By Mrinal Pandit, Chief Dietician, NephroPlus

Shravan mass (month) is considered the most auspicious month for performing puja, fasts and rituals. It marks the beginning of the festive season. Overindulgence during this period is all too easy and with the amount of food made and stored in every home, nutrition balance can be tricky.

When you drink excessive fluids during holidays, weekends and festivals you are often punished with unwanted side effects like abdominal cramps, indigestion, stomach upset, diarrhoea and out-of-range blood investigations. Most of the time, it is tempting to overindulge. However, as always – moderation is the key! You can occasionally allow yourself to indulge in calorie dense food but at the same time make efforts to stay healthy.

Here are a few tips to minimize festive season binging and minimize its effects.

• Eat small and frequent meals, rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Plan your high calorie meals for lunch or breakfast and not towards evening to avoid storage of unwanted fats.
• Know the content of the food before you overindulge. Example if you are planning to eat Modak that contains coconut and poppy seed, which are high sources of potassium, make sure you restrict the intake of potassium for the rest of the day.
• Count what you eat and enjoy your favourite foods without any guilt.
• Understand the ingredients used to make your favourite food and manage the portion size.
• Try to avoid high carbohydrates in meal, indulge more in vegetables, curds and pulses.
  Do not forget to exercise daily. Physical activity of 45 mins daily will help cut down the side effects of overindulgence and to stay healthy and fit.
• Detox, especially your liver and kidneys, to clean out the body’s system and get rid of excess waste.
• Planning really is the key to success. Try to find out what is on the menu ahead of time, and plan your meal accordingly. Plan only one high calories/High Sodium/High Potassium meal per day.
• Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.
• Do not get upset if you miss your planning. Adjust the following day’s menu or the remaining part of the day’s diet to compensate for the occasional excess calorie intake.
• Learn to compensate for over eating or plan an exercise substitute.