Summer

GET RID OF PRICKLY HEAT

It does not need special treatment, but here are a few precautions to keep it at bay

Summer temperatures are slowly heating up. The long days of hot and humid weather make you sweat like a pig. It’s a sheer torture especially when prickly heat or heat rash appears on the skin. Suddenly you feel like your body is covered with pins and needles. The tiny red bumps and spots also known as miliaria rubra can give you itching, a stinging or prickling sensation and discomfort. Prickly heat does not need any special treatment and it will vanish within a few days. However, you can take precautions to stay away from this irritating problem.

The culprits
The heat and humidity get together and make you perspire so also does intense exercise, certain synthetic fabrics, that do not allow sweat to evaporate or certain medications such as high blood pressure drug or drug for treating bladder problems. Certain bacteria such as staphylococcus on the epidermis, the upper layer of the skin may secrete a sticky substance, which blocks the sweat ducts. Heavy creams and ointments too can block the sweat ducts. If you are overweight or obese you have more chances of getting prickly heat than others. Babies and children are more prone to prickly heat since they have underdeveloped sweat glands.

What to expect?
Excessive sweating can block the sweat glands trapping the sweat underneath your skin. Trapped sweat irritates your skin and forms tiny fluidfilled blisters. The rash occurs especially in the skin folds and all over the body --back, nape, abdomen, upper chest, armpits, groin, hands, feet or neck and even on the face. Prickly heat that appears under your clothing can trouble you more because of friction that your clothes will cause.

Wear cottons
The rash usually heals on its own within a few days. However, several treatments are available such as phototherapy, antihistamine creams or topical steroids in severe cases. Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream helps soothe itching. Anhydrous lanolin can help prevent duct blockage and stop new lesions from forming. If you feel too sweaty and sticky, bathe twice in a day, wear cottons. Use talcum powder or prickly heat powder after shower. However, check for allergies on sensitive skin. In babies, avoid diapers as far as possible during summer heat. Sweat generally collects around the diaper’s synthetic waistband causing heat rash. Switch to cloth nappies. These will keep your baby cool and prevent nappy and heat rash. Try staying indoors in a cooler environment, avoid sun, loosen clothing and expose the affected areas to air. But if your rash seems to be getting worse or shows signs of infection, swelling, pus, pain, fever or chills, you need to take medical advice.
Prevent overexposure to sun by using a sunscreen over SPF 15 and cover your head with a cap or an umbrella. Do not let perspiration dry on your skin. Wipe away the sweat with a clean towel or a handkerchief to keep the skin dry.

BE COOL

Avoid excess sun and heat

Apply cold compresses to cool the area

Keep the affected area clean

Avoid heavy make-up, greasy creams and moisturisers; these can trap heat causing discomfort

Keep yourself hydrated, Drink plenty of water

Aloe Vera can soothe prickly heat

Applying a paste of sandalwood powder in rose water can be soothing

Honey, lavender and chamomile can cool the skin

Applying buttermilk or curd mixed with water can be cooling

Paste of Fuller’s Earth (multani mitti) with rose water soothes the skin, Wash off after 10 minutes

Mint, tea, lemon grass tea, butter milk, coconut water, fruits having high water content such as watermelon, pineapple, vegetables like cucumber – all have cooling effect

STAY FIT

Keep cool with the right food

What we eat and drink can make all the difference to how we feel in summer.Milk, curds, lassi and buttermilk top the list. Of course, we must ensure that the milk is thoroughly skimmed or use commercial skimmed milk. Milk is one of the most wholesome foods we can consume. It is 85 per cent water and that helps cool the system. Then it is composed of both carbohydrate as well as protein, besides plenty of vitamins and minerals. The carbohydrate in milk is a simple sugar called lactose and that will give you a boost of energy in 45 minutes.

Milk also provides protein which is body building material, good for skin, hair and musclebuilding and also very important for keeping us full. Protein takes 3-4 hours to be digested so if you have a lassi at 11 am you will feel fresh and also not feel weak and hungry up to lunch time. Similarly a cool glass of milk or a milkshake at 5 pm or 6 pm will keep you going till dinner.

Milk is a powerhouse of minerals and vitamins. It is one of the richest sources of calcium and also contains Vitamins A, B complex, D and E. So throw away all your myths about milk this summer and treat your body to plenty of skimmed milk/curd/lassi instead of ice cream and pastries.

The next must do for summer is lots of fresh fruits — water melon, musk melon, oranges, mosambi, apples, pomegranate, pineapple etc. help to pump minerals and vitamins into the body. As we sweat a lot with the heat we lose minerals and they must be replaced. Of all foods the richest source of minerals and vitamins are fruits.

Are juices good? It’s preferable for you to eat a fruit and drink the water. As you make the juice vitamins and fibre are lost and also the calories are much higher. When you eat an orange it is 40-50 cals. When you make an orange juice you squeeze 3-4 oranges so it can be anything from 100-150 cals. Even without added sugar. Packet juices are all 100-120 cals per 200ml.

Fruits are also the only natural foods on earth that give instant energy. They contain naturally both glucose and fructose which are monosaccharides. This means one single step of digestion and energy is pumping into the body. Even if you put a spoon of sugar or a toffee into your mouth, energy will come only after 45 minutes.

Summer is a time when you feel fatigued very easily. Fruit is the best snack option. Also try to do fruity desserts instead of rich creamy ones. Make fruit intake compulsory, one at 11 am and one at 6pm daily, will keep your energy levels up. They also keep you cool and fresh as they contain lots of water within them. The fibre in fruits helps to relieve you of constipation which is common in summer.

Lastly, fresh salads are invaluable. Again don’t do veg juices and soups but eat plenty of salad. Try to have a salad both with lunch and dinner. They help to cut down your total food intake and this helps to keep you full but light and fresh as they are an important source of water, minerals, vitamins and fibre.

SUMMER FORMULA

2 Fruits 2 Salads and 2-3 glasses of skimmed milk/curd daily

The Tip

Have watermelon to beat the heat

• Watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher is also beneficial for those suffering from conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.

• Sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, notably through its concentration of betacarotene.

• Watermelon is also a very concentrated source of lycopene. Also found in olive oil, lycopene is also an antioxidant that helps ease inflammations that cause colds, joint pain and helps prevent cholesterol build up.

• For a great summer thirst-quencher, blend chunks of watermelon with a few ice cubes and a splash of lime juice. Serve with a fresh mint leaf.

• Because watermelon has higher water content and lower calorie content than other fruits (a whole cup of watermelon contains only 48 calories), it delivers more nutrients per calorie which is an outstanding health benefit.