CHENNAI: I feel so drained and tired these days,” said P Yuvvarani, a construction worker at a site on the outskirts of the city. “I have a throat infection that is taking forever to go. My son is also not well. He ate at a roadside eatery without telling me and has been down with food poisoning ever since.” Doctors confirmed that Yuvvarani and her son are facing common summer ailments.
Loose and light
“Many issues that people face in the summer stem from dehydration — be it a heat stroke, urinary tract infections or kidney stones,” said Dr (Capt) Prabhu, a family physician and diabetologist. “People, especially diabetics, are prone to skin infections like contact dermatitis, scabies and impetigo. Scabies and impetigo are can spread quickly from person to person. It is essential for people to bathe at least twice a day in normal water and wear cotton clothes because sweating into other materials can cause fungal infections. At night, make sure to sleep in loose, cotton clothes, preferably without undergarments as it will help your skin breathe.”
Summer diet
Doctors said that children, in particular, need to be extremely careful during this season. A healthy diet, they said, was crucial and should consist of a lot of fluids while avoiding heat-inducing foods and those that are oily, fried and contain excessive masala and salt. “Avoid eating outside because children are very prone to getting diarrhoea, jaundice and typhoid from eating or drinking contaminated food or water,” said Dr Ganesh, paediatrician at Rainbow Children’s Hospital.
“If you must eat out, ensure that it is a clean and hygienic place. Parents must give their children boiled water, and lot of it, to keep them hydrated through the day. Staying indoors is advisable, especially during the afternoons. Skin problems like rashes and boils are also very common during this time so it is important keep the body clean and germ-free.”
He added that Chicken Pox is yet another common ailment among children during summer. Common symptoms that one must look out for are scabs, blisters, itchy skin, redness, high-grade fever, loss of appetite, and headaches and the symptoms usually persist for more than a week or two.
Keep clean
Doctors advised that the simple act of washing hands properly can go a long way in keeping illness at bay. Further, they said that one must be very careful of the water one consumes. “Everyone feels thirsty during summer and there is a tendency to just drink juices from street vendors but this must be avoided,” said Dr Daisy Saran.
“I always advise people to drink tender coconut water because it not only quenches your thirst but is the safest option. You can’t go wrong with it. Even better is nungu juice or padaneer juice. It is extremely refreshing and very good for health. The problem with many juice stalls is that we cannot be sure of whether the water quality is good and further the vessels that they use to make the juice are clean or not. So it is best to avoid. Make it a point to eat fermented rice and also lots of buttermilk whenever possible.”
Diseases and prevention
The primary reason behind the outbreak of diseases in summer is the presence of favourable weather conditions for bacteria, virus and other parasites to breed. Here are some health tips:
● Try to avoid activities outside the home during peak sun hours.
● Avoid exposure to direct sunlight and crowded areas.
● Increase water or liquid intake so as to prevent dehydration.
● Use sunscreen with a higher SPF to prevent skin damage.
● Avoid roadside food or contaminated water.
● Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetable.
● Wear wide-brimmed hats to avoid direct exposure to the sun.
● Prefer light-coloured, loose clothing as dark colours absorb heat.
● Keep your premises healthy and clean.
(SOURCE: Dr Lal PathLabs Blog)