Dodge the Sun. Beat the Heat Wave

FIT’s got some cool tips to help you beat the heat!

If you think it’s hot, brace up for hotter days ahead (Photo:Reuters)  

Summers are always hot. But this time, it is hot hot!

You’re thinking cool splash in the pool. You’re thinking long slurp of the nimbu paani. But if life is not a float on the blue and work demands that you step out into the city’s tandoor - here are some tips on how to shield yourself from the unforgiving blaze.

(Photo: iStock)

Heat Wave Do’s

• Up your water intake by at least 30%. So eight glasses of fluids is a must.
• Slow down. Don’t do any heavy duty outdoor workout once the sun is up (Just the excuse you were looking for to chill) .
• Eat light. Include lots of fruits and juices in your diet.
• Wear light cotton clothing and sunscreen that’s marked SPF 30 or above.
• Carry an umbrella. Or wear a trendy hat and add to your summery look.
• Shower twice a day and keep the BO away. Showers also cool the body and open those all important pores.

Less sugar than sports drinks, packed with minerals, coconut water is the perfect summer drink. (Photo: iStock)

Nariyal pani is my ‘Dew from Heaven’. It is high in potassium and excellent to combat heat exhaustion.

– Dr Monica Mahajan, Internal Medicine Specialist, Max Healthcare

Heat Wave Don’ts

• Don’t drink water from roadside vendors
• Don’t wear synthetics.
• Don’t opt for heavy meals or cut fruits while eating out.
• Stay away from alcohol and fizzy drinks, they can dehydrate you even more!
• Don’t leave infants and pets in the car with the windows rolled up, while you shop.

Summer Ailments

Heat strokes, exhaustion, skin breakouts and tummy upsets are all on the rise. Learn to spot the signs of a heat stroke immediately and call up your doctor incase of an illness.

Babies and the elderly are the most vulnerable to a heat wave.

If newborns get high fever they can’t suck milk properly. That leads to dehydration and neonates developing kidney ailments. One in four newborns in my clinic is getting jaundice.

–Dr Pankaj Bhansali, Pediatrician.

OPDs are swelling with heat stroke victims. Dehydration fevers, viral eye infections, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting are common in Delhi.

Monika Mahajan, Internal Medicine Specialist, Max Healthcare

Spot a Heat Stroke With These Early Signs

Before you get a full blown heat stroke, watch out for these symptoms:

• Dark Coloured Urine
• Rapid heartbeat
• Throbbing headache and a feeling of confusion
• Muscle cramps
• Skin turning red and dry

Photo: iStock)  

Dodge the sun, beat the heat, hit the cool and enjoy the long, languid summer.