Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: Cardiologist shares 10 tips to manage diabetes and blood pressure during festivities

Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: Enjoy the festival while being mindful of your health, with these simple expert-backed tips.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: The much-awaited Ganesh Chaturthi is here, celebrated with grandeur and devotion across the country. From lavish feasts to Bappa’s beloved modaks, the festivities are all about joy and indulgence. However, while enjoying these treats, it’s equally important to stay mindful of your eating habits to avoid health complications.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Vidya Suratkal, non-invasive cardiology, Lilavati Hospital Mumbai said, “Celebrations can be done with cautious planning, which makes them equally enjoyable as well as healthy.”

Here are 10 tips by the cardiologist to enjoy the festivities while being healthy:

1. Tone down excessive party indulgence:

Regulations on having fun. Treat calories as restraints. Focus on the plate and make it balanced using half of the plate to take foods that are full of fibrous vegetables and healthy proteins. This enables the sugar and salt to be put under control.

2. Have multiple small meals:

Eating in smaller portions at regular intervals ensures you don’t end up overindulging at festive buffets. Strike a balance between meals during the day, starving and gorging. Missing a meal so as to get a snack afterward will cause sharp spikes and crash in the blood sugar and you will have trouble with your internal systems.

3. Portion control with festive foods:

Eat two little bites and enjoy the flavours of the foods you like best but do not make it a binge. This will provide lesser physical stress and bring physical balance.

4. Choose healthier alternatives:

High-fat foods such as sweets that are filled and covered with syrup can be replaced with lighter yet equally celebratory foods. Fruit-and-nuts dishes and naturally sweetened dishes also can be celebratory.

5. Stay active between celebrations:

Make after-dinner walks a strict habit. Walking aids digestion of foodstuffs and regulation of blood sugar. Simply knock off a walk of ten or fifteen minutes.

Choose healthier alternatives during the festivities. (Unsplash)

6. Stay hydrated:

Water is useful in the digestion process and the regulation of blood pressure. Avoid colas, drinks with a lot of calories and lots of sugar.

7. Avoid alcohol to the extent possible:

If consumed, limit to a maximum of one drink, and be mindful of the short eats and bites that go along with it.

8. Relax and take breaks:

Getting ready to party might be stressful and thus find some time to cool down and regain strength. Get enough sleep. Although it may be impossible to escape late nights, it is necessary to obtain the sufficient amount of sleep to maintain blood sugar and good heart health.

9. Check your numbers regularly:

Monitoring blood glucose and blood pressure during the festive season will keep you alert and help in taking timely action if levels fluctuate.

10. Practice mindful eating:

Slow down while eating, chew properly, and pay attention to your portion sizes. This helps avoid overeating and keeps both sugar and salt levels in control.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.