Stay-healthy-this-monsoon-blog-2021

Monsoon Health Tips

Jun 29th, 2021

Posts Tagged ‘ stay safe ’

Monsoon Health Tips

Tuesday, June 29th, 2021

It’s that time of the year again! The cool breezy monsoon winds, the soft drizzle, the heavy rains are here to refresh you. It is the best time to relish a hot cup of masala chai from your window or balcony as you admire nature. However, rains also mean jumping over dirty muddy puddles, water-logging, an increase in mosquitoes, frequent seasonal infections as well as food-borne diseases. The monsoon season gives mixed feelings to many and people share a love-hate relationship with it. While this season gives a much-needed break after the sweltering summer it is also known to bring along viral infections like flu, malaria, and dengue. Additionally, the high humidity can contribute to numerous skin diseases and fungal infections and aggravate chronic skin conditions such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

Stay Healthy this Monsoon

The monsoon season is known to spread many infectious diseases. Follow these health tips to stay healthy this monsoon:

  • Eat more vegetables
    Avoid eating raw vegetables as they may contain bacteria and viruses which can lead to severe stomach infections, food poisoning, or diarrhoea. Boiled and steamed veggies are the healthiest options since they are high in proteins, fibre, and other nutrients.
  • Drink safe water
    Drinking water, even if mildly contaminated can cause serious health problems such as jaundice, typhoid, etc. Make it a habit to regularly boil your drinking water at home. When traveling, carry your own mineral water bottle instead of drinking water from unknown sources.
  • Avoid street foods
    The rainy season can make you crave hot and spicy street foods like samosas,  pakodas, chaat among other things. However, roadside vendors use contaminated ingredients and follow poor standards of hygiene leading to a variety of food-borne diseases and gastrointestinal infections.
  • Keeping mosquitoes at bay
    During the rainy season, water may get collected in small pools on the streets, lawns, terrace, etc. These spots become the breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that carry the risk of many serious diseases like dengue and malaria. Keep your surroundings clean, screen your windows and use mosquito repellents if required.
  • Have bitter foods
    Food such as bitter gourd, neem, fenugreek, or methi seeds can remove toxins and are essential for an individual to become healthy and strong. These foods are also high in vitamins and minerals like calcium and iron, and help boost your immunity.
  • Have more probiotics
    Consume more yogurt, buttermilk, homemade pickles. Probiotics contain good bacteria that support your gut health and make your digestive system stronger supporting nutrition absorption too.
  • Eat in moderation
    High humidity reduces the body’s ability to digest to its bare minimum, which is why most health professionals suggest avoiding heavy and oily snacks as they could lead to an upset stomach. The gut serves many essential roles in sustaining and protecting the overall health and wellness of your body. Eat light to reduce the risk of bloating, acidity, and indigestion
  • Keep your feet dry
    Dry your feet whenever they get wet and avoid wearing wet socks or wet shoes. Use anti-fungal talc to prevent the accumulation of sweat and moisture in skin folds. Diabetics must be extra careful as their skin is sensitive to fungal infections.
  • Have herbal tea
    Herbal tea made using a variety of herbs and spices like tulsi, cinnamon, ginger, etc is comforting during the rainy season. High in antioxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties this warm and refreshing tea helps boost your immunity, keeps seasonal infections away and soothe your digestion.
  • Exercise regularly
    Many people use rain as an excuse not to exercise. However, they need it most during the monsoon as rigorous physical activity strengthens the immune system. Fix a regular indoor workout regime and stick to it.

Follow these health tips to maintain good health and stay safe this monsoon. Do not ignore minor health symptoms and speak to a doctor for further assistance. Self-medication can delay the process of a correct diagnosis and treatment. Please find below our website details for further information: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/

Getting back to work safely

Saturday, August 29th, 2020

The future of work looks very different than it did just a few months ago. While some will have to continue to work from home others may have resumed office and this may increase the rate of transmission. Exposure can occur in the workplace while commuting to work or during work-related travel. The employees and the organization both will have to find new efficient ways of working while ensuring everyone’s safety. As businesses reopen in the ‘New Normal’, communication and personal hygiene are more important than ever. Clear policies and messages, training, and constant reminders at the organization are required to increase the awareness of the new safety precautions. Following high levels of personal hygiene is also crucial to fight this pandemic.

