Do’s and Don’t’s For Summer Health

The increasing summer heat burns you inside out but fortunately summer also offers you abundance of tasty and nutritious foods, including wide variety of fruits and vegetables (loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C and A) and protein foods. By simply choosing the right ones, you can help prevent common hot-weather woes:

These are some of the do’s and don’ts needs to be keep in mind while planning your summer meals.

Do’s…

• Melons: Besides being the ultimate provider of water, this fruit has lycopene, which has the property of protecting skin from sun damage. As its name implies, this fruit is a hydration hero, and fluids are exactly what you need when the heat is on. “Watermelon’s high water content keeps you cool and hydrated
• Corns: corn contains lutein and zeaxanthin, these are two antioxidants that are well known to protect from the harmful ultraviolet rays.
• Yogurt: Protein-packed, natural probiotic, portion-controlled and delicious in taste (just freeze a cup before you go, so it stays cool until you’re ready to snack), yogurt is good for your stomach and beating the heat of summer.
• Coconut water: A powerhouse of nutritional benefits. Coconut water has electrolytes that make it one of the best hydrating agents.
• All seasonal fruits for example Mango: Mangofruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.
• Fruit milk shakes, smoothies and homemade fruit drinks: all are good for hydration and also good options for children and weight management as it’s a great combination of fruits and protein.
• Cucumber: Summer offers you a huge variety of watery fruits and vegetables one of the best food is cucumber. It’s juicy and are good for hydrating your body and skin.
• Dark Leafy Veggies: Looking for suitable vegetables to eat in summer? Try on dark leafy vegetables, especially the raw spinach and kale salads.

They are known to provide protection against the heat of the sun. These leafy greens are also known to reduce inflammation and detoxify the body.

• Lime water: If you are out on a sunny summer day and you need a drink that soothes you from within, it has to be a glass of lime water.
• For protein intake: choose chicken and fish or lean meat rather opting for red meat or organ meat. For vegetarians paneer (homemade), milk, curd, tofu, soya are some of the good protein options.
• Blackberries and Raspberries: These berries are great sources of fiber. “They’re very high in vitamin C and have 8 grams of fiber per cup.”
• Green Tea: Green tea is the perfect way to supplement your water intake when it’s super-hot outside.
• Cooling herbs:Cooling herbs like mint, peppermint and chamomile help reduce the heat in the stomach. A cup of peppermint and chamomile tea will ensure your stomach is relieved of excessive acid levels in the stomach and also aid

Dont’s…

• Charred Meats, Red meat: Red meat like mutton, lamb, and pork are high in saturated fat, which raises blood cholesterol. High cholesterol foods could raise risk of heart diseases.
• Iced tea:Iced tea laden with artificial sweeteners increases your tolerance for sweet which could potentially lead to weight gain. Excessive consumption of iced tea may also take a toll on your water consumption. Experts say that one should drink at least eight glasses of water in a day, for smooth functioning of various body needs.
• Greasy burgers and hot dogs: Greasy burgers, fries and hit dogs are full of trans fats which are major contributors in weight gain. In addition to this, they are also tough to digest and tough on the inner lining of your stomach, hence better to avoid.
• Tetra packs: avoid taking tetra pack juices, coconut water and other sweetened drinks. They will only provide you calories in form of simple sugars. All have added sugar which will not benefit you in any way.
• Avoid drinking water from unhygienic places. It can cause stomach bloating or other infections.
• Do not keep cut fruit and even cooked fruit for longer as the bacteria can easily grow in such environment in this weather.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating them.

• Do not skip your major meals in summers this what most of the people do as they complaint that they don’t feel like eating in summers. But skipping major meals, can affect your immunity more in summers.
• Drink about 4-5 litres of water including other liquids to beat the heat.

Keep in mind these summer tips and beat the heat with ease.