Eat veggies and fruits with high water content to avoid dehydration, say docs

TNN | Mar 12, 2016, 03.15 PM IST Times of India Trichy



Trichy: With soaring mercury level in the city, motorists and pedestrians have an arduous time since they step out the house in morning till evening. The onset of summer has increased the risk of health complications as well. But a slight change in food habit will protect them from summer diseases, say doctors.




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On Friday, the maximum temperature in the city touched 35.2 degree Celsius. A former vice-principal of KAP Viswanatham government medical college (KAPVGMC) Dr MA Aleem insists on a change in lifestyle during the summer to stay away from diseases. "Dehydration will be the most common problem among the people in the summer. A thirsty person should not go for cold water because it will cause throat infection. Aged people will become more vulnerable to summer heat. So, it is highly recommended to keep the body healthy by taking butter milk, vegetables and fruit rich in water content," he said.








Since the temperature is expected to increase in April and May, people are prone to heat-related health problems such as giddiness, electrolytic imbalance, hypoglycemia, tachycardia, urinary tract infection, headache, chicken pox, measles etc.








The consumption of sufficient quantity of water is the most recommended one to keep the summer disease at bay. The distribution of butter milk for a couple of hours at Ayyappan temple in Cantonment on Friday brought relief to motorists who passed the stretch. It may go on until the summer temperature comes down.











Though tender coconut is one of the best remedy for summer heat problems, many of them are not affordable to take it on a daily basis. Hence, doctors recommend cucumber and water melon. Dr Aleem said wearing loosely fitting cotton dresses will keep you cool in summer time.








The summer will be a nightmare for children, particularly school-going ones. Pediatricians say children are susceptible to prickly heat, impetigo, fungus infection, dry skin, dehydration, urinary infection, chicken pox, measles and particularly diarrhoea caused by water contamination.








"Parents should ensure their children drink enough quantity of clean water. Bathing twice a day will save from skin infection. Besides, they must be given fruits and vegetables," said head of the department of paediatrics at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital Dr D Saminathan.









City health officer (CHO) puts the responsibility of providing clean water to the students on the schools. "An average of three litres of water should be taken every day but the children bring one litre of water to the school. So, we insist the school to keep clean and protected water in the school to allow the children to take enough quantity of water," said CHO Dr M Geetharani