Lunar Eclipse 2019: What to eat and avoid in Chandra Grahan

When Moon passes exactly behind the Earth and into its shadow, a lunar eclipse occurs. On July 16-17, 2019, it will be a partial lunar eclipse. But, what's so special about this particular eclipse? This Chandra Grahan is taking place with Guru Purnima on the same day after 149 years. The Moon should be about half-covered by the Earth’s shadow at maximum eclipse.

It is a bigger eclipse that the stargazers will enjoy. But since times immorial, there has been a certain mysteriousness attached with eclipeses. Most religions do not consider it to be a 'normal' time and lay down food and behavioural rules during the eclipse. It is believed that elclipses can have a powerful effect on the human body. The cycles of the moon have an impact on the human system, physically, psychologically and energy-wise. It is believed that eating foods during the lunar eclipse may have harmful effects on the body. So, we have come up with a list of foods that you can eat or avoid.

- It is believed that one should not eat food cooked even nine hours before the eclipse.

- Avoid traveling during the eclipse.

- No meals should be offered to God during this time.

- Pregnant women are advised to stay indoors to avoid any ill-effects on the baby.

- Do not involve in sexual activities.

- Avoid giving oil massages.

Since coconuts have thick shells, it is considered to be protected from the harmful rays emitted during an eclipse. It is a wonderful substitute to plain water and you can store them and consume later during the eclipse. Make sure not to store the coconut water in a separate container. It is better to consume directly from the shell itself.

Rich in various antioxidants, pears are a good option to consume during an eclipse. They are a powerhouse of nutrients and releases energy quickly.

The harmful rays emitted during the eclipse can harm cooked food. That’s why people believe that a sattvik diet or eating raw food, fruits and vegetables are safe.

Many people believe that plain water can be harmful to our bodies as it gets contaminated during an eclipse. You can add ginger powder or juice to the water before drinking. It is considered completely safe and keeps us hydrated throughout the eclipse. Add a few leaves of Holy Basil to this water.

As mentioned above, many believe that water turns contaminated at this time. It is often advised that one should avoid drinking plain water and instead opt for other better options.

It is often believed that cooked food can be very harmful to the body during the eclipse. During an eclipse, ultraviolet radiation, which naturally destroys the bacteria in the atmosphere, becomes extremely low. This leads to the uncontrolled growth of the microorganisms. This makes most of the consumable unsafe for eating. But if you have cooked a lot of food, you can add a few leaves of Holy Basil in your food.

Non-vegetarian food which is high in protein, are said to be affected by the negative energies during the lunar eclipse and should be completely avoided. Non-vegetarian food takes a lot of time to digest, making it unsafe to be consumed during an eclipse.

Alcohol is strictly forbidden as it may have a negative impact on our body during a lunar eclipse. The effect of alcohol is said to increase during this unfavourable time.