Navratri Special: Benefits of Fasting You Should Know About

Navratri is considered as one of the most auspicious time for Hindus. Devotees offer prayers to Goddess Durga and fast during this time.

Fasting, if done for all nine days can detoxify the body, provided that good amount of fruits, vegetables, milk products and unsweetened beverages are included. It can also improve cardiovascular function, blood composition, and blood pressure, say, experts.

Sonia Narang, Nutrition and Wellness Expert at Oriflame India and Meher Rajput, Nutritionist and Dietician at FITPASS India listed down the benefits of fasting that one can have on their body, mind, and soul:

1. Drinking a lot of liquids such as coconut water and herbal tea help aggressively in flushing out toxins from the body and maintaining electrolyte balance.

2. Another benefit of fasting is that it brings self-discipline and keep us away from eating unnecessary food.

3. Following the pattern of the traditional and Satvik diet that includes fruits, lassi (Buttermilk), lemon water, sendha namak, etc eases the digestive system, which helps in preventing constipation and dehydration.

4. Ketosis, or the fat-burning, is reached by fasting. It helps in burning the fat reserves. Excessive central fat stored around organs, like your liver and kidneys, interferes with organ function. Fasting helps in reaching ketosis and hence improves the organ function.

5. Leptin, which is the "satiety" hormone, also increases thyroid hormone production. Due to fasting, leptin sensitivity increases and this, in turn, increases the rate of metabolism in case of a sluggish thyroid.

6. Due to fasting, the body secretes less insulin because there is not enough and steady doses of sugar coming into the body. So, these lower levels of this hormone lead to an increased sensitivity in those with insulin resistance.

7. Blood triglycerides decreases during the fasting state. Having fatty blood increases your risk of developing narrowed arteries. So, fasting reduces this risk.

8. Fasting reboot, the immune system, clearing out old immune cells and regenerating new ones. This process could protect against cell damage caused by factors such as aging and chemotherapy.