“Everybody has a summer holiday doing things they wanted to”– goes the song by Cliff Richards.
But we Indians know what summer is. How treacherous and strenuous the summer days can be! How sweaty and dehydrating days can make one feel sick. The health problems common in a tropical country like India are the heat strokes, heat cramps, dehydration, syncopal attacks due to hypotension, gastroenteritis, photosensitivity, (commonly termed as Sun allergy) and many other health problems which we come across regularly leading to a good number of morbidity and mortality.
So shall we escape from the heat to any hill station or cold country? Yes, you can but is it always possible? No!!! Hence, few instructions, if followed, sincerely can rescue you from the clutches of summer.
1) Drink adequate water at least 3-4 liters per day. Always carry a water bottle with you when you are out in the scorching heat.
2) Take adequate fresh fluids which are both healthy and yummy like lassi, chanch, lemon juice, satto with lemon are all appetite satisfying drink.
3) Special fruits for summer like pineapple, peach, mango, watermelon, apple, and citrus fruits like moosambi, amla are all excellent as it contains water and antioxidant properties which prevent cellular damage. But be alert to avoid sliced pieces of fruits sold on road-side as many incidences of gastroenteritis and Hepatitis A are reported due to consumption of these fruits.
4) After heavy strenuous work if you feel aburrido n stressed out, can have a cup of green tea.
5) Reduce the quantity of your meal and replace it compulsorily with a salad containing onions and curd/yogurt.
6) Please apply good sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going out in the heat to fight the UV rays of the Sun and protect your skin.
7) Please avoid allergens like too much exposure to flowers and avoid dishes like seafood, brinjal (eggplant) as it causes allergic reactions and blisters on the body which are really irritating during this summer.
8) A very important point to note for those who are taking Anti-hypertensive medicines especially “Diuretics” group of drugs should consult their physicians regarding its dose adjustment as it causes a reduction in sodium leading to dehydration
9) Non-vegetarians, please curtail your red meat and spicy diet. The same applies to vegans too. Curtail oil and curry.
10) Abstinence from Alcoholic beverages and smoking is the best and suggestive.
11) Those who are health conscious and do regular strenuous exercise please continue it but go for lighter ones which are not more than 30 minutes.
12) Those love to walk please go for it either early morning or late evening.
13) Most importantly, this is the season we all love to have yummy cold desserts like ice-creams, kulfi, milkshakes. Please enjoy your sips but avoid chilled drinks n crushed ice. Especially children should avoid beverages and ice-creams that are too cold as it can lead to a sore throat.
14) Be cautious regarding the consumption of Poultry and dairy items. They are the source of a bacterial disease known as Salmonella enteritis. So please take highly Pasteurised milk and carefully boil the poultry items.
If every one of us tries to follow the above simple life-style modifications we all can “Beat the Heat” and have a blasting summer. Summer days are my favorite time too as it had been the eagerly awaiting vacation during the school days – the best memories ever of our lives. Like… ‘it was the summer of 69’ number makes us nostalgic.
