Diet Tips To Beat The Heat In The Upcoming (100) Days of Summer
Whenever we think about summer, a stream of things which make us happy and childhood memories flood our mind. Summers are associated with melting ice creams, fresh lemonades, juicy mangoes, travelling with our loved ones and a million things which makes this season a beloved one among the rest of the seasons. At the same time, the problems which come along with all the heat we encounter in the high temperatures in India are too severe to ignore. Doing our daily tasks and chores in this chaos of unbearable heat, bacterial infections, the risk of dehydration as well as the constant feeling of being exhausted can overwhelm us and ruin our perfect, approximately 100 days of summer. As we are already in March, where the afternoons have started to become slightly hotter than before and we feel the need to gulp down a few more glasses of water before leaving the house, one can say that summer is just around the corner. With the temperatures soaring high, the restlessness and exhaustion can be combated with initiating certain alterations in our lifestyle choices and including ‘Summer foods’ in our diet, to keep us hydrated and fresh.
DRINK YOUR WORRIES AWAY: One can’t avoid sweating after moving around in such intense heat. The sweaty patches, dripping drops of sweat from our forehead and sweaty palms, all indicate that our body is losing considerably high amount of water content through perspiration. To make up for the lost content, drinking 8-10 glasses of water each day at regular intervals is crucial for the body.Consuming extremely chilled water, as we usually tend to do in the summers by adding excessive cubes of ice to our water also proves to be harmful as it shocks the body. Fresh lime water with a spoon of honey, pinch of salt and freshly cut mint acts as an excellent and healthy source to cool the body and replenish the dipping moisture levels. Drinking natural coconut water is a great way to nourish and cool the body with an abundance of minerals, electrolytes and simple sugars found in this drink. Even though it’s better to eat the fruits directly to savour the fibre, consuming fresh homemade fruit juices also serves as a great way to keep ourselves hydrated and energized. Drinking beverages with artificial sweeteners may provide with an immediate energy boost and cool you down temporarily but, in the end, it is just sugar water which will harm your body. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol is the right way to go as these beverages only dehydrate the body and increase body’s metabolic heat.
COOL AS A CUCUMBER: Nutrition plays a humungous role in maintaining our body temperature.A balanced diet accompanied with plenty of summer foods allows our body to stay cool and doesn’t allow the skin to get irritated.Grabbing seasonal fruits and vegetables which naturally cool down the body as well as keep all the functions smooth is essential. Fruits with high water content like watermelons, melons, tomatoes, plums, peaches, pineapples, mangoes, berries etc. do not only please our palate but also cool us down and give us the feeling of being full.
Just as the saying goes, cucumber is also high on water content and possesses a wealth of fibre. These qualities do not only aid in cooling but alsohelps in keeping constipation at bay. Adding to these qualities, zucchini also contains vitamin C, important phytonutrients and proves as a good source of manganese.
Vegetables like onions and celery even though do not come off as coolants yet, these vegetables have incredible cooling properties and even shield against sunstroke. A household herb- mint, acts as a staple in summer because of the incredible and refreshing taste it provides.
CURD: A bowl of cold and fresh curd, fruit-yogurt bowls, a glass of buttermilk or home-made lassi, all function as natural air conditioners. As tasty they are alongside our meals in distinct forms, either as “namkeen raita” or “meethi lassi”, they all are rich in probiotics which assist in the process of digestion.
HOT MEALS: Various studies have been conducted to assess the effect of spicy food on our body temperature. Even though consuming spicy food increases the body temperature for a while, the circulation allows the body to sweat and cool down.
SMALL PROPORTIONS: Avoiding heavy meals in summers is crucial as metabolic heat employed in breaking down the food can irritate the body temperature levels. Consuming light meals, excluding high protein foods (red meat, poultry, seafood etc. and eggs in moderation), steering clear of junk food(deep fried, fast food, pickles etc.) and consuming small proportions at regular intervals are all beneficial for keeping the body environment mellow.
In the sweltering heat of summer months in India, especiallyin the horrid months of May and June, one can embrace the aforesaid steps toguard against issues of dehydration, smoothen the internal functions and keep the body aura light and fresh. Apart from nutritional steps and hydration, it is important to note that maintaining personal hygiene is a must. With bacterial infections on their peak in the summer months, one must be on alert for all the possible risks and unhealthy habits. Summer is meant to be for exploration, spending time with the family and revisiting old memories. When our mind and body are equally refreshed and healthy, we are more perceptive of all the good things around us, thus, make a note of these summer diet tips for the best summer of your life!
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