We are in mid-summer and the temperature seems to be rising rapidly. How are you coping with the peak summer days? Is the scorching sun and humid days leaving you frustrated? Indian summer can be harsh in many parts of India. The harsh climate can drain you off your energy, making you prone to infections, vomiting, nausea, prickly heat and low blood pressure. However it is essential to tweak your diet as per the weather. Follow these simple steps to keep yourself hydrated and healthy in summer.
Here are a few tips to stay healthy this summer:
- Hydrate yourself as much as possible. Staying hydrated is very crucial during summer as it ensures that your body keeps functioning normally. As the heat goes up, it results in excessive sweating, which also reduces energy levels and electrolytes from your body.
- Avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages, alcoholic beverages, and those high in sugar. All these drinks contain preservatives, colours and sugars. They are acidic in nature and act as diuretics. They cause loss of fluids through urine and body gets dehydrated.
- Summer time tends to reduce one’s appetite because of the excessive heat. But it is important for you to eat regularly because your body requires the nutrients to fight the heat and keep you healthy. Follow a light diet which is easy to digest, include summer veggies like squash, bottle gourd, cucumber, ivy gourd, etc.
- Avoid cut and peeled roadside fruits, raw vegetables and meat which are pre-exposed to flies and other dirt.
- Always drink clean boiled drinking water to avoid water borne diseases.
- Severe sweating in summer causes electrolyte imbalance because sodium is flushed out of the system. Drink lemon juice, coconut water, buttermilk and fresh fruit juices to replenish the fluids that are lost in sweat.
- Avoid eating fatty, greasy food like vadas, samosas, chips, bhajias, farsans, etc.
Eat right for summer:
Are you choosing the right foods, juices, fruits and vegetables for summer?
Here are a few summer must haves:
- Lauki or bottle gourd – This is extremely popular for weight loss. It’s rich in calcium, magnesium, Vitamin A, C and folate. The superhero vegetable works well on high blood pressure, keeps the heart healthy and is considered an excellent blood purifier.
- Salad leaves – Amaranth leaves, rocket leaves, basil and other summer herbs should be tossed in a salad bowl and topped off with a yogurt dressing to make a great summer salad. They create a power house of nutrition and are light too.
- Aam panna -Two glasses of aam pana can help with digestion, 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.
- Mint water with lemon – One glass of strained mint water with two drops of lemon works wonders. It acts as a liver cleanser, boosts your metabolism and helps those with a low appetite.
- Barley Water – Have two glasses a day and in case you find it bland, add a drop of lemon or honey for taste. Since barley water is rich in fiber, it prevents constipation and also helps in controlling your appetite.
- Watermelon – Watermelon is approximately 90 per cent water, so it’s undoubtedly the best way to keep yourself hydrated. It helps with digestion and keeps the stomach cool.
- Oranges – Oranges are considered beneficial in avoiding muscle cramps. Availability of Potassium in this citrus fruit helps in refilling the lost potassium through sweat.
- Papaya – The sweet and fleshy Papaya, rich presence of enzymes like chymopapain and papain, is widely demanded in summers as it helps in the proper digestion of proteins.
- Mango – The king of fruits, Mango, must be included in the diet during summers as it is rich in the content of selenium and iron.
- Pineapple – Pineapples are good to be included in the summer diet as they contain Bromelian enzyme that helps in the digestion of fats and proteins.
Stay healthy and safe this summer by choosing the right diet plan. Do you have any questions for your summer diet? Consult our Department of Nutrition Therapy for more details.
