With the recent increase in the mercury, it is that time of the year when you must prepare to face the summers and beat the scorching heat. It is time to follow certain tips to keep cool this summer and keep the dreaded heat strokes at bay. Apart from using sun protection, staying indoors and drinking lots of water, maintaining a proper diet is required the most. We all know the benefits of healthy and nutritious foods and that they are the best alternative to unhealthy junk food at any time of the year.
But in summer, consuming a natural diet becomes much more critical. It is because the scorching sun can leave you dehydrated, and only eating the right kind of food will help your body replenish the much-needed energy. The heat leads to the loss of a significant amount of fluids and essential salts and minerals. Our body needs these salts and minerals, which can be fulfilled by eating certain vegetables and fruits.
Drinking more fluids is recommended by the experts. Of course, there is no substitute for water. One must drink at least 2-3 litres of water daily in summer. But in addition to water, one should include coconut water, aamras, and vegetable and fruit juices in one's diet to increase the consumption of fluids. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the simplest and best ways to reduce the heat from our bodies. The best way to have a balanced summer diet is to go seasonal and eat natural foods.
Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet, especially those with high water content, like melons, berries, cucumbers, onions and tomatoes, as these increase your water intake (also check: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CegSZi3DtZJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=ODhhZWM5NmIwOQ==). These also contain the essential nutrients required by our body.
Our body loses many electrolytes needed to replenish the body and the water. To fulfil the requirement of electrolytes, include potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, pineapples, sweet potatoes, coconut water, and mangoes.
In summer, one should strictly avoid beverages like coffee and cola as these come under the category of diuretics. Diuretics are those substances which lead to an increase in urine production, which in turn leads to further loss of fluids from the body. Spicy foods should also be avoided in this weather as they not only cause health issues like acidity and heartburn, but consumption of such foods increases the internal body temperature, which triggers loss of body fluids. So, one must let go of taste and flavours for some time to avoid dehydration. Some certain seasonal fruits and vegetables help cool the body from within, like bottle gourd, zucchini, bitter gourd, watermelons, cucumber, etc. To survive bravely in the sweltering heat, one must eat such fruits and vegetables in lots.