With every season in India, certain practices are followed throughout the country. For example, in winter, drinking warm water first thing in the morning is a ritual in a lot of households as it helps provide warmth to the body and also alleviates the problem of indigestion.
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Similarly, in summers, people like to take care of things like not eating, too many spices or hydrating themselves from time to time to take care of the body. However, there are also a lot of stereotypes that people have been following for ages that do not have any scientific backing to them. In this article, one can find such myths that shouldn't be believed.
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* Drinking Cold Liquids
Eating fresh fruits and drinking hydrating beverages comes very naturally to everyone during summer. This is indeed a great way to keep the body hydrated. But one must understand the temperature of the beverage or food doesn't play any role in keeping the body hydrated. Consuming beverages or food that is extremely low in temperature can lead to gut issues and cause indigestion. One has to make sure that the food or the beverages that they are consuming are not too cold as it may also lead to sinus infections and fatigue in the body. Moreover, drinking cold water increases the urge to drink more cold water again and again.
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* Reduce The Number Of Meals
Another common misbelief is that reducing the number of meals in summer is the right way to remain healthy and light. This is not the right way of putting something out. Starvation is not the answer to gut-related problems. One simply has to divide the 3 substantial meals into 4 or 5 meals throughout the day. Also, it is always okay to eat sugar in the form of fruits. Many people are apprehensive towards eating sweet fruits as they think that eating too much sugar even in the form of fruits, is going to disturb one's diet. Also, avoid drinking any aerated beverages and focus more on salads.
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* Watermelon Is Just Water
Watermelon is a fruit that becomes abundantly available during summer. However, despite its nutritional benefits and hydrating qualities, it is not as commonly consumed as other fruits. Many people think that watermelon has just a high water content with a bit of natural sweetness and no considerable nutrients. However, watermelon is a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C. It is also high in different types of nutrients like lycopene, citrulline, and many other things. It can also help reduce sadness in muscles and improve the cardiovascular health of the body.
* Not Eating Chilli
Many people refrain from eating chillies during summer in every form. However, one must understand that total prohibition of chilli is not going to contribute anything to the body. Chilli helps in making a person sweat instantly, which is a way of detoxifying the body and reducing its temperature. The evaporation of the sweat helps in removing excess heat from the body. This is the reason why a lot of tropical and subtropical countries around the world are some of the largest cultivators of chillies and peppers. One should avoid the consumption of excess spices as they can cause problems related to indigestion.
* Garlic Keeps The Mosquitoes Away
Growing up, many of you might have heard that eating garlic or keeping it near you during summer is a great way of keeping mosquitoes away. But the fact is, garlic in no way is a mosquito repellent. A lot of people are under the influence of this misconception, and they end up eating garlic in a very high quantity that contributes to nothing. If you want to keep the mosquitoes away from yourself, then instead of eating something, focus on applying cream on your body.
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* Raw Food Should Be Given More Preference
There is another common practice that people follow during summer. This is to stay away from cooked food and instead eat more raw food like vegetables and fruits. Raw fruits and vegetables indeed have higher amounts of vitamins and minerals, but it doesn't mean that raw food is the only healthy way of living. In the long run, if a person only eats raw food, then they might start facing some stomach-related problems. The stomach might find it difficult to digest cooked food upon the instant consumption of raw food only. One must remember that the body can't eat all kinds of vegetables in raw form only. Also, the body will get vitamins and minerals, but it also needs proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for survival, which one can get from cooked food.