Now that summer has arrived, improving one's diet is the best method to stay cool. The time has come to replace heavy dinners and oily gravies with light fare and fresh vegetables. In response to the unexpected increase in temperature in some regions of the country, the union health ministry issued a heatwave advisory recently. Rajesh Bhushan, the union health secretary, gave practical recommendations to mitigate the effects of the heat due to the significant departure from the anticipated usual temperature at this time of year.
You'll be surprised how simple it is for your dietary decisions to keep you feeling energised all season long. Who said bland summertime fare had to exist? Lauki, cucumber, squash, melons, and fruits like mangoes, pineapples, litchis, and jamuns are all versatile ingredients that may be flavoured in a variety of ways to excite your palate like never before.
The ministry also advised people to be ready with vital medications, IV fluids, ice packs, and ORS. The ministry also advised state governments to continue efforts on sanitization and capacity building of medical officers, health personnel, and grassroots level workers on heat illnesses (oral rehydration solution).
The ministry recommended that people stay hydrated throughout the day by drinking plenty of water and, if required, using oral rehydration solutions (ORS). "They should keep their water intake high by taking seasonal fruits and vegetables with high water content. People should consume homemade drinks like lemon water, lassi and fruit juices with some added salt," the statement read.
Throughout the summer, it's crucial to remember to drink plenty of water. Including a lot of hydrating soups and body-cooling drinks to assist your body get the vitamins and minerals it needs while doing so. Choosing seasonal produce is also important since it helps the body stay cool. Examples of such produce are lauki, mangoes, jamuns, and others. So prepare light curries and refreshing salads with vinaigrette, hung curd, honey, lemon, etc. as the dressing. Making fascinating popsicles, flavoured water, mango and jamun ice creams and sorbets are other enjoyable activities you may do in the kitchen with the kids. Take the risk of experimenting with various flavours to titillate your taste buds and make the most of the season.
Don't cook during the peak summertime hours. To properly ventilate the kitchen, open the windows and doors. Avoid drinking alcohol, carbonated soft drinks, tea, coffee, coffee with a lot of sugar, and coffee with a lot of caffeine as they actually produce additional fluid loss from the body or may create stomach cramps, according to the advice.
Indians have been told to stay away from foods heavy in protein as well as old food. Individuals moving from a colder environment to a hot one: If they are visiting during a heatwave, they should give their bodies a week to adjust to the heat and drink lots of water. By gradually increasing exposure and physical activity in hot environments, acclimatisation is obtained.
An additional group of "vulnerable citizens" was named in the alert. They consist of: newborns and young kids, expecting mothers, those with mental illnesses and those who work outdoors, people with physical illnesses, particularly those with cardiac conditions or high blood pressure.