After days of Diwali sweets, fried snacks and late-night celebrations, some people turn to fasting, fruit-only diets or juice cleanses to bring their blood sugar back into range. But a few days of restrictive eating cannot undo a week of overeating or instantly bring glucose levels back to normal, according to health experts.
"Dietary sins cannot be reversed by a few days of dietary punishment," said Dr. Rajiv Kovil, Diabetes & Obesity Specialist at Zandra Healthcare. Three days of fasting, detox juices or crash dieting cannot erase the metabolic effects of a week of festive eating, he said. The liver and kidneys already handle the body's detoxification, without the need for expensive cleansing diets.
Blood sugar spikes may be temporary, but repeated episodes of overeating can make glucose harder to manage, particularly for people with diabetes or insulin resistance, Kovil said. He advised returning to balanced meals with adequate protein and fibre, getting regular physical activity and keeping up with glucose management.
Zamurrud Patel, Chief Dietitian Gleneagles Hospital Parel, said restrictive diets could do more harm than good. Skipping meals can leave people feeling weak or tired and make them more likely to overeat later, she said. It can lead to blood sugar fluctuations, especially in people with diabetes.
Patel recommended eating balanced meals at regular times and including seasonal vegetables, fruit, whole grains and protein-rich foods. She also advised drinking enough water and cutting back on added sugar, packaged snacks and fried foods as part of a return to healthier eating habits.
Gentle activity, such as a 20–30-minute walk after meals, can also help manage blood sugar, Patel said. For Kovil, the days after Diwali are a time to get back to habits that people can sustain. “Metabolic health is built through consistency, not quick fixes.”
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