“If fasting is not done in a proper way it can have many negative health impacts. Those who often fast may face problems of gastric and low blood pressure. Besides that, dehydration can even cause dry skin and many health ailments,” says Dietician Rashmi Shrestha of KIST Medical College.
She points out that in our culture, women fast the whole day and then resort to heavy oily food in the evening.[break]
The Week
“They are deprived the whole day and thus, due to hunger, tend to eat a lot later which is more harmful to health. It is thus very important to take vitamins, liquids, fruits, juices, or even drinks like lassi and other milk products when you fast,” she suggests.
Since prehistoric times, abstaining from food and drink has been taken as a ritual with most religions having fasting periods to show faith, repentance as well for spiritual reasons.
For Ajita Bastola, 34, fasting began out of curiosity. Since childhood days, she longed to be part of the religious rituals.
“I was influenced by my older family members and was enchanted to see them decked in red saris and heavy jewelries. I used to dress up in red like married women and imitate them as a child. So as soon as I was old enough, I started fasting to be one of them,” says Ajita, an insurance agent at LIC Nepal, who regularly fasts on other religious occasions, like Krishna Asthami, Shivaratri and every Monday of the month of Shrawan.
Abhas Rajopadhyay, cultural journalist, says that some of the Hindu religious scriptures point out that devotees mainly take fast in order to get something that they wish for.
“There’s an anecdote that explains how Parvati took up fasting so that she could marry Mahadev, and the same ritual is followed by many women in our culture. But the actual and exact history behind fasting is still doubtful,” says Rajopadhyay who is also a student of anthropology.
He mentions that there have been lots of mixed influences of both Tibetan and Indian cultures in Nepal. “There are many rituals that got integrated into the Nepali culture. So there’s also a belief that the fasting culture was also an influence of Indian culture,” he adds.
Since the festival Teej is just around the corner, Dietician Shrestha explains that many women lose energy especially in such festivals as they stand in queue for hours at temples to complete their rituals.
“So the most risky part is that the body gets dehydrated. For those who have low sugar levels, they even have chances of fainting,” she explains, and adds that due to lack of water in the body, those who fast often may face urinary tract infection in the long term.
Anjani Sharma, 30, a housewife like most women, believes in fasting on occasions like Teej for her husband’s longevity. Though she regularly used to fast on Tuesdays, she had to discontinue due to nausea and weakness. “But I still continue to fast on special religious events as I think it’s the perfect way to show devotion to God,” she says.
Like Anjani, 25-year-old Alisha Adhikari, who recently got married, also believes in fasting and thinks that the younger generation should also continue the rituals so that the culture doesn’t fade away. She feels lucky that she has been in good health which is why she can continue fasting without any hassles.
Though most women have been religiously fasting, it is also imperative to stay safe while you are depriving yourself the whole day. Dietician Shrestha explains that as a part of the rituals, those who fast need to have pure food, which is why they eat delicacies prepared in ghee after they end their fast.
“Since it has saturated fat, eating oily food on empty stomach is not healthy. Fasting is taken in order to rest your digestive system, but eating like that can further deteriorate your health and leave you bloated and uneasy.”
She explains that even those who fast should at least drink water. It is a requirement that if a person is sweaty and lives in a hot place, then she has to drink 35 ml to 40 ml of water per kilo of her body weight per day. Similarly, if the person lives in a cold place, then she has to drink 20 to 25 ml of water per kilo of body weight.
Besides the religious reasons, there are many who are into fasting in order to lose weight as well. Shristi Maharjan, 22, was tired of trying diets and exercises to lose weight. Though she would lose some kgs, she would get back to her normal size right after she began her normal eating habits. It was then she decided to fast at least once a week.
“Fasting is also considered a religious act in our culture, so when I fast, my parents have no complaints and it’s easier for me to maintain my body,” she says.
But Shrestha points out that those who fast two to three times in a week are at the risk of getting stomach ulcers in future and it shouldn’t be used as a means to lose weight.
She explains how fasting is also a process to detoxify the body and it can be incorporated into our lives if certain measures are taken. Rather than completely depriving your body, it is advisable if you can reduce intake of junk food and include more organic food, vegetables and water in your diet.
Pregnant woman, children, those with heart disease, diabetes or are underweight should completely avoid fasting. Those who fast should completely abstain from alcohol and nicotine as well.
“The body also takes about twelve hours to digest the food. If you don’t eat a day, it doesn’t have serious health risk because the body tends to use the stored fast as calories. But fasting should never be opted to lose weight and it shouldn’t be done regularly. Even if you fast, make sure to take lots of fluids and fruits,” suggests Shrestha.
nistha.rayamajhi11@gmail.com
Related story
Desperate search for missing girls as nearly 80 dead in Texas f...
