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Yogurt for Ekadashi

From the Bhakti List Archives

Tatachar • September 27, 1997 


This is in response to a quiry on whether it is appropriate to
have yogurt/butter milk for Ekadashi phalahaaram.
This subject is very dear to my heart for heart's sake of course! My quick
response is No for men over 28.  Yogurt, butter milk and other milk products
are rich in fat (bad), cholesterol (bad), protein (good), calcium and other
minerals (good), vitamins (good) and lactose (good if you can digest, bad if
not).

 Ideal ekadashi would be not to have anything other than water followed by a
prompt fast break on Dwadashi. This has profound health benefits. This would
be like cleaning the plumbing (blood vessels) system of our bopdy twice a
month. We clean our bathrooms more often and I think our health is more
precious than that. In the absence of aerobic activity on a daily basis, a
total fast on ekadashi is a good alternative.  If we can do this, it i
sreally great. I have been planning to do this for over  past 10 years, when
I found out that most South Asians, including me have high triglycerides,
high cholesterol and low HDL!!!

We should avoid wholemilk products as much as possible at all other times as
well. I suggest using non-fat yogurt, milk etc. Ten years ago non-fat had no
taste. Thanks to R&D efforts, today's non-fat products taste lot better. 


Perhaps, a more practical Ekadashi phalahaaram is:

Plain water or water spiked with freshly squeezed lemon or lime and ice (no
sugar or carbonation): This is my standard soft cold drink.
One cup of coffee with sugar and milk. For consumption of multiple cups, upto
5:  Black coffee with no sugar.
Kosambari (cucumbur prepration with moong dal- saly and lemon with other
garnishings-coriander leaf to taste)
Fruits: oanges, apples, grapes, or any seasonal fruit in moderation.
vegetable salad with no fatty or cheesy dressing.

I have found that the non-alcoholic beer (Sharp or odouls), which has a small
amount of alcohol (0. 5%) to be the  best party drink (next to lime or lemon
water).

Sincerely,

K. Sreekrishna (Tatachar)
tatachar@aol.com