Gear up for the rise in mercury level. Eat the right foods that will keep you hydrated and healthy
It's that time of the year when you start reaching for diet sodas, ice cubes and the remote to the air conditioner. But the quick relief can lead rather quickly to the opposite of what you intended. Anything lower than your actual body temperature produces a cooling effect only initially. Then, after about 20 minutes, the opposite happens. Drinking very cold liquids may lead to constriction of the blood vessels and decrease heat loss from the body, which is bad when trying to cool down. So stock up that refrigerator and kitchen with the right foods, not just to keep the temperature from raging but also to look and smell nice.
Smell right:
Body odour is caused by the deficiency of zinc in our diet. Odorous sweat can be effectively avoided by consuming foods rich in zinc. Simple measures, such as adding wheat bran to your oats breakfast consumed with cold milk, can help. Shell fish, almonds, peanuts, dried watermelon seeds and sprouts are also rich sources of zinc.
Stay cool:
Nutritionist Jyoti Lalwani highly recommends eating curd, drinking coconut water and sugarcane juice during summers. Intestinal infections such as cholera, typhoid, amoebiasis find it easy to surface during a warm climate. Eating curd helps increase the friendly bacteria in the intestines. These bacteria promote digestion and boost immunity. Due to sweating, water and many essential minerals are lost from the body which makes you feel tired and sluggish. Coconut water is packed with simple sugars, electrolytes, and minerals that replenish hydration levels. Research suggest that coconut water also has anti-ageing and anticancer properties. Sugar cane juice comes in handy for those who exercise or work out during summers. Containing only natural sugars, it not only cools the body but also energises with a high quantity of carbohydrates and proteins. The nutrients found in sugarcane are beneficial for the functioning of the kidneys, heart and the brain.
Nutritionist Naini Setalvad suggests eating raw mango to prevent sunstrokes and summer typhoid. "Have raw mango in any form, whether sliced and tossed in bhel or as a drink called 'panha'," she says. It contains natural sugar and prevents constipation. You can also consume musk melon and water melon which comprises of 90 per cent water. Lalwani adds cucumbers, bell peppers and ice-berg lettuce to the list of naturally watery food items. "These prevent urine from being acidic in the summer," she says. Buttermilk and lemon juice are couple of other drinks that help cool the body and up immunity.
Veggie edge:
Light to digest, water-based vegetables are recommended for the summer. Heavy, oil based foods are not water rich. When your body is losing plenty of water already, digestion of heavy foods depletes the levels of water further. The result is fatigue, poor concentration, light headedness and decreased metabolism. Stockup on doodhi, parhwal and pumpkin as they are full of fibre and easy to digest. Other water rich vegetables that can be included in your diet include cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms. Basmati rich with curd is another good summer food choice. Fish meat is preferable to chicken. However, chicken can be marinated in curd and cooked in low cal recipes. While dry fruits such as figs and raisins can be eaten without worry, cashews and pistachios should be avoided as they are 'heaty' in nature and difficult to digest.
Look good:
Summer causes a bleaching effect on your hair and skin. The heat may damage your hair cuticle resulting in dry, split, frizzy hair and ragged ends. Including amino acids rich in Vitamin E to your daily diet to restore the quality of hair during days of high temperature. Egg whites, sprouts and flax seeds are excellent choices for this purpose. Flax seeds also contribute majorly in the digestion of fat. The heat and humidity leads to formation of wrinkles, age spots, rashes and clogged pores on the skin. Eat lots of mangoes for a smooth skin. Mangoes are rich in Vitamin A and repair the skin cells that preventing it from looking flaky and wrinkly. Vitamin A also promotes the production of skin-building compounds that form new skin cells. Add selenium rich foods, such as cottage cheese, brown rice, eggs, onions, mushrooms and sunflower seeds to your diet. Selenium is an essential mineral for a youthful, glowing skin. It is known to protect skin against UV-induced damage and cancer. Selenium deficiency compromises protective antioxidant enzymes in the skin and can cause abnormalities during summers.
