Health Tips for Monsoon – Safety Precautions During Rainy Season
Monsoons come with a refreshing change in weather. The heat subsides, the pollution clears up and hot cups of coffee and tea replace the cold drinks. However, the refreshing weather comes with its own sets of concerns.
After a sweltering summer, the rain showers bring a much-needed respite for which we all are waiting desperately. However, the random & inconsistent monsoon downpours and typhoons also bring with them humid weather, flooded roads, mosquitoes, and diseases.
It can be a period of great hopes and of greater despair as it welcomes a multitude of health problems, so we must be ready to handle monsoon-related health ailments. It is notorious for bringing with it a host of diseases that are spread by vectors like mosquitoes; others are either airborne or spread by infected water and food. They can range from:
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- Malaria
- Dengue
- Typhoid
- Common cold and cough (flu)
- Diarrhea/Gastroenteritis
- Food poisoning
- Cholera
- Jaundice
- Leptospirosis
- Conjunctivitis
- Skin infections-bacterial/fungal
- Allergic rashes due to insects bite
- Slips & falls
Table of Contents:
- Tips to Stay Healthy this Monsoon
- Monsoon Tips & Health Guide
- Nutrition Tips
- Food Guidelines
- Safety Precautions
- Healthy Substitutes
- Fitness Tips for Monsoon
- Monsoon Tips for Exercising Indoors
Tips to Stay Healthy this Monsoon:
Since water is a carrier of various diseases, one needs to be extra cautious. Here are some precautions that will allow you to enjoy the showers, without falling prey to illness.
Monsoon Tips & Health Guide:
• Always carry rain gears to protect from downpours.
• Hot and humid climates during monsoon are ideal for fungal growth. So keep dry during the monsoon. Do not enter an air-conditioned room with wet cloths to prevent fungal infections of the skin or nails.
• Always use sturdy footwear that will give you a good grip to avoid slips/falls.
• If you are suffering from asthma or diabetes, avoid staying anywhere with wet walls. It promotes the growth of fungus.
• Wash your hands with soap before handling food, after eating food, and after visiting the toilet. Maintain good personal hygiene.
• Prevent stagnation of water near your house, fountains, potted plants, flower pots, coolers, etc. All sources of water such as storage tanks should be covered and cleaned to avert the breeding of mosquitoes.
• Use insect repellents, and disinfectants and take precautions to stay away from mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, and termites.
• Avoid eating at places where mass cooking goes on like at marriages or religious gatherings where food poisonings may occur.
• Diabetics should not walk barefoot since the soil is a reservoir of all types of germs.
• Where possible, try to avoid walking through dirty water. Besides leptospirosis, it can lead to numerous fungal infections of the feet & nails.
• Despite the precautions, if you develop any signs of illness, consult your doctor immediately.
Nutrition Tips for Monsoon:
• Following dos and don’ts will help you enjoy the rains without worrying about diseases.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, particularly leafy vegetables and cauliflower, which not only contain larvae and worms but also dirt.
• Eat in moderation as the body finds it harder to digest food during the monsoon.
• Drink only boiled and filtered water, and make sure that it is consumed within 24 hours of boiling.
• Eat freshly cooked food. Do not consume leftover foods kept in the refrigerator.
• Moong dal is easy to digest and should be the dal of choice for the season.
• Garlic, pepper, ginger, asafoetida, jeera powder, turmeric, and coriander help enhance digestion and improve immunity.
• Fried snacks seem really tempting in the monsoons but keep them in moderation once in a while.
• Vegetables recommended during the rains are the non-leafy ones such as — snake gourd, gourd, ridge gourd, cluster beans, apple gourd, and bitter gourd.
• It is better to stick to seasonal fruits like pomegranates, apples, and cherries. Indian Gooseberries and citrus fruits contain lots of vitamin C and are good for improving immunity levels.
• Avoid excellent roadside temptations. Pollution of water and raw vegetables is very common during this season.
• Clean your salads under running water. Steaming them is the best way to get rid of germs.
Food Guidelines for Rainy Season:
- Add garlic and turmeric to daily food to enhance immunity.
- Keep hydration levels high.
- Add a probiotic like yogurt to the diet.
- Include warm foods like protein. Lean meats (egg whites and chicken) and fiber-like fruits and vegetables to keep the body warm.
- Indulge in seasonal fruits.
- Avoid raw foods.
- Wash vegetables well before cooking.
Safety Precautions to be Taken During Rainy Season:
With the monsoons comes unwanted cravings and plenty of refined foods, salty and spicy foods are consumed which can lead to retention and unhealthy body fat percentages. Therefore, it is imperative to follow an optimal level fitness plan which should comprise of the following:
• Eating a balanced diet comprising complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Adequate water and sunshine.
• Regular exercise.
• Keeping a good state of mind. And this is possible by eating healthy, exercising, and spiritual health.
• Avoid water retention.
• Hydrate yourself regularly. Thirst is the last indication of the body being dehydrated. If you are well hydrated, you should be urinating about once every one and a half to two hours.
• Add green tea and dandelion tea to plain natural diuretics.
• Add parsley and asparagus in food preparations, these are natural diuretics.
• Consume calcium-rich foods like eggs, low-fat milk, milk products, and green leafy vegetables.
• Most important avoid table salt.
Healthy Substitutes for Unhealthy Cravings:
- Steamed vegetable cutlets stuffed with low-fat cottage cheese.
- Steamed mushrooms with low-fat cottage cheese.
- Baked cottage cheese cutlets with whole-wheat bread made as a sandwich.
- Green tea, tea, and coffee are made with low-fat milk and stevia or sugar-free.
- Hot cleat soups, add oats or barley flour to thicken the soup instead of cream or corn starch.
- Egg white and ragi.
- Hot foods are made with quinoa and oats instead of refined flours.
Fitness Tips for Monsoon (Rainy Season):
The first thing this season brings to our mind is fun, enjoyment, and of course, waterlogging. This affects our outdoor activities. So, does it mean that you sit at home and toss away all your regular fitness regimen? Absolutely not! Here are some great ways & monsoon tips for following a fitness regimen and remaining fit and active during this season.
Monsoon Tips for Exercising Indoors:
• Stick to the same scheduled time plan for your workout sessions at home. Start with simple stretching exercises.
• Purchase a few simple exercising devices like dumbbells, skipping rope, etc. If you have always wanted to buy an indoor cycle or treadmill, this is the right time.
• If you are someone who is not into working out in the gym, you can do some simple exercises at home as well. Sit-ups, waist bends, knee bends, calf exercises, etc.
• The stairs in your house are superb exercising devices themselves. Walking up and down the stairs is a superb tip for good fitness.
• Practice yoga as it can be performed both indoors & outdoors.
• An indoor jog on the spot or around a house jog is also beneficial.
• If you love to dance, dance like nobody is watching. This helps you keep yourself flexible.
• Cleaning your house is the best way to keep yourself from becoming a couch potato. Whenever there is a drizzle outside and you are stuck indoors for a couple of hours, clean out the shelves, cupboards, or rooms.
SOURCE: B-Positive Health Magazine |