For a few years, it has been a biannual incidence in my home to witness my mother and father observing Navratri fasts, regardless of coping with fluctuating glucose ranges. They stay steadfast of their spiritual devotion, selecting to ignore any counsel suggesting they need to abstain from fasting resulting from well being considerations.

My objection isn’t towards fasting itself, however towards the Navratra type of fasting the place one isn’t really abstaining from consuming and, actually, finally ends up consuming extraordinarily unhealthy and inappropriate meals.

At first, I believed it to be a novel incidence in my home, the place my mother and father would usually develop into unwell both after or throughout fasting. But then, I spoke to specialists to grasp they’ve related experiences.

Dr Ashok Kumar Jhingan, a senior director at Centre For Diabetes, Thyroid, Obesity & Endocrinology, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, advised me that he is aware of extra aged much like my mother and father. He is aware of a number of aged folks, who, because of the custom of fasting, are into the behavior of observing these fasts, however find yourself falling ailing resulting from unhealthy meals choices.

In reality, Dr Anoop Misra, the chairman of Fortis C-Doc Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, encounters a big improve in sufferers visiting his clinic resulting from Navratri fasting-related well being emergencies.

While there are a lot of meals objects that may be thought of unhealthy, in lots of Indian households throughout Navratri fasts, potatoes take centre stage, starring in numerous kinds like chips, sabzi, dough, and snacks.

A Cup of Potato is Equal to a Can of Cola

Potatoes are usually not the only real culprits in unhealthy or fasting diets; there are quite a few different meals objects and preparations that additionally play a task reminiscent of deep-fried snacks, ghee-rich dishes, store-bought namkeen mixes, and starchy high-carb meals.

However, potatoes are sometimes not perceived as unhealthy, regardless of their less-than-ideal dietary profile.

Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate doesn’t classify potatoes as a ‘vegetable’ resulting from their excessive content material of quickly digested carbohydrates, which may result in spikes in blood sugar and insulin ranges.

According to Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, a cup of potatoes has an analogous impact on blood sugar as a can of cola or a handful of jelly beans.

Take a second to introspect – what number of potatoes have you ever consumed previously 10 days?

While India is grappling with the continued epidemic of lifestyle-related non-communicable illnesses, resulting in demise of over 50 lakh Indians yearly, medical specialists say that in festive seasons, there’s a noticeable surge within the prevalence of diabetes and lifestyle-related diseases.

Dr Ashutosh Shukla, medical advisor and senior director, inner drugs, Max Hospital, Gurugram, advised News18 that such dietary patterns within the identify of fasting and festivities result in the “onset of diabetes” in some folks.

“In the present-day context, especially post-pandemic with the overall stress levels high, people with a genetic predisposition for diabetes, who consume more fasting food, especially unhealthy food items like potatoes and other fried food, are more likely to have new-onset diabetes.”

What’s With Potatoes?

A 2011 research revealed within the New England Journal of Medicine, which adopted the dietary and way of life patterns of 1.2 lakh people for as much as 20 years, discovered that those that included extra French Fries and baked or mashed potatoes into their diets skilled elevated weight achieve, amounting to an extra 1.5 kg and 590 grams each 4 years, respectively.

The research mentioned that the four-year weight change was most strongly related to the consumption of potato chips and potatoes adopted by sugar-sweetened drinks, unprocessed purple meats, and processed meats.

Similarly, the newest research revealed in BMJ — a peer-reviewed medical journal revealed by the British Medical Association — finds a linkage between adjustments in carbohydrate consumption and long-term weight adjustments.

It mentioned that changing low-quality carbohydrate meals reminiscent of potatoes in favour of high-quality meals objects might assist efforts to regulate weight achieve.

Not solely weight achieve, however potatoes have the potential to extend different threat elements. For occasion, a big pan-European research offered strong further assist for the speculation {that a} weight loss program that induces a excessive glucose response is related to higher coronary heart disease threat.

Back in 2006, a big research discovered a optimistic affiliation between the consumption of potatoes and the chance of kind 2 diabetes in girls.

Over the long run, diets excessive in potatoes can contribute to weight problems, diabetes, and coronary heart illness.

High Blood Sugar Levels & Patient Influx

The greater than dozen medical doctors I spoke to have been in settlement that they find yourself seeing many extra sufferers than common throughout and after fasting season.

Blame the unscientific and unhealthy manner of fasting which incorporates the consumption of deep-fried fritters, chips, ghee-laden preparations, market-ready namkeen mixtures, excessive in starch and carbohydrate meals objects.

Dr Hridish Narayan Chakravarti, marketing consultant, diabetology and endocrinology at NH RN Tagore Hospital, undertakes 4 to 5 consultations day-after-day through the Navratri season, typically of individuals beneath 50 years of age.

“Consuming excessive potatoes and sugary items, along with fried foods leads to a spike in blood sugar levels,” he advised, advising diabetics that if they’re on insulin or oral sugar medicines and fasting, these doses would possibly have to be adjusted on the recommendation of your physician. “Otherwise, sugars may be too high or too low.”

Dr Arun Kumar C Singh, director, endocrinology and diabetology, at Metro Hospital, Faridabad, mentioned: “Many people come to us in our OPD with complaints of high blood sugar levels due to this festive season… Navratri season is extremely crucial for people with diabetes. They are at higher risk of sugar levels going out of control high range because of bad food choices and sugar going too low which can be harmful because of long fasts.”

Singh mentioned that the most important rise in such sufferers isn’t seen instantly through the festive season, however is usually seen after these festivals are over, reminiscent of after a number of days of Navratri.

Overall, the science behind fasting is geared toward selling the detoxing of the physique because the Navratri season comes twice in a yr, on the juncture of season change – from spring to summer season and autumn to winter.

Experts consider that fasting permits the intestine to cleanse and chill out the digestive system. Due to this seasonal change, immunity is predicted to say no and therefore, a line of lightweight however wholesome meals is usually designed for the fasting interval which incorporates fruits, nuts, milk, and greens amongst different wholesome meals objects.

The divine presence resides inside our personal wholesome our bodies. For those that are already battling an sickness, caring for the human physique transcends fasting. In reality, caring for your physique is an act of devotion in itself.