Posts Tagged ‘ summer ’

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.

Tips to ward-off Summer Allergies

Monday, May 18th, 2015

Scorching heat isn’t the only cause of concern during summer. This season is also accompanied by allergies that could take a serious toll on your health. In addition to health issues like heat stroke and heat exhaustion, summer allergies too are extremely common during this time of the year. Allergies are a result of drastic fluctuation in temperature from cool wintry days to extremely hot summer days. Experts believe that high humidity levels during summer season doubles the growth of mould fungi on dead grass which paves way for various allergies. Mosquitoes are very active during this season and a bite can certainly trigger an allergic skin reaction for some people. Water intake increases when it’s hot outside and consumption of impure water too could be one of the possible summer allergy triggers.

If you want to keep summer allergies at bay, it is firstly important to consume the right kind of food. Fruits & vegetables with high water content are perfect energy boosters for summer. They not only keep your body hydrated but also improve your immunity thus preventing several summer allergies

Wear a face mask before stepping out in the external environment. Doing so will significantly reduce the amount of allergens that you inhale in the form of dust. Hay fever is one such kind of illness which is caused by an allergy to pollen

Skin Allergies during summer

Photo-dermatitis and bacterial/fungal infections are 2 of the most common summer allergies that cause the skin to react in a particular way. Rashes, skin darkening, acne & pimple breakouts, prickly heat etc are common symptoms of summer skin allergies. Pollen counts are high during windy afternoons; therefore avoid venturing outdoors during this particular time of the day. Cover up your eyes and hair with large sized sunglasses and broad-brimmed hats. Maintain a high level of personal hygiene by taking a shower at least twice or thrice a day with an anti-bacterial soap. Avoid wearing shoes that barely allow any ventilation for your feet.

Stop the consumption of Alcohol or at least limit its intake as it can worsen the impact of summer allergies with a substance called “histamine” which is produced by bacteria and yeast during the fermentation of wine, beer and liquor

Some medicines like Penicillin and similar kinds of antibiotics can also trigger summer allergies. Talk to your physician/healthcare provider to acquire complete information on this subject

Did you know…?

Fabrics too can worsen or trigger your summer allergies

Yes, that’s true.

Clothes that are dyed in black color contain a high level of PPD (or Phenylenediamine) which is known to induce allergic reactions on the skin. Body sweat when combined with elastic can also lead to a latex allergy. Some people suffer from nickel allergy and develop rashes on their skin after coming in contact with pant zips, studs and nickel elastic. Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes as they too can trigger acute skin irritation

Sometimes, in spite of taking all precautionary measures, summer ailments somehow find their way into our lives. This information can help you preserve your health by keeping summer allergies at bay