The much-awaited rainy season is finally here! While monsoon does bring some respite from the sweltering hot summer days, it is known to be accompanied by the risk of food-borne diseases, infections and allergies. The high humidity levels lower the body’s ability to digest food, which is why additional care and precaution is required to stay healthy during monsoons. Here are a few simple tips that will help you remain in the pink of health by keeping germs, bacteria and other monsoon-related health problems at bay.
Do’s
- This monsoon, ensure that you drink only filtered or boiled water to reduce the risk of water-borne diseases like diarrhea and cholera. Carry a bottle filled with purified water with you at all times to avoid buying it from vendors. Additionally, you can drink lots of herbal, chamomile or ginger tea to aid digestion and boost immunity.
- Increase your intake of probiotics such as yogurt, buttermilk, and cheese etc. to facilitate the growth of good bacteria in the gut, which supports nutrition absorption.
- Light, home-cooked food eaten in moderation is most suitable for the season as it is easy to digest. Choose lighter cooking oils such as olive or sunflower oil.
- Green, leafy vegetables play host to worms, larvae, and germs, etc. because of their grime and dampness. So, soak your greens in saltwater before consuming, if you can’t avoid them entirely.
- Eat bitter foods like bitter gourd, bottle gourd, and neem, etc. to improve your immunity and digestion. Having boiled or steamed vegetables in place of raw ones also reduces the risk of stomach infections.
Don’ts
- Avoid stale, undercooked, spicy and fried foods, especially from roadside vendors as it may cause stomach problems such as bloating, gas, acidity and indigestion.
- Limit your consumption of white, refined sugar as it may lead to inflammation and promote the growth of bad bacteria; upsetting the precarious balance of the gut microbe.
- Avoid aerated drinks whenever possible as they reduce the body’s mineral content which in turn leads to reduced enzyme activity, taking its toll on an already weakened digestive system.
- Ensure that you’re not consuming a lot of seafood. Water tends to get contaminated during the rainy season and eating fish can cause cholera or diarrhea.
Follow these simple rules to keep your gut healthy and happy through the season. Additionally, you can take some preventive measures to ensure your surroundings remain clean and hygienic. Use insect repellants generously as mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria are rampant during the season. Add a disinfectant to your bath water and keep your feet clean and dry at all times to prevent the growth of fungus. But most importantly, eat healthy food and exercise regularly and enjoy the rains!