Workplace safety protocols to be followed
The implementation of safety protocols will limit the exposure to COVID-19 and will, in turn, reduce the rate of transmission at the workplace. Both employers and employees must take utmost precautions to help reduce the spread of the infection. Here are a few guidelines to follow:

For employees:
Here are a few steps that employees can take to protect themselves and others at work:

  • Wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or to use hand sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
  • Key times for employees to clean their hands include:
    • Before and after work shifts
    • Before and after work breaks
    • After blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing
    • After using the restroom
    • Before lunchtime
    • After putting on, touching, or removing cloth face coverings
  • Avoid using other employee’s phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment.
  • Cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of their elbow. Dispose of these tissues safely in a covered dustbin,
  • Stay home if they are sick and seek medical help if required.
  • Avoid sharing your lunch and eat your lunch in your own workspace.
  • Practice social distancing by avoiding large gatherings and maintaining distance (at least 6 feet) from others.

For the employers
Here are a few steps that employers can take to protect themselves and others at work:

  • Practice routine cleaning and disinfection of premises and frequently touched objects and surfaces such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, and doorknobs.
  • Call the staff to office in staggered shifts to avoid crowding.
  • Use thermal scanners to monitor the temperature at entrance.
  • Ensure regular supply of hand sanitizers(especially at the entrance), soap, and running water in washrooms.
  • Discourage visitors in the office complex unless absolutely necessary.
  • Encourage meetings via video conferencing.
  • Encourage email correspondence instead of physical copies.
  • Facilitate work from home option whenever required.

Healthy living habits for better immune health
A balanced and nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle choices will help reduce your risk of getting COVID-19. Maintaining a healthy diet contributes to high energy levels, improves your brain function, and helps ward off diseases. A strong immunity helps reduce your risk of getting the infection at your workplace or while you travel. Here is a routine that you can follow to help build a strong natural defence system:

Start your day with a healthy breakfast
Including vegetables like carrot, spinach, sweet potatoes, garlic, dark leafy greens, tomato, and broccoli; and fruits like papaya, oranges and other citrus fruits, that contain vitamins A, C, D, and E, and minerals like magnesium, selenium, and zinc to your daily breakfast routine is the first step to build up a strong defence system.

Get good sleep
A human body naturally repairs and recovers, during sleep, from all the wear and tear. Ensure that you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily.

Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated flushes out all the toxins from the body. Have 8 to 10 glasses of water throughout the day.

Make some time for exercise 
Try exercises like power yoga, skipping, push-ups, jogging on the spot at home.

Practice meditation
A mere 10 minutes of meditation every day can make a big difference. A calm mind helps in better focus and helps strengthen your immunity.

The unlock has begun, the businesses are opening up and the world is getting back to the routine. Make sure you return even stronger and ensure your safety first as you start getting busy in various professional commitments. While attending meetings and finishing other pending tasks do not forget to maintain personal hygiene. Together we can help limit the spread of COVID-19 transmission. Stay safe and healthy as you get back to your workplace.

Stay Healthy this Summer

Monday, May 25th, 2020

This summer we have been hit by the highly infectious COVID-19. This pandemic has affected people all over the world and India has seen above 1 .38lakh cases to date. Hospitals are already overstretched attending to patients suffering from the coronavirus. This makes it even more important to take extra care of your health this summer. High temperatures can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, or intestinal infections too.

This summer is different from every year. The lockdown has forced people to stay indoors, eat home-cooked food, and maintain high hygiene due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has helped reduce the incidents of summer illness. Cases of stomach infections and food poisoning have all come down as people are aware of hand hygiene.

