Why It is Important to Stay Healthy?
Summer brings in a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities, but it also means a lot of
sweating,
heatwaves and soaring temperature. This harsh, humid and
hot summer can take a toll on your body if proper care is not taken.
The rising temperature and heat in the summers happen to be the cause of
heatstroke,
low blood pressure levels,
dehydrating, nauseousness, and lower energy levels, thus making you very unproductive. But this can be avoided by keeping our
health in check by following a few preventive measures stated below.
Drink a Lot of Water
The first thing you want to do in this weather is to keep yourself hydrated. Drink plenty of water and this should be your number one priority. Staying hydrated is very important as it will ensure the normal activity of the body. Drink at least 2 liters of water per day. Also, make sure to drink water in between your schedule rather than drinking water only when you are thirsty.
You can also drink coconut water as it holds many benefits and is filled with electrolytes,
nutrients and is rich in
carbohydrates. Other than that you can also have juices and shakes (Lassi, Panna).
Avoid Fast Food
Fast food tends to be hard to digest. As the temperature rises our body slows down the
metabolisms process so as to maintain the internal body temperature which is just opposite to what happens in the winter season. You may have noticed that you feel hungrier during the winter days, which is because the metabolism rate in your body is fast so that it can produce heat to keep you warm.
As the metabolism process slows down it takes a longer time to digest food even the normal, daily meals let alone fast food. Fast foods are also not recommended because they are of low nutritional benefits. So try and avoid munching on fast food especially during summers as it may lead to indigestion, diarrhea, and ultimately leading to dehydration.
Use Sunscreen
Make sure to apply sunscreen or sunblocks after bath and before stepping away from home. In the summers, the intensity of sunlight is very high, so it is important to
protect your skin. Sunscreen protects our skin from harmful UV radiation – UVA and UVB and also prevents sunburns and tanning.
It has been scientifically proven that prolonged UV rays exposure can be the cause of skin cancer. So the least we can do is apply sunscreen over face, neck, arms and the exposed areas of the skin to keep our skin healthy and safe.
Sunscreen with higher SPFs (sun protection factor) such as SPF 30++ works best for the Asian climate. Apply sunscreen in intervals between 3 to 4 hours.
Eat Fresh Fruits
Summer season is heaven for fruit lovers. Many delicious fruits like mango, watermelons, papaya, oranges, etc are available in this season. The fruits that are available in the summer season have high water content. For instance, watermelon has 90% to 96% of water content.
Eating fruits can definitely help you survive heatwaves and lower the chances of dehydration. Fruits also restore vitamins, minerals; antioxidants, etc which can help you beat the harsh weather. If you are not a fan of eating fruits than you can replace it with fruit juice but go for the organic juices or the freshly made juice rather than those which come in packaging.
Use Sunglasses
UV rays are harmful to
eyes too. Long term exposure to UV rays can cause cataract, macular degeneration and corneal sunburn which can potentially lead to loss of vision. Try investing in a good pair of sunglasses and wear them whenever you go outside.
Wear Light Clothes
Wear light clothes made up of cotton and khadi fabrics. You can also wear long sleeves to keep your arms protected from the intense UV rays from the sun. Avoid wearing heavy and tight-fitting dresses as they can cause excessive sweating and suffocation. Choose light-colored cloths, as a darker color tends to absorb heat.
Always choose comfort over fashion when its summers.
Avoid Caffeinated and Carbonated Drinks
Caffeinated and carbonated drinks have a tendency to dehydrate your body as these are diuretic drinks. So to keep your bodies hydrated try reducing the quantity of caffeine intake on a daily basis in the summer season.
Have Smaller and Frequent Meals
Try having smaller and frequent meals. This habit will keep you full and energetic. Eating larger and heavier meals means more stress on the metabolic process, which is already a slower process in summers. This habit will help you stay away from indigestion and dehydration. Try eating salads and fruits to keep your health in check
Use an Umbrella
As you may already know by now how harmful the radiation from the sun can be and how it can cause some serious damage to your skin and eyes, you may have realized that it is important to cover up and use an umbrella.
You can use an umbrella when the intensity of sunlight is high, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Also make sure to cover your face specifically nose, ears and mouth to keep you safe from the hot winds, which can ultimately cause dehydration.
Bath in Neem Water
Prickly heat is tough to beat.
Prickly heat is the red rashes that appear on the skin when sweat glands get trapped due to dust or folded regions of our body. Prickly heat affects both adults and children but is more common in children as the sweat ducts are still developing in them. Prickly heat can be avoided and prevented by taking neem water bath, using prickly heat medicated powders, staying in air-conditioned rooms.
Summer brings a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities and fun
vaccination but makes sure you are taking care of your health this season. Follow all the steps stated above religiously to keep you and your family healthy all summer.
