Lifestyle Desk – The festival of Diwali is incomplete without sweets, dishes and happiness. During this time people enjoy Gujiya, Laddus, Namkeen, Puri, Kachori and many types of fried dishes. The regular eating routine also gets disturbed during festival days. Many times, eating excessive sweets and fried foods causes problems like flatulence, gas, constipation and lethargy. Now the festival of lights is coming to an end with Bhai Dooj, so it is time to rebalance the diet. If you also want to keep your body fit and healthy after Diwali, then you can include some fruits and vegetables in your diet. These can help in improving digestion along with providing essential nutrients to the body.
Eating papaya will support digestion
Eating too much fried and heavy food during Diwali can cause constipation and flatulence. In such a situation, papaya is a good option. It contains good amount of fiber and water, which helps the digestive system to function properly. An enzyme called papain is also found in papaya, which helps in the digestion of proteins. You can eat a bowl of papaya in the morning for breakfast or during the day.
Cucumber will not cause water deficiency in the body
During festivals, there may be dehydration in the body due to irregular eating habits and drinking less water. In such a situation, including cucumber in the diet can be beneficial. It has high water content and helps in keeping the body hydrated. Eat cucumber as a salad or make raita with curd and include it in your diet.
Spinach will provide essential nutrition
After Diwali, definitely include green leafy vegetables in your diet. Nutrients like iron, folate, vitamins and fiber are found in spinach. It can be a good part of a balanced diet. You can prepare and eat spinach vegetable, dal or soup. This will provide necessary nutrition to the body and will also help in fulfilling the fiber requirement.
Increase intake of Vitamin C with orange and seasonal fruits
At the beginning of winter, fruits like orange and seasonal fruits are easily available in the market. Vitamin C and water are found in these. Vitamin C helps in the normal functioning of the body's immune system. Apart from this, it also improves the absorption of iron obtained from plants. It is better to eat whole fruits instead of juice, because it also provides fiber.
Make bottle gourd a part of your diet
After continuously eating heavy food during Diwali, there is a need to eat light and balanced food. In such a situation, bottle gourd is a good option. It has high water content and can be prepared as a light vegetable. Consume it with bottle gourd vegetable, soup or dal. Avoid cooking it with too much oil and spices.
Pomegranate will provide antioxidant benefits
Antioxidants like fiber, potassium and polyphenols are found in pomegranate. By including it in the diet, the body gets essential nutrients. You can eat a small bowl of pomegranate seeds for breakfast or add them to salad. Instead of drinking pomegranate juice, eating whole grains is a better option.
You will get fiber from carrots and beetroot
It is a good option to include carrots and beetroot in the diet in winter. Beta-carotene is found in carrots, which converts into vitamin A in the body. Whereas beetroot contains folate, potassium and fiber. Both of these can be eaten as salad, vegetable or soup.
Make these changes in your diet after Diwali
- Drink adequate amount of water throughout the day.
- Avoid eating too much fried food and sweets for a few days.
- Include pulses, green vegetables, whole grains and fruits in your diet.
- Keep meal times regular and do not remain hungry for too long.
- Take a light walk daily or exercise as per your capacity.
- Get enough sleep and avoid the habit of eating late at night.
Is a special diet necessary to detoxify the body?
Often after Diwali, people adopt methods like juice diet, eating only fruits or staying hungry for a long time to detoxify the body. But the work of removing the waste materials present in the body is done naturally by organs like liver and kidney. There is no need for any special detox drink or crash diet for this. A balanced diet, adequate water, good sleep and regular physical activity help keep the body healthy.