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Summer is here to stay, and Indian summers are marked by intense heat. Our health is negatively impacted by the unimaginably high temperature increases. Dehydration, heat strokes, skin rashes, sunburns, and other conditions can all be severely impacted by rising temperatures. Fortunately, though, summertime dishes are delicious and a great way to combat the extreme heat. Discover more about the easy summertime health hacks that will allow you to enjoy the season to the fullest without sacrificing your well-being by reading on.
Summer Tips to Follow
To beat the summer heat, it is important to stay indoors. But with longer days and ample sunshine, it’s also the time to explore and experiment. To keep the body healthy and refreshed even as temperatures soar, follow these simple summer health tips:
1. Add Summer Foods to Your Diet
By nature, the summer foods are bestowed with qualities that help in beating the summer blues. You can include green vegetables like bottle gourd, lady finger, cucumbers, pumpkin, and a range of fruits like watermelon, melons, mango, and berries. The summer foods are exceptionally high on antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential nutrients, and water. Their rich flavour and extra crunch make them a perfect choice for salads, smoothies, and ice creams.
2. Go High on Water and Fluids
Being well-hydrated is one of the simplest summer tips that will help to lower the core body temperature. This helps you stay cool despite the soaring temperatures outside. Also, as the body loses water and essential salts through sweating, make sure to make up for the depleting levels. Symptoms like dry lips and skin, headache, and dizziness can well be a sign of dehydration. Consume as high as 3 litres of water per day and that too at regular intervals. Refreshing drinks like lemonade, watermelon juice, coconut water, and iced tea can help you make up for the fluid intake in a fun way!
3. Eat Small and Frequent Meals
Eating heavy meals with high quantities of carbohydrates and fats will raise the inner body temperatures during the digestion process. This will make you feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Thus, eating healthy summer foods, switching to lighter meals with smaller portion sizes, and frequent eating will not just ensure adequate nutrition but will also help you stabilise core body temperature.
4. Prefer Whole Grains to Refined Cereals
Healthy summer foods must include whole grains like brown rice, oats, barley, and wheat which confer good and healthy properties as compared to their refined counterparts. They are high in nutritional value and are loaded with fibre. As these carbohydrates are digested slowly and remain in the stomach for a long time, the release of energy is spread over a longer period. This does not increase the core body temperature instantly and ensures that you remain comfortable after eating in the hot summer months.
5. Avoid Eggs and Meats
Summers are the time to go the vegan way! A non-vegetarian diet is heavy and difficult to digest. Red meat, pork, and poultry increase the core body temperature, making you feel hotter and uncomfortable. Ideally, one must avoid heavier meals altogether or choose white poultry, lean meat, and fish. Moreover, consider grilling and baking rather than frying.
6. Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
Alcohol and caffeine are diuretic in nature which can leave you dehydrated quickly. Therefore, cocktails, coffee, and fizzy drinks may not be the right beverage for the hot summer season. Moreover, their high-calorie content with low nutritional value raises an additional red flag for weight watchers.
7. Avoid Overhead Sun
Do not venture out in the sun especially during the peak hours as the sun’s UV rays are strongest around noon hours. Instead, prefer morning hours i.e. before 11:00 am and evening hours i.e. 5:00 pm onwards for outdoor activities. Summer safety tips include wearing light cotton clothes, protective headgear, sunglasses, and carrying an umbrella when you plan an outdoor visit. Liberal application of sunscreen lotion and plenty of water are a must for ultimate protection.
8. Revamp Your Exercise Regimen
The idea of breaking out of your exercise regimen to beat the summer heat may not be a good one. A daily fitness routine is not just beneficial for weight management but also helps you feel good and positive. So, exercising during summer is amongst the important summer health tips to beat the summer blues. But switch to workouts that do not leave you drained.
Try swimming as it will keep you refreshed in the hot summer months. Alternatively, try indoor exercises like aerobics, treadmills, or yoga to keep you active and agile or take advantage of the cool mornings and evenings to do your fitness training. But remember to take adequate nutritional supplements to keep your body salts and electrolytes in balance.
9. Do Not Compromise on Sleep
A good sound sleep will ensure that the body recoups well from the otherwise draining summers. Not getting adequate sleep will slow down the body’s rejuvenating process and leave you more prone to summer-related health issues like headache, dizziness, constant fatigue, nausea, and heaviness. Moreover, as the days are exceptionally long, a small afternoon nap can also prove to be a good relaxation for the body. Most importantly, follow the same sleep and wake-up time for overall conditioning of the body.
10. Avoid Outside Food
The soaring temperatures offer perfect breeding grounds for infections to thrive. Therefore, to remain healthy and safe during summers, avoid outside roadside food as it is not cooked and stored in hygienic conditions. Also, pre-cut food may get spoiled due to contamination. This may lead to foodborne diseases and stomach infections.
11. Take Care of Your Eyes
Treating your eyes well in the summer season is extremely important for your overall vision. Even though we avoid gazing at the sun directly, the intensity of the sun’s heat during the summer season is so high that even reflections on objects may be harsh to the eye’s health. So, wear protective eyewear whenever you head out.
We may also make the most of this season by adhering to these simple summer health suggestions. Summertime cuisine can be so much fun when enjoyed with a delicious smoothie, a bowl of incredibly refreshing salad, and a glass of heavenly iced tea. A few outdoor activities will also help to maintain mental and physical alignment. Cheers to a happy summer!
(Disclamier: The information contained is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your doctor or other healthcare professional.)