Even when you stay at home it is important to eat the right foods and follow healthy practices to stay healthy and fit. Here are a few healthy tips to follow this summer:

  • Have seasonal fruits and vegetables
    It is best to consume only seasonal summer fruits and vegetables this season as they are filled with properties to fight the summer heat. Watermelon, muskmelon, oranges,  mangoes are some of the seasonal summer fruits. Pumpkin, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, cucumber, etc are some of the seasonal summer vegetables.
  • Stay hydrated
    Drinking water is extremely important as it helps rehydrate your body and regulates the various functions of the body. Avoid drinking extremely cold water.
  • Eat regularly but light
    Summer time tends to reduce one’s appetite because of excessive heat. But you need eat regularly because your body requires the nutrients to fight the heat and keep you healthy. It is good to have lighter meals rather than having heavy ones, especially at night.
  • Skin care in summer
    Are you sweating profusely this summer? Summer makes your skin more prone to rashes, prickly heat, and fungal infections. Have a bath twice daily and use a medicated powder if needed.
  • Choose healthy juices
    Summers make you thirsty more often. However avoid sipping on fizzy drinks, alcohol, caffeinated drinks or packaged juices. Choose healthy alternatives like nimbu pani, homemade juice, or aam panna a seasonal favourite.
  • Snack healthy
    The harsh climate can drain you off your energy, making you prone to infections, vomiting, nausea, prickly heat, and low blood pressure. Avoid fried foods and foods that are highly processed and heavy to digest.
  • Don’t Exert Yourself
    Physical activity is essential for good health, but during summers, make sure that you don’t overexert yourself. If household chores are exhausting you, take some rest or split the activities during the day. Follow a light exercise routine and remain indoors.
  • Wear Loose Clothes
    Wear loose and comfortable cotton clothes even if you are staying at home. Avoid wearing any synthetic fabrics. 

Summer Special Foods

What are you eating every day? Is your diet a summer-friendly?

Here are some of the summer special foods that are extremely high on vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. Have them daily:

  • Melons – Watermelons and muskmelons good for the digestive system, propel weight loss, and are very high in water content.
  • Lauki or Bottle Gourd – It’s rich in calcium, magnesium, Vitamin A, C, and, folate. The summer vegetable works well on high blood pressure, keeps the heart healthy, and is considered an excellent blood purifier.
  • Aam panna – Aam panna made from raw mangoes helps fight constipation and chronic stomach problems like Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Make it at home to ensure the use of recommended quantities of sugar and salt.
  • Cucumber – Loaded with fibre, eating cucumber in summer helps in keeping constipation at bay. Cucumber also contains a high amount of water content that helps keep you cool.
  • Curd – Curd is not only delicious but also gives a coolant effect to your body. You can make buttermilk or have a plain bowl of curd with your meals. It can also be mixed with fruits and made into a seasonal smoothie.
  • Mint – Mint leaves or pudina not only keeps your body temperature cool but also gives you a refreshing effect.
  • Green leafy vegetables – Having green leafy vegetables around the year gives you numerous benefits. And adding them to your daily diet is also beneficial as green leafy vegetables contain a high amount of water content.
  • Onions – You may get surprised to know that onions too provide cooling properties. The red onions are loaded with quercetin, which is considered as a natural anti-allergen. Adding onion to your daily diet also helps in protecting you against the sun-stroke.
  • Nimbu pani water – Lemonade or nimbu pani is another refreshing drink for summer. Sip on some nimbu pani everyday to stay hydrated.

An extreme heatwave is set to hit many parts of India during the end of May. Stay at home and stay safe as you are already fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are stepping out to buy essentials do not step out between 11 am to 4 pm as the heat is at its peak at this time. Wear protective clothing like a cap or scarf if required. Take preventive steps and protect your and your family’s health in summer. Please consult doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital for any summer ailments.