“Its heat before April, tackle it with health tips”

Dos and Don’ts for summer by AOH

--- Dr.RajkumarChaudhary, Hon.Secretary, Association of Hospitals

Summer’s advance in the city and the temperature has rise to its peak, mounting to 41.3°C which is unbearable by residents and it’s time to take precautions and stay healthy. This heated summer can lead to serious consequences of heat strokes, heat cramps causing painful muscle cramps, confusion, nausea, dizziness, etc. Mumbai usually witness cases of heatstroke that occurs due to dry heat, because of the high humidity.

Do’s

Do stay hydrated: 

With the summer heat beating down on you, you’ll tend to sweat more than you do any other time of the year.  To combat this and avoid feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or lethargic, drink plenty of refreshing drinks.  Stay away from coffee (including iced coffee), sodas, and sugary drinks as these will all conspire against you by actually dehydrating you. Focus on drinking plain water, low-calorie flavored water, or low-sugar sports drinks packed with electrolytes.  

Do keep food refrigerated:

Leaving food out in the open creates a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria, and this is exacerbated with the summer heat.  Where the general thumb rule for leaving food out was around 2 hours, once it’s in the sun that limit dwindles down to a mere hour.  Keep raw meat in an iced cooler, and the same goes for potato salads, fish, and well, basically anything else “perishable” that you plan on eating!  

Do - Dress in lightweight, light-colored clothing
Do - Drink plenty of water or other non-alcoholic fluids
Do - Eat light, easy to digest foods
Do - Seek out shade if you have to be outdoors for extended periods
Do - Check in on elderly neighbors and relatives to make sure they are okay
Do - Seek medical attention if you experience symptoms of heat illness

Don’t: Due to loss of water and sodium, people tend to drink juices or others beverages available outside, which can lead to infections

Don’t: Don’t Stress, have fun instead!  Relax, and enjoy the weather.  If you are taking a trip to the beach, don’t overload yourself. It’s easy to remain stress-free if you avoid packing too much food that might go bad.  For example, instead of bringing potato salad, try bringing baked potato chips.  Remember to use sunscreen with high SPF, insect repellant, and stock up on ice for the cooler.

Don’t - Stay in the sun for long periods of time
Don’t - Take salt tablets unless directed by a physician
Don’t - Drink alcoholic beverages

Enjoy the summer, bring the creative you and create some summer coolers that will keep you hydrated.