Summer usually conjures up images of ice cream, swimming pools, summer camps, road trips, and afternoons spent playing gully cricket in the sun, to name a few. However, the sweltering summer heat can easily make one feel more fatigued and demotivated than usual, and with good reason.
Our bodies have built-in mechanisms to disperse metabolic heat created by internal body processes. When the body is subjected to extreme external heat for lengthy periods, it can cause stress. Indeed, hot settings have been related to increased irritability and a lack of ability to perform hard labour, mental, or technical jobs.
And, with summers appearing to be increasing warmer – April 2022 was the hottest April in India in the last 122 years — the consequences are just becoming worse. However, the solution to this problem is not to stay in our air-conditioned homes till the season is through, but to counter the heatwave by adding essential items to your diet.
While there is no one-size-fits-all diet, here is a list of summer essentials to assist you in beating the heatwave:
1. Fruits with high water concentration
Sweating is a natural way for your body to regulate its temperature. This means it loses a lot of water during the summer, which causes weariness. Fruits like watermelon, berries, grapefruit, pineapples, and mangos are recommended to help combat this. These are high in water (watermelon is over 90% water!) and antioxidants, protecting your body from toxic residues and increasing immunity. It is one of the best fruits to beat the heatwave.
Also Read: Ten water-rich foods to combat dehydration during summers
2. Curd
Because of its cooling impact, soothing and probiotic curd is excellent for your intestines, but it can also help soothe your appetite. It also helps regulate blood pressure and is beneficial to the immune system, stomach, heart, and skin. It also lowers the risk of high blood pressure and hypertension by lowering cholesterol levels.
Also Read: Summer essentials for 2022 you must know about
3. Lemon
A cool glass of lemon water is not only soothing for the dehydrated self, but is also rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, and Calcium, making it a must-have in your diet. It should be consumed, especially when one goes out directly in the sun.
4. Leafy vegetables
Leafy vegetables like Kale, Cabbage, and Spinach are high in water and contain a lot of Vitamin C. They are simple to digest and require little energy for the body to metabolize, allowing you to stay cool. To get the most out of your leafy greens, avoid overcooking them because this will lose water content in the final dish. It sure seems like a cliche but green vegetables should always be added to your diet, irrespective of the weather outside.
Also Read: 20 health benefits of almonds you must know
5. Ghee
Ghee, the golden elixir, is high in beneficial fats and vitamins. Several Ayurvedic treatments depend on using ghee as a component during the summer. In fact, Ayurveda considers ghee to be a ‘rasayana,’ or rejuvenator. It keeps you cool in the summer and goes well with various classic Indian dishes. It contains Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A and C. It aids in nourishing all tissues and the proper functioning of all organ systems.
Featured Image Credits: Times of India
