a meal during the remaining 8 hours. Another easy way is having fruit all day, with an option of a non-grain meal at night. Once used to these, one can try a 36-hour juice-fast or water-fast. In chronic health conditions, a guided three-day juice or water-fast can be miraculous.
When fasting, one should hydrate adequately, take sun, walk barefoot in nature, do pranayama and meditations, as they substitute for food to our body, can help nourish and keep hunger/cravings down. Breaking the fast is where many people go wrong, by suddenly introducing heavy foods which the body is unable to handle. The digestive system is resting and needs to be gently woken up with very light food – coconut water, soup or vegetable khichadi. So do fasting wisely.
