The festival of lights, Diwali is one of the most awaited occasions in India. A pious festival, we always pray for good health and wealth for our loved ones. You may be quite familiar with the feeling of throwing up after gorging on a variety of sweets during Diwali. We tend to act like there’s no tomorrow. And of course there’s also the long line of crackers. But have you ever given a thought about the health hazards we create for ourselves during Diwali?
Well we think we need to address this issue more seriously. We bring you some tips that can help you keep a watch on your health this Diwali. We have divided it in two segments- a sweet affair and an explosive issue.
Sweet affair:
So you are in love with sweets and you wait for Diwali like a sex-quenched paramour. But you must remember that though all the sweets may taste really good, you mustn’t get carried away in eating too much. It may seem trivial now but a week of sweet-tasting spree and you could hit the roadblock as far as your health is concerned. We can clear your confusion in avoiding heavy indulgence of sweets. Here’s a list that may help you stay away from those health harming situations:
1) Don’t buy cheap sweets.This is the thumb rule. They may seem like a great option to exchange with family and friends, but you or the receiver may end up paying highly for cost treatments. Also, avoid buying sweets from marts that openly flout the preparation requirements. Also watch out for adulterated sweets.
2) Avoid mixing a variety of sweets. It could lead to serious stomach ailments and may even cause food poisoning especially if you have a sensitive digestive system. So don’t have like Punjabi, Marathi, South Indian and Bengali sweets all at one go. Take your time!
3) Take special care of hygiene and use healthy preparation materials to make sweets at home. This one’s a must if we follow a tradition of homemade Diwali sweets. We must be careful in the preparatory ingredients. Avoid excess of oil & ghee. There are also many options for healthy Diwali sweets with recipes easily available on the internet.
4) Remember not to overdo dry fruits too. Instead you can stock your kitchen with aromatic tea packets or imported dry fruit hampers. These are easily available, not heavy on the pocket and are a much healthier options.
5) Finally if you are already diabetic or suffer from a serious ailments condition, you need to put in that extra effort in avoiding unhealthy sweets. Consume sweets with caution and strictly adhere to health regulations set by your doctor.
Explosive issue:
Firecrackers may sound like great fun to you. But hold your breath; these could in fact spell doom for your health. Come Diwali and we can hear the sounds of firecrackers exploding in all directions. What we do not remember is the injury these firecrackers cast on our health along with nature. Incase you thought that bursting crackers is trendy; you will be in for a surprise. Use of firecrackers to light up the sky creates innumerable toxic effects.
Some of the health hazards caused by firecrackers include respiratory problems, heart disturbances, asthma attack and allergies. In addition it can also leave you with nausea and burns. Sudden exposure to noise could also lead to permanent or temporary deafness. What may normally go unnoticed is the tendency of Diwali firecrackers to induce irritability in some sensitive souls. It may seem like a small issue but it can surprisingly leave such people with aggravation of certain psychiatric conditions. Firecrackers also disturb the environment by increasing noise and air pollution which are of major concern. In addition they promote child labour either directly or indirectly.
We do know that keeping to Indian traditions it may be difficult for you to follow the guidelines. But trust us, a little effort on our part and you can be assured a safe and healthy festival. If you are one wise soul, follow the below precautions to be secure and fit as a fiddle this festive season:
1) Though it may sound so like not a typically Indian way of celebrating Diwali here’s the bottom line-Keep Away From Crackers. That’s the best way for you to keep a check on your health. Simply refuse to indulge in display of firecrackers. Rethinking and refusing the use of crackers could just mean you are saying yes to life! Also discourage children and family members from bursting crackers.
2) If you just can’t stop yourself from poisoning the air, opt for firecrackers that are less noisy and less explosive. Also burst them in open spaces like playgrounds and fields.
3) Stick to the true essence of Diwali. Crackers symbolize illumination, so this Diwali enlighten your lives with the sparkle of joy and goodwill. Light diyas or oil lamps that retain the actual meaning of Diwali instead of bursting your joy with firecrackers.
4) Give this a close thought. The money spent on firecrackers could actually be used for arranging a family get together. Use this festival as an opportunity to spend time with loved ones.
5) If you do happen to burn yourself while lighting crackers, here’s a home remedy that may help. You can apply a mixture of coconut oil, aloe vera gel and turmeric powder on the burnt area.
So appreciate the beauty of this festival and invest in a greener and healthier future. Don’t blow away its sanctity in smoke.
We hope to have sensitised you in celebrating a safe and healthy Diwali. Reduce the amount of sweets we eat and rethink the choices we make when buying crackers. We wish you a joyous and prosperous festive season with a dash of good health.