Since the temperatures are already touching 40 degrees Celsius, it is very important to keep the body refreshed and change the food habits to guard against dehydration, heat boils, dry skin, vomiting, diarrhea and other summer ailments.
Hot and spicy foods should be avoided as far as possible and should be replaced by cooling and less spicy foods. Bottle gourd, green leafy vegetables, green beans and pulses such as green mung dal, barley, sago, ragi and sabja seeds (tikmuriya) soaked in water are few of the cooling foods which can be taken to maintain hydration in the body.
Usage of ragi powder to make buttermilk, barley with lemon juice, mint water with ginger, buttermilk with jeera and fresh ginger are some of the suggestions by nutritionists to cool your body.
Fruits such as water melons, musk melons, coconut and other water based fruits and fresh juices; sweet curd mixed with rice is refrigerated and small portions can be had during the day; however it is not suggested for the people who are diabetic since it has lot of sugar content in it.
Since the direct heat affects the head, massaging the head or body with gingely or coconut oil helps to improve blood circulation and lower the body temperature. The American Nutrition Association recommends eating rice cooked the day before as it has been found to contain beneficial bacteria and neutralises excessive body heat and also helps those with constipation and maintains body energy.
Cucumbers, Watermelons, Peaches, Apples, Pineapples and other water rich fruits are the answer to most of your problems in summer. Along with these fruits, mint vegetables, leafy vegetables, lemon, zucchini help you to gain the energy and are known to protect your body from heat.
Apart from all this, drink loads and loads of water and keep yourself charged this summer!!
