Have a Guilt-Free Healthy Diwali With Absolutely No Regrets!

October is here & so is Diwali!

Diwali is usually inundated with loud crackers and a lot of sweets. So, it is very important to set a limit and keep yourself free from unhealthy activities to celebrate the festival without compromising on your health.

Do remember, enjoyment and health go hand-in-hand. Your health and your family’s health are the priority. Enjoy healthy wali Diwali with these simple tips:

• Stay hydrated with lots of water, it keeps you hydrated and prevents unnecessary snacking and food cravings. You also can add smoothies, coconut water, lime water, fresh juices and buttermilk in your diet.
• Start your day well with a nutritious breakfast, full of protein, fiber, and vitamins.
• Have small frequent meals a day. Eating a heavy meal and alcohol slows down the metabolism. Avoid this by eating light throughout the day, so you end up consuming fewer calories.
• Moderation is the key. Most people tend to binge on food during festivals. It can also be difficult to avoid sweets completely, considering relatives or friends are sending invitations for get-togethers. Take care of your portion size.
• Limit the intake of spicy and fried foods. When you are hosting people at home, try healthier cooking methods like grilling and baking, instead of frying the food.
• Try eating a little before going out. Before you head to a relative’s place for a luncheon or to a friend’s party, try to eat a light, healthy snack at home like soups, fruit salad, etc. This will ensure you do not feel hungry and end up overeating.
• Avoid overindulgence in sugary and oily/ fried delicacies to keep acidity and indigestion at bay. However, we can include a lot of fresh fruits in our diet during and after Diwali. Home-made sweets are the best. You can add organic jaggery or honey as a refined sugar substitute. Choose ingredients that are low in fat and sugar content so that the end-product is healthy. Also, if you are buying sweets from the market, you can choose either sugar-free or fat-free.
• Limit alcoholic beverages. For men no more than 2 small packs of alcoholic drinks because they contain more calories. Women should limit their intake to 1 medium drink.
• Keep a first aid kit handy on Diwali, as there are chances that someone might experience health issues while playing with crackers and fireworks.
• Don’t neglect your beauty sleep. Getting enough sleep before and after is really important and will help you to keep both your body and mind at peace.
• Don’t forget any festival can be celebrated and enjoyed only when you are fit and healthy. So, don’t forget to exercise daily even during the festival for overall better health.
• For Diwali gift your parents/ loved ones – a small healthy gift like give full body check-up. You can also choose healthy nuts and dried fruits over sweets and other unhealthy snacks to gift your close relatives and friends.
• Asthma patients need to stay away from the polluted environment and keep their inhaler handy.
• Wear earplugs as the bustling sound of crackers might damage eardrums in some people and also cause increased heart rate in old people and those with cardiac problems.

Author: Dr. Prabha Acharya, Co-founder Of Global Homeopathy
Source: Practo