Foods to prevent sunstroke
The blazing hot sun of summer brings sunstrokes. These foods can help you protect yourself
Nature bestows its right foods to help the body beat the heat. Being outdoors and working all day can lead to sunstroke and dehydration. The following foods should be included in your daily diet during the summer months.
Raw mango
It is excellent for preventing sun stroke. Also, it is high in Vitamin C thereby increasing immunity and preventing the common summer cold. It helps in preventing anaemia, TB and typhoid. Ever wondered how essential your aam ka achaar and kachi kairi (raw mango) ki chutney and panha is in the summer? No wonder the housewives are busy stocking these up! Add raw mango to your salad, poha, upma or chew on it raw with a little salt and red chilli powder.
Buttermilk
Sweating, muscle cramps, nausea, headaches, sunburn – sip on the buttermilk, whipped yoghurt with chilled water garnished with cumin and mint. It is a good cure for summer diarrhoea caused due to excessive heat. Its pro-biotic properties suit the intestinal tract.
Coconut water
Rightly called the ‘fluid of life’ coconut is a wonder food. Tender coconut water is the natural isotonic beverage with almost the same level of electrolyte balance as we have in our blood. Here is how it is excellent for the summer:
- Oral rehydration medium – high in magnesium, potassium, saline and natural sugar. Popular with athletes.
- Keeps the body cool.
- Application on the body prevents prickly heat and summer boils and subsides the rashes.
Onions
Onion due to its high sulphur content prevents body fevers that can be caused due to sun stroke. Farmers in Gujarat and Rajasthan keep an onion below their cap to keep the heat from getting to them.
Lemon
Extremely great for the summer, it is worth squeezing a lemon to make a fresh-fruit drink because lemon ranks high as a health food. It contains very few calories. A low intake of vitamin C makes people more susceptible to infection and lemon is high in Vitamin C content. You can get rid of dizziness or nausea, which is common during the summer due to the scorching sun, by sucking on lemon or sipping its juice.
Lemon juice also makes an effective thirst-quenching drink in fevers, measles, and pox. Lemon is regarded as a youth restorative.
HYDRATE WELL THIS SUMMER TO KEEP STROKE AT BAY