15-06-2023 : The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has issued a health advisory for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, announcing the ban of over 40 food items and emphasizing the importance of physical fitness for pilgrims. The banned food items include drinks, fried foods, and fast food items. Pilgrims have been advised to walk at least 5 kilometers a day to achieve physical fitness.
The advisory encourages devotees to engage in preparatory morning and evening walks of about 4 to 5 kilometers per day before starting the 14-kilometer trek of the Amarnath Yatra. It also urges pilgrims to review the list of banned food items and the allowed items before embarking on the pilgrimage.
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board recommends healthy food options such as cereals, pulses, green vegetables, salad, and a few rice dishes. While 40 food items have been banned, everything else is allowed. District magistrates have been directed to issue orders specifying penalties for violations.
To prevent high altitude sickness, the board advises devotees to take 14 steps, including physical fitness preparation, deep breathing exercises, and consulting with a physician if they have any pre-existing medical conditions.
The board also provides advice to prevent hypothermia, emphasizing a healthy diet with plenty of fluids and warm drinks, regular meals for energy, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and smoking. It warns that the cold weather conditions in high altitude areas of the Yatra can cause a sudden drop in temperature, leading to hypothermia, especially among elderly pilgrims.
The health advisory aims to ensure the well-being of pilgrims during the Amarnath Yatra and promote physical fitness and adherence to a suitable diet to cope with the challenging conditions of the pilgrimage.