Summer Health Care Tips

The scorching heat in summer can do a lot of damage to your skin, hair and overall health. Keeping yourself hydrated is the foremost challenge during summer as the heat saps up your body fluids very soon. You need to follow certain health and nutrition tips to counter the heat and dryness of summer. The tips given here would help you remain unaffected by these problems.

Foods recommended during summer

• Some of the foods that are easily digestible during summer are sathi rice, whole grain wheat, milk and cow ghee. Amongst the vegetables, pumpkin, gourd, pointed gourd, bitter gourd, ridge gourd (nenua), green cucumber, green coriander, flower of banana and amaranth (chaulayi) are considered beneficial for health in summer. Kheer made from milk and rice is an excellent nourishing dish for summer that also keeps the body cool.
• Some of the cool drinks recommended during summer are shikanji, lemonade, thandai and various seasonal fresh fruit juices such as that of watermelon, muskmelon, mango, grape, pineapple, banana, apple, pomegranate and coconut water. These drinks keep your body cool and prevent dehydration. You can pick your favourites among these or take all one by one for variety.
• If you want to prevent dehydration, having a concoction of wild mangosteen, jaggery and cumin seeds just before going out in the sun can prevent a lot of disorders during summer such as dehydration.

Foods to avoid during summer

• Foods that increase the heat in your body should be avoided during summer. These include excessively salty, dry, stale, hot and spicy, fried, bitter and foods that are sharp to taste such as tamarind, pickles, excessively spicy curries, and the like.
• Cold drinks, ice creams and canned fruit juices, though they bring down your body temperature, should be avoided as they are not healthy options. They increase acidity and cause more heath later on. Itching, irritability and other skin disorders can result.

Tips to deal with summer heat

• If you are not used to having a glass or two of water immediately after waking up in morning, this is the best time to start it. If you follow this routine, and that of having a glass of water before going out in the sun, the risk of heat stroke would be considerably reduced.
• Staying awake at night is especially harmful during these days as it increases acidity and thereby, leads to more heat in the body.
• Do not miss your exercise schedule in summer. If you feel too hot while working out, try out the tips given here to manage body heat. Taking a stroll barefoot on grass before sunrise and working out would allow you to bear the heat.
• To protect yourself from sunburns, apply sunscreen and wear clothes that can guard against the scorching sunrays. Wear quality sunglasses to shield your eyes.

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